Weekend Watch: Stacked undercard precedes Derby

The Kentucky Derby is absolutely the highlight of this weekend, but given the rest of Churchill Downs' card, it’s not the end all, be all. Churchill features six graded stakes leading up to the Derby, and that's not to mention the interesting races outside of stakes company. Also on tap for the weekend are graded stakes at Santa Anita and Belmont, plus the beginning of the Puerto Rico Triple Crown at Camarero.

Get all the highlights below with post times listed in Eastern Standard.

Previous Triple Crown contenders clash on undercard

Even for the casual fan, Race 3 on the Kentucky Derby undercard will be particularly appealing. Of the field of 10, four of the runners competed in the Triple Crown series in the last two years. Lookin At Lee, second in last year’s Run for the Roses, is the morning line favorite to win 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year olds and upward. Hollywood Handsome and Sonneteer, both also part of last year’s Triple Crown, are the co-second choices, and Cherry Wine, who competed in the 2016 Triple Crown, is a 20-1 outlier. Post time is 11:31 a.m.

McCraken makes 2018 debut

McCraken was an early Kentucky Derby favorite last year leading into the Blue Grass (G2). The Ghostzapper colt was undefeated in four starts at that point but suffered his first career loss when the late Irap and Practical Joke got the better of him. He went on to finish eighth in the Derby before winning the Matt Winn (G3). He lost a photo decision in the Haskell (G1) and then dropped two more to end his year. Off since late October, the Ian Wilkes trainee finally returns to the starting gate in Race 5 at Churchill Downs. He will face nine rivals, and post time is 12:35 p.m.

Six graded stakes lead up to the Derby

First on the docket is the Grade 1 Humana Distaff, carded for seven furlongs for older fillies and mares. Finley’sluckycharm has speed from the rail and is undefeated in six starts at Churchill Downs but was inexplicably pegged the 7-2 co-second choice. Lewis Bay, who was most recently third behind Finley’sluckycharm in the Madison (G1), is the morning line favorite, but I expect those roles to be reversed by post time. Six others will line up in the starting gate with them.

Race seven on the card is the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile. Morning line favorite La Coronel drew post 11 in a field of the same size and comes in off of three straight defeats. She won the Edgewood (G3) last year and, while a mile does not seem to be her best distance, La Coronel is one of the most accomplished in the field. It is a salty bunch, however, with plenty of other talent and value to be found. Dream Awhile and Madam Dancealot will likely be at short odds, but Res Ispa and Proctor’s Ledge could provide a nice payday. Neither are consistent, but both throw in a good race about the time you write them off.

Whitmore will try to stretch out an extra furlong in the seven panel, Grade 2 Churchill Downs. Since running 19th in the 2016 Kentucky Derby, the Pleasantly Perfect gelding has raced exclusively at six furlongs. He drew the rail and will face nine rivals, including Carter Handicap (G1) runner-up Awesome Slew. Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Imperial Hint and horse for course Limousine Liberal are also part of the field.

Threeandfourpence headlines an overflow field in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes. The War Front colt is back on the turf after facing Mendelssohn on all-weather and dirt in his last two starts. He is the tepid 4-1 favorite in a fairly evenly matched bunch.

The Grade 3 Pat Day Mile also drew a competitive, large field. Bay Shore (G3) winner National Flag and undefeated Mask were tabbed as the 4-1 co-favorites. Also in the field are undefeated Hutcheson (G3) winner Madison’s Luna, grade three winner Greyvitos, Wood Memorial (G1) third place finisher Restoring Hope, grade one winner Sporting Chance, and Florida Derby (G1) third place finisher Mississippi.

Beach Patrol makes his 2018 debut in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic. The speedster had the misfortune of drawing the far outside post in the field of 10 but should be able to easily clear the field and get a good position. The only other one if the field that would challenge for the lead is Shining Copper. Deauville returns stateside to take another crack at Beach Patrol after finishing third to that one in last year’s Arlington Million (G1).

G1 Humana Distaff 1:13 p.m.

G2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile 1:55 p.m.

G2 Churchill Downs 2:45 p.m.

G2 American Turf 3:37 p.m.

G3 Pat Day Mile 4:28 p.m.

G1 Old Forester Turf Classic 5:25 p.m.

Cloud Computing the highlight at Belmont Park

Churchill Downs is not the only track with a big Saturday, as Belmont Park features a trio of graded stakes races. Queens Plate winner Holy Helena kicks things off in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay, a 1 3/8-mile turf affair for older fillies and mares. The Ghostzapper filly enters on a two race win streak. Both of those victories were on turf, where she is a perfect two-for-two. Her main competition will likely be the Chad Brown trained Santa Monica (GB) who made her U.S. debut a winning one at Keeneland two and a half weeks ago.

The Grade 3 Fort Marcy, a 1 1/8-mile turf affair for older males, came up as an international affair. Last year’s Grand Prix de Chantilly (Group 2) winner Silverwave will be making his United States debut in the care of Chad Brown. The six-year old has been off since running a disappointing eighteenth in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) in October and will be running on first time Lasix. Brown will also send out Ticonderoga and the undefeated Chilean import Robert Bruce (CHI). The latter has won from six furlongs to 1 ½-mile and is a group one winner in his native country. Like Silverwave (FR), Robert Bruce (CHI) will be running on first time Lasix.

The Grade 3 Westchester completes the trifecta of graded events and is topped by last year’s Preakness winner Cloud Computing. The Chad Brown trainee has been off since running eighth in last year’s Travers (G1) but has been training steadily. He will face Conquest Big E and Tommy Macho, first and third respectively in the Gulfstream Park Hardacre Mile (G2) in March.

G2 Sheepshead Bay 3:30 p.m.

G3 Fort Marcy 5:48 p.m.

G3 Westchester 7:07 p.m.

The Senorita is the feature at Santa Anita.

Amada Rafaela, a Distorted Humor daughter of 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint runner-up Dust and Diamonds, makes her career debut in Race 3 at Santa Anita Park. The 3-year old miss is owned by Three Chimneys Farm and is trained by the venerable Bob Baffert. She is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the field of seven. Also in the field is Patricia’s Ring, the full sister to multiple grade two winner Onlyforyou. Trained by Carla Gaines, Patricia’s Ring was third in her debut.

The Grade 3 Senorita Stakes drew a field of seven, headed by English import West Palm Beach, who won her stateside debut back in March. Trained by Simon Callaghan, the Scat Daddy filly will break from the rail. Group three winner Treasuring and grade two placed Exuberance, who will be making her turf debut, are also in the field.

Race Three 4:00 p.m.

G3 Senorita 6:00 p.m.

It's a strong Derby field

This year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby field brings together eight Grade 1 winners, five Grade 2 winners and three Grade 3 winners. It features the strongest potential Apollo Curse-breaking duo we have seen in Justify, who is your morning line favorite, and Magnum Moon, both of whom are undefeated. Last year’s top two juveniles, Good Magic and Bolt d’Oro, will clash again. The brilliant Mendelssohn will try to become the first European runner to annex the U.S.’s top 3-year old race, while Audible will attempt to stretch his win streak to five. And those are just some of the storylines in this year’s Run for the Roses.

Be sure to explore Horse Racing Nation for more insight on the race, the contenders, and how to bet.

Post time for the Big Dance is 6:50 p.m.

Highway Star to defend her Ruffian Stakes title

Millionaire Highway Star is back to defend her Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes title on Sunday. The five-year old mare will have to drastically improve off her 2018 bow, however, in which she was beaten by nearly forty lengths in the Heavenly Prize Invitational, run at the same one mile distance as the Ruffian. She will be helped by her return to Belmont Park, though, where she is 6: 5-0-1. Holiday Disguise and Unchained Melody also like Big Sandy and both are two-for-two on the track. Holiday Disguise most recently won the Distaff Handicap (G3) while Unchained Melody has not faced the starter since being pulled up and vanned off in the Alabama (G1) in August. Nothing was evidently amiss with the filly, and she has trained well for Brian Lynch. Post time is 5:18 p.m.

Puerto Rico Triple Crown kicks off on Sunday

This weekend is not only the starting point for our own Triple Crown series but is also the commencement of Puerto Rico’s Triple Crown. On Sunday, six colts and geldings plus one filly will compete in the Group 1 Derby Puertorriqueno contested at 1 1/16-mile at Camerero Race Course. The even money favorite is Amigojulioforti, winner of three straight allowance races. The filly Regalada is the 2-1 third betting choice off a neck victory in the Antonio R. Matos (G2) for fillies. El Salsero is the second betting choice off an eight length allowance victory and has just two defeats in nine career starts, one at the hooves of Amigojulioforti. Post time is 5:30 p.m.

Vale Dori makes 2018 bow in Adoration

Off since a valiant runner-up effort in the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) in July, Vale Dori (ARG) finally gets back to work in Sunday’s Grade 3 Adoration Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile affair for fillies and mares three-years old and upward. Now six, Vale Dori (ARG) is 7: 5-1-1 at Santa Anita and at the eight and one-half furlong distance and won this race last year. Mended went on a ten race tear before finishing second in both the La Canada (G2), her graded stakes debut, and the Santa Margarita (G1). Dalsaros, a five-year old Unbridled’s Song daughter of multiple grade one winner Ask the Moon, and Santa Margarita winner Fault are also part of the field. Post time is 6:30 p.m.