Beverly D. Stakes Odds: Didia Clearly Becoming a Turf Star

Check out our predictions and odds for the 2023 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs!

Odds provided by author Brian Zipse.

Beverly D. Stakes Picks and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($40 in total)

• $20 Exacta Part Wheel  - Didia over Fed Rover and Gina Romantica = $40
• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Gina Romantica over Didia and Fed Rover = $20
• If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Didia (3/1)

To ensure your bets, check out our Horse Racing Calculator, here!

Beaten just a half-length last time in the Grade 1 Diana, Fev Rover looks to build upon that effort when she tops a field of seven female turf mares entered in Saturday’s $500,000 Beverly D. at Colonial Downs.

The Irish-bred 5-year-old has won a pair of Grade 2 stakes races since importing from Europe five starts back. Both of those wins came on the turf at Woodbine, where she won the Canadian last season and the Nassau earlier this year.

Trained by Mark Casse, this will be her second try in the United States after running a bang-up third last out at Saratoga. 

Chief among her rivals in the 1 3/16-mile test will be the South American import Didia, who comes in off a second-place finish in the Grade 1 New York last time at Belmont Park. 

Before that, the Argentine-bred mare had won her first four starts in the U.S. Included in those wins were two over the Colonial Downs turf course last summer. 

A Group 1 winner in Argentina, the daughter of Orpen will be looking for her first American Grade 1 win on Saturday.

Previously run at the now defunct Arlington International Racecourse, this will be the first year that Colonial Downs hosts the Arlington Million, Beverly D., and Secretariat. The important turf trio was held at Churchill Downs last year.

Beverly D. Stakes Predictions and Race Analysis

Fev Rover

It’s hard to knock what this daughter of Gutaifan has done since arriving in North America and to the barn of Mark Casse. The Irish-bred mare has run five nice races in a row, all of them coming in graded stakes competition. 

The first four were all at Woodbine, but she proved her class last time when a close third in the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga. This will be another big test, but she is clearly a major threat on Saturday. 

I am siding with another as my top pick here, but if the turf course is wet on Saturday, this mare becomes an even bigger danger for the win spot. 

Didia

Clearly becoming a turf star in her native Argentina, this 5-year-old mare has transitioned well to American racing since being shipped north last year. In fact, she won her first four races here, including two wins over the Colonial Downs turf course last summer. 

She added a pair of stakes victories in New Orleans and Louisville to begin this year. Her winning streak of eight straight on the grass was broken last time in the Grade 1 New York at Belmont Park. 

Even in defeat, though, she ran a very good race, finishing a closing second in a race without any pace. Off that effort two months ago, I like her chances here. She knows the turf course and has proven her class. A winning machine, she is the top pick.

Gina Romanica

This daughter of Into Mischief became a Grade 1 winner in her final start as a 3-year-old last fall with an impressive score in the Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland. 

Away from the races for eight months, she returned in June to finish fourth in the Grade 3 Eatontown at Monmouth Park last out. It was not her best effort, but it wasn’t a bad performance by any means. 

One of two for top turf trainer Chad Brown, she should be geared up for a better run in her second start of the year. I like Didia best in the Beverly D., but this Brown runner is a big threat to her in the top spot.

Romagna Mia

Transferred to the barn of Graham Motion, this English-bred had a very good record in Italy last year. Unfortunately, she has not found her best form in four starts this year in Saudi Arabia and France. 

Perhaps a new trainer and American racing will reawaken her best, and if it does, she could prove to be a dangerous filly on Saturday. 

With veteran rider John Velazquez aboard for her American debut, she will be an interesting one to watch in the Beverly D. A threat if she finds her best, she is not one of my top choices here.

Rocky Sky

This 5-year-old daughter of Rock of Gibraltar earned her first stakes victory last fall when she won the 11-furlong Waya (G3) at Aqueduct. She followed that up with a solid second-place finish in the Long Island (G3) for trainer Chad Brown to close out her season. 

She has not run since, so she will come in fresh with nearly nine months between races. Her trainer is adept in having his horses ready after the layoff, but this is a tough return spot. She also might be better going longer than the 9 1/2-furlongs she will find here. 

She is too good to dismiss on Saturday, but there are a few others that I prefer in what will be her Grade 1 debut.

Mise En Scene

Trained by Brendan Walsh, this Siyouni filly has not found the winner’s circle in nearly two years. Having said that, she has kept good company in those nine straight defeats and has turned in some solid performances. 

A Breeders’ Cup participant in each of the last two years, she is no stranger to Grade 1 company. She has lost both starts this year in allowance company, but both were high quality allowance fields. 

It’s difficult to pick her out as a winner against this bunch, but she’s not far off from breaking through with a win. It will probably come against a field a little easier than this, however.

Jan’s Wish

This daughter of Palace will get a major class test after winning three straight races in maiden and allowance company. Most recently, she was a game winner over the local turf course, winning by a neck as the favorite. 

Although it took her nine starts to break her maiden, she is a consistent filly who is in career best form for trainer Laura Cazares. 

Still, the jump up in class looks to be a tough ask as she faces a Grade 1 cast here. For that reason, I will not be playing her in the Beverly D.

How to Watch the Beverly D. Stakes

• What: Beverly D. (Grade 1) 
• Location: Colonial Downs
• Time: Saturday, August 12 - 5:55 pm ET
• How to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Purse: $500,000