Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. This week we have nine stakes at Gulfstream Park, Unique Bella at Santa Anita Park, El Areeb at Aqueduct Racetrack, and more.
Michael Hui's son of Hard Spun will face two other challengers that have won graded stakes so far this year.
Rating comfortably in second throughout, Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Grand Tito bounded to the lead off the turn and won the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) by 1 1/4 lengths March 5 at Gulfstream Park.
West Point Thoroughbreds' grade I winner Twilight Eclipse is scheduled to kick off his fifth season of racing in the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) March 12 at Gulfstream Park.
Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman's Melmich left no doubt Nov. 29 at Woodbine, smashing the course record for 1 3/4 miles by nearly two seconds in the $150,000 Valedictory Stakes (Can-III).
Two-time Eclipse Award winner Main Sequence powered to victory in his season debut Feb. 21, taking the $200,000 Mac Diarmida (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream with an impressive kick in the final furlong.
Dual Eclipse Award winner faces seven foes, including arch rival Twilight Eclipse.
Multiple grade II winner Twilight Eclipse will stretch out to two miles Friday, June 6 when the 5-year-old Purim gelding faces an expected 11 rivals in the inaugural $200,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes.
Stella Perdomo's 7-year-old gelding Forte Dei Marmi has the distinction of being the only grade I winner in the full 14-horse field set for the April 26 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland.
Newsdad and Nikki's Sandcastle, winners of the past two runnings of Keeneland's Fayette Stakes (gr. II), top the field of 10 older runners entered for the Lexington track's $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III) April 19.
Newsdad, making just his second start in the past year, closed with authority to nip outsider Vertiformer at the wire in the $200,000 Pan American Stakes (gr. IIT) on the turf at Gulfstream Park March 29.
In the $200,000 Pan American Handicap (gr. IIT) at 1 1/2 miles at Gulfstream Park March 29, Ken and Sarah Ramsey will send out the pair of Admiral Kitten, trained by Mike Maker, and Charming Kitten, trained by Todd Pletcher.
West Point Thoroughbreds' favored Twilight Eclipse likely punched his ticket to Dubai with an impressive victory in the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) Feb. 15 at Gulfstream Park.
West Point Thorughbreds' gelding returns to the scene of his world record in Saturday's $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) at 1 3/8 miles Feb. 15.
Dormellito Stud reported that dual graded stakes winner Simmard (Dixieland Band -- Dibs, by Spectacular Bid) has produced his first foal.
Quaesitor earned the first stakes victory of his career amidst a frosty conclusion to the 2013 season at Woodbine, closing from last to capture the marathon Valedictory Stakes (Can-III) from favorite Eagle Poise.
After reviewing the Sycamore Stakes contested Oct. 17 at Keeneland, the American Graded Stakes Committee has decided not to reinstate the grade III status of the scheduled turf race that was moved to main track.
Shadwell Stables' Najjaar returned to Polytrack for the first time since his 2-year-old season and handled the switch with success Oct. 17, taking an off-the-turf edition of the $100,000 Sycamore Stakes.
French invader Sofast adds a new face to the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes, which attracted a familiar group of Southern California-based middle-distance turf runners to the first grade I event of the season July 20 at Del Mar.
Horse of the Year Wise Dan ran his winning streak to six races and surpassed $4 million in career earnings handily in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) over yielding ground May 4 at Churchill Downs.
Wise Dan and Point of Entry face off May 4 at Churchill Downs in the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT), the race immediately preceding the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Howe Great, the 2012 Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) victor whose last win came in the July 21 Jersey Derby at Monmouth, took a strong Keeneland allowance race April 6 in which 2011 Woodbine Mile winner Turallure ran sixth.
Trainer Charlie LoPresti has the somewhat enviable if daunting task of bringing several top-level horses back off the bench this spring at Keeneland, including 2011 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (gr. IT) winner Turallure.
Twilight Eclipse ruined the return of favored Newsdad while establishing a new world record for 1 1/2 miles on turf in the $150,000 Pan American Handicap (gr. IIT) March 23 at Gulfstream Park.
Four runners from the Feb. 16 Mac Diarmida Stakes, headed by Resolute Group Stables' second-place finisher Teaks North, are among 10 entered to contest the $150,000 Pan American Stakes (gr. IIT) March 23 at Gulfstream Park.
| Horse | Trainer | Breeder / Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Center Divider | Brendan P. Walsh |
|
| Crimson China | H. Graham Motion |
|
| Dixie Emperor | Martin D. Wolfson |
|
| Eagle Poise | H. Graham Motion |
|
| Mambo Meister | Philip A. Gleaves |
|
| Middie | Philip J. Oliver |
|
| Minister Colin | Dominic G. Galluscio |
|
| Musketier (GER) | Roger L. Attfield |
|
| Newsdad | William I. Mott |
|
| Simmard | Roger L. Attfield |
|
| Race | Track | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario County S. | FL | |
| Bashford Manor S. (G3) | CD | |
| Debutante S. | CD | |
| Kelly's Landing Overnight S. | CD | |
| Petticoat S. | ALB |
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