America’s Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, continues Saturday with stakes action from Oaklawn Park, Santa Anita Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and Aqueduct Racetrack.
Presented by America’s Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America’s Day at the Races will air from 2:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Eastern on FS2, including a pair of important Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races.
Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out top contenders Overtook and Donegal Bay in the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers [Race 8, 4:25 p.m.] at the Big A, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.
A talented field of nine for the nine-furlong Withers includes Jerome-winner Capo Kane and promising maiden winner Risk Taking for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.
Tampa Bay Downs has four stakes on offer on their Festival Preview Day card, led by the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis [Race 11, 5:02 p.m.], also offering 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the first Saturday in May.
A wide-open field for the 1 1/16-mile test features Candy Man Rocket, who earned a field-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure in a last-out maiden win at Gulfstream Park for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Mott will also be represented by stakes winner Nova Rags, who arrives off a score in the seven-furlong Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs. The Pletcher-trained Known Agenda, looking to rebound from a third in the Remsen at the Big A, will have the services of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
Also on tap Saturday at Tampa is the Grade 3, $175,000 Endeavour [Race 10, 4:32 p.m.]at 1 1/16-miles on the turf for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up; the Grade 3, $175,000 Tampa Bay [Race 8, 3:30 p.m.] for 4-year-olds and up on the turf and the $150,000 Suncoast [Race 9, 4:02 p.m.], a main track route for sophomore fillies.
Stakes action from Santa Anita Park will include the Grade 2, $200,000 San Marcos, a 10-furlong turf test for 4-year-olds and upward; and the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores featuring the stakes debut of the promising maiden winner Concert Tour.
Leading the action at Oaklawn Park is the $150,000 King Cotton [Race 8, 5:40 p.m.], a six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up led by graded-stakes winner Flagstaff for trainer John Sadler.
America’s Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA’s YouTube channel which boasts more than 64,000 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 online wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
For the current broadcast schedule and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com.
Aqueduct Press Release: Keith McCalmont
America’s Day at the Races photo
