Busy stakes weekend with the Big ‘Cap, San Felipe, Gotham and Tampa Bay Derby

March 5, 2021

It’s a coast-to-coast stakes buffet this weekend with 255 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on the line. The San Felipe, Gotham and Tampa Bay Derby all offer 50 for first place, 20 for second, 10 for third and 5 for third. With several contenders this weekend already on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard things should shake up a bit. 

Undefeated Maxfield starts in the Santa Anita Handicap. Last year’s Tampa Bay Derby winner, King Guillermo, runs in the Big ‘Cap with Independence Hall, Tizamagician and four other older horses. 

Essential Quality, number three on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 40 points, was made the 7-2 morning line favorite in the field of 24 betting choices for Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), which will open on Friday.

Other horses on the leaderboard with an opportunity to move up are Life Is Good (10 points) starting in the San Felipe and in the Tampa Bay Derby are Candy Man Rocket (10 points) and Sittin On Go (10 points).

Greatest Honour is first on the leaderboard with 60 points followed by Mandaloun with 52 points. 

MARCH 6, 2021

AQUEDUCT 10-race card, first post 12:50 pm

Busher Invitational $250k, 3yo f, 8f, Dirt, Race 6, post 3:29 pm 

Tom Fool H (G3) $200k, 4&up, 6f, Dirt, Race 7, post 4:02 pm 

Heavenly Prize Invitational $125k, 4&up f/m, 8f, Dirt, Race 8, post 4:36 pm 

Gotham S (G3) $300k, 3yo, 8f, Dirt, Race 9, post 5:07 pm 

Kentucky Derby Qualifier 50-20-10-5

1. Atlantic Road (KY) – J A Vargas, Jr. – Todd Pletcher

2. The Reds (KY) – P Morales – John Kimmel

3. Highly Motivated (KY) – Javier Castellano – Chad Brown

4. Wipe the Slate (KY) – K Carmouche – Doug O’Neill

5. Crowded Trade (KY) – Eric Cancel – Chad Brown

6. Capo Kane (CA) – Dylan Davis – H Wyner

7. Freedom Fighter (KY) – Manny Franco – Bob Baffert

8. Weyburn (ON) – T McCarthy – J A Jerkens

Mischevious Alex wins the 2020 Gotham.

FAIR GROUNDS 10-race card, 1:00 pm CT first post

Red Camelia S $60k, 4&up f/m S, 8f, Turf, Race 5, post 2:56 pm CT

Allen “Black Cat” Lacombe Memorial S$75k, 3yo f, 8f, Turf, Race 9, post 4:53 pm CT

FONNER race card, first post

Ogataul S $15k, 3&up S, 6f, Dirt

GULFSTREAM PARK 12-race card, first post 12:10 pm 

Hutcheson S $75k, 3yo, 6f, Dirt, Race 9, post 4:14 pm 

Captiva Island $75k, 4&up f/m, 5f, Turf, Race 10, post 4:46 pm 

Any Limit S $75k, 3yo f, 6f, Dirt, Race 11, post 5:19 pm 

JRA 

NAKAYAMA

Ocean S (G3T) $838k, 4&up, 6f, Turf

HANSHIN

Tulip Sho (G2T) $1,072k, 3yo f, 8f, Turf

OAKLAWN PARK 10-race card, first post 1:00 pm CT

Honeybee S (G3) $300k, 3yo f, 8.5f, Dirt, Race 9, post 5:10 pm CT 

Kentucky Oaks Qualifier 50-20-10-5

1. Tabor Hall (KY) – D Cohen – Kenny McPeek

2. Will’s Secret (KY) – Jon Kenton Court – Dallas Stewart

3. Willful Woman (KY) – Ricardo Santana, Jr. – Steve Asmussen

4. Sun Path (KY) – Joe Talamo – Brad Cox

5. Pauline’s Pearl (KY) – Francisco Arrieta – Steve Asmussen

6. Absolute Anna (KY) – Ramon A Vazquez – Jerry Hollendorfer

7. Oliviaofthedesert (KY) – David Cabrera – Kenny McPeek

8. Coach (KY) – Florent Geroux – Brad Cox

Shedaresthedevil wins the 2020 Honeybee Stakes 

SANTA ANITA 11-race card, first post 12:00 pm PT 

China Doll S $75k, 3yo f, 8f, Turf, Race 1, post 12: 00 pm PT 

San Felipe S (G2) $300k, 3yo, 8.5f, Dirt, Race 6, post 2:30 pm PT

Kentucky Derby Qualifier 50-20-10-5

1. Life Is Good—Mike Smith—122

2. Dream Shake—Joel Rosario–120

3. Medina Spirit—John Velazquez—122

4. None Above the Law—Flavien Prat—120

5. The Great One—Abel Cedillo—120

6. Govenor’s Party—Mario Gutierrez—120

7. Roman Centurian—Juan Hernandez—120

San Carlos S (G2) $200k, 4&up, 7f, Dirt, Race 8, post 3:30 pm PT 

1. Storm the Court—John Velazquez—120

2. Extra Hope—Juan Hernandez—122

3. Major Cabbie—Flavien Prat—120

4. Manhattan Up—Tiago Pereira—120

5. Strongconstitution—Florent Geroux—120

6. Brickyard Ride—Alexis Centeno—120

7. Loud Mouth—Abel Cedillo—120

8. Tigre Di Slugo—Joel Rosario—120

Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) $400k, 4&up, 8f, Turf, Race 9, post 4:00 pm PT 

1. Smooth Like Strait—Umberto Rispoli—122

2. Hit the Road—Florent Geroux—122

3. Social Paranoia—Abel Cedillo—122

4. Royal Ship—Mike Smith—120

5. Spirit Animal—Joel Rosario—120

6. Flavius—Flavien Prat—120

7. Casa Creed—John Velazquez—120

8. Count Again—Juan Hernandez—122

9. Ride a Comet—Drayden Van Dyke—122

10. Flying Scotsman—Tyler Baze—120

Santa Anita H (G1) $400k, 4&up, 10f, Dirt, Race 10, post 4:30 pm PT 

1. Independence Hall—Flavien Prat—120

2. Maxfield—Florent Geroux—124

3. Kiss Today Goodbye—Mike Smith—119

4. Coastal Defense—John Velazquez—116

5. Express Train—Juan Hernandez—123

6. Idol—Joel Rosario—119

7. Tizamagician—Drayden Van Dyke—119

8. King Guillermo—Abel Cedillo—116

Combatant wins the 2020 Santa Anita Handicap

TAMPA BAY 12-race card, first post 12:17 pm 

Challenger S (G3) $100k, 4&up, 8.5f, Dirt, Race 5, post 2:18 pm 

Columbia S $75k, 3yo, 8f, Turf, Race 7, post 3:22 pm  

Hillsborough S (G2T) $225k, 4&up f/m, 9f, Turf, Race 9, post 4:25 pm 

Florida Oaks (G3T) $200k, 3yo f, 8.5f, Turf, Race 10, post 4:55 pm 

Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) $400k, 3yo, 8.5f, Dirt, Race 11, post 5:25 pm 

Kentucky Derby Qualifier 50-20-10-5

1. My Liberty (KY) – Tomas Mejia – Maria Ines Mejia

2. Super Strong (KY) – Antonio Gallardo – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

3. Candy Man Rocket (KY) – Junior Alvarado – Bill Mott

4. King of Dreams (KY) – Sammy Camacho – Juan Carlos Avila

5. Boca Boy (FL) – Angel Arroyo – Cheryl Winebaugh

6. Awesome Gerry (KY) – Hector Diaz, Jr. – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

7. Moonlite Strike (KY) – Daniel Centeno – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

8. Hidden Stash (KY) – Rafael Bejarano – Victoria Oliver

9. Unbridled Honor (KY) – Julien Leparoux – Todd Pletcher

10. Helium (KY) – Jose Ferrer – Mark Casse

11. Promise Keeper (KY) – Luis Saez – Todd Pletcher

12. Sittin On Go (KY) – Roberto Alvarado, Jr. – Dale Romans

King Guillermo wins the 2020 Tampa Bay Derby

MARCH 7, 2021

AQUEDUCT race card, first post

Biogio’s Rose S $100k, 4&up f/m S, 8f, Dirt 

JRA

NAKAYAMA 

Yayoi Sho (G2T) $1,120k, 3yo, 10f, Turf

SANTA ANITA race card, first post

Santa Ysabel S (G3) $100k, 3yo f, 8.5f, Dirt

Kentucky Derby Leaderboard 

Rank – Horse – Points

1 – Greatest Honour – 60

2 – Mandaloun – 52

3 – Essential Quality – 40

4 – Midnight Bourbon – 26

5 – Proxy – 24

6 – Keepmeinmind – 18

7 – Spielberg – 17

8 – Jackie’s Warrior – 14

9 – Rombauer – 14

10 – Medina Spirit – 14

11 – Capo Kane – 12

12 – Papetu – 11

13 – Hot Rod Charlie – 10

14 – Get Her Number – 10

15 – Sittin On Go – 10

16 – Risk Taking – 10

17 – Candy Man Rocket – 10

18 – Caddo River – 10

19 – Brooklyn Strong – 10

20 – Life Is Good – 10

March Kentucky Derby Prep Races

Mar 5, 2021

Patton Stakes

Dundalk

20-8-4-2

Mar 6, 2021

Gotham

Aqueduct

50-20-10-5

Tampa Bay Derby

Tampa Bay Downs

50-20-10-5

San Felipe

Santa Anita Park

50-20-10-5

Mar 13, 2021

Rebel

Oaklawn Park

50-20-10-5

Mar 20, 2021

Louisiana Derby

Fair Grounds

100-40-20-10

Mar 27, 2021

Jeff Ruby Steaks

Turfway Park

100-40-20-10

Florida Derby

Gulfstream Park

100-40-20-10

UAE Derby

Meydan Racecourse

100-40-20-10

Fukuryu

Nakayama

Mar 27, 2021

40-16-8-4

Information: BloodHorse, Equibase and Kentucky Derby. Click on links for Equibase card for each track. 

All times Eastern unless otherwise noted. All times, entries and odds are subject to change. 

Information compiled by Maribeth Kalinich, Editor

Photo: Santa Anita starting gate (Santa Anita/Benoit)

Contributing Authors

MariBeth Kalinich, Senior Editor, Past the Wire

Maribeth Kalinich, Senior Editor, Graphic Designer

Maribeth Kalinich grew up in a family with a love for horses, a passion for Thoroughbred horse racing and a taste for playing the ponies....

View Maribeth Kalinich, Senior Editor, Graphic Designer

That was a phenomenal article Jonathan. Thank you for writing it and sharing it. Ruffian was my second love (after Man O' War) and I simply cannot stop the tears from falling every time I read about this magnificent black beauty.

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