Fantasy Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2020 Fantasy Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2020 Fantasy Stakes is set for Friday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Fantasy Stakes Preview and Prediction
- Race: Fantasy Stakes
- Purse: $400,000
- Track: Oaklawn Park
- Date: May 1
- Post Time: 6:09 PM (ET)
- Live: Fantasy Stakes Odds: Click Here
2020 Fantasy Stakes Handicapping
In a normal world, this week’s horse racing focus would be all about the Kentucky Derby, which was originally scheduled to be run on Saturday, May 2. But as everyone knows things are not normal, and the Derby won’t be going until September.
So instead of Churchill Downs, the important racing action is at Oaklawn Park, where they close out their 2020 Winter/Spring meet with two big cards on Friday and Saturday featuring four graded-stakes races. The first of those on Friday is the (G3) Fantasy Stakes for three-year-old fillies racing 1 1/16 miles on the Oaklawn dirt.
Odds listed here are from Bovada’s racebook.
2020 Fantasy Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Venetian Harbor Race Odds: 6-5
California-based shipper Venetian Harbor has been blowing away her competition at Santa Anita, winning her last two races by a combined 19 lengths, while scoring 106 and 107 Equibase speed figures, both top numbers in Friday’s field.
On paper she’s the clear favourite, but like many who come from southern California she has so far gone up against fairly small fields and some questionable competition, as the runners-up in both those races have a combined total of three wins in 14 lifetime starts.
She’s trained by Richard Baltas, jockey Flavien Prat gets the call to ride.
2020 Fantasy Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: British Idiom Odds: 7-2
The winner of the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, British Idiom scored her maiden win at first asking last August at Saratoga and then stepped right up to top-level competition in taking the (G1) Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Churchill before winning the BCJF.
In her first start in 2020 she was second in the (G2) Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds. While she did encounter some traffic trouble that day, she was no match for a winner who was well beaten in her next start, which is a cause for some concern.
She’s trained by Brad Cox and Javier Castellano is the jock.
2020 Fantasy Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Harvey’s Lil Goil Race Odds: 13-2
After a very awkward break that left her trailing the field, Harvey’s Lil Goil was forced to race wide for most of her last start in the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct, yet still managed to take command at the top of the stretch and win going away by more than 7 lengths.
Despite being geared down near the finish she still managed to score a 100 Equibase speed figure for that effort. It’s also noted that the second-place finisher that day got a next-out win at the stakes level.
One of two in the race for trainer Bill Mott, she’ll be ridden by Martin Garcia.
2020 Fantasy Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Swiss Skydiver Race Odds: 9-1
Coming in off a wire-to-wire win the (G2) Gulfstream Park Oaks, Swiss Skydiver looks to be a filly that is making steady forward improvement. Prior to that breakout win, she ran third in the Rachel Alexander, finishing just over a length back of British Idiom. Another step forward puts her solidly in the picture here.
She’s trained by Kenny McPeek, while Brian Hernandez Jr. gets the mount.
Here’s my 2020 Fantasy Stakes Free Pick.
If she’s as good as she has appeared when racing out West, Venetian Harbor could win this by open lengths. But she’s shipping for the first time and taking a solid step up in competition into what is a very good field.
That being said, she offers little value and I’ll try to beat her and take Harvey’s Lil Goil for the Win. I think this filly is sneaky good coming in off a two month layoff, her April workouts have been solid, and she’s should get a good trip and be able to sit off the pace and try to run down the leaders through the stretch.
I’ll use Venetian Harbor and Swiss Skydiver underneath in the exacta.
Full Field: 2020 Fantasy Stakes Odds
- Venetian Harbor 2-1
- British Idiom 7-2
- Harvey’s Lil Goil 13-2
- Swiss Skydiver 9-1
- Lake Avenue 12-1
- Shedaresthedevil 14-1
- Fire Coral 16-1
- Alta’s Award 25-1
- Ice Princess 35-1
- Kansas Kis 35-1
- New York Groove 40-1
- Lazy Daisy 40-1
- Ring Leader 50-1
- Lady Glamour 80-1
What do you think of our 2020 Fantasy Stakes Race Odds & Predictions? Weigh in below with a comment. We welcome your feedback.
Register here for a FREE Sports Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!