Sunday's Best Bet: Avenue de France runs home in Miss America
Sunday’s 9th race from Golden Gate is the $50,000 Miss America Stakes for fillies and mares traveling a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course (Post Time - 6:29 p.m. EST).
No. 6 AVENUE DE FRANCE (7-2) showed nice late interest in a course/distance stakes win Aug. 7. Look for her to sit back early and get involved late under her winning pilot Espinoza.
No. 5 Tapwater (2-1) rallied to miss by a nose at Santa Anita Park Oct. 30, and she is also effective setting, pressing, or stalking the pace. This is a good spot for Mandella’s mare but she probably won’t offer much value.
No. 2 Brooke (3-1) ran well without winning in four of her five turf route stakes starts since arriving in this country. She will probably save ground stalking the pace.
No. 1 Cordiality (5-1) set the pace and weakened at Del Mar Nov. 25, and that was her first start in more than a year. The veteran California-bred mare has a nose for the wire and might get brave if able to shake loose early.
No. 9 Reiwa (15-1) won her last two local allowance turf routes from off the pace for the productive Antongeorgi/Wong team. She might be able to find her way into the trifecta at a price.
No. 3 Sloane Garden (10-1) has a decent record at this course and distance including a couple of stakes wins last year. The fresh mare packs a decent stretch kick and will try to get involved late.
Wagers:
No. 6 to Win
Exacta 5-6/2-5-6
Trifecta 1-2-5-6/1-2-3-5-6-9/3-9
Recent Best Bet Winners
Dec. 2 - MUSED ($6.80), Exacta ($61.80)
Dec. 7 - WITTY ($6.60)
Dec. 10 - Professors' Pride/Big Novel Exacta ($13.20)