Saturday guide: Odds, picks, more for Chilukki, 3 other stakes

The only graded stakes on Saturday’s racing schedule features distaffers battling under the twin spires.

Coach is the 9-5 morning-line favorite for the Grade 3, $300,000 Chilukki Stakes. Post time from Churchill Downs is 5:35 p.m. EST, with FS2 showing the one-mile race for 3-and-up fillies and mares.

The Chilukki is part of a November Churchill Downs meet that will culminate next week with high-profile races like the $750,000 Clark Stakes (G1) on Friday and the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) next Saturday.

Brad Cox trains Coach, a 4-year-old Commissioner filly. She owns a 12: 5-2-2 lifetime record with stakes wins in October 2020 in the local Rags to Riches Stakes and in January at Oaklawn Park in the Pippin Stakes.

Coach raced Oct. 1 at Laurel Park for the first time in more than seven months, finishing second in the Twixt Stakes. The Kueber Racing runner will try to make the grade Saturday under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

Veteran runner She Can’t Sing (5-2) has won seven of her 32 starts and seeks her first graded win for trainer Chris Block. The Canterbury Park and Fair Grounds stakes victor switches surfaces to dirt off a third-place showing Sept. 10 in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes (G3).

Mariah’s Princess (3-1) finished her 2021 season by winning December’s Mistletoe Stakes at Oaklawn but was then on the shelf for more than 10 months. The Philip Bauer trainee returned to the races Oct. 29 at Keeneland, finishing second in an allowance event.

Here is a look at the field for the 2022 Chilukki Stakes (trainer and jockey in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Coach (Brad Cox, Ricardo Santana Jr.), 9-5

2. Mariah’s Princess (Philip Bauer, Martin Garcia), 3-1

3. Center Aisle (Paulo Lobo, Gerardo Corrales), 6-1

4. Ice Orchid (John Ortiz, Tyler Gaffalione), 10-1

5. Empire House (Jonathan Wong, Joe Talamo), 15-1

6. She Can’t Sing (Chris Block, Brian Hernandez Jr.), 5-2

7. Liberty M D (Ian Wilkes, Julien Leparoux), 8-1

TimeformUS’ pace projections show Center Aisle going out to the early lead under jockey Gerardo Corrales, followed by favorite Coach.

Other Saturday stakes

Here is a look at other stakes races of note scheduled Saturday across the U.S. Post times are EST.

2:44 p.m. – $135,000 Gio Ponti Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (turf), Aqueduct, FS2

Steady On (2-1) has made only three starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, winning on second asking in September at Aqueduct and then taking an allowance race there Oct. 22. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will be up on the Pioneerof the Nile colt. Pletcher also trains Grand Sonata (3-1), a Grade 3 winner who also last raced Oct. 22 at Aqueduct, crossing third in the Hill Prince Stakes (G2). The Danny Gargan-trained Dakota Gold (9-2) has won two legs of the New York Stallion Series Stakes, including Aug. 17 at Saratoga.

5:59 p.m. – $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, seven furlongs, Del Mar, FanDuel TV

Justique (8-5) won on first asking over this Del Mar oval in July, then climbed the class ladder for a third-place effort Oct. 8 at Santa Anita in the Chandelier Stakes (G2). Trainer John Shirreffs has tabbed jockey Victor Espinoza to pilot the Justify filly. Tim Yakteen trains Blessed Touch (9-5), an 8 3/4-length victor Oct. 8 at Santa Anita in her second career start. Huntingcoco (7-2) finished last of seven in the Chandelier for trainer Bob Baffert, 39 1/2 lengths shy of winner And Tell Me Nolies.

7 p.m. – $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes, California-bred or California-sired, 3-and-up, seven furlongs, Del Mar, FanDuel TV

The Chosen Vron (1-1), twice a Grade 3 victor, has won back-to-back stakes, including the California Flag Handicap on Oct. 16 at Santa Anita. Eric Kruljac trains the 4-year-old Vronsky gelding, who will have jockey Hector Berrios aboard. Richard Mandella trains stakes winner Big City Lights (9-5), runner-up to The Chosen Vron on Sept. 17 at Los Alamitos in the E.B. Johnston Stakes. Grade 2 hero None Above the Law (5-2) was also second to The Chosen Vron in his last start for trainer Peter Miller, with his runner-up effort coming in the California Flag Handicap.