Apparently, there is a multitude of 3-year-old filly sprinters looking for graded stakes honors in their own age bracket before the year ends. That would explain why Saturday’s $400,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes, a Grade 2 stakes at Keeneland, attracted an overflow field of 15 that includes three also-eligible entrants. The size of the field also promises to offer great betting value, especially in the exotics.

1. Delightful Claire (10-1 morning-line odds): Set the pace in the seven-furlong Dogwood Stakes Presented by Resolute Racing and finished third behind two fillies she will face again here. Before that lost all chance at the start of the Grade 3 Prioress Stakes and settled for second as an odds-on favorite. Could be a threat on her best try.  

JOCKEY: Joel Rosario; TRAINER: Phil Bauer

2. Vixen (20-1): Has been running on the turf but comes from a solid dirt sire in Vekoma. Has shown some speed in dirt workouts and is capable of being in the picture.

JOCKEY: Tyler Gaffalione; TRAINER: Mark Casse

3. Strong Slate (15-1): Rallied for second in the Dogwood Stakes and adds blinkers here. Would be helped greatly by a fast pace.

JOCKEY: James Graham; TRAINER: Al Stall Jr.                              

4. Volleyballprincess (30-1): Flopped in her last two tries in graded stakes company. Will need to take a step forward to be a factor here.

JOCKEY: Jaime Torres; TRAINER: Louis Linder Jr.

5. Om N Joy (15-1): Smartly named daughter of Om ships in from California, where she won her last five starts. Enters off a victory in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes. Is on the upswing and  continued improvement will make her a contender.

JOCKEY: Kent Desormeaux; TRAINER: Aggie Ordonez

6. Reputation (15-1): Stumbled at the start of the Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park and wound up third. Easily won a Colonial Downs stakes before that. Capable of being a factor with a clean trip.

JOCKEY: Luan Machado; TRAINER: Gustavo Delgado

7. Maida (10-1): Makes her graded stakes debut off a lopsided stakes win at Laurel Park in a fast time. If she can repeat that effort for a high win percentage trainer, she’s one to watch here.

JOCKEY: Sheldon Russell; TRAINER: Brittany Russell

8. Usha (9-2): Makes her stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert off two wins by a combined margin of 16 3/4 lengths in fast times. Looks like a major player in this field.

JOCKEY: Irad Ortiz Jr.; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

Ragtime wins Dogwood Stakes. (Coady Media)

9. Ragtime (3-1): Shapes up as the one to beat off a win in the Dogwood Stakes and a second by a neck in the Grade 1 Test Stakes Presented by Ticketmaster. All four career starts have been at Saturday’s seven furlong distance with three wins and a close second.

JOCKEY: Junior Alvarado; TRAINER: Bill Mott

10. Simply Joking (8-1): Makes her first start for trainer Michael McCarthy. Has not raced since finishing a disappointing 13^th on a wet track in the Longines Kentucky Oaks. Was second in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes before that and fast workouts In California indicate she could be primed for a solid effort here.

JOCKEY: Frankie Dettori; TRAINER: Michael McCarthy

11. Quietside (4-1): Like Simply Joking, has not race since the Kentucky Oaks, in which she finished sixth. Won the Fantasy and was Grade 1-placed before that. Seems ready for a nice comeback effort here.

Quietside wins Honeybee Stakes. (Eclipse Sportswire)

JOCKEY: Jose Ortz; TRAINER: John Ortiz

12. Vodka With a Twist (10-1): Has tons of stakes experience. Competed in stakes in her last 10 starts, with five seconds and only one win in her first stakes try in June 2024. Seems a better option for the bottom of the trifecta or superfecta.

JOCKEY: Luis Saez; TRAINER: Phil D’Amato

Also-Eligible - 13. Kappa Kappa (8-1): Easy winner of a Pennsylvania-bred allowance race in a fast time will need a scratch to run.

JOCKEY: Mychel Sanchez; TRAINER: Butch Reid

Also-Eligible - 14. Taliesin (12-1, AE): Will need two scratches to run after a lopsided win at Parx.

JOCKEY: Frankie Pennington; TRAINER: Jacinto Solis

Also-Eligible - 15. Tetiaroa (15-1): Third on the also-eligible list, she is unplaced in two allowance races after a debut win.

JOCKEY: Luis Saez; TRAINER: Phil Bauer

THE PICK: Ragtime

LIVE LONGSHOT: Maida

SUPERFECTA: 9-8-11-7