Stakes Saturday: Santa Margarita highlights weekend action

Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Click the link for each race for more info.

Keeneland closes its spring meeting on Friday with the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes, and the Kentucky scene shifts to Churchill Downs on Saturday evening with the William Walker Stakes to open its spring meeting just one week before the Kentucky Derby.

Graded stakes action in California this weekend is highlighted by the Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park and the San Francisco Mile (G3) on turf at Golden Gate Fields, part of a five stakes race program which also includes the California Derby.

7:30 p.m. $100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields on TVG

The $100,000 California Derby, for 3-year-olds, is one of the highlights of Gold Rush Weekend at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday. Run on the Tapeta surface at 1 1/16 miles, the eight-horse field is led by the John Shirreffs-trained Parnelli, a bay son of Quality Road, who will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado. Seeking his first win of the year, Parnelli finished sixth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in his previous start. California-bred Stalking Shadow, a winner of three of his four starts this year, steps into stakes company for the first time for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds.

7:46 p.m. Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith’s 4-year-old filly As Time Goes By looms large as the 3-5 morning line favorite over four rivals at Santa Anita in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles for older fillies and mares. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Mike Smith, As Time Goes By has a regal pedigree. She is by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of three-time Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady. In her first start against stakes competition, As Time Goes By finished second to 2020 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita on March 13. The Simon Callahan-trained Harvest Moon, fourth in the Beholder Mile, won four races last year, including the Zenyatta Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita and Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at Del Mar. She was also fourth, beaten less than three lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland.

8:07 p.m. Grade 3 $250,000 San Francisco Mile Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on TVG

Grade 1 winners Ohio (BRZ) and Keeper Ofthe Stars headline Saturday’s one-mile, $250,000 San Francisco Mile (G3) on turf for 3-year-olds and up, the centerpiece of the Gold Rush Weekend at Golden Gate Fields. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Ohio has 11 career wins, including the 2019 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) at Santa Anita. Tommy Town Thoroughbreds’ 5-year-old mare Keeper Ofthe Stars, the lone female in the eight-horse field, won last year’s Gamely Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. Trained by Jonathan Wong, Keeper Ofthe Stars tuned up for Saturday’s race by winning a 1 1/16-mile allowance race over the course on April 3, which was her first start since finishing seventh in the Yellow Ribbon (G2) last August at Del Mar. The Richard Mandella-trained Border Town ran third to Grade 1 winner Hit the Road in the Thunder Road (G3) at Santa Anita in February.

10:11 p.m. $150,000 William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS2

On opening night of the spring meeting at Churchill Downs, Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Madaket Stables and Spendthrift Farm’s Cowan, runner-up in Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, leads a field of 10 3-year-olds and two also-eligibles entered in Saturday’s 5 ½ furlong $125,000 William Walker Stakes on turf.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Cowan, the 7-2 morning line favorite, is making his first start since finishing 10th in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) in Dubai, beaten only 4 ¾ lengths. Luis Saez, who was aboard in Dubai, has the call Saturday evening. Second choice Field Day (4-1) finished third last time out in the five-furlong Texas Glitter at Gulfstream Park on March 20 for trainer Brad Cox.