On Friday at Saratoga, fillies and mares will take to the Mellon Turf Course in the 3rd running of the $100,000 Caress Stakes. The five and a half furlong sprint has drawn a field of ten.
The morning line favorite at 5-2 is Free as a Bird, a five-year-old chestnut daughter of Hard Spun trained by Ian Wilkes. Bred and owned by Elizabeth Valando, she will have regular rider Joel Rosario in the irons as she goes for her third straight victory. She has been first or second in all five starts this year and has won back to back stakes races sprinting on the turf at Belmont Park. She is scheduled to break from post position three.
Breaking from the outside in the field of ten is Madame Giry, tabbed at 7-2 on the morning line for trainer Cam Gambolati. The five-year-old daughter of Castledale (IRE) is a Saratoga specialist and has won three of her four starts at the Spa. She was third in the Caress Stakes last year. Edgar Prado will be aboard and she goes for her second win of the year after delivering as the favorite in the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream.
John Velazquez will team up with trainer Ben Perkins, Jr. with Jewel of a Cat, 8-1 on the morning line. The four-year-old daughter of Wildcat Heir has won her only prior start at Saratoga, the Coronation Cup Stakes last year. She is winless from three starts this year and was last seen finishing fourth in a field of twelve at Monmouth Park. The multiple stakes winning filly will break from post position six.
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.
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