America’s Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will air coverage both Saturday and Sunday showcasing live racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack and Oaklawn Park.
Presented by America’s Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America’s Day at the Races will broadcast Saturday from 2-3 p.m. Eastern on FS1 and from 3-6 p.m. on FS2. Sunday will feature coverage on FS2 from 1:30-6:30 p.m.
Saturday’s stakes-laden card from Oaklawn is headlined by the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel (Race 11, 6:16 p.m. Eastern), a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomores offering 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers. The Rebel will be shown on America’s Day at the Races via NYRA’s YouTube channel, the FOX Sports app and via NYRA Bets from 6-6:30 p.m.
A talented Rebel field is led by Shortleaf Stable homebred Caddo River, who will exit the inside post under Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox. The Hard Spun colt enters from a dominant 10 ¼-length gate-to-wire score in one-mile Smarty Jones on January 22 at the Hot Springs, Arkansas oval.
Steep opposition will be provided by a pair of starters for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in undefeated Concert Tour and $625,000 purchase Hozier. Baffert leads all trainers with seven wins in the Rebel, including last year’s renewal captured by Nadal.
Gary and Mart West homebred Concert Tour, a Street Sense bay, will stretch out following a half-length score in the seven-furlong Grade 2 San Vicente on February 6 at Santa Anita. SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm and Robert E. Masterson’s Hozier, a Pioneerof the Nile colt bought at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, graduated at second asking around two turns on February 15 at Santa Anita.
Joel Rosario will guide Concert Tour from post 7, while Martin Garcia has the call on Hozier from post 3.
Graded stakes action at Oaklawn on Saturday kicks off in Race 5 (3:03 p.m.) with the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri at 1 1/16-miles featuring the seasonal debut of 2020 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winner Shedaresthedevil.
The Cox-trainee won the Grade 3 Honeybee at the Azeri distance last year at Oaklawn. A compact field of field includes win machine Letruska, who has captured 12-of-16 career starts for trainer Fausto Gutierrez; and the improving Envoutante, who earned a career-best 101 Beyer last out in a six-length romp of the Grade 2 Falls City in November at Churchill Downs.
Additional stakes on Saturday’s Oaklawn card include the $500,000 Essex [Race 7, 4:08 p.m.], a 1 1/16-mile test for older horses; the $150,000 Temperence Hill [Race 9, 5:13 p.m.], a 12-furlong test for older horses; and the $200,000 Hot Springs [Race 10, 5:45 p.m.], featuring Whitmore, the reigning Champion Male Sprinter who has won the last four editions of the six-furlong sprint for older horses.
Saturday’s Aqueduct card offers the 81st edition of the $100,000 Correction [Race 9, 4:55 p.m.], a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares led by West Coast-based Amuse, a multiple graded stakes placed daughter of Medaglia d’Oro for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
Aqueduct’s Sunday card will be headlined by the 42nd renewal of the $100,000 Damon Runyon, a seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred sophomores.
America’s Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA’s YouTube channel which boasts more than 65,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA’s channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA’s YouTube channel also hosts a plethora of race replays, special features, America’s Day at the Races replays and more.
Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America’s Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
Press Release by: Keith McCalmont
