A week out from the Kentucky Derby and a surprisingly strong slate of action across America to bring April to a close.
Pimlico Race Course, which will see the Preakness in three weeks’ time, hosts the Spring Stakes Spectacular card after it was moved from Laurel Park and there’s an automatic bid on the line to Maryland’s signature race in the $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes. Churchill Downs, which we know will be hopping all week leading up to the Derby, opens its spring-summer stand with an evening card featuring a competitive turf sprint stakes.
We welcomed back Belmont Park Friday and a very strong card on Long Island awaits while fans do the same on guidance from the governor when they can return to the races.
The day starts overseas with flat and jump racing from Limerick, Sandown and Leicester.
Here’s your primer for Saturday, April 24. Good luck.
Limerick. Race 1. 8:15 a.m.. Corps Des Pages, a son of Frankel, and Handel, a son of Pioneerof The Nile, head a contentious fleet of maidens in the opener.
Sandown. Race 5. 8:55. Curtain. Close. The jump season finishes with a strong card at Sandown. Champion jockey Harry Skelton will try end with a bang, he rides Rockstar Ronnie in the opening novice hurdle.
Leicester. Race 4. 9:10. Highly regarded Lord Compari returns in the EBF Stallions King Richard III Stakes. The son of Kingman takes on four rivals in the 7-furlong stakes.
Sandown. Race 2. 9:30. Just as Harry Skelton tries to end with a bang, champion trainer Paul Nicholls has the same idea in mind, sending out Cheltenham Gold Cup-fifth Frodon in the Bet365 Oaksey Chase. Just three show up to take on the 16-time winner.
Sean Clancy is In the Room with jockey Dylan Davis. 10:00.
Sandown. Race 3. 10:05. Wow, what a treat. The 11-year-old Altior missed Cheltenham but he makes Sandown. Watch a legend in the Bet365 Celebration Chase. It won’t be easy as the 21-time winner takes on Queen Mother-fifth Sceau Royal and Queen Mother winner Put The Kettle On.
Sandown. Race 4. 10:40. What a card. The Bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase for Grade 3 runners. Runners span the spectrum from 5-year-old Kitty’s Right to 13-year-old Doing Fine.
Sandown. Race 5. 11:15. Captain Zebo rides a five-race win streak into the Bet365 Select Hurdle. This is the acid test as he takes on the likes of Call Me Lord, On The Blind Side and Younevercall.
Doncaster. Race 2. 11:45. Early speed from early 2-year-olds in this 5-furlong dash.
Belmont Park. Race 1. 1:00 p.m. Great to see return to traditional late April opening at Big Sandy. First Captain, son of Curlin who topped 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select sale, makes debut in 7-furlong maiden for 3-year-olds and up.
Belmont. Race 3. 2:02. Thin White Duke, winner of the Funny Cide last summer at Saratoga and off since losing all chance at the start of late October stakes at Finger Lakes, makes sophomore debut in open company allowance at 7 furlongs.
Pimlico Race Course. Race 4. 2:19. Tattooed, second in the Grade 3 General George last time, looks well spotted here in 9-furlong optional on the main track.
Belmont. Race 4. 2:31. High Opinion makes 2021 debut after closing season with close second in Winter Memories Stakes in mid-November at Aqueduct. Lightly raced 4-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid won’t get it easy in 1 1/16-mile allowance with Stolen Holiday and Publication also set for their first starts of 2021.
Pimlico. Race 6. 3:25. The $100,000 Dahlia on the grass opens the stakes. Crystal Clifs, second in the Grade 3 Regret last June at Churchill, makes return for Graham Motion and figures to be a short price along with stakes winner Viglantes Way for Shug McGaughey.
Belmont. Race 6. 3:34. Full field of 12 for 1 1/16-mile maiden on the grass.
Pimlico. Race 7. 3:58. Laki doesn’t miss many dances sprinting on the circuit but he’s only made three starts at Pimlico over the years. He’s one of nine entered here in the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley.
Santa Anita Park. Race 1. 4:00. Start the day with the $100,000 Crystal Water for Cal-breds or Cal-sired older horses on the grass.
Belmont. Race 7. 4:12. Another solid race on a very strong card overall, this 7-furlong optional attracts Looking At Bikinis for his 5-year-old debut, the streaking American Power, rejuvenated Mihos, Grade 1-placed Souper Stonehenge and veteran T Loves A Fight.
Fonner Park. Race 5. 4:30. Good state-bred allowance with 11-year-old Go Gold and 10-year=-old Super Charlie taking on “young” upstarts Phlash Drive and Name The Price.
Pimlico. Race 8. 4:31. Switch to the grass for the third stakes on the card, the $100,000 Henry S. Clark. Pexilate comes out of back-to-back stakes against Colonel Liam and doesn’t face anything close to that one here.
Belmont. Race 8. 4:47. Good old Therapist, set for his 7-year-old debut in $100,000 Elusive Quality at 7 furlongs on the grass against trio from Chad Brown in Value Proposition, Front Run The Fed and Seismic Wave along with graded stakes winner Casa Creed.
Pimlico. Race 9. 5:04. The $125,000 Weber City Miss serves as potential Black-Eyed Susan prep and brings together good field of seven 3-year-old fillies led by Littlestitious, Fraudulent Charge, Oliviaofthedesert and Hybrid Eclipse.
Oaklawn Park. Race 7. 5:04. La Renoleta brought a 4-for-4 record to Hot Springs last year and ran it to 5-for-5 with 9 3/4-length win in two-turn optional. The 6-year-old Argentinian-bred mare didn’t run again in 2020 but returns here against Figure It Out, Piece Of My Heart, Beach Flower and others in $107,000 optional at 1 mile.
Pimlico. Race 10. 5:37. The $125,000 Federico Tesio, a “win and you’re in” event for the Preakness in three weeks. Maythehorsebwithu, first or second in his last six starts with a win in the Miracle Wood two starts back, might punch his ticket to the classics if he can turn the tables on Shackled Love.
Churchill Downs. Race 1. 6:00. Lift the lid on the spring-summer meeting with 7-furlong claimer and a field of five.
Pimlico. Race 11. 6:07. The $100,000 King T. Leatherbury, at 5 furlongs on the grass of course.
Oaklawn. Race 9. 6:10. New York-bred stakes winner Bankit shows back up in Hot Springs off good second to My Boy Tate in the Haynesfield. He’s 0-for-7 at Oaklawn but could be tough in 9-furlong optional
Fonner. Race.9. 6:45. Sleepy Eyes Todd returns to defend his title in Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes, the signature event of the meet. How’s this for a form line for the even-money favorite – fourth in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup, fifth in the $20 million Saudi Cup and 10th in the Dubai World Cup. Now he runs for $75,000. Like we overheard someone say at Keeneland Friday, “it’s where he can win.”
Oaklawn. Race 10. 6:50. Gazebo winner and runner-up Sir Wellington and Jaxon Traveler meet again in the $200,000 Bachelor. Gatetown, Sea To Success and Cazadero won’t make it easy.
Golden Gate Fields. Race 7. 6:55. Older fillies and mares line up for the first stakes of the day, the $75,000 Golden Poppy. Altea and Red Lark lead the shippers from Santa Anita while Sloane Garden flies the flag for the home team.
Golden Gate. Race 8. 7:30. Parnelli found the water a bit too deep in Southern California against the likes of Life Is Good, Medina Spirit and Rock Your World. John Shirreffs ships Triple Crown nominated son of Quality Road north for synthetic debut in $75,000 California Derby against Jimmy Irish, Lost In Space and Stalking Shadow.
Santa Anita. Race 8. 7:46. As Time Goes By couldn’t handle Swiss Skydiver last time in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile but was solid second. She figures to be extremely tough in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita against last year’s Grade 2 Zenyatta winner Harvest Moon and three others.
Golden Gate. Race 9. 8:07. Fan favorite Ohio takes his show to the Bay Area for the featured Grade 3 San Francisco Mile. The 10-year-old has made made 36 starts, none at Golden Gate and he comes off his second straight win in the Fitzsimmons at Turf Paradise. Tall order here against stablemate Brown Storm, Border Town, Whisper Not and Keeper Ofthe Stars.
Golden Gate. Race 10. 8:39. The stakes aren’t finished yet. Here’s the $75,000 California Oaks and a potential rematch between Risen Lady, Freedom Flyer and Liam’s Secret, the first three in April 4 optional at the track.
Churchill. Race 7. 9:05. Greg Foley could be in for a monster week and he runs Attorney Tim here in 1-mile allowance worth $118,000.
Golden Gate. Race 11. 9:11. Bohemian Bourbon, unplaced in a pair of graded stakes this winter at Santa Anita, ships north for $75,000 Camilla Urso going 5 furlongs on the grass.
Churchill. Race 8. 9:39. In less than a week the best 3-year-olds in American will go 10 furlongs in the Kentucky Derby. Here maiden fillies and mares go the same trip in $115,0000 maiden.
Golden Gate. Race 12. 9:41. The well-traveled Landeskog makes a swing to Northern California for the $75,000 Lost In The Fog. Second in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx as a 3-year-old, he ran at Ellis Park, Pimlico and Fair Grounds in 2020.
Churchill. Race 9. 10:11. The $150,000 William Walker at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass. Wesley Ward, fresh off the Keeneland spring training title, sends out Roderick, Next and maybe Into The Sunrise (AE) while Brad Cox runs Field Day and Steve Asmussen sends out Middle Eastern adventurer Cowan.
Churchill. Race 10. 10:42. Optional for fillies and mares at 6 furlongs closes the card and the night.
