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When trainer Brad Cox leads jockey Florent Geroux in a stakes race at the Horseshoe Indianapolis, it is usually on purpose.

The pair have won 10 Indiana stakes races between them in 22 starts, including 8 of 13 as favorites, and they have a quartet of entries on Saturday, including a trio of stakes starters: Elounda Queen in the Indiana General Assembly Distaff Handicap, Impel in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks and Dragoon Guard in the Indiana Derby.

To drive is by far their most likely winner, and while I’m not sure she’ll be worth her winning price, I think she’s a reliable key player, even as a strong candidate, in a race where there appear to be some outsiders as second and third choices.

It looked like the sky was the limit for Impel after her first two career wins, especially in her debut, winning by 8 1/2 lengths over two turns after a 3 1/4 length maiden sprint win. She was a passable third in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland in her stakes debut, but that race hasn’t panned out particularly well. She shortened the distance to seven furlongs in the Eight Belles (G2) and finished second behind My Mane Squeeze while 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Asternia in third.

I like the track out here and I just think it’s better than this one.

Neither Neon Icon nor Band of Gold have numbers that match the favorite, and they are at best as good as other alternatives under Impel. Neon Icon is bet on her unbeaten record with two wins by a total of 9 3/4 lengths, and Band of Gold is a stakes winner.

Still, Just Be Quiet and Little Jamie are interesting odds-on contenders, with the former never worse than second at Horseshoe with two wins from four starts and the latter improving in figure as he takes off his blinkers. Both are in the race at 115lb, which could help them beat a few more than their odds suggest.

In the multi-race all stakes betting Impel is a key individual winner for me but I am most excited to get involved in this race and bet on Just Be Quiet or Little Jamie as the favourite in the vertical exotics.