Red Carpet fair odds: In-form mare fits Sunday at Del Mar

Normally, I don't love picking the favorite to snap a seven-race losing streak in graded stakes. However, trainer Brendan Walsh has found an ideal spot for Forever After All in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Stakes on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST at Del Mar.

Dixiana Farms' homebred Connect mare just missed to Chop Chop last out, closing resolutely but coming up a nose short in the 1 1/2-mile Dowager (G3) last month at Keeneland. Brisnet rated that pace as extremely slow, but Forever After All still closed strongly. There is a pace question in the Red Carpet as well, but Walsh gets local jockey Juan Hernadez, and I see that as a big positive.

Marksman Queen is the likely speed here, but she was collared last time, and Marksman will likely have a target on her back here as the obvious speed. Ima Joker only has one way to win this from the rail on the stretch out, and I expect her to be applying pressure to help set things up for Forever After All.

Mrs. Astor was fourth in the Dowager but shipped to Del Mar after to train for this. She might be left with a bit too much to do, as Forever After All got the jump on her in the Dowager and is likely to do so again here. Mrs. Astor might be one of those worth keeping tabs on, though, for when she shows up in a race with a lot of pace after bettors have given up on her.

There is nothing too complicated in the wagering department for this race. I'd single Forever After All in the multi-race wagers and look to play her to win at her fair odds or better.