On Saturday at Santa Anita, the focus will be on the California breeding industry and the stakes action kicks off with the $200,000 California Cup Oaks. The one mile turf race has attracted a field of eight three-year-old fillies either bred in California or sired by a California stallion.
Jerry Hollendorfer will saddle two of the eight fillies including the morning line favorite, Heat the Rocks, at odds of 2-1. A chestnut daughter of Unusual Heat, she will be trying the turf for the first time after breaking her maiden two starts back over the synthetic main track at Del Mar. She was second over conventional dirt in the Soviet Problem Stakes last time out. Elvis Trujillo, her regular rider, will be aboard and they will break from post position four.
Second choice on the morning line at odds of 5-2 is Sheer Pleasure for trainer Philip D’Amato. The dark bay daughter of Birdonthewire will be making her first try against stakes competition after breaking her maiden at first asking last time out at Los Alamitos over a field of six rivals. She is stretching out to two-turns for the first time and also making her first start on the grass. Kent Desormeaux will be in the irons and they will break from post five.
Also in the field at morning line odds of 8-1 is Silver Starlight for trainer Doug O’Neill. The gray daughter of Marino Marini, purchased for $47,000 as a yearling, is still a maiden from two starts. She was fourth in her debut over synthetics and came back to run a competitive second on the turf last time out. She will get a rider change to jockey Flavien Prat and they are scheduled to break from post position eight as she makes her stakes debut.
Saturday, January 29 at Gulfstream Park is one of the biggest races of the year: the Pegasus World Cup (G1)! This $3 million race, covering a mile and an eighth on the Gulfstream dirt track, drew a field of nine handicap horses. The eyes of the racing world will be on Gulfstream on Saturday, and you can bet it from the comfort of your own home here in Canada!
The Kentucky Derby trail makes its way to Oklahoma on Friday, December 17 for the Remington Springboard Mile! The race drew a field of nine up-and-coming two-year-olds to go a mile on the main track. The prizes are rich: a $400,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) for the first four horses across the wire.
The Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), California’s most important Kentucky Derby Prep in December, is coming up on Saturday, December 11! The race features the most promising two-year-olds in California, set to go a mile and a sixteenth over the dirt at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The race offers a purse of $300,000, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points, apportioned 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.
Let's have a look at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf betting picks and predictions.
Join The Conversation