​America's Day at the Races to broadcast Kentucky Derby preps coast-to-coast

by Brian Bohl

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 coverage both Saturday and Sunday showcasing live racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park, Tampa Bay Downs, Santa Anita Park and Fair Grounds.

Presented by America’s Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America’s Day at the Races will broadcast Saturday from 5-6 p.m. Eastern on FS2, while Sunday will feature coverage on FS2 from 1:30-6:30 p.m.

Saturday’s show will offer coverage of a trio of exciting Kentucky Derby prep races, beginning with the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham as a talented eight-horse field line up in Race 9 at 5:07 p.m at Aqueduct. The one-turn mile will offer 50-20-10-5 qualifying points to the top-four finishers, with the Chad Brown-trained Highly Motivated enters off back-to-back wins following a runner-up debut effort behind stablemate Founder in August at Saratoga Race Course. Brown and owner Klaravich Stables will also send out Crowded Trade. The chestnut colt registered an 83 Beyer in his winning debut.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert entered graded stakes-placed Freedom Fighter after finishing a close second to stablemate Concert Tour in the Grade 2 San Vicente on February 6 at Santa Anita. Capo Cane, third in the Withers last out, and the Todd Pletcher-trained Atlantic Road will also comprise the field.

In Tampa, another 50-20-10-5-point “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep will see a stocked 12-horse field compete in the Grade 2, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 5:25 p.m.

Candy Man Rocket, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, won the Sam F. Davis on February 6 at Tampa and will return in the 1 1/16-mile race at the same track.

Other contenders in the race include the unbeaten Helium, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, as well as Pletcher sending out Promise Keeper and Unbridled Honor, both last-out maiden winner. Conditioner Saffie Joseph Jr. also will saddle a pair of challengers in Moonlite Strike and Super Strong.

The third of the three 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby prep races on the day will be the Grade 2, $300,000 San Felipe in Santa Anita’s Race 6 at 5:30 p.m. Baffert, who has dreams of a history-making seventh overall win in the “Run for the Roses,” will look to see if Life is Good can remain unbeaten. Stablemate Medina Spirit, who was the runner-up in the Sham and won the Robert B. Lewis, will give Baffert coast-to-coast challengers on the Derby trail.

Sunday's racing action will feature the $100,000 Biogio’s Rose for New York-bred fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up at Aqueduct. Espresso Shot has won a stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack at ages 2, 3 and 4 and will look to register a win at the Big A for a fourth consecutive year she competes against five other contenders going a one-turn mile on Sunday. The Sunday broadcast will also feature live racing from Oaklawn, Tampa Bay Downs and Fair Grounds Race Course.

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.