Weekend Stakes Rundown: Rebel Time at Oaklawn

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 a trio of big races at Oaklawn Park, a grade 1 at Santa Anita Park, and more. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern) and full previews can be found through the hyperlink for each race.

Saturday, March 18

4:50 p.m.—$125,000 Correction Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack

Grade 3 winner Hot City Girl returned to the winner's circle last time out Feb. 18 in the Broadway Stakes and the City Zip   filly will look to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since late in 2015, when she won the Charles Town Oaks (G3), an allowance at Belmont Park, and the Safely Kept Stakes at Laurel Park in succession.

5:10 p.m.—$100,000 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park

One of five stakes on the Laurel card, the Private Terms for 3-year-olds features impressive last-out Miracle Wood Stakes winner O Dionysus. The Bodemeister   colt stalked the pace and pulled away late to win the one-mile test Feb. 18 and will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Private Terms.

5:21 p.m.—$350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park

Unbeaten in five starts at Oaklawn, Terra Promessa puts her status as the house horse on the line. Outside of her maiden win at Churchill Downs in November of 2015, all of Terra Promessa's wins have come in Arkansas, including her most recent triumph in the Feb. 18 Bayakoa Stakes (G3), when she bested fellow Azeri entrant Power of Snunner in front-running fashion.

5:39 p.m.—$200,000 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Curlin's Approval will turn back in distance to run in the seven-furlong Inside Information, after she won her first attempt at navigating two turns in the 1 1/16-mile Royal Delta Stakes (G2) Feb. 18 at Gulfstream Park.

5:40 p.m.—$100,000 Caesar's Wish Stakes at Laurel Park

Laurel's stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday features four undefeated females—Jenda's Agenda, Shacklefords Lady, Sine Wave, and Tickled Pink. Sine Wave and Tickled Pink both won their debuts at Laurel, while Shacklefords Lady is shipping in from Parx Racing, where she won her first two starts, and Jenda's Agenda hails from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where she won her first two races.

5:57 p.m.—$250,000 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park

Mor Spirit looks to regain winning form in his third start off the layup in the Essex for trainer Bob Baffert. The grade 1 winner returned from time off with a fourth in the Malibu Stakes (G1) in December, and in his 4-year-old debut finished second by a length to fellow Baffert trainee Hoppertunity in the Feb. 4 San Antonio Stakes (G2).

7:06 p.m.—$900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park

Trainer Bob Baffert will look to win his seventh Rebel in eight years with American Anthem, who finished a game second to grade 1 winner Gormley in the Sham Stakes (G3), his two turn debut and first stakes try. The Bodemeister colt won his debut at Del Mar in December by a neck going six furlongs.

7:30 p.m.—$400,000 Santa Margarita Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park

Although all five of her wins have been sprinting, Finest City's form going two has been good enough to further encourage trainer Ian Kruljac to give the versatile 5-year-old options during her 2017 campaign. Now she'll take on Vale Dori, who is seeking her fourth straight graded victory, all around two turns.

Sunday, March 19

7 p.m.—$75,000 Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita Park

The Sunday feature at Santa Anita is not lacking in storylines. The betting favorite almost surely will be Conquest Farenheit, who impressively won the Baffle Stakes last time out Feb. 20 over the same hillside turf course, but a pair of undefeated horses shipping in from the Southwest—Taxman's Quest and Taco—could be legitimate challengers, along with last-out El Camino Real Derby (G3) winner Zakaroff.