Not every Saturday can be a Breeders’ Cup Saturday, but it’s the marquee stakes day of each and every racing week. Let’s take an express look at 14 key races across North America.
Here goes (in chronological order):
1. Aqueduct Race 5, 1:40 pm ET | Among the 3-year-old turfers in the Hill Prince, colts like Cugino, Deterministic and Royal Majesty have been consistent without throwing knockout punches, leaving the door open for class riser #4 Main Beach, who chased the eventual G3 Saranac winner last time out.
2. Laurel Race 5, 2:29 pm ET | The Maryland Million Nursery 1-2-3 finishers test open company in the James F. Lewis III, where #5 It’s Hammertime awaits and looks formidable on the cut-back in distance.
3. Aqueduct Race 8, 3:10 pm ET | Contentious and deep cast in the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship may come down to trip, and nobody is riding better with the money on the line than Flavien Prat (#5 Outlaw Kid).
4. Laurel Race 7, 3:31 pm ET | #2 Daze has been untouchable through 2 starts for Brittany Russell and should be tough to beat in her stakes debut, the 6-furlong Smart Halo, where multiple Delaware Park stakes winner Caprice provides the chief opposition.
5. Aqueduct Race 9, 3:40 pm ET | The 1-3/8 miles Red Smith turf test (our Xpressbet Race of the Week) comes down to #2 Integration and defending champion #8 Master Piece, my exacta box.
6. Woodbine Race 7, 4:20 pm ET | Defending Maple Leaf Stakes champ Millie’s Girl has been off form this year, but the 1-1/4 miles distance proved no issue for 3-year-old filly #13 Caitlinhergrtness when winning the King’s Plate (pictured above).
7. Churchill Downs Race 8, 4:25 pm ET | It’s hard to bet against Rodolphe Brisset runners right now, so it’s #5 Mystic Pleasure set to get her first lifetime stakes win in the Dream Supreme over rock-solid Spirit Wind.
8. Laurel Race 9, 4:33 pm ET | The Thirty Eight Go Go is the best betting race of Laurel’s stakes trio Saturday, and while Foxy Junior and Malibu Beauty are in raging good form, #6 Foggy Night has back class and appeared to be perking back up last time at Parx.
9. Woodbine Race 8, 4:50 pm ET | #10 Love To Shop rocketed home and ran too good to lose last out in the Ontario Fashion, setting her up perfectly for the 7-furlong Bessarabian and a chance to one-up her second-place finish in that race last year.
10. Woodbine Race 9, 5:20 pm ET | A perplexing fifth last out from Paramount Prince and the first Woodbine appearance by Forever Souper puts the Autumn Stakes on upset alert (#9 Never Surprised, 10-1 morning line).
11. Churchill Downs Race 10, 5:25 pm ET | The River City looks like a spot where 7-year-old #5 Masteroffoxhounds can get his first win in 2 years after a highly encouraging allowance effort at Keeneland for Phil D’Amato.
12. Pleasanton Race 7, 6:45 pm ET | #5 Clovisconnection has won his last 5 dirt sprints, including the local Oak Tree Sprint, setting him up for success in Saturday’s Oakland at a short price.
13. Del Mar Race 8, 7:00 pm ET | Absent defending champ and Cal-bred kingpin The Chosen Vron, the Cary Grant Stakes is a perfect baton pass to sharp sophomore #5 Curlin’s Kaos, who freaked over this track and distance in August.
14. Charles Town Race 7, 10:02 pm ET | #3 Change the World was much-best late in the 1-1/8 miles West Virginia Breeders' Classics Distaff, the same trip for the state-bred My Sister Pearl Stakes and against many of the same rivals.
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