I'll have a more in-depth preview of this weekend's graded stakes races a little later on tonight, specifically the two Derby prep races - the Whirlaway and the Bob Lewis. Until then here is a list of this weekend's graded stakes action along with a few notes and observations:
Date |
Race |
GR. |
Track |
Distance |
Age |
Saturday |
Donn Handicap |
I |
GP |
9 |
4up |
Saturday |
Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap |
I |
GP |
9.0 T |
4up |
Saturday |
Suwannee River Handicap |
III |
GP |
9.0 T |
4up fm |
Saturday |
Las Virgenes Stakes |
I |
SA |
8 |
3yo f |
Saturday |
Strub Stakes |
II |
SA |
9 |
4yo |
Saturday |
Robert B. Lewis Stakes |
II |
SA |
8.5 |
3yo |
Sunday |
Hallandale Beach Handicap |
III |
GP |
8.5 T |
3yo |
Sunday |
San Antonio Handicap |
II |
SA |
9 |
4up |
- The year's version of the G1-Donn Handicap looks pretty weak at first glance. While there are some decent G2 and G3 horses entered it's tough not to envision Quality Road romping over this field.
- Never On Sunday (Fr), winner of the Group 1-Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp last May, will make his North American debut in the G1-Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in what looks to be a small, but highly competitive field.
- The G3-Suwannee River Handicap on the lawn rounds out a nice late Pick 3 at Gulfstream with a full field of twelve expected to go to post. At first glance, the 8-Totti (GB) looks like a potential value play at 8/1 on the morning line.
- In the G1-Las Virgenes, Blind Luck returns to race for the first time since her dominating win in the G1-Hollywood Starlet right before Christmas. She's 1/2 on the ML against what looks to be an over-matched field of three year old fillies.
- Seven three year old colts are expected to go to the post in the G2-Robert B. Lewis Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth. American Lion, Tiz Chrome, and Dave in Dixie tower over the rest of the field.
- Gallant Son, the Emerald Downs champion two year old colt in 2008, pops up in the G2-Strub Stakes at Santa Anita where he'll face the difficult task of trying to take down Bob Baffert's Misremembered (8/5 on the ML).
- Interactif, a three year old trainee of Todd Pletcher that has found a home on the turf, is the likely favorite in the G3-Hallandale Beach Handicap at Gulfstream on Sunday. Given his affinity for the grass, I would expect this colt to be pointed towards the three year old turf stakes at Colonial Downs and Arlington Park later on this summer.
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