Storm the Court Looks to Return to Winning Ways in Ohio Derby

Champion Storm the Court (Court Vision) seeks his first victory of the season in Saturday’s GIII Ohio Derby. Clinching the Eclipse award with a narrow upset at 45-1 in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the bay checked in fourth to recently retired GI Arkansas Derby winner Nadal (Blame) in the GII San Vicente S. Feb. 9. Third to recent GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Authentic (Into Mischief) in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7, he was sixth in Nadal’s edition of the Arkansas Derby.

Steve Asmussen saddles a live one in Rowdy Yates (Morning Line), who is a three-time stakes winner at the listed level. Capturing the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Jan. 26, the dark bay was fourth last time in the Saudi Derby Cup Feb. 29. The Hall of Famer also sends out Code Runner (Honor Code), who was eighth in Nadal’s Arkansas Derby and followed that effort with an allowance win at Lone Star June 8.

Lebda (Raison d’Etat) seeks his third straight score in this test. The dark bay took the Miracle Wood S. at Laurel Feb. 15 and roped in the Private Terms S. There Mar. 14.

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NYRA Partners With Churchill, Thistledown For Cross Country Pick 5 On Saturday

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will partner with Churchill Downs and Thistledown to host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday, June 27.

The wager, featuring all graded stakes races across the three tracks, will have live coverage of all the races in the sequence available with America's Day at the Races on Fox Sports and MSG+.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Thistledown, located in North Randall, Ohio, will kick off the sequence with the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby. The Buckeye State's premier race will be a Kentucky Derby prep race for the first time with the “Run for the Roses” being moved to September due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Carded as Race 8 at 4:22 p.m. Eastern, the Ohio Derby will award 20-8-4-2 qualifying points to the top-four finishers. Among the contenders is Storm the Court, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November who is winless in three starts this year, though he did finish third in the Grade 2 San Felipe in March at Santa Anita. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will enter a pair of contenders in Rowdy Yates and Code Runner, who ran eighth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby before defeating allowance company earlier this month at Lone Star.

Action will shift to Belmont Park for the second leg, with the Grade 2, $150,000 True North for 4-year-olds and up in Race 9 at 5:36 p.m. Grade 1-winner Promises Fulfilled returns off a more than eight month layoff as part of an eight-horse field that also includes Yorkton, a multiple graded-stakes winner on synthetic, who is seeking his first win on the main track.

For the Pick 5's third race, Churchill will take its star turn with the Grade 2, $500,000 Stephen Foster in Race 10 at 5:47 p.m. A “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Keeneland, the Stephen Foster, for 4-year-olds and up contesting at 1 1/8 miles, will see Tom's d'Etat, a winner of three straight, including the Grade 1 Clark in November over the same track, breaking from post 5 for trainer Al Stall, Jr. Other contenders include By My Standards, the winner of the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic and the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, and Owendale, the winner of the Blame at Churchill on May 23.

Belmont will host the fourth leg with the Grade 1, $250,000 Just a Game for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up going one mile on the Widener turf in Race 10 at 6:08 p.m. Trainer Chad Brown, seeking his fourth straight win in the race, will saddle three of the seven contenders, including the top-two morning line selections in 7-5 Uni and 8-5 Newspaperofrecord, along with Regal Glory [10-1].

Defending Champion Turf Mare Uni will make her 2020 debut in the Just a Game, having not raced since taking last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita, where she became the sixth female to score a win in the race.

Newspaperofrecord arrives off a win Grade 3 Intercontinental on June 6 over the Widener turf. Other contenders include Got Stormy, Beau Recall, Valedictorian and Zofelle.

Closing out the sequence will be the Grade 3, $100,000 Regret at Churchill in Race 11 at 6:20 p.m. Two-time stakes-winning filly Micheline will be in search of her first graded stakes victory as part of a 13-horse field. Harvey's Lil Goil, winner of the Busanda in February at Aqueduct Racetrack, drew post 10.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, June 27:
Leg 1 – Thistledown, Race 8: Grade 3 Ohio Derby (4:22 p.m.)
Leg 2 – Belmont, Race 9: Grade 2 True North (5:36 p.m.)
Leg 3 – Churchill, Race 10: Grade 2 Stephen Foster (5:47 p.m.)
Leg 4 – Belmont, Race 10: Grade 1 Just a Game (6:08 p.m.)
Leg 5 – Churchill, Race 11: Grade 3 Regret (6:20 p.m.)

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Juvenile Champ Storm The Court Made 3-1 Morning Line Favorite In Saturday’s $500,000 Ohio Derby

Placed just once in his three starts so far this year, juvenile champion Storm the Court will try to get his season back on track in this Saturday's Grade 3 $500,000 Ohio Derby. The 3-year-old son of Court Vision was made the 3-1 morning line favorite in the 14-horse field, set to go nine furlongs over the main track at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio.

The race offers the winner 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, rescheduled for Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Peter Eurton, Storm the Court won last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. This year, the colt finished fourth in the G2 San Vicente in his sophomore debut, then third in the G2 San Felipe in March. Most recently, he finished sixth in the G1 Arkansas Derby. This Saturday, Storm the Court will be partnered by regular rider Flavien Prat and break from post 13.

Second choice on the morning line at 7-2 is Lebda, a two-time stakes winner trained by Claudio Gonzalez. The son of Raison d'Etat will break from post 4 under jockey Alex Cintron.

Rowdy Yates will make his first start since returning from overseas in the Ohio Derby. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the Morning Line colt will be breaking from post 3 under jockey Tyler Baze. Rowdy Yates is a four-time stakes winner, and is 9-2 on the morning line after finishing fourth in the Saudi Derby Cup last out.

The full field for Saturday's Ohio Derby is as follows:

  1. Dean Martini (rider TBD, Amoss) 20-1
  2. Rogue Element (McKee, Romans) 30-1 (AE)
  3. Rowdy Yates (Baze, Asmussen) 9-2
  4. Lebda (Cintron, Gonzalez) 7-2
  5. Dack Janiel's (Burke, Sisterson) 15-1
  6. Sprawl (Lopez, Mott) 15-1
  7. Informative (Bisono, St. Lewis) 12-1
  8. Bear Alley (Corrales, Romans) 30-1
  9. Code Runner (Feliciano, Asmussen) 6-1
  10. South Bend (Bejarano, Hough) 8-1
  11. Soros (Machado, Delgado) 15-1
  12. Established (Murrill, Stidham) 30-1
  13. Storm the Court (Prat, Eurton) 3-1
  14. Unrighteous (Parker, Pletcher) 20-1
  15. Celtic Striker (Gutierrez, Handal) 15-1

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Stephen Foster, Ohio Derby Take Center Stage On America’s Day At The Races Broadcast

America's Day at the Races, produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, returns this Thursday on FOX Sports and MSG+ for the start of four days of coverage and analysis of the best in thoroughbred racing from Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Thistledown Racecourse.

The acclaimed national telecast will air Thursday through Sunday on FS1, FS2 and MSG+ for a combined 20 1/2 hours of television coverage, highlighted on Saturday by a blockbuster day of stakes races from around the country.

Stakes action takes centerstage on Saturday at Belmont Park, anchored by the 27th running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Just a Game for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) going one mile on the turf. Saturday coverage from Belmont will include a pair of Grade 2 races – the $250,000 New York for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) at 1 ¼ miles on the turf and the $150,000 True North for 4-year-olds & up at 6 ½ furlongs on the dirt – as well as the Grade 3 $100,000 Vagrancy Handicap for 3-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) at 6 ½ furlongs on the dirt.

Also featured on Saturday's broadcast is the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown Racecourse for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles, which has been added to the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. The top-four finishers will receive points worth 20-8-4-2 for entry to the field for the Kentucky Derby, rescheduled for September 5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Churchill Downs closes out its 38-day spring meet with two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” qualifying races, the Grade 2, $500,000 Grade 2 Stephen Foster for 4-year-olds & up going 1-1/8 miles, which offers an expenses-paid berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic to the race winner; and the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles, which grants a place in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff. Both Breeders Cup races will be on November 7 at Keeneland.

Grade 1-winner Tom's d'Etat will take on multiple graded-stakes winners By My Standards and Owendale in Saturday's 39th running of the Grade 2 Stephen Foster.

Featured in the 45th running of the Fleur de Lis – which means “Flower of the Lily” and honors the French symbol incorporated into the city of Louisville's Flag – will be the U.S. return of 2019 Champion Older Female Midnight Bisou taking on 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress.

Closing day at Churchill Downs will also include the Grade 3, $100,000 Regret for sophomore fillies and the Grade 3, $100,000 Bashford Manor for juvenile sprinters.

The week's stakes schedule kicks off on Thursday at Belmont Park with the 8th running of the $80,000 Easy Goer for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. Looking to extend his two victories in his first two career starts in his stakes debut will be Calumet Farm's Casino Grande, a Kentucky homebred, trained by Christophe Clement.

Highlighting Friday's racing from Belmont Park will be the inaugural running of the $75,000 Hessonite for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) going six furlongs on the turf. Sunday's stakes race at Belmont will be the 43rd running of the $100,000 Bouwerie for 3-year-old New York fillies going seven furlongs on the dirt.

This week's America's Day at the Races schedule:

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, June 25:
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

Friday, June 26:
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

Saturday. June 27:
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (FS2)
3:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (FS1)
1:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (MSG+)

Sunday, June 28:
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel, which boasts more than 40,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a number of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

America's Day at the Races is presented by America's Best Racing, Runhappy, and Claiborne Farm. This weekend's broadcast team includes Greg Wolf, Andy Serling, Maggie Wolfendale, Richard Migliore, Acacia Courtney and Jonathon Kinchen.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering platform of the Belmont spring/summer meet available to customers across the United States. In addition to a host of weekly special offers, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 deposit match bonus to new members.

NYRA Bets provides fans the opportunity to wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at NYRA Bets App. Watch and wager on the best racing while earning points on every bet.

For further details on the new member bonus, visit NYRABets.com/#sign-up-bonus.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

The 2020 Belmont spring/summer meet continues through Sunday, July 12. Live racing is offered Thursday through Sunday with a first post of 1:15 p.m. The 25-day meet features 22 graded stakes and 40 stakes races in total worth $7 million in purses.

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