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While Rachel may be the main attraction at Monmouth on Sunday there are other races that need to be looked at. Race 10, The Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes, kicks off the guaranteed $250,000 Pick-4.

The best race of the four to hit a price may be the Lady’s Secret, which is the second leg. That race drew 12 horses with a lukewarm 3-1 morning line favorite. The Pletcher-trained Spritely may be the favorite, but she is just one of handful who like to race on the lead. Spritely was able to rate off the pace in her last, but if the track is playing fair watch for the Larry Jones trained Tammy’s Victress running down the lane. Luna Vega gets first time Calvin Borel so a change of tactics may be in store.

Rachel Alexandra makes her return to the races on Saturday in the Haskell at Monmouth where she tries to complete the ultimate filly versus boys double. The Haskell may be the feature on the day, but it is not the only stakes race. There are seven additional stakes races leading up to the Haskell.

While Rachel Alexandra is the horse to beat, Munnings is the horse to watch. If Munnings goes Calvin will sit, but if Munnings doesn’t go then Calvin and have an easy lead to himself. It will be interesting to see what the other jockeys do in the race. Regardless Rachel is the one to beat and she has to hold off Summer Bird. The only negative is the cut back in distance. Summer Bird may be better going longer than the nine furlongs.

A day before Rachel Alexandra runs in the Haskell, the Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird, runs in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby. There are nine races on the card and all nine are stakes races. The West Virginia Derby goes as race eight and only drew six with a coupled entry. Last year there was a pick-3 that ended with the Derby, so let’s look at the two preceding races.

Race 6 is the Harvey Arneault Memorial going six furlongs for three-year-olds and up. This race also drew a small field of seven. Ravalo drops out of a winning effort in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap and has won three of his four starts at Mountaineer. Ravalo gets Mike Smith to ride who has been riding well recently. Ravalo will have to contend with Vicarian and Godolphin Gray. Ravalo should have a great stalking trip and will get first run.

Next is the West Virginia Governor’s for three-year-olds and up going two turns. This race may produce the price in the sequence. There are eight runners in the field with Shadowbdancing and Dubious Miss coming in off of races where they received speed figures of over 100. Shadowbdancing has three straight over 100 and could go favored. Both have a similar up front running style as does a couple others in the race. Encaustic could be the one to run them all down late should a rapid pace ensue.

Mine That Bird takes center stage next when he faces five others. The Mountaineer track can be very unkind to closers and occasionally the rail is dead. You will see jockeys take their mounts five wide turning for home some times. With Mike Smith aboard you won’t have to work about running inside, but any speed bias will take him out of his game. If there is a speed bias look for Big Drama to take them all the way. The others are seemingly over matched.

The West Virginia Derby is the feature on the Saturday card at Mountaineer, but there are eight other great stakes races. Tom Amoss, Steve Asmussen, and Todd Pletcher all shipped in horses for the races. It should be a great day in the Mountain State.

The stakes action comes fast and furious this weekend as July ends and August begins. Penn National has six stakes races across this weekend starting with three on Friday night. Two of the three races are on turf and go as races 1 and 3. The first stakes race is the Red Carpet, which drew 11 including one entry. The race has plenty of speed and because of that Winsome Ways should start over her entry mate. Shall We Gather is light on speed figures, but also benefits from a rapid pace.

Smart and Fancy is the class of the next stakes, the Jenny Wade, and will be hard to beat. The queen of turf sprints Linda Rice sends out Ahvee’s Destiny who has won 7 of 15 turf sprints. The only stakes on the dirt is two races later and is wide open. The Asmussen trained A Day for Dancing may take a lot of play, but Knockout Bertie rates a long look. Bold Union comes in with blazing works, Sophia is 2 for 2, and Rocket Defense is 4 for 4. It’s a good betting race.

In addition to the claiming stakes on Saturday there is a stakes race at Canterbury for non-claimers. There are rolling pick-3’s on the card so the action keeps going. The significance of the race is that it may feature a single. Euphony has won 6 in a row and 9 of 11 on each of the three surfaces. She is 2 for 3 on turf and in her only defeat she finished second. She should get a great trip either setting a slow pace or sitting just off. It’s a great single in the Pick-3’s.