Cotillion Stakes Odds & Picks

• Parx Racing and Casino hosts the $1 million Cotillion Stakes on Saturday
• Guarana is the even-money favorite
• Should you bet on the chalk, or is there an interesting longshot worth considering?

The Cotillion Stakes is a Win and You’re In prep for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The winner of the mile-and-a-sixteenth event gets an automatic entry into the Distaff, a championship race for females in early November. With a big prize, and recent winners including Midnight Bisou and Songbird, the event has grown in stature and attracts a strong field.

This year’s group features undefeated Guarana, a winner of two big races in New York over the summer, but she’s not the only classy filly entered. Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress will need to be caught, and Bellafina is always tough.

Let’s looks at the odds and see what betting angles are worth pursuing.

Odds to Win 2019 Cotillion Stakes

*Odds taken 09/19/19

The Favorite: Guarana

If a horse can be perfect, thus far that has been Guarana. She debuted in a maiden race at Keeneland on April 19. The word was out she could run as indicated by her 4/5 odds. She didn’t run well, she ran incredible. A nearly 15 length victory doesn’t happen every day. She followed that up with back-to-back classy victories.

Trainer Chad Brown upped her level of competition considerably, heading to New York for the Acorn Stakes on Belmont Day. She responded in the grade one event by beating a strong field by six lengths.

Guarana followed up the Acorn victory with another devastating performance at Saratoga. In July’s grade one Coaching Club American Oaks she made easy work of a talented group.

She may not win on Saturday, and her competition is solid, but there is little to knock on her current resume.

Top Contender: Serengeti Empress

It was a surprise when the Tom Amoss trainee scored in the Oaks at 13/1. The wire-to-wire victory was impressive beating rivals like Bellafina, and Jaywalk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_EPsr2e6kc

Since the Oaks she finished second to Guarana in the Acorn, and runner up against Covfefe in the Test Stakes at Saratoga. She beat Bellafina and Jeltrin in that event.

Longshot: Street Band

Most of the contenders in the race are speed horses. They prefer to be on or near the lead. Could this create a dual up front and lead the way for a closer to win in the final eighth of a mile?

If the pace is hot Street Band could take advantage. While she doesn’t have wins against this classy a group, Street Band has won three times in six tries this year including impressively in the Indiana Derby. Her third place finish in Saratoga’s Alabama Stakes was strong. She didn’t have great racing luck and still made a nice move down the lane.

The Bet: Serengeti Empress

There is no denying she was handily beaten by Guarana when they met. However, the Acorn was run at a distance of only one mile. His second place effort in the Test was a sprint race, seven furlongs. When she won the Kentucky Oaks Serengeti Empress seemed to show a liking to distance options. Saturday’s length should be to her liking. The price is right on the Oaks winner.