Madison Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 1 Madison Stakes comes our way this Saturday, April 12 from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will take to Keeneland’s main track and dash seven furlongs for a purse of $300,000.

A strong field of nine will line up in the Madison Stakes – race 9 on Keeneland’s busy Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:42 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all nine combatants for this Grade 1 stakes.

Judy the Beauty – four time Grade 1 runner-up Wesley Ward trained filly has six wins, seven seconds and a third in 14 career starts and is coming off a terrific 4 3/4 length win on the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita March 9 after a very good second behind the fabulous Groupie Doll in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Spring. Before that was a career defining win – the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland October 5, an OK third in the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Maters September 9 and a pair of good seconds including the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap behind Starship Truffles at Calder July 6. She also had a second in the Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs in May. Judy the Beauty has been in the money every time out, has won two of her last three starts overall and is undefeated in three starts at Keeneland. John Velazquez rides from post 4.

Heir Kitty – Peter Miller trained filly had a nice two race win streak to end her 2013 campaign – the Grade 1 La Brea at 13-1 odds December 26 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Hollywood Park November 29 after an ugly and distant ninth in the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes here October 26. Last time out was a second behind Judy the Beauty in the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita March 9 after a fourth in her only other 2014 start – the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes January 25. Heir Kitty looks as though she has turned a bit of a corner and has two wins and a second in her last four starts overall. She starts from gate 3 with Corey Nakatani aboard.

Better Lucky – won the 2012 Matriarch at 35-1 odds over Tiz Flirtatious to conclude her 2012 campaign and was third in the 2013 edition of that race last time out – way back on December 1. She was an OK third in her first start of 2013 – in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes behind Centre Court at Keeneland April 13 and continued to look good – a nice win in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes ahead of Dayatthespa at Keeneland October 5, a third behind Hungry Island in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel September 14 and a second to Stephanie’s Kitten in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes in June. She hits the track for the first time since December for trainer Thomas Albertini but should be competitive as usual despite the small layoff. Better Lucky lines up in gate 6 with Javier Castellano in the saddle.

Eden Prairie – is coming off a second in the listed Bayou Handicap at Fair Grounds February 22 after two straight wins on that track – the minor Marie D. Krantz Memorial in January and the Pago Hop Stakes in November. Before that was a good second in the Raven Run Stakes on this track in October and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Arlington Park September 21. She has three wins and two seconds in her last five starts and enters this weekend in the best form of her career. Robbie Albarado gets the call from the outside post.

Wildcat Lily – raced 14 times in 2013 and finished off the year with a disappointing sixth in the minor Musical Romance Stakes here back on September 21 after a good second in the Grade 1 Test Stakes in August, a second in the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes July 27 and her biggest victory to date – in the Grade 3 Azalea Stakes at Calder July 6. She was off for nearly five months before returning to the track February 9 with a respectable third in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream and she followed that with a fourth last time out in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes on that same track March 22. Wildcat Lily has five wins, five seconds and two third place finishes in 21 starts and has placed in nine of her last 11 starts overall with four wins and four seconds over that span. Wildcat Lily departs from post 5 with Irad Ortiz aboard.

Madison Stakes betting at Keeneland Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

Byrama – was decent in 2012 with three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 10 starts. She had nine starts in 2013 – a good second in last year’s Madison Stakes April 13, an OK third in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes, another third as favorite in the minor Wishing Well Stakes February 10 and a disappointing fourth in the competitive Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes January 6. She ended her 2013 campaign in disappointing fashion – a sixth in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes here in October after her worst performance in a while – a seventh in the competitive Grade 1 Pacific Classic in August and a pair of decent thirds in graded stakes action – in the Grade 2 A Gleam July 13 and the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes here August 3. She also had an impressive win by 3 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at 6-1 odds June 15. Byrama has just one start this year – a second in the listed Ten Palms Stakes at Gulfstream Park January 23. She will have Jose Lezcano in the reins from gate 7 looking to regain her early 2013 form.

Saturday Nthe Park – will make her graded stakes debut Saturday but enters in decent form – two wins and a second in four starts this year. Last time out was an OK second in the listed Mardi Gras Stakes at Fair Grounds March 4 after two straight Allowance scores on that same track earlier this year. She has 16 career starts with four wins, six seconds and three third place finishes but takes a huge step up in competition Saturday. Saturday Nthe Park starts from the rail with Stewart Elliot aboard.

Apropos – Albert Stall trained mare enters on a two race win streak – the listed American Beauty Stakes last time out at Oaklawn Park followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that same track in January. She makes her graded stakes debut having placed in eight of nine career starts – five wins, a second and a third place finish. Shaun Bridgmohan has the call from gate 2.

Cozze Up Lady – has been absolutely on fire for trainer Bret Calhoun – four wins in her last five starts – the best of which came two back in the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap at Arlington way back in June. She was sent to the sidelines for eight months after that graded stakes win but returned March 4 to a good in the listed Mardi Gras Stakes at Fair Grounds. She has 12 career starts with six wins, two seconds and two third place finishes and enters the Madison in her best career form. Rosie Napravnik rides from gate 8.

Race 9 on Keeneland Race Course’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:42 PM.