King: Keeneland play of the day for Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018

One of my preferred-angle plays takes place Sunday at Keeneland in the fifth race, which drew a second-time starter who was well backed but went unplaced in her debut.

Mo Dixie went off at 7-2 odds when unveiled at Saratoga on Aug. 31. Slow to get into stride, she raced in last and managed to pass only tired horses in the lane in finishing a non-threatening fifth – a loss this handicapper believes was caused by inexperience, at least in part.

Her pedigree suggests this filly has more potential than she displayed. She is by 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Uncle Mo, a promising young sire, and out of an unraced dam who has a couple of winners from two to race. The first of her starters, Carson City Zip, won in his second career start going 5 1/2 furlongs at Canterbury, never racing again, while the other, Brockton George, showed the ability to route, winning a $20,000 claiming race at Oaklawn going a mile this year.

With that start behind her and a number of steady drills, mostly at Saratoga before a half-mile breeze at Keeneland on Oct. 9, an improved performance is anticipated from Mo Dixie. She might be a better price this time around, too, sitting at 5-1 on the morning line, as she stretches out to a route for the first time in the one-mile race.

The play is a $20 win bet on Mo Dixie (3), plus $2 exacta boxes using her with Smile More (8), Stargirl (7), and Ipanema Beach (5). Those three all enter off in-the-money finishes, making them logical exotics candidates.