April 14th, 2021
Fans enjoy a return to Keeneland during its 2021 spring meet. (Eclipse Sportswire)
The upcoming weekend in the horse racing world qualifies as a “calm before the storm” break before preparation for the 147
thKentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve begins in earnest. The qualifying prep schedule is completed and connections of Derby contenders are now focusing on getting their horses as ready as possible to race their best when a global audience tunes in on May 1 for the “greatest two minutes in sports” under the twin spires at Churchill Downs.
There’s still plenty of great racing on tap over the next several days, however. Keeneland Race Course continues its boutique spring meet in Kentucky, while Aqueduct winds down its spring meet and Oaklawn Park does the same with its Racing Festival of the South.
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The day they first met: The start of last yearâs Breedersâ Cup Distaff at Keeneland, in which Monomoy Girl (right) was an impressive winner and Swiss Skydiver (red and blue, second left) a well-beaten seventh after a poor start and suffering an injury during the race. Photo: Matt Wooley/Eclipsesportswire/Breedersâ Cup
When it comes to champions going head to head, the G1 Apple Blossom Handicap has a mighty pedigree. And next Saturday’s running of the Oaklawn Park feature - featuring a mouthwatering clash between Breeders’ Cup Distaff scorer Monomoy Girl and Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver - promises to be right up there with some of the finest editions from the past.
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Rushie wins the G2 Pat Day Mile
Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy will try to pad his sparkling Oaklawn resume when Rushie makes his 4-year-old debut in Saturday s $400,000 Oaklawn Mile for older horses.
McCarthy, a former Todd Pletcher assistant, has won half of his eight career Oaklawn starts, including the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses in 2018 with City of Light and last year s $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares with Ce Ce.
Rushie is a winner in Hot Springs, too, claiming a closing-day first-level allowance route last year when McCarthy sent a handful of promising young horses to Oaklawn late in the meeting after racing in California was shuttered (COVID-19).
Swiss Skydiver Makes 4-Year-Old Debut in Beholder Mile bloodhorse.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bloodhorse.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Weekend Lineup: Trio Of Eclipse Award Winners Back In Action Sponsored by:
Geroux flashes a smile at the wire of the Breeders Cup Distaff with Monomoy Girl
Three Eclipse Award winners will be in action this weekend with reigning juvenile male champion Essential Quality – the top-ranked horse on the NTRA Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll – headlining the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, champion 2-year-old filly Vequist making her seasonal bow in the Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and champion older dirt female Monomoy Girl getting her 6-year-old campaign started in Sunday s Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn. In addition, Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winner Fire At Will is set to be part of the field of 10 in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes, which will anchor Saturday s 14-race program with nine stakes at Gulfstream Park.