Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best graded stakes in North America and beyond with races listed in chronological order and all times Eastern.
Belmont Park Race 6: Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes (3:59 p.m.)
A graded stakes winner on both dirt and turf, Instilled Regard will seek a third graded score when competing in the Fort Marcy over the inner turf course. Owned by Larry Best's OXO Equine, the 5-year-old son of Arch is one of four contenders for trainer Chad Brown. Instilled Regard will attempt to make amends following a sixth-place finish as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds Race Course, where he chased a slow pace and was unable to catch wire-to-wire winner Factor This, finishing sixth.
Belmont Park Race 7: Grade 3 Westchester Stakes (4:32 p.m.)
Code of Honor will make his 4-year-old debut -- and first start since November's Breeders' Cup Classic -- in the 92nd running of the Westchester. Owned and bred by W.S. Farish, Code of Honor is looking to build on a sophomore campaign in which he captured the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and was elevated to first in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in September at Belmont. The Noble Mission colt finished his year with a seventh-place finish in the Breeders' Cup on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsed Medaglia d'Oro | W. Mott J. Rosario |
| Entered | ||||
| Monongahela K One King | C. Brown J. Ortiz |
| Entered | ||||
| Mihos Cairo Prince | J. Jerkens I. Ortiz, Jr. |
| Entered | ||||
| Payne Paynter | C. Brown K. Carmouche |
| Entered | ||||
| Prendimi Dance With Ravens | C. Summers R. Gutierrez |
| Entered | ||||
| Joevia Shanghai Bobby | G. Sacco J. Alvarado |
| Entered | ||||
| Senior Investment Discreetly Mine | S. Lake J. Vargas |
| Entered | ||||
| Forewarned Flat Out | U. St. Lewis M. Franco |
| Entered | ||||
| Code of Honor Noble Mission | C. McGaughey III J. Velazquez |
| Entered | ||||
| Wait For It Uptowncharlybrown | E. Coletti M. Sanchez |
| Entered | ||||
| Backsideofthemoon Malibu Moon | R. Klesaris E. Cancel |
| Entered |
Belmont Park Race 8: Grade 3 Intercontinental Stakes (5:04 p.m.)
Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brown will send out a quartet of challengers for the Intercontinental for fillies and mares going seven furlongs over the Widener turf course. Making her first start following an 11-month hiatus, Grade 1 winner Newspaperofrecord headlines the Brown brigade, breaking from post 5. Owned by Klaravich Stables, the 4-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega was made the post-time favorite in all six of her career starts but went winless in her trio of sophomore outings. She was last seen when running a distant ninth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in July and will attempt her first trip to the winner's circle since a 6 ¾-length romp in the 2018 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viadera Bated Breath | C. Brown J. Rosario |
| Entered | ||||
| Victim of Love Speightstown | T. Beattie J. Lezcano |
| Entered | ||||
| Eyeinthesky Sky Mesa | M. Casse J. Castellano |
| Entered | ||||
| Slimey Quality Road | D. Cannizzo K. Carmouche |
| Entered | ||||
| Newspaperofrecord Lope De Vega | C. Brown I. Ortiz, Jr. |
| Entered | ||||
| Jakarta Bustin Stones | M. Maker K. Carmouche |
| Entered | ||||
| Regal Glory Animal Kingdom | C. Brown J. Ortiz |
| Entered | ||||
| Getmotherarose Get Stormy | T. Bush J. Alvarado |
| Entered | ||||
| Rose Flower Dabirsim | C. Clement M. Franco |
| Entered | ||||
| Jc's Shooting Star Miracle Man | D. Donk D. Davis |
| Entered | ||||
| Saratoga Treasure Treasure Beach | D. Donk E. Cancel |
| Entered | ||||
| Significant Form Creative Cause | C. Brown J. Velazquez |
| Entered |
Santa Anita Park Race 5: Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks (5:32 p.m.)
Swiss Skydiver seeks her third consecutive graded stakes victory as she heads a field of five sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles in Saturday’s Santa Anita Oaks. Based with trainer Ken McPeek in Kentucky, Swiss Skydiver’s primary opposition will likely come from Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Speech. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Speech has been second in her last three starts, including the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes here two starts back on March 8. A daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Bob Baffert’s Merneith will be stretching out off a 10 ¼-length maiden score at Oaklawn Park and could be good enough to spring an upset.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Skydiver Daredevil | K. McPeek M. Smith |
| Entered | ||||
| Merneith American Pharoah | B. Baffert D. Van Dyke |
| Entered | ||||
| Speech Mr Speaker | M. McCarthy F. Prat |
| Entered | ||||
| Smiling Shirlee Smiling Tiger | J. Bonde R. Fuentes |
| Entered | ||||
| Regal Beauty Malibu Moon | B. Baffert A. Cedillo |
| Entered |
Multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control and Phipps Stable and Claiborne Farm's rising star Performer will both bring multi-race win streaks into Saturday's Carter Handicap. Trained by Gregg Sacco, the 4-year-old Mind Control's NYRA ledger includes a pair of Grade 1 wins at Saratoga Race Course, beginning with the Hopeful as a juvenile and the H. Allen Jerkens in August to close out his sophomore season. The Stay Thirsty colt opened his 2020 campaign with a narrow nose win over Nicodemus in the Grade 3 Toboggan at Aqueduct Racetrack.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firenze Fire Poseidon's Warrior | K. Breen M. Franco |
| Entered | ||||
| Performer Speightstown | C. McGaughey III J. Rosario |
| Entered | ||||
| Still Having Fun Old Fashioned | T. Keefe D. Davis |
| Entered | ||||
| Nitrous Tapit | S. Asmussen J. Ortiz |
| Entered | ||||
| Network Effect Mark Valeski | C. Brown I. Ortiz, Jr. |
| Entered | ||||
| Midnightcharly Uptowncharlybrown | E. Coletti M. Sanchez |
| Entered | ||||
| American Anthem Bodemeister | D. Gargan K. Carmouche |
| Entered | ||||
| Bon Raison Raison d'Etat | D. Cannizzo E. Cancel |
| Entered | ||||
| Majestic Dunhill Majesticperfection | G. Weaver R. Gutierrez |
| Entered | ||||
| Mind Control Stay Thirsty | G. Sacco J. Velazquez |
| Entered | ||||
| Vekoma Candy Ride | G. Weaver J. Castellano |
| Entered |
Churchill Downs Race 10: Grade 3 Dogwood Stakes (5:50 p.m.)
Whitham Thoroughbreds’ Four Graces, an impressive winner of a first-level allowance event three weeks ago beneath the Twin Spires, will attempt her first try at stakes competition as she tops eight 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday’s 45th running of the Dogwood. The seven-furlong Dogwood is a designated prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks and will award the Top 4 finishers 20-8-4-2 points. Four Graces, a daughter of Majesticperfection, debuted as a 7-1 winner at Gulfstream Park in March. The half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner McCraken finished fourth in her second start at Gulfstream but quickly rebounded with an emphatic 1 ¾-length score on May 16 at Churchill Downs under Julien Leparoux.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clivetty Into Mischief | D. Chatlos Jr. M. Garcia |
| Entered | ||||
| Four Graces Majesticperfection | I. Wilkes J. Leparoux |
| Entered | ||||
| Bayerness Bayern | C. DeVaux F. Geroux |
| Entered | ||||
| Ain't No Elmers Goldencents | W. Calhoun A. Beschizza |
| Entered | ||||
| Magic Dance More Than Ready | S. Asmussen R. Santana, Jr. |
| Entered | ||||
| Lady Glamour Discreet Cat | L. Demeritte R. Bejarano |
| Entered | ||||
| Naughty Thoughts The Factor | J. Maldonado T. Gaffalione |
| Entered | ||||
| Edgeway Competitive Edge | J. Sadler T. Baze |
| Entered |
Unbeaten in three starts and a winner most recently of two graded races by a combined 10 lengths, Authentic will renew his rivalry with talented Honor A. P. as they head a field of seven sophomores going 1 1/8 miles in the Santa Anita Derby. Authentic has been nothing short of brilliant for trainer Bob Baffert in winning his past two races in gate to wire fashion. A first-out maiden winner at odds of 3-5 going 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on November 9, this colt by Into Mischief aired by 7 3/4 front-running lengths going a flat mile in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on January 4. A 2 1/4-length winner of the Grade 2 San Felipe, Authentic earned a 98 Beyer.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friar's Road Quality Road | M. McCarthy G. Franco |
| Entered | ||||
| Rushie Liam's Map | M. McCarthy F. Prat |
| Entered | ||||
| Shooters Shoot Competitive Edge | P. Eurton A. Cedillo |
| Entered | ||||
| Anneau d'Or Medaglia d'Oro | B. Wright V. Espinoza |
| Entered | ||||
| Azul Coast Super Saver | B. Baffert U. Rispoli |
| Entered | ||||
| Honor A. P. Honor Code | J. Shirreffs M. Smith |
| Entered | ||||
| Authentic Into Mischief | B. Baffert D. Van Dyke |
| Entered |
Santa Anita Park Race 10: Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup (8:12 p.m.) Locally based Midcourt, the beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap; leading money earner Higher Power; Improbable, a Grade 1 winner at 2; and eastern-based millionaire Tenfold head a field of six 3-year-olds and up in the Hollywood Gold Cup. A winner of four races in a row this past year, Midcourt ran the best race of his career two starts back, as he went gate to wire in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on February 1, winning by 3 ½ lengths while earning a career-best 104 Beyer Speed figure.
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsimony Dominus | D. O'Neill M. Gutierrez |
| Entered | ||||
| Midcourt Midnight Lute | J. Shirreffs V. Espinoza |
| Entered | ||||
| Higher Power Medaglia d'Oro | J. Sadler F. Prat |
| Entered | ||||
| Brown Storm Scat Daddy | M. McCarthy A. Cedillo |
| Entered | ||||
| Improbable City Zip | B. Baffert D. Van Dyke |
| Entered | ||||
| Tenfold Curlin | S. Asmussen M. Smith |
| Entered |
