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Churchill Downs – Unbridled Sidney Stakes
Calder Race Course – Champali Stakes
Hollywood Park – Laz Barrera Stakes
Delaware Park – Winter Melody Stakes
Thoroughbred Racing Action

Churchill Downs – Unbridled Sidney Stakes

Five Furlong Turf Dash

The feature race on Saturday at Churchill Downs is the $68,000 Unbridled Sidney stakes for fillies and mares, three-years-old and upward on the turf. The five-furlongs sprint drew a field of ten led by the graded stakes-placed filly Honey Chile.

Honey Chile comes into the Unbridled Sidney out of a good second place finish in the Grade 3 Whimsical over the synthetic surface at Woodbine. In that race she set the pace before being caught late. The Whimsical was at six furlongs so the drop to five will help. What won’t help is the post position. Going five furlongs on the turf at Churchill breaking from post ten is not ideal.

The mare that may have got the best of the post position draw was Platinum Exchange for trainer William Hickey. The five-year-old was off from November 2010 until April of this year, but came back a winner. She sped to the early lead in a turf sprint at Keeneland and never looked back, drawing off to win by just under two lengths.

In her come back race Platinum Exchange ran approximately two lengths faster than the fillies and mares in the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes two days later. Out of that race four come back for the Unbridled Sidney.

The runners returning Saturday did not fare very well in the Giant’s Causeway with Smartys Emperoress having the best finish, which was sixth, beaten five lengths. Wild About Marie was eighth with Extravaganza ninth and Grand Illumination tenth. Of the four Wild About Marie looks like the best candidate to rebound.

In eight turf sprint starts Wild About Marie has five wins and a second. Prior to the Giant’s Causeway the worst finish for the mare by Wildcat Heir was sixth in a Grade 3 race at six furlongs at Woodbine. She may be a better suited to five and one-half furlongs, but will be running late on Saturday. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan will have to work out a trip from the rail.

Of the new shooters in the race Palazzo Bay deserves a long look first off the claim for trainer Michelle Lovell. Her record on the turf is not spectacular with one win in ten starts, but the five-year-old Rahy-mare is always there at the finish. She has been second or third five times with her last two defeats being by a neck and one length. The majority of those races have been at five and one-half furlongs over the Fair Ground turf and an interesting note is that in four of her last five she had the lead at the five furlong point. She should get a great stalking trip under jockey Leandro Goncalves, who is hitting at a robust 38% this meet.

Rounding out the field are Helen Belen, Eur O So Bad and Yournotthebossofme.

Scheduled as race eight on the ten-race card with a post time of 4:25 ET.

Calder Race Course – Champali Stakes

Another Five Furlong Turf Dash

Over 1,000 miles away and an hour later Calder Race Course in Florida will put on their feature five furlong turf sprint for three-year-olds and upward. The Champali goes to post at 5:26 ET and drew a full field of twelve with three on the also-eligible list.

The biggest question mark in the race and perhaps the horse to watch is Amor de Palacio from the stable of Marty Wolfson. Amor de Palacio, a mare taking on the boys, is a perfect twelve-for-twelve in his career with eleven starts in Panama and one in Venezuela.

Even though she has run in South America her story began in Florida, where she was bred. She has a steady work tab dating back to March 12, but has been entered and scratched a couple of times. She entered and scratched from a stakes race at Tampa Bay Downs on April 7 then was entered and scratched from an allowance race at Calder on April 20. Both times were trainer scratches so this may have been the best place to start for the connections.

The five-year-old mare was done no favors at the post position draw when she drew the rail, which unlike Churchill Downs, is not the place to be going five furlongs on the turf at Calder. Another question mark for Amor de Palacio is that she has never run on the turf and is taking on several with turf sprint wins.

Wild About Tiffany, a filly taking on the boys, is first on the list with a turf sprint win having won twice in six starts around one turn. Her last win came against $25,000 claimers so this will be a big step up in class for the four-year-old.

Western Prospector finally broke through with his first win on the turf in seven career starts in his last race and it was an impressive effort. Trainer David Fawkes saw fit to claim the six-year-old gelding for $62,000 and Western Prospector could start favored on Saturday. Three starts back he was second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the $75,000 Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs.

Freewest, yet another mare facing the boys, also comes off an authoritative victory, drawing off to win by four lengths at five furlongs over the Calder turf course. The five-year-old mare has been in-the-money in five of six career starts on the turf. Drawn outside of Western Prospector she will be pushing the early pace.

The other two with turf, sprint wins are Dream of Atlantis and Musical Flair, but both need to make up significant lengths on Western Prospector. Dream of Atlantis was five and three-quarter lengths behind the favorite at Gulfstream Park with Musical Flair four and one-half lengths back in the Turf Dash.

The Champali Stakes is race eleven on the twelve-race card and is the third leg of the late pick-4, which also includes the In Summation and French Village stakes.

Hollywood Park – Laz Barrera Stakes

Four Go Seven

The feature race on Saturday at Hollywood Park is not going to win any type of record for field size, but it’s a very competitive four-pack.

The 7-5 morning line favorite is the Bob Baffert-trained and Pegram, Watson or Watson-owned Drill. The three-year-old Lawyer Ron colt has an interesting set of past performances in his ten-race career.

Last July Drill came to the races with a lot of tout and went to the gate in his debut as the even money favorite. Things; however, did not go so well and he finished eighth, but Drill came back to break his maiden then win the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and was second in the Grade 1 Norfolk. After that is when things got interesting.

Baffert shipped Drill to Churchill for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but he had a rough trip and was tenth, beaten 18 lengths. Instead of regrouping Baffert sent Drill to Delta Downs and a try in the $1-million Delta Jackpot. First after a half mile translated to a seventh place finish. His 2011 was still not done and was brought back to run at Hollywood Park in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity. A ninth place finish there and Baffert decided to drop him back into a couple of sprint races and finally got the third career win in mid-February in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita. Finally satisfied, Baffert gave him a break, but it did not last long.

Two months after winning the San Vicente over American Act by a nose Drill came back and finished second as the 3-5 favorite in the $98,000 Northern Spur at Oaklawn Park. That brought his career record in route races to five starts with no wins and two seconds. Good thing the Laz Barrera is seven furlongs.

Baffert also has the rail runner, Gun Boat, but let’s first get to the 8-5 second choice American Act.

After the nose defeat to Drill in the San Vicente trainer Jack Carava decided to test his gelding around two turns, but that did not go so well. Of course he was also facing Creative Cause and Bodemeister in the San Vicente and those two are pretty good three-year-olds.

Carava gave American Act about a six week break before entering him in the Harry Henson stakes on the turf at Hollywood Park. With overnight rains the Henson was washed off the turf and put on the main track, which was no problem for the gelding; the problem was the turn.

American Act absolutely blew the turn coming for home (it’s a must-watch replay), but jockey Rafael Bejarano did not panic and kept riding to the wire. Bejarano could have high-fived the crowd on the apron, but was about to get up by a nose over perfect trip Senor Rain. New jockey Garrett Gomez will have his hands full as Bejarano lands on Gun Boat.

Gun Boat was the “other” Baffert runner in his maiden race and won by a head at long odds. Baffert then put him in the Del Mar Futurity and was only a length behind Drill. Gun Boat then took some time off and finally made a return to the races in late April. His allowance race last month was the perfect return race and he may find himself on the lead Saturday in what certainly looks like a race that will be won by the best ride.

Boompa is the final horse in the race and he broke his maiden in his debut last month at Santa Anita for a trainer who does not win with very many debut runners. He may be one to watch, but is up against it in the Laz Barrera.

Post time for the Grade 3 race is 5:03 ET and is carded as race three on the day. First post at Hollywood Park on Saturday is 4:00, which starts the 50-cent pick-5.

Delaware Park – Winter Melody Stakes

2012 Opening Day Feature

This Saturday is opening day for the 2012 Delaware Park meet with the Winter Melody Stakes headlining the card. The $50,000 mile and one-sixteenth race drew a field of six; let’s take a look.

The morning line favorite at 8-5 is the Tony Dutrow-trained Bahama Bound, who is making her second start for the trainer. In her first race for Tony the Empire Maker-mare ran a very good third in the Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap over a muddy, inner dirt track at Aqueduct. She was beaten just under five lengths by Grade 1 winner It’s Tricky, who came right back to score in the Grade 2 Distaff Handicap.

Prior to coming to her current barn, Bahama Bound was under the care of Juan Carlos Guerrero, who claimed her from a win at Delaware Park. In three starts at Delaware the five-year-old mare has one win, one second and one third. She is the class of the race and the one to beat.

The second and third choices on the morning line are She Be Classy and Brushed by Love.

She Be Classy is making her first start since last October for trainer Graham Motion and absolutely loves the Delaware Park surface with three wins in four starts, which is not what Motion had originally intended.

Last year She Be Classy ran four times at Delaware Park and all four were originally scheduled for the turf. Odd thing is that her worst run in the four starts was the only race that remained on the turf. In the other three races she won for fun by a combined nine and three-quarter lengths. She is likely to be sitting just off the pace of Brushed by Love, Zesty Brew and North Freeway.

Brushed by Love is also making her first start since last October, but unlike She Be Classy is not that fond of the Delaware Park track. In four starts in the First State, Brushed by Love only has one win and that came in a six furlong maiden special weight race. Her other two career wins both came in one-turn mile races at Laurel Park.

Zesty Brew and North Freeway are the two pace-setters with North Freeway the most likely to get the lead. The four-year-old Jump Start filly is coming off of nine straight sprint races, where she has all of her seven lifetime wins. In four starts at the distance of the Winter Melody, North Freeway is winless. It’s also interesting to note that she is trained by Ton Dutrow, who may have entered her to ensure a good early pace for Bahama Bound.

Zesty Brew has never been better since being shipped south from Canada. The six-year-old mare was winless in ten starts in 2011, but has won four of five this year for her trainer Stephanie Beattie, who is a very good trainer. She won the 2011 training title at Penn National and campaigned Grade 2 winner No Advantage. Over the past year Beattie is hitting at a 27% clip.

Bahia Beach, who has done most of her running at Charles Town, and long shot Ms Vanenzza complete the field.

Post time for the opener on Saturday at Delaware Park is 1:15 ET with the Winter Melody off at 4:45, which ends the pick-4 that starts in race five.

Thoroughbred Racing Action

Weekend Stakes Action

Great racing action from across the country this weekend.  Watch these races all on BetAmerica.com.

Saturday – May 12

• Churchill Downs: Unbridled Sidney Stakes, $68,000, 3yo & up f&m, 5f turf
• Calder Race Course: Champali Stakes, $55,000, 3yo & up, 5f turf
• Calder Race Course: In Summation Stakes, $75,000, 3yo, 6f
• Calder Race Course: French Village Stakes, $75,000, 3yo f, 6f
• Hollywood Park: Laz Barrera Memorial Stakes – G3, $100,000, 3yo, 7f
• Delaware Park: Winter Melody Stakes, $50,000, 4yo & up f&m, 8.5f
• Golden Gate: Alcatraz Stakes, $75,000, 3yo, 8.5f turf
• Lone Star Park: Texas Stallion Stakes, $100,000, 3yo, 8.5f
• Lone Star Park: Texas Stallion Stakes, $100,000, 3yo f, 8.5f
• Prairie Meadows: John Wayne Stakes, $70,000, 4yo & up, 6f
• River Downs: Tomboy Stakes, $50,000, 3yo f, 8.5f turf

Sunday – May 13

• Hollywood Park: Round Table Stakes, $70,000, 4yo & up, 12f turf
• Emerald Downs: Hastings Handicap, $50,000, 3yo & up, 6f

Churchill Downs – Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs – Turf Classic
Churchill Downs – Humana Distaff
Churchill Downs – Distaff Turf Mile
Thoroughbred Racing Action

Churchill Downs – Kentucky Derby

Twenty Three-Year-Olds in the Run for the Roses

The feature race at Churchill and across the country on Saturday is the 138th running of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby for three-year-olds going ten furlongs. It’s a deep field so let’s dive right in.

Going by post position the first contender is jockey Calvin Borel’s mount Take Charge Indy. His pedigree would suggest that the Churchill Downs surface will be his favorite and with Borel on the A.P. Indy colt is likely to start at less than his 15-1 morning line. Breaking from post three with closers around him expect Borel to get good position early on the rail.

Union Rags drew right next door in post four and that may not be ideal for the big colt. Union Rags is a runner that needs to be outside other horses. He does not have a big turn of foot, he just keeps on running. If he gets stopped at any point during the race then his chances to win are gone. From post four jockey Julien Leparoux is going to need to get out at some point, but in a field of 20 it will be difficult. In the Florida Derby he only had seven others to contend with and did not get out until too late.

Dullhan breaks from post five and that is okay because the half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will go right to the tail of the field. His jockey, Kent Desormeaux, is no stranger to the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle having won the race three times. Dullahan was fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile over the Churchill track and will love the ten furlongs. The only question will be if Desormeaux can time his run just right.

The morning line favorite Bodemeister drew post six and will likely go off as the post-time favorite for trainer Bob Baffert. Bode is coming off a dominating win in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and will try to follow in the footsteps of fellow Arkansas Derby to Kentucky Derby winners Smarty Jones. Super Saver ran second in the 2010 Arkansas Derby en route to winning the Kentucky Derby and others that ran well in both the Arkansas and Kentucky Derby’s include Curlin, Afleet Alex, Victory Gallop and Grindstone.

Creative Cause has yet to run a bad race in his eight-start career with four wins, two seconds and two thirds. He is coming off a game defeat to I’ll Have Another, who is also in the Derby and drew post 19. Both Creative Cause and I’ll Have Another are 12-1 on the morning line and both deserve a long look. I’ll Have Another may have more upside to him, but you can’t separate the two.

Daddy Nose Best is the “wise-guy” horse leading up to Kentucky Derby 138 putting in spectacular works in the mornings. He appeared to be a turf/synthetic horse leading up to his run in the Sunland Derby, but finally proved his ability on the dirt, which should have come as no surprise given his breeding. His sire, Scat Daddy, won the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and his dam sire, Thunder Gulch, won the 1995 Kentucky Derby, Florida Derby, Belmont and Travers. Garrett Gomez picks up the mount and will have the colt in a great position turning for home.

Hansen’s connections breathed a sigh of relief during the post position draw after Daddy Long Legs drew the one hole, which left Hansen in the advantageous fourteen post. Hansen will not have a horse break directly to his outside with the break in the starting gate and is drawn outside the other speed. If he can rate as well as he did in the Gotham then expect a big effort for the nearly white son of Tapit.

That brings us to this writer’s top pick Gemologist, who has been at number two in the Bet America Kentucky Derby Top 15 since its debut last year. Gemologist is a perfect two-for-two at Churchill Downs including a win in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club and his win in the wood was better than looked. The margin may have only been a neck, but Alpha was never getting by. Gemologist will have the run of the race from post 15 and can keep his perfect record intact and provide trainer Todd Pletcher his second Kentucky Derby win.

Some other notables in the race are Alpha, second in the Wood and won the Grade 3 Withers, Prospective, winner of the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, Went the Day Well, winner of the Grade 3 Spiral for the same connections as last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, and El Padrino, winner of the Grade 2 Risen Star. Also don’t leave out Done Talking in the trifecta and superfecta plays. The Broken Vow colt will do his best running late in a field loaded with speed and his only bad run was in the Grade 3 Gotham over a good inner track at Aqueduct.

Rounding out the field are Daddy Long Legs (30-1), Optimizer (50-1), Rousing Sermon (50-1), Trinniberg (50-1), Sabercat (30-1) and Liaison (50-1). My Adonis (50-1) is on the also eligible list with scratch time scheduled for Friday morning.

A lot can happen between now and Saturday so keep coming back to Bet America for any late updates and final picks on all the races.

Post time for the Kentucky Derby is 6:24 et.

Churchill Downs – Turf Classic

Grade 1 Turf Runners

One of the best races on the day leading up to the Kentucky Derby is the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic going nine furlongs on the turf. The $500,000 race drew a field of eleven with the entrants combining for a total of 62 wins and earnings of over $6.5-million.

Last year Get Stormy was able to dictate his own pace on the firm turf course leading gate-to-wire in the Turf Classic, but he may have some company this year on the front end. Little Mike’s 2012 campaign has not been as spectacular as his 2011 was and comes in to the Turf Classic off a fourth place finish as the even money favorite in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Park. Little Mike needs the lead to be at his best and from the rail will be out winging on the front end.

Turbo Compressor has run lights out in two starts this year with a third place finish on the dirt in the Sunshine Millions Classic and a win in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park in his last. In the Sunshine Millions he was third behind Mucho Macho Man, who won his next start and is expected to start favored in the Alysheba at Churchill on Friday, and Ron the Greek, who came back to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap. He is a front-runner that will be pushing the early splits under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

The horses that will be sitting just off the pace in the Turf Classic are Slim Shadey, Doubles Partner, Brilliant Speed and Papaw Bodie.

Slim Shadey has won two of four starts in the U.S. and was defeated a head by Bourbon Bay, who came right back to win his next race, in his last start, the Grade 2 San Luis Rey. Slim Shadey’s last three races were at ten or twelve furlongs so it remains to be seen if the shorter nine furlongs will be ideal.

Doubles Partner is coming off a third place finish in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland behind Data Link and Turallure. Both those rivals are in the Turf Classic and will be positioned behind Doubles Partner in the early stages. Doubles Partner is two-for-three over the Churchill turf course and beat Data Line and Little Mike in the Canadian Turf two starts back.

Brilliant Speed and Papaw Bodie are drawn outside in the field and will need a good trip from that spot. Brilliant Speed has a win at nine furlongs and was third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf over the surface last year. Papaw Bodie also has a win at nine furlongs and was second in the Grade 2 Marvin Muniz Jr Handicap in his last start.

Turallure and Data Link are the before mentioned closers in the field and both ran very well in the Makers 46 Mile. Data Link got the better of the field that day and the Shug McGaughey barn is firing with all of their starters recently. He is a must use as is Turallure, who will be better fit in his second start off the layoff. Two of the best races of his career, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, have come at Churchill Downs.

Boxeur des Rues will likely be the longest shot on the board with Al Khali rounding out the field. Al Khali won an allowance race at Keeneland nicely in his last start, but in a similar sequence last year was eighth in the Turf Classic.

Post time for the Turf Classic is 4:44 ET.

Churchill Downs – Humana Distaff

Sassy Image Looks to Repeat

The second leg of the late pick-4 on Saturday at Churchill Downs is the Grade 1 Humana Distaff for filly and mare sprinters. The seven furlong race drew a field of nine led by last year’s race winner Sassy Image and the BC Filly and Mare Sprint winner Musical Romance.

Sassy Image came into the race last year off of three straight loses including two by a combined 32.5 lengths. However; those races were not a Churchill Downs where the filly had previously been three-for-four. Sassy Image ran the best race of her life in the Humana Distaff last year and she went on to win the Winning Colors over the track as well as the Grade 1 Princess Rooney at Calder.

The Princess Rooney win was spectacular. She was left at the gate, but jockey Mike Smith did not panic and she came with a huge late move to get up by a neck. Trainer Dale Romans then shipped her to Saratoga where she bore out around the turn and finished last. Off since then Sassy Image returns to her favorite track with a set of bullet workouts behind her.

Musical Romance is also very fond of the track having won the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. The Florida-bred was second behind Sassy Image in last year’s Princess Rooney and is three-for-five at seven furlongs. Her win in the BC came after a prep at Keeneland, which is how the connections enter this year’s Humana Distaff.

The pace of the race this year is an interesting one with no true front-runner in the field. Historically the Humana Distaff has been won from off-the-pace, but Mildly Offensive may be able to break that trend. She has been first or second at the second call in all her races and jockey Joel Rosario is one to take advantage of a race with little to no pace. She is the pick to take the wire-to-wire in an upset.

The other California-based mare in the race is Switch, who is returning for her first start since finishing second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. In two starts at Churchill Downs the Quiet American mare has two seconds. New rider Mike Smith will let her roll late.

Should Mildly Offensive not make the lead then Fantasy of Flight may take up the early running. She is better sitting off the pace, but from post two jockey John Velazquez may be forced to put her in the early mix. Her sire, Tiznow, loved the Churchill Downs surface.

Groupie Doll exits an easy three-length win in the Grade 1 Madison in her last start and has won at Churchill in the past. She is very versatile with wins on her past performances from both on and off-the-pace.

Magical Feeling, Salty Strike and Hot Summer round out the field and each of the fillies are good in their own rights, but they have yet to be competitive in Grade 1 races. Salty Strike is four-for-five at Churchill with her biggest win coming in the Grade 3 Dogwood at one mile last June.

The filly and mare sprinters head to the post at 3:49 ET.

Churchill Downs – Distaff Turf Mile

Marketing Mix and Daisy Devine Headline

The start of the Derby day late pick-4 on Saturday is the Distaff Turf Mile, which drew a field of ten. The top two fillies in the Grade 2 race is Marketing Mix and Daisy Devine, who are both coming off of impressive wins at Keeneland.

Marketing Mix made her first start since November last month in an allowance race over the turf at Keeneland. She was coming off an impressive 2011 campaign that included wins in the Grade 3 Pucker Up and Grade 2 Mrs. Revere. She was also second to the European-shipper Together in the Grade 1 QEII Cup.

In the allowance race, Marketing Mix was sent off as the 3-2 favorite and was never in danger of losing. Her rivals, which included last year’s Queen’s Plate winner Inglorious, came up to her entering the stretch, but Marketing Mix was game and won by a measure length and a quarter. She will improve in her second start off the layoff and will need a top effort to defeat Daisy Devine.

Daisy Devine has won four straight races since being switched to the turf and is coming out of a win in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley over the Keeneland turf course. She can either be on the lead or just off and jockey James Graham is deadly with turf front-runners.

Everyone looks to defeat the favorites on big days so let’s check out the other contenders.

Tapitsfly and Heavenly Landing were third and fourth behind Daisy Devine in the Jenny Wiley and will need to improve. The last two wins for Tapitsfly came at Gulfstream Park while Heavenly Landing won an allowance race over the Churchill turf in November.

Hooh Why drew post two and is entered in a race at Tampa Bay Downs on Friday, but if she goes here expect her to set the early pace. She has won three of seven races overall on the turf including two of her last three.

Aruna was second in the Distaff Turf Mile behind Aviate, but was nearly four lengths behind Daisy Devine in the Jenny Wiley. Of course that was probably due to jockey Ramon Dominguez being too patient with the mare in the early stages while Daisy Devine was carving out easy fractions. With a better pace Aruna will be back on her game.

La Reine Lionne was five-for-nine last year with all her wins in allowance races and on the step up to stakes-company in her last two she has been second and third by a combined length. She runs close to the pace and will get first run if and when the front-runners fade.

Hungry Island was third behind Marketing Mix and was seven wide coming into the stretch. Here is another Shug McGaughey-trainee that might be a must use solely based on that. She needs a very fast pace to be at her best and the mile distance may be too short.

Completing the field are long shot Annabel Lee and City to City. City to City has a pair of Grade 2 wins on her resume, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer does not ship to Churchill to just run around the track and she does get a top turf jock in Corey Nakatani, but the feeling is that the California-based turf fillies are a cut below their East coast counterparts.

Of course that may have just put City to City in the winner’s circle. Find out when the Distaff Turf Mile goes to post at 2:59 ET.

Thoroughbred Racing Action

Weekend Stakes Action

Great racing action from across the country this weekend.  Watch these races all on BetAmerica.com.

Saturday – May 5

• Churchill Downs: Kentucky Derby – G1, $2,000,000, 3yo, 10f
• Churchill Downs: Turf Classic – G1, $500,000, 4yo & up, 9f turf
• Churchill Downs: Humana Distaff – G1, $300,000, 4yo & up f&m, 7f
• Churchill Downs: Distaff Turf Mile – G2, $200,000, 4yo & up f&m, 8f turf
• Churchill Downs: Churchill Downs Stakes – G2, $400,000, 4yo & up, 7f
• Churchill Downs: Turf Sprint Stakes – G3, $125,000, 4yo & up, 5f turf
• Hollywood Park: Mervyn LeRoy Handicap – G2, $150,000, 3yo & up, 8.5f
• Hollywood Park: Senorita Stakes – G3, $100,000, 3yo f, 8f turf
• Hollywood Park: Cool Frenchy Stakes, $70,000, 3yo & up, 5f
• Hollywood Park: Golden Poppy Stakes, $75,000, 3yo, 8.5f turf
• Pimlico Stakes: Cananero II Stakes, $75,000, 3yo, 8.5f
• Beulah Park: Babst / Palacios Memorial Handicap, $50,000, 3yo & up, 6f
• SunRay Park: SunRay Park and Casino Handicap, $50,000, 3yo, 8f

Sunday – May 6

• Hollywood Park: Time to Leave Stakes, $70,000, 3yo & up f&m, 5f