Ace of Aces odds-on in juvenile stakes

It’s a good time of year to have a precocious Indianabred 2-year-old, and if that horse not only was bred in Indiana but sired by a stallion who stands in the state, all the better.

Ace of Aces is just such a horse. On Sept. 12, he won the $105,600 Hillsdale Stakes by four lengths. The Hillsdale was restricted to Indiana-bred 2-year-olds, while Tuesday’s $100,000-added Crown Ambassador Stakes, carded at six furlongs on dirt, just like the Hillsdale, adds the Indianasired condition. The further restriction softens the competition, and Ace of Aces, if he comes close to repeating his last race, will make another considerable deposit into his bankroll Tuesday.

Bred and owned by LTB Inc. and Hillerich Racing and trained by Bernie Flint, Ace of Aces is by Unbridled Express and out of Miss Carmelite, making him a brother to Indiana stakes winners Express Run and Express Model. Second on debut in July, Ace of Aces won his maiden by two lengths in August before capturing the Hillsdale with a front-running trip.

His rail draw in the Crown Ambassador is less than ideal, but Ace of Aces faces just six foes, and jockey Alex Canchari ought to be able to work out a trip even if others go for the lead.

A Little Irradic beat Ace of Aces in their common debut over the summer but is better suited to that 4 1/2-furlong early-season 2-year-old tilt than – from appearances so far – six furlongs. The other five would need an even larger step forward – or for Ace of Aces to unexpectedly fold up – to win.

The Crown Ambassador goes as race 7 (4:53 p.m. Eastern), while race 8, the Indiana Stallion, is its sister race. There are more fillies (nine) entered than in the Crown Ambassador and a less-imposing favorite since the first two home Sept. 12 in the City of Anderson Stakes either aren’t by Indiana sires or aren’t running back Tuesday.

That leaves Unbridled Brooke, third as the 2.4-1 favorite in the City of Anderson, as the 8-5 morning-line favorite Tuesday. Unbridled Brooke took betting on the strength of a 4 1/4-length debut win July 19, but after going to the front and cruising in that 4 1/2-furlong unveiling, Unbridled Brooke turned in a one-paced finish from a stalking position going six furlongs in the City of Anderson. The performance disparity makes one wonder if Unbridled Brooke’s precocity and quickness got her home first out and will continue proving less effective as her peers develop.

That’s why Fireball Baby stands a decent chance of finishing in front of Unbridled Brooke this time after finishing fourth in the City of Anderson and second to Unbridled Brooke in their common debut. Fireball Baby got away poorly last time and made some late progress to go from seventh to fourth. She races on Lasix for the first time Tuesday, but her 9-5 morning-line odds suggest she won’t pack much more value – if any – than the favorite.