LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 26, 2021) ― Thanksgiving weekend stakes action from New York, Kentucky, California and Canada highlights a full slate of holiday racing this weekend.
Races in this weekend’s rundown are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews, when available, can be found through the link for each race.
TVG will feature racing from Churchill Downs, Del Mar, Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park, Woodbine and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.
“America’s Day at the Races” will be broadcasting live from Aqueduct Friday, Nov. 26 on FS2 from 11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; on Saturday, Nov. 27 on FS2 from 11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 28 on FS1 from 11:30 – Noon, on FS2 from Noon – 4:00 p.m., and FS1 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Friday, November 26
3:43 PM ET – $200,000 Comely Stakes (Grade 3) at Aqueduct on FS2
Eight 3-year-old fillies will line up to contest the 1 1/8-mile Comely Stakes (G3) on the main track at Aqueduct. Army Wife, winner of the Iowa Oaks (G3) in July, most recently earned back to back 3rd place finishes in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1) for trainer Mike Maker. The daughter of Declaration of War finished 3rd in the Gazelle Stakes (G3) in her only Aqueduct appearance. Trainer Kenny McPeek entered multiple graded stakes winner Crazy Beautiful.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU112621USA9-EQB.html
5:56 PM ET – $750,000 Clark Stakes presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs on TVG
Churchill Downs hosts its last Grade 1 of 2021 with the 147th running of the Clark Stakes presented by Norton Healthcare. Maxfield, a 4-year-old son of Street Sense who has earned over $1.5 million, will make his final career start in the Clark for trainer Brendan Walsh. Happy Saver, winner of the 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), finished 2nd last out in the 2021 edition of the same race. The 4-year-old Super Saver colt is trained by Todd Pletcher.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD112621USA11-EQB.html
6:30 PM ET – $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (Grade 2T) at Del Mar on TVG
Three of the seven horses entered in the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) last ran in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) over this same turf course. Of those, Rockemperor (IRE) had the best showing with his 8th place finish. Prior to that start, the 5-year-old horse trained by Chad Brown, won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) at Belmont Park. Astronaut, a 4-year-old Quality Road colt, placed 12th in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf after taking the Del Mar Handicap presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T) in August.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR112621USA7-EQB.html
Saturday, November 27
3:43 PM ET – $400,000 Long Island (Grade 3T) at Aqueduct on FS2
Trainer Christophe Clement sends out a strong trio of contenders in defending winner Mutamaka, graded stakes winner La Dragontea, and graded stakes-placed, stakes-winning Sorrel in the 64th running of the Long Island Stakes.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU112721USA-EQB.html#RACE9
4:40 PM ET – $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (Grade 2) at Woodbine on TVG
Seven-time Sovereign Award winner Pink Lloyd, one of Canada’s most decorated champions, will make the final start of his illustrious career in Saturday’s Kennedy Road Stakes. Campaigned by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Robert Tiller, nine-year-old Pink Lloyd is set to chase his 26th career stakes victory in the Kennedy Road, a six-furlong main track test for three-year-olds and upward, a race that he won in 2017 and 2019.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112721CAN8-EQB.html
5:27 PM ET – $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs on TVG
Godolphin’s 2-year-old filly Famed, the half-sister to champion colt Essential Quality, will face off against Susan Moulton’s dominant 10 ¾-length winner of the $200,000 Rags to Riches, Sandstone, in Saturday’s $400,000 Golden Rod (Grade 2), a race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD112721USA10-EQB.html
5:32 PM ET – $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap (Grade 2T) at Del Mar on TVG
Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Bethlehem Stables’ east coast invader Sacred Life, heads a field of seven in the Seabiscuit.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR112721USA5-EQB.html
5:56 PM ET – $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs on TVG
A full field of 14 2-year-olds will line up in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Eight of the 14 won their most recent starts, including Howling Time, who was victorious in the Street Sense Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs last month. Howling Time is trained by Dale Romans, who also saddles Street Sense third place finisher Red Knobs, who had finished third in the Iroquois Stakes prior to that. The field also includes Classic Causeway, who finished third in the in Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity in October at Keeneland.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD112721USA11-EQB.html
6:31 PM ET – $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes (Grade 3T) at Del Mar on TVG
The Jimmy Durante has drawn a field of 11, including the Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Madekat Stables, Nentwig, Michael and Ray Pagano’s favored Helens Well, who’ll be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Phil D’Amato.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR112721USA-EQB.html#RACE7
7:15 PM ET – $100,000 Berkeley Handicap (Grade 3) at Golden Gate on TVG
Jay Em Ess Stable’s Extra Hope heads a field of seven in the Berkeley.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GG112721USA8-EQB.html
7:29 PM ET – $400,000 Hollywood Derby (Grade 1T) at Del Mar on TVG
The New York-based four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown will saddle Public Sector and Sifting Sands as he goes for his fourth victory in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) since 2016.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR112721USA9-EQB.html
Sunday, November 28
3:14 PM ET – $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (Grade 3) at Aqueduct on FS2
Michael Dubb’s Chateau will carry a co-field high 131 pounds in the 108th renewal of the Fall Highweight, a six-furlong handicap for 3-year-olds and up.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU112821USA8-EQB.html
4:30 PM ET – $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (Grade 3T) at Del Mar on TVG
A field of 11 two-year-olds, headed by Juddmonte’s undefeated homebred Verbal, will line up in the Cecil B. DeMille.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR112821USA3-EQB.html
4:37 PM ET – $150,000 Mazarine Stakes (Grade 3) at Woodbine on TVG
The 1 1/16-mile Mazarine has attracted a field of nine two-year-old fillies, including Moira, a daughter of Ghostzapper who had a stellar debut in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes on October 23 at the Toronto oval.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112821CAN8-EQB.html
5:08 PM ET – $150,000 Grey Stakes (Grade 3) at Woodbine on TVG
Bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm and owned by the same connections as Moira, an ownership group headed by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, Be Like Clint will contest his first career stakes race on Saturday in the Grey. Hicksy, also co-owned by Lanni, heads into the Grey on a two-race win streak, including a three-quarter length score in the seven-furlong Display Stakes on October 30.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO112821CAN9-EQB.html
6:30 PM ET – $400,000 Matriarch Stakes (Grade 1T) at Del Mar on TVG
Chad Brown’s assault on the Thanksgiving weekend stakes at Del Mar concludes in the Matriarch, where Brown will saddle the duo of Juddmonte’s Viadera and Peter Brant’s Regal Glory.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR112821USA7-EQB.html
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