Saturday guide: Commonwealth is a Thanksgiving appetizer

Churchill Downs hosts the Grade 3 Commonwealth stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf Saturday, a late-season test for 3-year-olds against their own age group before a new year throws them into open company. A field of 11 has drawn for the race, led by Grade 1 winner Troubleshooting. 

The son of Not This Time sprang onto the scene in the Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs and backed that up in the Bryan Station (G3) at Keeneland. He is a proven commodity in a sprint and at a mile, but this will be his biggest distance test. Others in the field have experience routing that could make the difference.

Mansetti, Canada's King's Plate winner, tries turf for the first time but has wins  at this distance and a 10 furlongs. His forward running style could give Troubleshooting a real test.

Plensa and Giocoso both have experience at a mile on turf, with Plensa taking the ungraded Gun Runner at Kentucky Downs and Giocoso winning the Secretariat Stakes (G2) at Colonial.

Finally, Kentucky Derby runner Flying Mohawk returns from a long break to the surface he was bred for. The Whit Beckman trainee had only improved as the distances stretched out, until his ninth-place finish in the Derby. 

The Commonwealth is race 10, post time 5:25 p.m. EST. 

Coverage of the Churchill Downs is on FanDuel TV's Saturday broadcast beginning at 11 a.m. EST.

Free past performances for this weekend's stakes are courtesy of Brisnet. 

Here are the top 2025 speed figures for the Commonwealth entrants.

*Beyer and TimeformUS speed figures are provided courtesy of Daily Racing Form.

HRN Handicappers

It's a light week on the horse racing schedule, but trust we will be back next weekend with a full stack of handicapping articles for you.

In the Commonwealth, HRN's Ed DeRosa thinks that turf first-timer Mansetti has what it takes to take them all the way. Get his fair odds here.

This week's Ron Flatter Racing Pod is a podcast about podcasts! Get the scoop on the medium from Pete Fornatale of the In the Money Players Podcast, Ryan Anderson and Jackson Muniz from the Gallop Out Podcast and Tatiana Ryann from the Business-y Podcast. Listen now.

Super Screener has found a value opportunity at Fair Grounds. Check it out and be sure to get your subscription for all of the big Thanksgiving weekend stakes (and reserve the Kentucky Derby).

2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3