Triple Crown contenders from past three seasons face off in Cigar Mile
Triple Crown contenders from the past three seasons will compete in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct this weekend. Del Mar wraps up its season with a big weekend card featuring a pair of Grade I turf affairs. Oaklawn Park and Tampa Bay Downs opened last weekend and get their stakes slate going with two races for 2-year-olds.
Zandon is the favorite for Saturday's Grade I Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. Florida Derby winner White Abarrio, O Besos, Mind Control and Epicenter are also in the field. Zandon finished third in Kentucky Derby seven months ago. White abarri finished sixth in Louisville. He could get a boost to January's Pegasus World Cup Invitational. If he wins, he might consider staying on one turn.
Saturday's $250,000 Grade II Remsen at Aqueduct is a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" race for 2-year-olds. Tuskegee Airmen is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Super Chow headlines a field of seven for Saturday's Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Winning Time won Tuesday's Pennsylvania Nursery Stake at Parx Racing. The winner of the race was Veeson. The favorite, Gordian Knot, was third. There's a $100,00 Maryland Futurity for state-bred colts and geldings at Laurel Park and a $150,K Clarendon St. for Ontario- breds at Woodbine.
Julia Shining is a full sister to Malathaat. She won her last race at Keeneland by 2.5 lengths. Dorth Vader is the favorite for Saturday's $100,000 Sandpiper at Tampa Bay Downs. Girl Trouble won Tuesday's Future Stars Filly Division at Parx Racing. Ligura is favorite in Saturday’s $ 100,00 Grade III Jimmy Durante at Del Mar. There are also the $50, 000 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante Stakes for state-breds at Hawthorne Race Course and the $75,500 Glacial Princess for Pennsylvania- breds in Mahoning Valley.
Distaff's Go For Wand Handicap at Aqueduct is a handicapping challenge with 11 fillies and mares set for the one-turn mile. Battle Bling is the 3-1 favorite on the tight morning line after three straight wins. Dr B, Betsy Blue and Bank Sting are at single-digit odds. Triple Crown contenders from past three seasons face off in Cigar Mile.
Pletcher and Prat team up with the morning-line favorite, Wit, among 11 entries for Saturday's $400,000 Grade I Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. Practical Joke colt comes off a second, beaten just a neck, in the Grade III Bryan Station at Keeneland.
The $400,000 Matriarch at Del Mar has a field of 10 horses. Regal Glory and Dolce Zell are the Chad Brown-trained duo. Bobby Flay's Pizza Bianca is trained by him. Wakanaka, Avenue de France and England's Rose are other horses in the race. Triple Crown contenders from past three seasons face off in Cigar Mile.
Triple Crown contenders from past three seasons face off in Cigar Mile Turf Sprint. Stormy Liberal at Del Mar and Pan Zaretta for fillies and mares at Fair Grounds are also worth watching.
Triple Crown contenders from past three seasons face off in Cigar Mile.
T O Keynes is the favorite for Sunday's Group 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan. He is racing against Crown Pride, who won the Grade II UAE Derby in Dubai and went to Kentucky Derby. T O Keynes finished eighth in the $20 million Grade I Saudi Cup earlier this year. Crown Prides has been injured since the end of September and finished second in two starts.
The Wizard of Eye won the Hyde Stakes at Kempton Park on Monday. The win earned him a guaranteed start in the All-Weather Mile Championships on Finals Day. Yoozuna won a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £200,000 Easter Classic at Deauville.
Ascot Racecourse announced Tuesday total prize money available in 2023 will be a record £17 million across 25 race days. Purses for Royal Ascot 20th will reach a new record of £9.52 million.
