Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky will play host to the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes this Friday, April 4 - opening weekend of their spring/summer meet. The race will feature three year olds willing to go 1 1/16 miles on Keeneland's turf track in search of the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby became more like a freeway this past weekend when we saw the points values for the qualification races jump from 50-20-10-5 for the first through fourth place finishers to 100-50-20-10. Three huge races on Saturday have led to a complete reshuffling at the top of the standings - the UAE Derby was contested at Meydan, the Louisiana Derby was run at Fair Grounds and the Florida Derby took place at Gulfstream Park.
The Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup comes our way from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California on Saturday, March 29. A purse of $100,000 will be on the line for horses four years old and upward willing to go 1 1/2 miles on Santa Anita's main track.
The Grade 2 Pan American Stakes comes our way from an intensely busy Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida this Saturday, March 29. Horses four years old and upward will be featured as they go 1 1/2 miles on Gulfstream's turf track searching for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.
The Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, a major prep for the Kentucky Oaks in May is on tap from a very busy Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida on Saturday, March 29. Three year old fillies will take to Gulfstream's main track and go 1 1/8 miles for the winner's share of the $300,000 purse and the 100 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks in May.
Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida will be the scene of the 63rd running of the Grade 1 Besilu Florida Derby on Saturday, March 29. Some of the best three year olds in the land will be after the winner's share of the very nice $1 million purse and the 100 qualifying points towards a start in the Kentucky Derby when they go 1 1/8 miles on Gulfstream's main track.
The richest horse race on the planet - the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup comes our way from Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, March 29. Horses four years old and upward will be after the winner's share of the lucrative $10 million purse when they go 1 1/4 miles on Meydan's Tapeta surface.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby starts to really ramp up after this weekend - the last of the races in which 50-20-10-5 points for first to fourth were contested with the winners of the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park and the Sunland Derby at Sunland Park virtually guaranteeing themselves a starting spot in the Run for the Roses in May.
New Mexico's Sunland Park will play host to the Grade 3 Sunland Derby this Sunday, March 23 - its signature event. A very generous purse of $800,000 and 50 qualifying points toward the Run for the Roses will be on the line for three year old Kentucky Derby hopefuls willing to go 1 1/8 miles on Sunland Park's main track.
The Grade 3 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, March 22 from Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky. Some of the best three year olds in the land will take to Turfway Park's Polytrack surface and go 1 1/8 miles for the winner's portion of the very nice $550,000 purse and the 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby in May.
