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America's Day at the Races to feature the G1 Apple Blossom from Oaklawn Park and Closing Weekend at Aqueduct Racetrack

by Keith McCalmont

Equibase past performances available for all races that are part of broadcast

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 19.5 hours of coverage Thursday through Sunday, with stakes action from Oaklawn Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.

Presented by America’s Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America’s Day at the Races will broadcast live racing action from the Hot Springs, Arkansas oval featuring a battle between champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap as well as Closing Weekend of the 11-day spring meet at the Big A. 

Broadcast schedule for America's Day at the Races (all times Eastern):

Thursday, April 15

FS2: 1 – 6:30 p.m.

Friday, April 16

FS2: 1 – 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 17

FS2: 5 – 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 18

FS2: 1 – 2:30 p.m.

FS1: 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.

FS2: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Stakes action from Oaklawn kicks off on Friday, April 16 with a pair of $150,000 stakes for horses bred in Arkansas, including the Rainbow for sophomore sprinters in Race 6 at 5:09 p.m. ET and the Rainbow Miss for sophomore fillies in Race 9 at 6:10 p.m. ET. 

Saturday’s Oaklawn card will see Silver State seek his fifth consecutive win when he takes on a field of eight in the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap at nine furlongs for older horses in Race 9 at 5:49 p.m. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Silver State launched his win streak in Kentucky with an allowance win in October at Keeneland ahead of an optional-claiming score at Churchill Downs a month later. He enters off two wins at Oaklawn in the Fifth Season in January and the Essex Handicap last out on March 13.

The 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom for older fillies and mares in Race 11 at 7:09 p.m. offers a heavyweight battle as the reigning champion older dirt female Monomoy Girl takes on last year’s champion 3-year-old filly Swiss Skydiver.

Trained by Brad Cox and owned by My Racehorse Stable, Spendthrift Farm and Madaket Stables, Monomoy Girl has banked more than $4.5 million in earnings from a record of 14 wins in 16 starts. A winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff in 2018 and 2020, Monomoy Girl captured the Grade 3 Bayakoa in her seasonal debut on February 28 in the slop at Oaklawn. Florent Geroux has the call aboard Monomoy Girl from the outermost post 6.

Peter J. Callahan’s Swiss Skydiver, trained by Kenny McPeek, boasts a record of 13-7-3-1 with purse earnings in excess of $2 million. The Daredevil chestnut captured the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga in August ahead of a runner-up effort to Shedaresthedevil in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. Swiss Skydiver exited that effort to best the boys in the Grade 1 Preakness before ending a five-win campaign with an off-the-board effort in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She launched her 4-year-old season with a score in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 13 at Santa Anita Park. Robby Albarado retains the mount from post 2.

The compact 11-day Big A spring meet comes to a close this weekend. Saturday’s action includes the $100,000 Woodhaven at 1 1/16-miles on turf for sophomores in Race 8 at 5:19 p.m.

On Sunday, the $100,000 Memories of Silver will feature sophomore fillies trying 1 1/16-miles on the turf, while the $200,000 NYSSS Park Avenue will feature eligible New York-sired sophomore fillies sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs.

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.