The Grade 3 Illinois Derby comes our way this Saturday, April 19 from Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero, Illinois. A purse of $500,000 will be on the line for three year olds willing to go 1 1/8 miles on Hawthorne's main track.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in the great state of West Virginia will play host to the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic this Saturday, April 19. The richest purse in North America outside of the Breeders' Cup and Triple Crown - $1.5 million will be on the line for horses four years old and upward willing to go 1 1/8 miles on Charles Town's main track.
The Grade 2 Distaff Handicap is on tap for Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York this Saturday, April 19. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will take to Aqueduct's dirt track and dash six furlongs searching for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.
The Grade 3 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes goes down at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky this Friday, April 18. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will take to Keeneland's All Weather Track and go 1 1/16 miles for the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.
Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky will play host to the Grade 3 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association on Thursday, April 17. Fillies, three years old will be featured as they go one mile on Keeneland's turf track for a purse of $100,000.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby is in the home stretch - just one qualifying race remains after the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park and the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland were contested over the weekend. Each of those races awarded 100-40-20-10 points for the first through fourth place finishers. The remaining race on the Road is the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland April 19 - it allows just a 10-4-2-1 points breakdown for the first through fourth place finishers. The top 20 is basically set - the possibility exists that one, maybe two colts sitting outside the top 20 at this point may do enough to qualify for the Run For the Roses - but it is certainly a long shot.
The Grade 3 Santa Barbara Handicap comes our way this Sunday, April 13 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will take to Santa Anita's turf track and go 1 1/4 miles for a purse of $150,000.
The Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes will be contested this Sunday, April 13 from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Three year old fillies will be featured as they go seven furlongs on Keeneland's synthetic track for a purse of $200,000.
The Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes comes our way from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California this Saturday, April 12. Horses four years old and upward will take to Santa Anita's dirt track and spring 6.5 furlongs looking for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.
The "Road to the Kentucky Derby" makes a stop at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky this Saturday, April 12. The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes will offer up one of the final chances for three year olds to gather points toward qualification into the Run for the Roses in less than a month's time. The hopefuls will go 1 1/8 miles on Keeneland's main track for a very nice purse of $750,000.