Weekend Watch: Woodward leads Saturday's can't-miss races

Each week, Horse Racing Nation previews Saturday’s must-watch stakes races around the country, with times in Eastern.

Saratoga Race 3: 1:36 p.m.

The Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress Stakes has been billed as a matchup between the unbeaten 3-year-old fillies Break Even (6-for-6) and Risky Mandate (2-for-2). Certainly, both are respectable, with the Brad Cox-trained Break Even figuring to take more money at 1-2 on the morning line. But Royal Charlotte shouldn’t be overlooked at a price. The Chad Brown trainee didn’t factor last time in the seven-furlong Test (G1), but that was an absolutely loaded race, and Royal Charlotte is an otherwise undefeated Grade 3 winner who might also enjoy backing up a furlong.

Saratoga Race 6: 3:15 p.m.

The Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac runs on the turf at Saratoga, so the Brown barn has a logical favorite in Good Governance, the next horse in a long line of Klaravich Stables contenders. He debuted a winner by a nose earlier this month at the Spa. Again, however, some quality runners could go overlooked with Global Access in the money in six straight stakes races and Seismic Wave, a well-bred Juddmonte Farms runner, exiting the Turf Triple series. Tracksmith, by the way, will scratch from the original field of six. More on him later.

Kentucky Downs Race 8: 5:11 p.m.

A local winner in 2018, Next Shares returns as a tepid 7-2 favorite in the Grade 3, $750,000 Tourist Mile on an opening day card that also includes the Juvenile  and Juvenile Fillies. That’s Tepid because, A, Next Shares has won one of four starts this season plus enters off a layoff. And B, this is a field of 12 with also-eligibles waiting to draw in. There’s no shortage of competition with Mike Maker-trained Hembree, a well-traveled prior Kentucky Downs winner, next on the line. As a longshot from the No. 10 post, Great Wide Open would be an aptly named winner of this one and, for that matter, just about any contest on the European-style course.

Saratoga Race 10: 5:27 p.m.

This time it’s a Brown trio of contenders in for the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls for fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles on the lawn. Santa Monica’s the morning line favorite, but her chances seem to depend on them going fast up front. The daughter of Mastercraftsman always seems to fire, and she’s gotten there twice in graded company this season. Fools Gold is a tick higher on the morning line and gets Javier Castellano up off a last out victory in the Waya Stakes (G3), her graded debut. Graham Motion newcomer Mrs. Sippy is third on the morning line but shows poor recent form coming from Europe. It would be a "they knew" situation if she strikes.

Saratoga Race 11: 6 p.m.

You’ll hear chatter about lack of star power in the Grade 1, $1 million Woodward. But it’s a decent opportunity if you have a strong opinion, as 2018 Woodward hero Yoshida, who hasn’t won this season, is the 5-2 favorite in the field of nine where you can make a winning case for most of them. Vino Rosso and Preservationist were just behind Yoshida last time in the Whitney (G1), while Tom’s d’Etat is earning respect from handicappers thanks to a 3-for-3 Saratoga record and last out stakes win. Mr. Buff, a New York-bred, is a pace factor going back into open company, while Mongolian Groom was supplemented after beating a number of east coast runners when third in the recent Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar. He’s 15-1 along with an in-form Bal Harbour. Again, potential opportunity here.

Gulfstream Park Race 13: 6:39 p.m.

Before strengthening Hurricane Dorian bears down on south Florida, Gulfstream Park will run its Saturday card with a potentially special horse going in the Affirmed, a $200,000 event for 2-year-olds in the Florida sire series. The 2-5 favorite Chance It has posted back-to-back 91 Beyer Speed Figures in easy victories. There’s one race left in this series for state-breds after Saturday, and from there, the Currency Swap colt could try open company, perhaps in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Del Mar Race 7: 8:15 p.m.

Vasilika, defeated earlier in the meet, gets jockey Flavien Prat aboard for the Grade 2, $200,000 John C. Mabee. But she was also dealt a tough rail draw in a field of 10; perhaps that won’t mean as much on the turf and at nine furlongs. Toinette, who has won five of her seven career starts, is next on the morning line and going second off the layoff. At a price, Paved is also making her second start back from a break. The previous graded winner ran out of room — and perhaps some fitness — in her comeback race. She may be worth a play at 12-1 and as a 4-year-old eligible to continue improving.

Colonial Downs Race 9: 9 p.m.

This revived Grade 3, $250,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs tops the meet with a pair of well-connected 3-year-olds the ones to beat. Graham Motion trains favored Calumet Farm runner English Bee, who didn’t fire when 10th in the Belmont Derby (G1), then returned to be fourth in the Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga. But three back, he won on the Preakness Stakes undercard. Tracksmith enters off a victory in Monmouth Park’s Frisk Me Now. He also runs in the Calumet colors and is in the care of trainer Joe Sharp.

Del Mar Race 9: 9:14 p.m.

The Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante is missing its two likely top choices in Amalfi Sunrise, the Sorrento (G2) winner, and Immediate Impact, a half to Arrogate who aired it out on debut. Favoritism landed on John Sadler-trained debut winner Inspiressa with Bast, a Bob Baffert runner who was a runner-up behind the top choice on debut, third on the morning line. Between them, Leucothea will take a shot after scooting away to a 14 1/2-length victory to break her maiden in claiming company. This time, she faces a big class test.