Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week we have full slates of stakes at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park, and a Triple Crown prep in New York. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern) and full previews are available through the links below.
Saturday, Feb. 4
2 p.m.—$200,000 Swale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park
Three Rules, the standout colt of the Florida-bred crop last year, will make his 2017 debut. Last year over the local track, Three Rules tore through the lucrative Florida Sires races of the six-furlong Dr. Fager Stakes, seven-furlong Affirmed Stakes, and 1 1/16-mile In Reality Stakes, earning $600,000 for the breeder/owner team of Bert Pilcher's Shade Tree Thoroughbreds, Geoff Roy, and Tom Fitzgerald.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 5Entries: Swale S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Derek's Smile (KY) Emisael Jaramillo 116 Kelly J. Breen 15/1 2 2Sonic Mule (KY) John R. Velazquez 120 Todd A. Pletcher 7/2 3 3Three Rules (FL) Cornelio H. Velasquez 120 Jose Pinchin 7/5 4 4Favorable Outcome (KY) Javier Castellano 116 Chad C. Brown 8/5 5 5Vanish (ON) Joel Rosario 120 Mark E. Casse 12/1 6 6Impressive Edge (KY) Luis Saez 116 Dale L. Romans 15/1
2:30 p.m.—$200,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park
Pretty City Dancer is also set to make her sophomore debut. The daughter of Tapit has not raced since finishing in a dead-heat victory with Sweet Loretta in the Sept. 3 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and she was given the rest of 2016 off due to a minor training setback.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 6Entries: Forward Gal S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1My Lerler (FL) Jose Lezcano 116 Antonio Cioffi 30/1 2 2Tequilita (KY) Luis Saez 120 Michael R. Matz 12/1 3 3Bode's Dream (KY) John R. Velazquez 120 Todd A. Pletcher 4/1 4 4Pretty City Dancer (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 122 Mark E. Casse 7/5 5 5Brahms Cat (FL) Luca Panici 116 Larry Bates 30/1 6 6Ms Locust Point (KY) Joel Rosario 120 John C. Servis 5/1 7 7Wildcat Kate (FL) Eduardo O. Nunez 120 Kathleen O'Connell 6/1 8 8Summer Luck (KY) Javier Castellano 116 Mark E. Casse 6/1 9 9Lirica (FL) Edgard J. Zayas 120 Antonio Sano 20/1
4 p.m.—$150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park
Without a clear favorite among the five entered, trainer Doug O'Neill—who has three of the five—is hopeful any or all of his horses will seize an opportunity to move forward. The O'Neill trainees share only three wins between them, but each has shown at least a glimmer of reason to think more talent might be there.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 2Entries: Robert B. Lewis S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Royal Mo (KY) Victor Espinoza 120 John A. Shirreffs 5/2 2 2Irap (KY) Mario Gutierrez 120 Doug F. O'Neill 3/1 3 3Dangerfield (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 122 Doug F. O'Neill 7/2 4 4Term of Art (KY) Tyler Baze 124 Doug F. O'Neill 9/2 5 5Sheer Flattery (KY) Mike E. Smith 120 Jerry Hollendorfer 2/1
4:20 p.m.—$250,000 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack
After three straight dominating wins, including an 11 1/4-length score in the Jerome Stakes (G3) Jan. 2, El Areeb is back for another Aqueduct score. El Areeb has won his past three starts by a combined 25 1/4 lengths. He rolled to a maiden win in a six-furlong test Oct. 15 at Laurel Park in his third attempt and then won the James F. Lewis III Stakes at the same distance there Nov. 19 to close out the year.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 8Entries: Withers S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1True Timber (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 116 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 8/1 2 2Apartfromthecrowd (FL) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 116 Chad C. Brown 5/1 3 3Jaime's Angel (NY) Alan Garcia 116 Richard Metivier 50/1 4 4El Areeb (KY) Trevor McCarthy 122 Cathal A. Lynch 6/5 5 5Bonus Points (MD) Manuel Franco 116 Todd A. Pletcher 12/1 6 6Fillet of Sole (KY) Rajiv Maragh 116 Todd A. Pletcher 10/1 7 7Always a Suspect (KY) Antonio A. Gallardo 116 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 20/1 8 8Small Bear (KY) Dylan Davis 118 Gary Sciacca 30/1 9 9Square Shooter (KY) Frankie Pennington 118 Michael Lerman 12/1 10 10J Boys Echo (KY) Robby Albarado 116 Dale L. Romans 4/1
4:30 p.m.—$200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park
At the head of the short cast is Altamira Racing Stable's St. Joe Bay, a dead-heat winner of the Midnight Lute Stakes (G3) with Solid Wager at 6 1/2 furlongs Dec. 31. The 5-year-old gelding by St. Anddan preceded that effort with a score in a Del Mar allowance sprint Dec. 4.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 3Entries: Palos Verdes S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Ike Walker (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Jerry Hollendorfer 8/1 2 2Distinctive B (FL) Tyler Baze 120 Peter Miller 7/2 3 3St. Joe Bay (FL) Kent J. Desormeaux 122 Peter Miller 8/5 4 4Ocho Ocho Ocho (KY) Santiago Gonzalez 120 James M. Cassidy 7/2 5 5Moe Candy (KY) Victor Espinoza 120 John W. Sadler 2/1
4:38 p.m.—$125,000 King Cotton Stakes at Oaklawn Park
Ivan Fallunovalot will look for a third score in the King Cotton and will seek his fifth consecutive victory. A quarter-crack sidelined him several months after last year's King Cotton. He returned to win a Sept. 1 allowance at Remington Park, defended his title in the David M. Vance Sprint Stakes Sept. 25 at Remington, and scored his biggest victory to date in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G3) Nov. 19 at Laurel.
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 8Entries: King Cotton S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Helooksthepart (KY) Joseph Rocco, Jr. 115 Daniel C. Peitz 20/1 2 2Ivan Fallunovalot (TX) Calvin H. Borel 122 W. T. Howard 6/5 3 3Mr. Z (KY) Marlon St. Julien 115 D. Wayne Lukas 20/1 4 4Apprehender (KY) Alex Birzer 115 Gene Jacquot 10/1 5 5Storm Advisory (PA) Geovanni Franco 115 Robertino Diodoro 10/1 6 6Conquest Twister (ON) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 Ron Moquett 12/1 7 7Recount (IL) Chris Landeros 122 James P. DiVito 6/1 8 8Rockport Kat (OK) Ramon A. Vazquez 122 Robertino Diodoro 5/2 9 9Crewman (KY) Didiel A. Osorio 117 Dee Poulos 20/1
5:05 p.m.—$100,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park
Having saddled the winners of the last five editions of the Sweetest Chant, trainer Chad Brown will look to add to his race-specific dominance when he leads over 9-5 morning line favorite Rymska. In her last start the filly finished fifth, beaten 3 1/4 lengths, by stablemate New Money Honey in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 11Entries: Sweetest Chant S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Okinawa (KY) Javier Castellano 114 Chad C. Brown 6/1 2 2Tamit (IRE) Julien R. Leparoux 114 Mark E. Casse 5/1 3 3Compelled (FL) Jose Lezcano 118 Thomas F. Proctor 5/2 4 4Mo Justice (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 114 Christophe Clement 10/1 5 5A Great Time (MD) Emisael Jaramillo 114 Michael J. Trombetta 20/1 6 6Just Sassy (FL) Jorge Ruiz 114 David R. Brownlee 50/1 7 7Rymska (FR) Joel Rosario 118 Chad C. Brown 9/5 8 8Bahama Halo (KY) Luis Saez 114 Todd A. Pletcher 12/1 9 9Fifty Five (NY) Nik Juarez 114 Thomas M. Bush 10/1
5:35 p.m.—$350,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park
Aside from his well-documented mental lapse at the start of the Hopeful Stakes (G1), where he dropped jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. out of the gate, Classic Empire has not had a misstep. He proved handy enough during his win in Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) to overcome a lousy break and still recover with an off-the-pace rally, and he just as easily can sit on or near the front end, as he did in both the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1).
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 12Entries: Lambholm South Holy Bull S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Gunnevera (KY) Javier Castellano 122 Antonio Sano 9/2 2 2Perro Rojo (KY) Nik Juarez 116 Nicholas P. Zito 30/1 3 3Classic Empire (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 122 Mark E. Casse 3/5 4 4Talk Logistics (FL) Paco Lopez 116 Edward Plesa, Jr. 12/1 5 5Irish War Cry (NJ) Joel Rosario 120 H. Graham Motion 15/1 6 6Fact Finding (KY) John R. Velazquez 120 Todd A. Pletcher 6/1 7 7Shamsaan (KY) Luis Saez 116 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 20/1 8 8Cavil (KY) Jose Lezcano 116 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 15/1 9 9Fire for Effect (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 116 Dale L. Romans 20/1
7 p.m.—$300,000 San Antonio Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park
Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman's Hoppertunity will look for his second straight score in the San Antonio. The 6-year-old, Bob Baffert-trained son of Any Given Saturday took the 2016 edition by a nose over Imperative and went on to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup, his second grade 1 score, in October at Belmont Park.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 8Entries: San Antonio S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Hoppertunity (KY) Flavien Prat 125 Bob Baffert 2/1 2 2Avanti Bello (CA) Mario Gutierrez 120 Doug F. O'Neill 12/1 98 3Prospect Park (KY) SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN - 3 4El Huerfano (CA) Victor Espinoza 120 Peter Miller 12/1 4 5Mor Spirit (PA) Mike E. Smith 122 Bob Baffert 3/1 5 6Dalmore (FL) Kent J. Desormeaux 122 J. Keith Desormeaux 8/1 6 7Accelerate (KY) Tyler Baze 125 John W. Sadler 5/2 7 8Hard Aces (KY) Santiago Gonzalez 122 John W. Sadler 6/1
7:30 p.m.—$200,000 San Marcos Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park
Only one horse in the field of 14 has been able to win back-to-back turf stakes—David Bienstock and Chuck Winner's Flamboyant. Texas Ryano , a 6-year-old son of Curlin who won the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T) last time out Nov. 25, could be added to that category with a win in the San Marcos.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 04, 2017, Race 9Entries: San Marcos S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1A Red Tie Day (KY) Corey S. Nakatani 119 Richard Baltas 15/1 2 2Flamboyant (FR) Brice Blanc 121 Patrick Gallagher 4/1 3 3Itsinthepost (FR) Tyler Baze 119 Jeff Mullins 12/1 4 4Blue Tone (KY) Martin Garcia 121 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 12/1 5 5Texas Ryano (KY) Joseph Talamo 124 Carla Gaines 3/1 6 6Power Ped (KY) Stewart Elliott 119 Neil D. Drysdale 20/1 98 7Gustnado (KY) SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN - 7 8Perfectly Majestic (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 119 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 10/1 98 9Conquest Daddyo (ON) SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN - 98 10Some in Tieme (BRZ) SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN - 8 11Isotherm (KY) Flavien Prat 119 George Weaver 6/1 9 12Hi Happy (ARG) Altair Domingos 119 Felipe N Souza 10/1 10 13Twentytwentyvision (KY) Mike E. Smith 119 Richard E. Mandella 6/1 11 14Frank Conversation (KY) Mario Gutierrez 124 Doug F. O'Neill 6/1
Sunday, Feb. 5
4:30 p.m.—$200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park
Champagne Room will be in a unique position in the Las Virgenes. The champion 2-year-old filly of 2016 and the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner likely won't be favored. The horse of the moment, Unique Bella, off back-to-back freakish performances, should assume that mantle.
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, February 05, 2017, Race 6Entries: Las Virgenes S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Mopotism (KY) Flavien Prat 118 Doug F. O'Neill 6/1 2 2Champagne Room (KY) Mario Gutierrez 123 Peter Eurton 5/2 3 3Mistressofthenight (KY) Corey S. Nakatani 118 Richard Baltas 15/1 4 4Unique Bella (PA) Mike E. Smith 120 Jerry Hollendorfer 3/5 5 5Miss Southern Miss (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 118 J. Keith Desormeaux 6/1
