One of the feature events on Saturday’s stakes-packed card at Aqueduct is the $400,000 Frizette Stakes, an important prep race for the Oct. 31 NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The Frizette produces Breeders’ Cup winners with regularity, so it isn’t surprising to see a deep and competitive 11-horse field entered for the 2025 renewal. There are many viable win contenders in the entries, but my top choice is #2 Carmel Coast.

Carmel Coast was much the best when debuting in a maiden special weight race sprinting on Aug. 10 at Saratoga. After opening up a clear early lead, she kicked away in the stretch to trounce half a dozen rivals by 5 1/2 lengths. The runner-up, #11 Lovely Christina, returned to win her next start and is likewise entered in the Frizette. Fourth-place finisher Memorized recorded a next-out win as well.

Having conquered quality rivals in the quick time of 1:17.25 for 6 1/2 furlongs, Carmel Coast brings strong credentials into the Frizette. If you’re betting the Frizette on a small budget (say, $10), a straightforward win bet on Carmel Coast is the strategy we recommend.

However, if you wish to bet more (perhaps $30) and pursue a bigger payoff, you should also try betting Carmel Coast on top of an exacta using #6 Iron Orchard for second place.

Iron Orchard is one of the most accomplished Frizette entrants. She’s undefeated and unchallenged in two starts, both at Saratoga. First, she led all the way to dominate a maiden special weight race by 5 1/2 lengths while coasting to the finish. She then stepped up in class for the Seeking the Ante Stakes and again led all the way to win by 6 3/4 lengths, reaching the finish line in the sharp time of 1:10.68 for three-quarters of a mile.

The Seeking the Ante was restricted to fillies bred in New York, but Iron Orchard’s margin of victory and winning time suggest she’ll fit well against open competition in the Frizette. It helps that she’ll be ridden by Joel Rosario, who has twice won the Frizette in gate-to-wire fashion with Jaywalk (2018) and Wicked Whisper (2019).

Wagering Strategy on a $10 Budget

$10 to win on #2 Carmel Coast

What to say at the betting window: Belmont at the Big A, Race 6, $10 to win on 2

Wagering Strategy on a $30 Budget

$20 to win on #2 Carmel Coast

What to say at the betting window: Belmont at the Big A, Race 6, $20 to win on 2

$10 exacta: 2 with 6

What to say at the betting window: Belmont at the Big A, Race 6, $10 exacta 2 with 6

Good luck and enjoy the race!

2025 Frizette S.
October 4th, 2025

2:49 PM EDT
on
FS1

• Purse: $400,000
• Distance: One Mile
• Age: 2 yo
• Surface: Dirt

1 Jetty's Home

• Jockey / Jaime Rodriguez
• Trainer / Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
• Owner / Alonso, Daniel and Miller Racing LLC
• Breeder / Ralph C. Kinder, Fang Gao, Jian Jiang &Diane Martin

2 Carmel Coast

• Jockey / Kendrick Carmouche
• Trainer / D. Whitworth Beckman
• Owner / Legion Racing, MHM Stables LLC, Stefanski, Ed and Conlin, William
• Breeder / Hunter Valley Farm

3 Rileytole

• Jockey / Reylu Gutierrez
• Trainer / Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
• Owner / Heiligbrodt, L. William and Corinne
• Breeder / Don Duppenthaler, Jackie Duppenthaler,Wade Russell & Donna Russell

4 Rina's Revenge

• Jockey / Christopher Elliott
• Trainer / Kenneth G. McPeek
• Owner / Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables
• Breeder / TLC Thoroughbreds LLC

5 Secane

• Jockey / Edgard J. Zayas
• Trainer / Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
• Owner / Final Furlong Farm and Madaket Stables LLC
• Breeder / Jon A. Marshall

6 Iron Orchard

• Jockey / Joel Rosario
• Trainer / Danny Gargan
• Owner / CSLR Racing Partners and R. A. Hill Stable
• Breeder / Pine Ridge Stable LLC

7 Chopsticks

• Jockey / Florent Geroux
• Trainer / Brad H. Cox
• Owner / Selective, LLC
• Breeder / Machmer Hall

8 Icecreamforevryone

• Jockey / Luis Saez
• Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher
• Owner / Repole Stable
• Breeder / Mulholland Springs LLC

9 Five Bars

• Jockey / Manuel Franco
• Trainer / Claude R. McGaughey III
• Owner / Stuart S. Janney, III
• Breeder / Stuart S. Janney, III LLC

10 Steer Clear

• Jockey / Ricardo Santana, Jr.
• Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher
• Owner / Spendthrift Farm LLC and Repole Stable
• Breeder / Machmer Hall

11 Lovely Christina

• Jockey / Junior Alvarado
• Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher
• Owner / Leland Ackerley Racing
• Breeder / Spendthrift Farm, LLC

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