Tag: Weekend Lineup

This weekend's live racing action is highlighted by the return of 2022 Champion Juvenile Filly Wonder Wheel. The Mark Casse trainee will make her first start of 2023 in the listed Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, but faces a tough challenge in the form of undefeated Julia Shining. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Julia Shining is a full sister to 2022 Champion Older Dirt Female Malathaat.

A trio of Kentucky Derby prep races are on offer this weekend: the rescheduled G3 Withers at Aqueduct (20-8-6-4-2), the G3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs (20-8-6-4-2), and the listed El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields (10-4-3-2-1).

The Withers, originally scheduled for Feb. 4 but cancelled due to freezing temperatures and high winds, was brought back for this Saturday's card with the same six entrants and the addition of maiden winner Jungfrau. New York-bred Arctic Arrogance adds blinkers in his third appearance in a Derby prep, while Brad Cox ships Hit Shot north for this spot.

G2 Remsen winner Dubyuhnell returns in the G3 Sam F. Davis, facing a field of 11 rivals for his first start of 2023. Locally-trained Dreaming of Kona is an intriguing prospect for owner/trainer Aldana Spieth, wife of jockey Scott Spieth, who will ride the Fast Anna colt.

The El Camino Real offers a free berth to the Preakness Stakes to the winner, and is led by local stakes winner Passarando. Bob Baffert also shipped two entrants north for the contest.

Other significant stakes action around the country on Saturday includes the G3 Gulfstream Turf Sprint and Ladies' Turf Sprint at Gulfstream, the $150,000 Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn, the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes down the hill at Santa Anita, and two more listed stakes on the Sam Davis undercard at Tampa Bay Downs.

Saturday

4:27 p.m. – Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct

Seven 3-year-olds go in search of Derby points in the rescheduled Withers on Saturday, led by a pair of 8-5 favorites on the morning line.

Arctic Arrogance, who is trained by Linda Rice and will add blinkers for the first time, will be making this third appearance in a Kentucky Derby points race at the Big A. He looks to break through after valiant runner-up efforts in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen on Dec. 3 and the one-mile Jerome on Jan. 7. He is currently 13th on the leaderboard with eight points.

Trainer Brad Cox has sent Hit Show north for this spot, scratching the son of Candy Ride from the G3 Southwest at Oaklawn. The colt won a one-mile allowance race at Oaklawn in his most recent start, and gets the services of Manny Franco.

Juddmonte's homebred Jungfrau [post 3, Dylan Davis] makes his stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott on the heels of a third-out graduation on Dec. 31 at Gulfstream Park. The son of Arrogate was awarded the maiden-breaking win via disqualification.

Andiamo a Firenze enters from a distant fifth-place finish in the aforementioned Jerome for trainer Kelly Breen. The dark bay son of Speightstown, who is a three-quarter sibling to multiple Grade 1-winner Firenze Fire, won the listed Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga back in August.

Withers Entries

4:48 p.m. – Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs

Wonder Wheel, the 2022 Eclipse Award Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, is set to make her 2023 debut in Saturday's $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The Mark Casse-trained daughter of Into Mischief will face eight rivals in the Kentucky Oaks points race, having posted four workouts at Casse's Ocala training center since her win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Perhaps the primary rival to Wonder Wheel is Julia Shining, a Stonestreet homebred by Curlin out of Grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia. The 3-year-old filly is a full sister to last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff winner and champion older dirt female, Malathaat. Julia Shining has won both of her career starts thus far, including the G2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct.

Suncoast Entries

5:18 p.m. – Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs

G2 Remsen winner Dubyuhnell has been tabbed as the 9-5 morning-line choice for the Sam F. Davis Stakes, making his first start of 2023 and fourth start overall for trainer Danny Gargan. Jose Ortiz has the mount.

Mark Casse trainee Champions Dream is the second choice on the morning line after his last-out second in Tampa's Pasco. Champions Dream, who closed fast to be second to Zydeceaux by a neck, is “definitely a much better horse now than he was (then),” Casse said. Tyler Gaffalione will ride. Casse also entered Florida-bred allowance winner Classic Car Wash.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has entered Litigate, a son of Blame who most recently finished second in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park. Luis Saez ships north for the ride.

Tampa Bay Downs trainer Aldana Spieth has entered Oldsmar-based Dreaming of Kona, a stakes-winning gray colt she owns in partnership. Spieth's husband, Scott Spieth, will ride Dreaming of Kona. In Dreaming of Kona's most recent race on Jan. 1 at Gulfstream in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes, he finished a half-length behind Legacy Isle and was elevated to the win position via disqualification because Legacy Isle drifted out late, impeding Dreaming of Kona's momentum.

Davis Entries

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A pair of prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby remain on offer this weekend, following the cancellation of Friday and Saturday's cards at Aqueduct Racetrack due to freezing temperatures and high winds. Aqueduct had scheduled the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers, offering 20-8-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers; the Derby prep will be brought back on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The remaining Derby preps are the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita and the G3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.

Embattled trainer Bob Baffert has won ten previous editions of the G3 Lewis and will add an eleventh to his resume with all four entrants in the race including Newgate, a multiple graded stakes placed colt who will be ridden by Franke Dettori.

There are eight entrants in the G3 Holy Bull, led by Dale Romans-trained allowance winner Cyclone Mischief. Trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado, the pair that teamed up to win the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1), will reunite with Rocket Cam, a son of Into Mischief making his stakes debut.

Gulfstream's Holy Bull undercard includes four other graded stakes races, while Santa Anita's Saturday card includes three additional graded stakes races.

Other significant stakes action around the country on Saturday includes the G3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn, a pair of graded stakes on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs, and Louisiana Premier Day at Delta Downs. Sunday's action is topped by a pair of Grade 3 stakes at Santa Anita.

Saturday

4:00 p.m. – G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park

A close second in his most recent start, Newgate heads a field of four Bob Baffert trainees going 1 1/16 miles in Saturday's $200,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.

Off at 5-1 in the Sham Stakes (G3) at one mile on Jan. 8 at Santa Anita, Newgate, last early in a compact field of five, rallied gallantly through the lane but couldn't get on terms with stablemate Reincarnate, losing by a neck under Frankie Dettori, who rides him back on Saturday.

Odds-on in all three of his starts, Arabian Lion, who flopped at 2-5 while beaten 12 lengths in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 17, will hope to run back to a big second-place finish going seven furlongs in a first condition allowance at Keeneland Nov. 4, a race in which he finished second by three quarters of a length at 3-5.

Lewis Entries

5:43 p.m. – G3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Trainer Dale Romans won't be lacking in confidence when he saddles Cyclone Mischief for a start in Saturday's $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Cyclone Mischief is coming off an eye-catching Jan. 8 optional claiming allowance victory at Gulfstream. The son of Into Mischief, who was purchased for $450,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale, saved ground while stalking the early pace before making a three-wide sweep to take the lead on the turn into the homestretch and drawing off to win by 5 ¾ lengths.

Legacy Island would have been bringing an undefeated record into the Holy Bull had he not been disqualified from first in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream. The son of Shackleford graduated by five lengths at 6 ½ furlongs before taking a mile optional claiming allowance by three lengths. Legacy Island prevailed in the Mucho Macho Man by a half-length but was disqualified and placed second for drifting out late into Dreaming of Kona, who was awarded the victory.

Hall of Fame Bill Mott, who saddled Art Collector for a victory in Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), has entered two 3-year-olds in the Holy Bull – Rocket Can and Shadow Dragon.

Rocket Can, also a son of Into Mischief, broke his maiden at third asking in his first try around two turns, graduating by two lengths Oct. 30 at Churchill Downs. The $245,000 purchase from breeder Woodford Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale came back to finish second, beaten by a half-length, is an optional claiming allowance in his juvenile finale at Churchill Downs.

Shadow Dragon, a New York-bred son of Army Mule, won at first asking at Aqueduct Sept. 29 before finishing off the board in the mile Sleepy Hollow of state-breds.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is also represented by a pair of colts in the Holy Bull field: Lord Miles and West Coast Cowboy.

Lord Miles made an auspicious debut Nov. 19 at Gulfstream, overcoming early bumping to win by 5 ¾ lengths going away. The homebred son of Curlin dropped well off the early pace in the Mucho Macho Man before surging late to finish third, less than a length behind Legacy Isle.

West Coast Cowboy won at first asking at Gulfstream Sept. 18 with a front-running narrow victory at a mile. The son of West Coast raced evenly in his return to finish fourth behind Legacy Isle in a Nov. 27 optional claiming allowance.

Holy Bull Entries

7:00 p.m. – G2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita Park 

California-bred Fun to Dream, fresh off the biggest win of her life at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, heads a field of six older fillies and mares going seven furlongs in Saturday's $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (G2). An impressive three-quarter length winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at the same distance on opening day, Fun to Dream, unbeaten in three starts at seven panels, seeks her fourth win in a row and her sixth from seven lifetime starts in the Santa Monica.

Second by three-quarters of a length to Fun to Dream in the La Brea, Doug O'Neill's Awake At Midnyte, second three starts back in the Zenyatta Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 2, is five times graded stakes-placed and will try to turn the tables on the top selection in what will be her 11th career start.

Santa Monica Entries

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The $3 million Pegasus World Cup highlights this weekend's live racing action, with 12 horses expected to line up for the 1 1/8-mile contest at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Brad Cox trainee Cyberknife is the program favorite, and will be making the final start of his career before heading off to stud. His rivals include Proxy, a Grade 1 winning son of Tapit for trainer Michael Stidham, as well as 2022 Florida Derby (G1) hero White Abarrio for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

Twelve entrants and two also-eligibles have also signed on for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), one race earlier on the card. Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the last two editions and will send out Wit with Jose Ortiz aboard. The Brazilian-bred Ivar, fourth in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) last out, tops the field as the 5-2 morning line favorite for Paulo Lobo.

In total, Gulfstream's Saturday card includes seven graded stakes races with 83 entrants, including also-eligibles.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues with a stop in Hot Springs this weekend. The $750,000 Southwest Stakes is led by Bob Baffert trainee Arabian Knight, while Brad Cox has three entrants and Ken McPeek another two in the field of nine.

A pair of Oaks preps will be held on Saturday, with the Martha Washington at Oaklawn and the G3 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita. The highlight of those races is likely Justique, the promising come-from-behind runner trained by John Shirreffs.

Other significant stakes action around the country comes from Aqueduct (Saturday's G3 Toboggan) and Sam Houston. The latter has a big card planned for Saturday. Five stakes, two graded, are headlined by the G3 Houston Ladies Classic in which Grade 1 winner Pauline's Pearl is the morning-line favorite. The G3 John Connally Turf Cup drew a full field of 12 and is topped by comebacking Spooky Channel for trainer Jason Barkley.

Saturday

3:10 p.m. – Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn – OAKS PREP

The Martha Washington, which will offer 40 points (20-8-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, is headlined by program favorite Defining Purpose for trainer Kenny McPeek and unbeaten Olivia Twist for trainer Todd Fincher.

Defining Purpose concluded her 2-year-old campaign with a 5 ¼-length victory in the inaugural $150,000 Year's End Stakes at one mile Dec. 31 at Oaklawn. Defining Purpose was among four winners for McPeek on the Dec. 31 card, the first in Oaklawn history exclusively for 2-year-olds.

Olivia Twist (3 for 3) exits the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes at 1 mile Dec. 17 at Remington Park. She has won her three starts by a combined 19 ½ lengths.

Martha Washington Entries

3:10 p.m. – G3 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita – OAKS PREP

With a come-from-behind style that leaves her backers on the edge of their seats, Justique, idle since Nov. 19, heads a field of six sophomore fillies going a flat mile in Saturday's $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes. In her best race to date, Justique rallied from last under Victor Espinoza to win the seven furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 19.

Justique was entered in the G3 Santa Ynez, rescheduled to Jan. 8 after weather-related cancellations, but Shirreffs scratched the filly when she developed a fever. Now recovered and having posted works on Jan. 13 and Jan. 21, Justique will be trying two turns for the second time in what will be her fourth start on Saturday.

Although Justique will no doubt command a good deal of attention on Saturday, Bob Baffert's Faiza, idle since winning the G1 Starlet going 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos Dec. 10, has plenty of natural speed and should be extremely tough to beat as she tries to remain unbeaten in her third start.

The Las Virgenes winner will receive 20 qualifying points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 5, with eight, six, four and two points going to the second through fifth place finishers.

Las Virgenes Entries

4:40 p.m. – G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream

The narrow 5-2 program favorite for the Pegasus Turf is Ivar, a Brazilian-bred multiple Group 1 winner in Argentina that has won three of 12 starts in the U.S. topped by the 2020 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland. He has run in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) each of the last three years, running third in 2021 and fourth in 2020 and 2022, the latter to Eclipse Award finalist Modern Games. Ivar's total margin of defeat in those races was 4 ½ lengths.

Third choice at 6-1 in the Pegasus Turf is Charles Fipke's Grade 1-winning homebred Lady Speightspeare, entered to face males for the first time. The 5-year-old daughter of champion Speightstown owns seven wins from 13 career starts, six of them in graded-stakes including the 2020 Natalma (G1) at Woodbine second time out. Last time out she had a three-race win streak snapped when third by 1 ½ lengths at odds of 32-1 in the 1 3/16-mile Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Graham Motion-trained stablemates Speaking Scout and Hurricane Dream are also entered in the Pegasus Turf. Speaking Scout won two of his last three starts to end 2022, the Hawthorne Derby and Hollywood Derby (G1), both at 1 1/8 miles, the latter at Del Mar Dec. 3. In between, the 4-year-old Mr Speaker gelding was second by a half-length as the favorite in Santa Anita's Twilight Derby (G2). Hurricane Dream will be making his North American debut in the Pegasus Turf; the 6-year-old gelding won six of 18 starts in Europe where he was group-stakes placed four times, most recently beaten a head when second in the one-mile Brunner Oettingen Rennen (G2) last September in Germany.

Despite the Jan. 19 retirement of two-time defending Pegasus Turf winner Colonel Liam, trainer Todd Pletcher can win a third straight Pegasus Turf with Wit. A two-time graded stakes winner on dirt, the 4-year-old Practical Joke colt won the Better Talk Now, was second in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) and Bryan Station (G3), and third by less than a length to Speaking Scout in the Hollywood Derby in his four turf tries.

Also among the dozen contenders are multiple graded stakes winners City Man and Decorated Invader, both trained by Christophe Clement, who respectively ran 1-2 in Gulfstream's Dec. 31 Fort Lauderdale (G2). City Man is a 6-year-old New York-bred son of Mucho Macho Man, the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner also campaigned by Dean and Patti Reeves. City Man enters the Pegasus Turf riding a three-race win streak, all in stakes. Decorated Invader has a win and two seconds from four starts this year since coming back from a 16-month break between starts in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Sept. 24 at Pimlico, where he closed to within a nose of winner English Tavern.

Pegasus Turf Entries

5:40 p.m. – G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream

Cyberknife is scheduled to make the final start of his racing career Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where he has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the $3-million Pegasus World Cup (G1). Win or lose, Cyberknife, who drew Post No. 10 in the 12-horse Pegasus field, will be retired to begin stallion duty at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington. Cyberknife established himself as one of the premier colts in the 3-year-old division last year while winning the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn and the Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park and Grade 1 placings in the Pennsylvania Derby and Travers. He finished his 3-year-old campaign with a photo-finish second behind Cody's Wish in a most memorable edition of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

Proxy, who is rated second in the morning line at 9-2, enters the Pegasus World Cup off his first career Grade 1 victory in the Nov. 25 Clark (G1) at Churchill Downs. The Michael Stidham-trained 5-year-old son of Tapit pressed the pace before edging clear nearing the wire to win the first stakes of his 13-race career, during which he has had four runner-up finishes in Grade 2 stakes.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who leads all trainers with victories during the current Championship Meet at Gulfstream in his quest to defend his 2021-2022 title, is represented in the Pegasus World Cup field by three horses: Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking (5-1; Post No. 7), C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio (10-1; Post No 4) and Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules Iavarone's O'Connor (10; Post No. 12).

Trainer Bob Baffert will send Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Defunded to the Gulfstream Park track Saturday in search of his third success in the Pegasus World Cup. Defunded (6-1; Post No. 5) is coming off back-to-back victories in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita and Native Diver (G3) at Del Mar.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has made a late change in jockeys for Willis Horton Racing LLC's Last Samurai, who will be ridden by international superstar Frankie Dettori. The 5-year-old son of Malibu Moon (20-1; Post No. 9), who finished fourth behind Proxy in the Clark, won the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) last season.

Bruce Lundsford's Art Collector (10-1; Post No. 6) will be one of six Grade or Group 1 winners in Saturday's 12-horse field, having won the 2021 Woodward (G1) at Belmont Park. The Bill Mott-trained 6-year-old campaigner won his second straight Charles Town Classic (G2) last season.

Gary Barber's Get Her Number (15-1; Post No. 8) enters the Pegasus World Cup off a sharp runner-up finish in the Cigar Mile, in which he finished a head behind victorious Mind Control and a half-length ahead of White Abarrio.

Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy (30-1; Post No. 11), who finished third in last year's Pegasus World Cup, is coming off a second-place finish in the San Antonio (G2) at Santa Anita, where he ran his career-best while winning the Californian (G2) last March.

Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC's Ridin With Biden (20-1; Post No. 3) drew into the 12-horse field Sunday upon the defection of Super Corinto. The Butch Reid-trained 5-year-old gelding has won three of his last four starts, including a victory in the Greenwood Cup (G3) at Parx.

Pegasus Entries

5:57 p.m. – G3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn – DERBY PREP

Trainer Bob Baffert will start dazzling Keeneland debut winner Arabian Knight in Saturday's $750,000 Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races. The Southern California-based Arabian Knight will be making just his second career start and first around two turns in the Southwest. Arabian Knight, the even-money program favorite, is the most lightly raced horse Baffert has brought to Oaklawn for a Kentucky Derby prep.

Brad Cox will be represented by three horses in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest, including unbeaten Corona Bolt (two for two), stakes winner Jace's Road, and Hit Show, a Dec. 17 entry-level allowance winner at Oaklawn. Corona Bolt will be making his two-turn and 3-year-old debut in the Southwest; the son of Bolt d'oro was a front-running 6 ¾-length winner of the $100,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes at six furlongs Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds.

The remainder of the nine-horse field is as follows: Sun Thunder, last-out maiden winner trained by Ken McPeek; Western Ghent, D. Wayne Lukas trainee with the most starts of any horse in the field at nine; Frosted Departure, listed stakes winner trained by McPeek; Red Route One, G1-placed Steve Asmussen trainee; and El Tomate, winner of his lone start for owner/trainer Miguel Silva.

The Southwest will offer 40 points (20-8-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby (excluding Baffert trainees).

Southwest Entries

6:25 p.m. – G3 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston

Grade 1 winner Pauline's Pearl is among seven older fillies and mares entered for the 1 1/16-mile Houston Ladies Classic. A ​5-year-old daughter of Tapit out of Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union, Pauline's Pearl captured the 2021 edition of the race for trainer Steve Asmussen and followed up with an elite-level win ​in ​the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs. An earner of $1,695,200 in 15 career efforts, the freshened mare will be starting for the first time since finishing third in the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) July 2 at the Lousiville track.

Trainer Bret Calhoun has entered Hidden Connection, a Connect filly who won the 2021 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, before finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) for owners Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds. In her most recent start, she won an allowance-optional claiming race by 7 1/2 lengths Dec. 16 at Fair Grounds, where she was the runner-up in the 2022 Fair Grounds Oaks.

Houston Ladies Classic Entries

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The Roads to the 2023 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks make a stop in New Orleans this weekend, with a pair of Fair Grounds prep races each offering 20 points to the winner.

Four entrants in the 1 1/16-mile Lecomte already have Kentucky Derby points: Instant Coffee, winner of the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club (12), Denington (4), Echo Again (3), and Confidence Game (1). Instant Coffee has been tabbed as the morning-line choice for trainer Brad Cox, who will also saddle the favorite Chop Chop and second-choice The Alys Look in the Silverbulletday.

In total, there are six stakes scheduled for Saturday's card at the Fair Grounds, three of which are carded for the turf course. The temporary rail will remain at 34 feet, limiting fields to eight starts if the races stay on the turf course. According to the National Weather Service, there is a 70 percent chance of rain on Saturday in New Orleans.

Other significant stakes action around the country comes from Laurel Park, with six stakes worth a total of $550,000 on Saturday's card. Each of the following cards also offers at least one listed stakes race: Aqueduct on Saturday and Sunday; Santa Anita on Saturday; Oaklawn on Saturday; Gulfstream on Saturday; and Turfway on Saturday.

Saturday

6:30 p.m. – Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds (Kentucky Oaks Prep)

Brad Cox trainees Chop Chop and The Alys Look have earned the honors of the ones to beat in seven-strong Silverbulletday. Installed respectively as the 8-5 favorite and 3-1 second-favorite in the morning line, the formidable Cox duo both have earned four Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.

Chop Chop made a dazzling run to finish second behind current Kentucky Oaks points leader Wonder Wheel (40 points) in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland. After breaking near the back and relaxing along the rail, she kicked into gear and began to maneuver through a field of 14. Bet to favoritism in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, the daughter of City of Light struggled through a wide trip and finished last. She has not run since.

Breaking her maiden in December at Fair Grounds, The Alys Look came back to run second to Pretty Mischievous in the locally run Untapable Stakes on Dec. 26.

Silverbulletday Entries

7:00 p.m. – Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds

Zozos will vie for his first stakes score in Saturday's $150,000 Louisiana (G3); the newly turned 4-year-old will travel 1 1/16 miles against a field of nine older runners. Not having started since his 10th place finish in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, Zozos returned in a second-level allowance at Fair Grounds in mid-December. He won impressively after settling as far back as sixth and having to run down a game Treasury.

Louisiana Entries

7:30 p.m. – Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds (Kentucky Derby prep)

Instant Coffee, currently in fifth on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with 12 points, headlines a field of eight 3-year-olds for the 79th running of the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes. A sprint winner on debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga, Instant Coffee most recently won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) on Churchill Downs' “Stars of Tomorrow II” card.

One of two entered in the Lecomte by trainer Brad Cox, Instant Coffee's stablemate Tapit's Conquest is cross-entered in a salty allowance race on the undercard that includes two impressive last-out maiden-winners Banishing, trained by Brendan Walsh, and Tapit Shoes, another star 3-year-old trained by Brad Cox.

Chicago-based trainer Larry Rivelli has had a very successful career (a 25% lifetime winning percentage and $35,057,723 in career earnings), but he has never had a Kentucky Derby runner. Patricia Hope and Phillip Sagan's Two Phil's could change that. With three wins in five starts, the son of Hard Spun most recently overcame tough early positioning and a sloppy track to win the Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs by 5 1/4 lengths.

Sure to impact the pace of the Lecomte is Steve Asmussen trainee Echo Again. The connections behind Epicenter have a colt who ran a jaw-dropping field-best 99 Brisnet Speed figure when sprinting on debut. He has not been able to run back to that number going long in September's Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs or in December's Springboard Mile at Remington Park.

Trained by Keith Desormeaux, Confidence Game stepped forward in a big way winning an allowance race on the “Stars of Tomorrow II” undercard at Churchill Downs.

Itzos, a half brother to the legendary Rachel Alexandra, will be stretching out for the first time after breaking his maiden sprinting across the synthetic at Turfway Park. His undefeated stablemate Bromley will also test two turns for the first time in the Lecomte.

Lecomte Entries

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