Goodyearforroses tepid 7-2 favorite in John C. Mabee
Goodyearforroses, a 5-year-old Irish-bred mare coming off a three-month layoff, was established as the 7-2 morning line favorite by oddsmaker Russ Hudak in Saturday’s Grade II $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes.
“All you have to do is look and see that she almost beat Lady Eli, and that’s very impressive,” Hudak said. “And it seems the fresher they are the better. Horses come off long layoffs and win all the time in California.”
Goodyearforroses, trained by Richard Baltas for Abbondanza Racing LLC, was a game second, a half-length behind Lady Eli in the Grade I Gamely at Santa Anita on May 27.
While Goodyearforroses has trained for the Mabee, Lady Eli went on to win the Grade I Diana in July and Grade II Balston Spa last Saturday at Saratoga.
The field from the rail: Hillhouse High (Rafael Bejarano, 12-1), Kiss Me Now (Martin Garcia, 30-1), Decked Out (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1), Cambodia (Drayden Van Dyke, 9-2), Madame Stripes (Joe Talamo, 8-1), Mrs McDougal (Flavien Prat, 5-1), Lady Valeur (Ricardo Gonzalez, 20-1), Barleysugar (Tyler Baze, 15-1), Pretty Girl (Mike Smith, 8-1), Insta Erma (Gary Stevens, 20-1), Amboseli (Victor Espinoza, 12-1), Frenzified (Santiago Gomzalez, 20-1) and Goodyearforroses (Corey Nakatani, 7-2).
Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club