Maker's Mark 2025 Handicapping Article with Wagers

The Grade 1, $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes is the 9th race at Keeneland on Friday, April 11. Nine runners were entered in this flat mile turf event and Carl Spackler is the 9-5 morning line favorite.

Maker’s Mark Mile Analysis

Integration won the Grade 3 Virginia Derby and Grade 2 Hill Prince in 2023. He started 2024 with a 5th place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), and followed that up with a show finish in this race. He was fourth in the Turf Classic (G1), first in the Million Preview, second in the Arlington Million (G1), and first in the Grade 2 Red Smith. Last time, he did all of the pace dirty work and missed by a neck in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf on Jan. 25. He cuts back in distance and should save ground behind the speed under Frankie Dettori.

Carl Spackler is a 6-time stakes winner for Chad Brown. He is 4-for-5 at Saratoga and is probably gearing up for multiple starts at that venue. He won a pair go Grade 1 races last year including the Turf Mile at Keeneland last fall, and he was 6th of 10 when last seen in the BC Mile (G1) last time. Flavien Prat takes the call and the early-pressing win type should be in the hunt throughout.

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