Woodbine DRF Plus Graded Stakes Analysis: December 15, 2013

Valedictory Stakes (Race 4, 2:26 PM)

The Breeders’ Cup Marathon is not the only graded stakes for horses running 1 ¾ miles on the main track – also graded is the Valedictory, which goes Sunday as a Grade 3 on the Polytrack at Woodbine.

EAGLE POISE is well suited to the surface and distance, having won this race in 2011 before being sidelined at this time last year. He has also run well in marathons this fall, first with a close second in the Laurel Turf Cup at 1 ½ miles on turf and then with another second in the 1 5/8-mile Sycamore in race transferred from turf to Polytrack.

Second choice is TRICKY HAT, who edged him by a neck in winning the Laurel Turf Cup before finishing third behind him in the Sycamore, a neck behind EAGLE POISE. Little separates these two.

He rates behind EAGLE POISE, not having as much Poly experience, and with the uncertainty of him adding blinkers. That equipment can sometimes put more speed into a horse, and to win a marathon, a horse needs to conserve energy.

AWESOME OVERTURN never fired in his last race when sixth in the Autumn stakes Nov. 15, but has typically been a consistent performer. He bombed once before in a race but rebounded with a competitive effort next out and he might do the same again. Unfortunately he has never raced beyond 1 ¼ miles.

Others worthy of use on the bottom of the exotics include QUASITOR and TURKISH, who ran one-two in a Woodbine allowance that served as a prep for this stakes.