Frankie Dettori had magic hands on Thursday. Every horse he touched turned into a winner. He won the first four races at Ascot, including at least a couple who were very hard to figure. That is unlikely to happen again on Friday, but one never knows . . .
There's another good lineup of stakes races at Ascot on Friday. Here is the slate of Group races on the day (all times are Eastern; all are on grass):
Race 1 (9:30 a.m.): Group 3 Albany Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 6 furlongs.
Race 2 (10:05 a.m.): Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/2 miles.
Race 3 (10:40 a.m.): Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, 3-year-olds, 6 furlongs.
Race 4 (11:20 a.m.): Group 1 Coronation Cup, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile.
● ● ●
There's a gargantuan field in the Albany − 26 runners − which makes picking a winner tough. Wesley Ward has a highly-touted filly here, 5-Chili Petin, a speedy daughter of American stallion City Zip. She's obviously talented, but we don't like her all that much, especially on turf, and especially at a short price.
We like a long shot here, 4-Celtic Beauty. This filly is a maiden − she's winless in two starts − but she ran very fast in her last, a good third in a Group 3 race at Naas Racecourse in Ireland. We think she can win this one at boxcar odds, and we will bet her to win at 20-1.
Ascot Race 1
$20 W on 4-Celtic Beauty
● ● ●
We're going with the chalk in the King Edward VII Stakes. We like 6-5 morning-line favorite 5-Japan, a son of Galileo who will start for owner Coolmore and trainer Aidan O'Brien, and be ridden by top rider Ryan Moore. This colt looks like a star in the making. Even though he finished third in his most recent start, the Group 3 Investec Stakes at Ascot, that effort is far superior to anything any of the runners have been able to accomplish. His price will be short, but we will bet him to win enthusiastically anyway, because he looks like the likeliest winner on the card, and maybe the likeliest winner of the week.
Ascot Race 2
$75 W on 5-Japan
● ● ●
The Commonwealth Cup drew nine entrants, and the 6-5 favorite is another Coolmore-O'Brien horse, 7-Ten Sovereigns. He's run very fast, particularly winning the Group 1 Juddmonte MIddle Park Stakes at Newmarket last September, but he looks to us like a colt who wants firmer going, and because that, a colt that we might see this summer in American races, especially at Saratoga or Arlington.
But we're looking for a runner who will like the softer turf that Ascot will have on Friday, and that is the French-Bred 2-Hello Youmzian. This colt has run fast wherever he's been, but he's been at his best on softer grass. We think he takes this one, and we will bet him to win at 9-2.
Ascot Race 3
$30 W on 2-Hello Youmzian
● ● ●
The last Group stakes race of the day at Ascot on Friday is a good one. It's the Coronation Stakes, which has 10 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the sod. This is a sensational race, maybe the best of the Royal Ascot meeting, as there are several tremendous fillies in here. The headliner, and even-money morning line favorite, is 3-Hermosa, the winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh, and while her form is impressive, she looks like another horse who wants firmer turf than she will get in this spot. Several of the other runners with logical form, like 4-Jubiloso and 8-Pretty Pollyanna, also look like enormously talented fillies who want firmer footing than they will find tomorrow.
We like 1-Castle Lady. She won a Group 1 race at Longchamps last out, on a yielding turf course much like she'll experience here. If the results at Royal Ascot so far this week have taught us anything, it's that the going is everything, and Castle Lady is the one who will like the going here the most. We will bet her to win at 7-1.
Ascot Race 4
$35 W on 1-Castle Lady