King Edward fair odds: Long shots top Kings & Queens Pick 3
The third to last race on the Woodbine turf before a year-long renovation is the Grade 2 King Edward on Saturday.
It also serves as the last leg of an all-stakes, $5 minimum Kings and Queens Pick 3 that starts with the E. P. Taylor (G1) and continues with the King's Plate. The special multi-race wager could start with some short prices in She Feels Pretty in the E. P. Taylor and No Time in the King's Plate, so it's good that the King Edward has some long-shot options.
Given the $5 minimum wager, we do not necessarily need either favorite to lose if we are narrow in the payoff leg and catch a $20 or dare to dream a $50 horse.
Wyoming Bill interests me the most with Jose Lezcano picking up the mount on this closer who could have some pace to chase at a nice price and has the Ragozin figures to compete against these. Mason's Gamble is another closer who fits if the pace shakes his way and he is the one coming late.
War Strategy is the most likely of the shorter prices for me. His speed is a weapon, but the outside post could hinder with other speed to the inside. Still, he is not the morning-line favorite and could spring a surprise stretching back and returning to turf.
From a Kings & Queens Pick 3 standpoint, I would use both Wyoming Bill and Mason's Gamble with all preceding chalk. For tickets that single War Strategy, I'd want to beat at least one of the obvious choices.
Speaking of the obvious choices, She Feels Pretty will be the shortest price in the sequence, but if she goes off at morning-line odds, then she is an underlay, so that means opportunity as well.
Trainer Charlie Appleby needs no introduction to Woodbine stakes observers as the conditioner for Godolphin has won 9 of 16 added-money events in his career, including a 7-for-9 run from 2021 to 2023. He went 0-for-3 last year, however, and Diamond Rain will likely be his longest-priced starter at Woodbine. The previous was La Pelosa, who won the 2018 Natalma at 3-1.
The last point is salient because Appleby gets bet. Diamond Rain certainly fits among the potential upsetters, but I anticipate last year's King's Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness offering better value, and if you really want to go long-shot, hunting then either Literate or Hurricane Clair might offer value as well.
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