OAKLAWN PARK — By Ed DeRosa

I have exhilarating news, @MyRailbirds readers: This is the most excited I’ve ever been to tout a horse on this website!

Of course, the final arbiter of our excitement level will be the tote board, but the morning line odds gives us every reason to expect that we will be betting #7 Hot And Sultry to win the Bayakoa Stakes on Friday at Oaklawn Park.

The $250,000 Grade 3 race for older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles is a competitive group of nine, and while several like to be forwardly placed none are as fast early with an ability to carry that speed as our top selection.

And that style fits the track profile too, as 17 of the 27 races at this distance this meeting have been on or near the lead, including six gate-to-wire winners. 

And for a little extra push in Hot And Sultry’s direction, the outside post positions have been very poor at this trip, so 2-to-1 morning line odds favorite #9 Shotgun Hottie has an additional handicap beyond her running style and long layoff. 

Hot And Sultry is 3-to-1 on the morning line, and I would be thrilled to get her at even Shotgun Hottie’s morning line price of 2-to-1.

Numbers 4 and 6 are my alternatives. Both have an ability to be near the lead, so if Hot And Sultry does not fire well enough to see this trip all the way then either Just Katherine or Comparative could get the jump on the closers, including the morning line favorite.

The Bet:

My plan is to make a big win bet on Hot And Sultry at 2-to-1 and then use #4 and #6 in an exacta.