First Look: Likely fields for 5 stakes in Kentucky, California

Keeneland wraps up its spring meet Friday with the Grade 3 Bewitch, which War Like Goddess has won the last two years and will try again. And Churchill Downs opens Saturday with one stakes on tap as the track gears up for a heavy cards on Kentucky Oaks and Derby days.

In between, Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields both offer stakes this weekend.

Here’s an early look at the likely fields.

Friday

Bewitch (G3), Keeneland, 1 1/2 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

War Like Goddess goes for her third straight Bewitch win, her first start since finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Chop Chop returns to graded company after going 8: 2-3-2 since finishing fifth in last year’s Rachel Alexandra (G2). In her only two U.S. starts, Queen’s Command won an optional-claiming allowance and was second in the Santa Ana (G3), both at Santa Anita.

Saturday

Royal Heroine (G3), Santa Anita, 1 mile (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Ruby Nell bounced back from her third-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2) to score a gate-to-wire win in the Buena Vista (G2) over others possible here. Justique finished eighth in the Buena Vista and is winless in her last nine starts. Lucky Girl, seventh in the Buena Vista, came back to finish fourth in the Monrovia (G3).

Kona Gold (listed), Santa Anita, 6 1/2 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up

Forbidden Kingdom came back from a seven-month layoff to win the Joe Hernandez (G2) last out. Happy Jack would make his first start since July, and he ran only twice last year. He worked five furlongs from the gate at Santa Anita in a bullet 59.0 seconds on April 13.

San Francisco Mile (G3), Golden Gate Fields, 1 mile (turf), 3-year-olds and up

Balnikhov has gone 0-for-7 since winning this race last year, with all those starts coming in graded stakes. Cathkin Peak won an optional-claiming allowance at Santa Anita last month in his second start off a layoff. Astronomer would make his first start since finishing fifth in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) in November.

Roxelana (listed), Churchill Downs, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Malloy would look for her first stakes victory after winning an optional-claiming allowance at Hawthorne last out. Last Leaf was runner-up in this race last year and has finished second or third in eight starts since.