Expert Pick of the Week: 2024 Roxelana Overnight Stakes

Apr 25, 2024 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A solid field of 10 fillies and mares will travel six furlongs on the Churchill Downs dirt in the opening night feature, the $200,000 Roxelana Overnight S. The Bill Mott-trained Socially Selective has been first or second in each of her five lifetime races to date and rates a big chance while making her second career stakes run.

By Speightster, the four-year-old is 2-for-2 in 2024 with a pair of allowance scores at Gulfstream Park, and I feel that she has more room for improvement going forward as she is still lightly raced. The chestnut possesses good tactical speed, as well as a fine turn of foot, and she comes in with four very good morning drills at Payson Park in preparation for her first attempt beneath the Twin Spires, too.

She will track the early tempo lying in third or fourth, while always in range in the dash, and I expect her to be the one to run down late with Junior Alvarado taking the reins.

#1 Socially Selective, an impressive firster, takes the Saratoga opener with Jose Lezcano up for Bill Mott to pay $28.00.

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Juddmonte colorbearer Dazzling Blue ripped off a trio of wire-to-wire wins to begin her career, prior to placing in a trio of graded stakes for conditioner Brad Cox. The $500,000 daughter of Into Mischief will be making her first appearance since the fall and has been training in consistent fashion in advance of her return to Churchill, where she dons an unblemished 2-for-2 mark.

Dazzling Blue is swift and will flash a lot of speed from the gate while coming in fresh on Saturday. The Kentucky-bred four-year-old draws outside of the other major pace in the heat and will be well placed throughout under the guidance of Florent Geroux.

Audubon Oaks heroine Positano Sunset graduated on the course and will make her 2024 bow as one to consider from off the pace for conditioner Ian Wilkes. The Goldencents filly captured her final two races as a sophomore and is working steadily leading up to her seasonal debut. Julien Leparoux will guide the bay filly.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #9 Socially Selective on top of #4 Positano Sunset and #6 Dazzling Blue in the 2024 Roxelana Overnight Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.