Stake Your Bets: Top Horse Racing Events This Weekend

A busy period of top horse events this weekend is set, with global superstars in action in the Middle East in the world’s richest race. Domestic matters will also be on the agenda, with a key prep for the Kentucky Derby taking place at Oaklawn Park.

It could be a significant weekend in terms of major horse races 2024, and you can find our latest horse racing predictions for the top horse racing events this weekend below.

Saudi Cup

The Saudi Cup is one of the standout races this weekend, with an eye-watering $20 million purse available to the field competing over 1,800 meters. There is an excellent roll of honor from this race, including Mishriff and Emblem Road, who landed victories in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

However, this year’s renewal is the best in the five-year history of the Saudi Cup with last season’s first two in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic involved. White Abarrio landed victory at Santa Anita in early November, beating Derma Sotogake by a length. Both come into this weekend with obvious claims.

However, race fitness could count for something this weekend, meaning National Treasure and Ushba Tesoro both make interesting cases.

But, at the prices, it could be worth taking a chance on Senor Buscador, who has a competitive record at the top level and was within a few strides of beating National Treasure in the G1 Pegasus World Cup.

• Pick: Senor Buscador

Rebel Stakes

Oaklawn Park will draw attention across the U.S. on Saturday, hosting crucial Kentucky Derby prep action. Triple Crown champion American Pharoah famously claimed victory in the 2015 Rebel Stakes, and this weekend presents an opportunity to evaluate potential Derby contenders.

Timberlake will likely set the standard, but he returns to the track for the first time as a three-year-old. He was a very impressive winner of the Champagne Stakes last year, before finishing fourth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He retains plenty of ability, and will be hard to beat in this company if he has progressed.

Despite displaying glimpses of form, Carbone failed to impress in the G3 Southwest Stakes in his last outing. One could argue that he faced unfavorable muddy conditions on that day. In that case, they very much played to the strengths of Just Steel, who powered home to finish a good second.

However, Time For Truth could be the one with the most upside in this company. The three-year-old last finished second over six furlongs in the Ozark Stakes. However, further improvement is likely from this son of Omaha Beach, who is now up to 1 1/16 miles.

• Pick: Time For Truth

Honeybee Stakes

There will also be clues for the Kentucky Oaks this weekend, as the Honeybee Stakes has been a key prep in recent years. This Grade 3 was won by the Oaks victor in two of the previous four years, while Wet Paint was an impressive winner at Oaklawn Park last year.

West Omaha represents last year’s winning trainer, Brad Cox, and she comes into this contest as the one to beat. She was last seen winning the Silverbulletday over an extended mile at Fair Grounds, reaching a mighty speed figure of 86. If building on that, she is hard to oppose.

Band Of Gold is an interesting alternative, having got the better of Tapit Jenallie and Neom Beach in the Martha Washington Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn. That run certainly puts her in the frame over course and distance this weekend.

Alys Beach could be one of the interesting horse racing predictions after showing promise when third in the G1 Alcibiades last year. She returns from a lengthy layoff this weekend, but we could see her finishing second in one of the top horse racing events this weekend behind West Omaha.

• Pick: West Omaha/Alys Beach

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