Stakes Entries, Post Times, Previews for Saturday

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Stakes Entries, Post Times, Previews for Saturday
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress, training last June at Belmont Park, is part of a competitive field in the Azeri at Oaklawn

Each week, the NTRA and BloodHorse will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews when available can be found through the link for each race.

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, which has forced cancellations or postponements of virtually every major sport, tracks around the globe have announced that racecards will be held without spectators. The show does go on, however, as does the march toward the first Saturday in May.

At Oaklawn Park, the March 14 crowd-free card features the $1 million Rebel Stakes, which offers 50 qualifying points to the winner toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). At Santa Anita Park, the popular Hard Not to Love looms the favorite in the eholder Mile Stakes (G1).

All NYRA racing can be streamed for free in high-definition at NYRA.com/aqueduct/racing/live. Oaklawn fans will be able to view all weekend races on OaklawnAnywhere.com and TVG with select races on FoxSports2 and MSG Network. Wagering on all Santa Anita live racing is available via the track's 1/ST BET and Xpressbet apps.

NYRA will also partner with Oaklawn Park and Turfway Park to host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday, highlighted by the Rebel Stakes (G2) and the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download via the NYRA website. 

Saturday March 14

5:50 p.m.—$350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Serengeti Empress, winner of the 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), seeks her first victory since taking the lilies last May when she faces six challengers in the Azeri Stakes (G2), the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) on April 18. Trained by Tom Amoss, Serengeti Empress finished second in the Houston Ladies Classic (G3) during her seasonal bow on Jan. 26. She was beaten that day by Lady Apple, who is also set to be in the Azeri starting gate along with grade 1 winner Street Band.


Entries: Azeri S. (G2)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, March 14, 2020, Race 9

  • Grade II
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $350,000
  • 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 4:50 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Street Band (KY) Sophie Doyle 117 J. Larry Jones 3/1
2 2Mylady Curlin (KY) Joel Rosario 119 Brad H. Cox 4/1
3 3Saracosa (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Martin Garcia 117 Cipriano Contreras 20/1
4 4Lady Apple (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ricardo Santana, Jr. 119 Steven M. Asmussen 5/2
5 5Serengeti Empress (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joseph Talamo 117 Thomas M. Amoss 9/5
6 6Rahway (KY) Joseph Rocco, Jr. 115 Michael J. Maker 20/1
7 7Awe Emma (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Richard E. Eramia 117 Dallas Stewart 12/1

5:52 p.m.—$150,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Nonna Madeline didn't get any breaks in her most recent start, but with a good break, the Todd Pletcher trainee should prove tough to beat in Saturday's Hurricane Bertie. Nonna Madeline was partly responsible for her third-place finish in the Inside Information Stakes (G2) by leaving the starting gate slowly, but the 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride  was valiant in defeat despite having to be steadied on the backstretch.


Entries: Hurricane Bertie S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, March 14, 2020, Race 11

  • Grade III
  • 7f
  • Dirt
  • $150,000
  • 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 5:52 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Blamed (MD)Keeneland Sales Graduate Emisael Jaramillo 120 William I. Mott 3/1
2 2Heiressall (FL) Miguel Angel Vasquez 120 Teresa M. Pompay 8/1
3 3Unholy Alliance (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tyler Gaffalione 118 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 12/1
4 4W W Fitzy (IL) Marcos Meneses 122 Scott Becker 15/1
5 5Sally's Curlin (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Edgar S. Prado 124 Dale L. Romans 6/1
6 6Nonna Madeline (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate John R. Velazquez 118 Todd A. Pletcher 9/2
7 7Wildwood's Beauty (FL) Julien R. Leparoux 122 Scott Becker 4/1
8 8Pauseforthecause (NY) Paco Lopez 122 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 6/1
9 9Lady Kate (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose L. Ortiz 118 Eddie Kenneally 8/1

6:23 p.m.—$1,000,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is No. 1 in Rebel Stakes victories, and his latest hope, Nadal, will break from post No. 1 in the $1 million race for 3-year-olds Saturday afternoon. Nadal will try to remain unbeaten in his two-turn debut and first start outside California. In his stakes debut, the son of Blame won the San Vicente Stakes (G2) Feb. 9 at Santa Anita. Baffert is seeking his seventh Rebel victory after taking the race in 2010 (Lookin At Lucky ), 2011 (The Factor ), 2012 (Secret Circle ), 2014 (Hoppertunity ), 2015 (American Pharoah ) and 2016 (Cupid ).


Entries: Rebel S. (G2)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, March 14, 2020, Race 10

  • Grade II
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $1,000,000
  • 3 yo
  • 5:23 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Nadal (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joel Rosario 117 Bob Baffert 5/2
2 2Excession (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tyler Baze 117 Steven M. Asmussen 30/1
3 3Basin (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Javier Castellano 117 Steven M. Asmussen 3/1
4 4Silver Prospector (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 Steven M. Asmussen 7/2
5 5No Parole (LA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joseph Talamo 122 Thomas M. Amoss 8/1
6 6Three Technique (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Luis Saez 117 Jeremiah C. Englehart 7/2
7 7Coach Bahe (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Santo Sanjur 117 Philip A. Bauer 30/1
8 8American Theorem (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tiago Josue Pereira 117 George Papaprodromou 6/1

6:42 p.m.—$250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park on TVG

It's fitting that Field Pass and Invader are the choices on the morning line for Jeff Ruby. Their trainers are neck-and-neck in the standings for the current Turfway Park meet. Mike Maker trains Field Pass, who tops the morning line at 3-1, while Wesley Ward trains Invader, the 7-2 second choice. Ward currently leads Maker 15 wins to 13 in the Turfway standings. A full dozen will line up for the Jeff Ruby, which awards 20 points to the winner toward the Kentucky Derby.


Entries: Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3)

Turfway Park, Saturday, March 14, 2020, Race 11

  • Grade III
  • 1 1/8m
  • All Weather Track
  • $250,000
  • 3 yo
  • 6:42 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Dack Janiel's (KY) Rafael Bejarano 123 Jack Sisterson 30/1
2 2Toma Todo (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Alan Garcia 123 Steven M. Asmussen 20/1
3 3Fancy Liquor (KY) Florent Geroux 123 Michael J. Maker 8/1
4 4Unthrottled (FL) Corey J. Lanerie 123 Dallas Stewart 30/1
5 5Myamanoi (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 123 Danny Gargan 4/1
6 6Halo Again (ON)Keeneland Sales Graduate Rafael Manuel Hernandez 123 Steven M. Asmussen 8/1
7 7Victory Boulevard (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Gerardo Corrales 123 Michael J. Maker 30/1
8 8Finnick the Fierce (KY) Sonny Leon 123 Rey Hernandez 6/1
9 9Austrian (NY) Abel Lezcano 123 Jose Fernandez 50/1
10 10The Stiff (KY) Geovanni Franco 123 Michael W. McCarthy 12/1
11 11Invader (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Albin Jimenez 123 Wesley A. Ward 3/1
12 12Field Pass (MD) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 123 Michael J. Maker 7/2

7:07 p.m.—$400,000 Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Blinded in one eye since an incident as a youngster, trainer John Shirreffs' brilliant Hard Not to Love seeks her fourth consecutive win as she heads a field of seven older fillies and mares in Saturday's Beholder Mile. With two graded stakes wins at the current Winter Meet, the most recent a 3 ½ length romp in the Santa Monica Stakes (G2), the daughter of Hard Spun  will be trying two turns for the first time. Hard Not to Love's primary opposition would appear to be grade 1 winner Ollie's Candy and Bob Baffert's multiple graded stakes-placed Mother Mother, who has been beaten by Hard Not to Love in two out of her last three starts.

Although plenty of attention will be focused on the Beholder Mile, the eyes of the racing world will also be riveted on the race just before it, a $57,000 allowance for 3-year-olds at one mile. Baffert's talented Charlatan, a 5 ¾ length first-out maiden winner on February 16, will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Baffert's 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify  as he stretches out and tries to muscle his way onto the Kentucky Derby trail. A BloodHorse preview on that allowance can be found here.


Entries: Beholder Mile S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 14, 2020, Race 7

  • Grade I
  • 1m
  • Dirt
  • $400,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 4:07 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Hard Not to Love (ON)Keeneland Sales Graduate Mike E. Smith 121 John A. Shirreffs 8/5
2 2Der Lu (KY) Abel Cedillo 121 Bob Baffert 5/1
3 3Zusha (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate UMBERTO RISPOLI 121 Gary Mandella 15/1
4 4Kaydetre (KY) Brice Blanc 121 David A. Randall 30/1
5 5Mother Mother (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Drayden Van Dyke 121 Bob Baffert 4/1
6 6Ollie's Candy (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Flavien Prat 125 John W. Sadler 3/1
7 7Ce Ce (KY) Victor Espinoza 121 Michael W. McCarthy 4/1