Weekend Stakes Rundown: Louisiana Derby Season Begins

Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week, we have the return of Eclipse Award finalist Finest City, Sunshine Millions races at Gulfstream Park, the first Fair Grounds Triple Crown prep, and more. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern) and full previews are available through the links below.

Saturday, Jan. 21

1 p.m.—$100,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park

After finishing second in last year's Filly and Mare Turf Stakes, Miller Racing's E B Ryder is back to try to earn a trip to the winner's circle. The daughter of Bluegrass Cat   didn't earn a victory in eight starts last year but did place in three stakes.

1:30 p.m.—$100,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Moment of Delight has raced exclusively in Florida in her 18 starts and most recently prevailed in the Millions Distaff Preview Stakes at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 12.

2:30 p.m.—$100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park

One year after winning the Sprint with X Y Jet, trainer Jorge Navarro will try to win the race a second straight year when he sends out Monster Racing Stables' Delta Bluesman. A 7-year-old Wagon Limit gelding, Delta Bluesman opened the year with a third-place finish in the Jan. 1 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream. Last year Delta Bluesman captured the Smile Sprint Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream.

3:30 p.m.—$75,000 Native Diver Stakes at Laurel Park

Laurel offers four stakes races on Saturday's card, highlighted by the Native Diver, which features defending winner Page McKenney, undefeated Red Dragon Tattoo, two-time grade 3 winner Kid Cruz, and five-time stakes winner Charitable Annuity.

4:39 p.m.—$125,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Local favorite Chocolate Ride will look to repeat his 2016 victory in the Bradley. Fourth in a four-horse photo finish last time out in the Dec. 17 Buddy Diliberto Memorial, Chocolate Ride is again joined by Marc Detampel-owned stablemate Western Reserve, who defeated the 6-5 favorite by a neck in that race.

5:05 p.m.—$100,000 Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Merriebelle Stable's Reporting Star, runner-up in each of the past two years, will try to secure the elusive top spot in the Turf. A gelded 7-year-old son of Circular Quay, Reporting Star paid immediate dividends when he captured the one-mile Appleton Stakes (G3T) last April at Gulfstream. It was his first start for trainer Brendan Walsh since being purchased privately following a half-length loss to Manchurian High in last year's Turf.

5:06 p.m.—$150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Coffeepot Stables' Farrell, who had a six-length victory in the Nov. 26 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) last time out at Churchill Downs, kicks off her 3-year-old campaign. One whose pedigree speaks volumes is Untapped, a full sister to champion Untapable.

5:30 p.m.—$200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park

For trainer Ian Kruljac, running Seltzer Thoroughbreds' Finest City in the Santa Monica has always been the target to kick off the 2016 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner's 2017 season. But wet conditions could intervene. "It will be a morning-time decision, but (scratching) is definitely a thought. It's not worth it if the track is off," Kruljac said.

5:33 p.m.—$75,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

I'm a Chatterbox, a multiple grade 1 winner on dirt, could try turf for the first time. Her connections are holding out hope she may be cleared to travel to the Jan. 29 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park, but because of an equine herpesvirus outbreak and resulting quarantine at Fair Grounds, she was entered in the 1 1/16-mile Krantz.

5:35 p.m.—$200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park

Awesome Slew, a Florida-bred who has distinguished himself as a graded stakes winner, has yet to race in restricted company, but that will change in the Classic. A homebred for Live Oak Plantation, Awesome Slew enters the Classic off a third-place finish behind Stanford and Keen Ice in the Dec. 17 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3).

6  p.m.—$200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Three horses with graded stakes form enter the sophomore challenge with experience edges, including Shareholder Value, a course and distance allowance winner Dec. 26 for trainer Tom Amoss. Like last year's Amoss-trained winner Mo Tom, Shareholder Value is a son of Uncle Mo   with a serious turn of foot.

7:15 p.m.—$100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields

Colonel Samsen ran a far-back sixth last time out in the Sham Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita, but is back on the Golden Gate synthetic main track, where he won the Dec. 3  Gold Rush Stakes. Fellow Southern California shippers Sonneteer, So Conflated, Vending Machine, and Secret House will also make the trip north.