Churchill Downs and Kentucky Downs among many track openings this weekend!
With the Labor Day holiday now over, many tracks are closing, but many others are opening up and this weekend will be a big one in Kentucky. Tracks like Zia Park and Fairplex are also getting underway this weekend. The Bluegrass State will welcome back racing to Churchill Downs as well as Kentucky Downs, with both offering great stakes action on Saturday. At Churchill Downs, Saturday’s program will feature four stakes races as part of the night racing card that gets underway at 6pm EST. A field of eight will go in the Ack Ack Handicap including recent Mountaineer winner Taptowne. Taptowne has been knocking on the door and finally broke through last time out. Calvin Borel will once again be on board for trainer Tim Glyshaw in the Ack Ack. He’ll have to beat some tough runners like Looking Cool and the millionaire Pants on Fire. Pants on Fire is coming off a win in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup and trainer Kelly Breen continues to keep him in strong form. The very fast Flashy American will headline the Locust Grove Handicap, one of three runners carrying 125 pounds. Flashy American has been razor sharp lately and is 2 for 5 at Churchill Downs. Ice Cream Silence will return to Churchill Downs where she’s a stakes winner before. She’s trying to rebound off a fifth place finish in the Gardenia.
The two year olds will be on showcase in the Iroquois and the Pocahontas Stakes. The Iroquois drew a big field including the very impressive Ellis Park maiden breaker Ride on Curlin as well as Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes winner Rise Up. The Pocahontas features a smaller field but they all look like they have potential to be players. Untapable and Stonetastic were both huge maiden winners and could be dangerous if they improve second time out. The Churchill Saturday card gets underway at 6pm EST.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Ack Ack
- Taptowne
- Brethren
- Pants on Fire
Longshot: Looking Cool
BetPTC.com Selections for the Locust Grove
- Flashy American
- Ice Cream Silence
- Amie’s Dini
Longshot: Bahia Beach
BetPTC.com Selections for the Iroquois
- Rise UP
- Ride on Curlin
- Stonecrusher
Longshot: All Cash
BetPTC.com Selections for the Pocahontas
- Stonetastic
- Untapable
- Elena Strikes
Longshot: Milam
Kentucky Downs opens with huge purses and huge fields
Racing at Kentucky Downs only goes for a couple of weeks, but what a product that will be displayed on the track. The only European style turf course in the country, Kentucky Downs will open up on Saturday and will throw three stakes races at players, all of which feature big and competitive fields. Magical Moon is the favorite in the Ladies Sprint which goes at six and one half furlongs. She is coming off a win in a $100,000 stakes at Saratoga and has plenty of early speed. Right to her inside is Soft Whisper, another with good early foot. Soft Whisper is 1 for 1 at Kentucky Downs though, winning a nice allowance last season, so the advantage of a local start and win is in her corner. Another who has a win at Kentucky Downs is Cat Lore, who scored a career high speed figure in her allowance win there.
Sisterhood could be a tough one to beat in the Ladies Turf, as she’s consistently performed well against good horses. She’s coming off a fifth place finish in a Grade 1 where she was running on synthetic, which may be her preferred surface. Mystical Star looks to have a bit of a class edge in the Turf Marathon, as she’s been very consistent and is even Grade 1 placed, whereas most of her rivals are more listed stakes level competition. Kentucky Downs gets underway Saturday, first post at 2:35pm EST.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Turf Marathon
- Mystical Star
- Prissy
- Layali Dubai
Longshot: Draw It
BetPTC.com Selections for the Ladies Turf
- Sisterhood
- Lily the Pink
- Drama Drama
Longshot: Nashindy
BetPTC.com Selections for the Ladies Sprint
- Cat Lore
- Soft Whisper
- Magical Moon
Longshot: Formal Plan
Super Derby is Louisiana Down’s Showcase Race
The $500,000 Super Derby will headline the biggest card of the season on Saturday at Louisiana Downs. A field of seven will go and West Virginia Derby winner Departing figures to be a strong favorite. His sixth place finish in the Preakness is really the only blemish on a very strong record, as he’s won the Illinois Derby, West Virginia Derby and was third in the Louisiana Derby. Robby Albarado was on board for the West Virginia Derby triumph and Departing figures to be very tough in this spot. Ruler of Love was second to Departing in the West Virginia Derby and is back to take on that rival again for trainer Joan Scott. Ruler of Love hasn’t won yet as a three year old but seems to be improving and is certainly an exotics contender. Holiday Mischief took the Super Derby Prelude but that was a career best effort that still puts him lengths behind the top runners in here. Bashaar could be the wise guy horse as he’s put up a couple of big efforts and speed figures before.
The undercard is led by the Unbridled Stakes for older runners. String King is coming off a pair of big stakes wins, both against Louisiana bred runners. He’s put together 4 wins in ten starts at Louisiana Downs and is five of nine at Saturday’s distance. Cheyenne Pass was second in the Barksdale Stakes which was the main local prep for the Unbridled. Gantry will headline the Temperence Hill Stakes, and he must glad to finally get away from the monster sprinter Delauney. He’s had four straight runner up finishes and when he’s on his game he’s tough, but he hasn’t been a win machine as of late, with no wins in the last 14 months. Elusive Cowgirl and Redgrass Cat will headline the Happy Ticket Stakes while the River Cities Stakes features Artemus Kitten looking to get back on track after trying the Grade 1 Beverly D last time out. The Super Derby Saturday card gets underway at 1pm EST.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Super Derby
- Departing
- Bashaar
- Ruler of Love
Longshot: Runaway Stephen
BetPTC.com Selections for the Unbridled Stakes
- String King
- Ocean Seven
- Global Power
Longshot: Northern Giant
BetPTC.com Selections for the Temperence Hill
- Gantry
- Bravo Habibi
- Louisiana Glory
Longshot: Tahoka
BetPTC.com Selections for the Happy Ticket
- Redgrass Cat
- Bern Legacy
- Elusive Cowgirl
Longshot: Lady Notional
BetPTC.com Selections for the River Cities
- Artemus Kitten
- Grandma’s Rules
- Queenie Vic
Longshot: Miss Addison
Saturday Stakes Action at BetPTC.com
Arlington
Race 7 Arlington-Washington Futurity 5:00pm EST
Race 9 Arlington-Washington Lassie 6:00pm EST
Churchill Downs
Race 6 Pocahontas Stakes 8:30pm EST
Race 7 Iroquois Stakes 9:05pm EST
Race 8 Locust Grove H. 9:39pm EST
Race 9 Ack Ack Handicap 10:11pm EST
Delaware Park
Race 7 Kent Stakes 4:14pm EST
Kentucky Downs
Race 7 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint 5:35pm EST
Race 8 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes 6:05pm EST
Race 9 Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon 6:34pm EST
Louisiana Downs
Race 5 Sunday Silence Stakes 3:05pm EST
Race 7 River Cities Stakes 4:09pm EST
Race 8 Happy Ticket Stakes 4:39pm EST
Race 9 Temperence Hill Stakes 5:12pm EST
Race 10 Unbridled Stakes 5:42pm EST
Race 11 Super Derby 6:15pm EST
Northlands Park
Race 8 Sun Sprint Championship 6:27pm EST
Parx
Race 6 Garofalo Memorial 2:40pm EST
Race 7 Roanoke Stakes 3:07pm EST
Race 8 Marshall Jenny Handicap 3:34pm EST
Race 9 Banjo Picker Sprint 4:01pm EST
Race 10 Ms. Penny Stakes 4:28pm EST
Suffolk
Race 4 Louise Kimball stakes 2:12pm EST
Woodbine
Race 8 La Prevoyante Stakes 4:22pm EST