​America's Day at the Races to show Kentucky Derby prep race amid slew of weekend stakes

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 stakes action from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park, and Turfway Park.

Presented by America’s Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America’s Day at the Races will broadcast Saturday from 2:30-7:30 p.m. Eastern, with coverage for the first half hour on FS2 before shifting to FS1 from 3-4:30 p.m. FS2 will pick up coverage from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Aqueduct will have six of its 10 total stakes shown on Saturday’s broadcast, highlighting NYRA’s New York Claiming Championship series that offers a total of $620,000 in purses. The New York Claiming Championship is open to horses which have started for a prescribed claiming price in 2020-21. The series, each named after some of the most popular claiming horses to run at the Big A, features races at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 3/8 miles.

The Big A televised stakes will start with the $55,000 Kelly Kip for 4-year-olds and up going six furlongs in Race 4 at 2:50 p.m. Following in order will be the $45,000 Belle Gallantey for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs in Race 5 at 3:20 p.m., the $70,000 Peeping Tom for 4-year-olds and up at 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 6 at 3:52 p.m., the $60,000 More To Tell for older horses going a one-turn mile in Race 7 at 4:24 p.m., the $60,000 Sis City for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up at one mile in Race 8 at 5 p.m., the $75,000 Stud Muffin for older horses competing at a marathon 1 3/8 miles in Race 9 at 5:34 p.m., and the $45,000 Dads Caps in the 10th-race finale for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs at 6:10 p.m.

Turfway Park will have three consecutive stakes broadcast, starting with the $150,000 Kentucky Cup Classic for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles in Race 9 at 5:10 p.m. Race 10 will offer up the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks for sophomore fillies going one mile at 5:45 p.m.

Stakes action at the track will conclude with the Grade 3, $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks, also a 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifier. Hush of a Storm, the winner of the John Battaglia Memorial, is 3-for-3 over the Tapeta track at Turfway. Gretzky the Great, the Nyquist colt, is a Grade 1 winner, having captured the Summer at Woodbine for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

Oaklawn will see nine Arkansas-bred 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs in the $150,000 Nodouble Breeders’ in Race 10 at 5:52 p.m.

As an additional programing note, live coverage of the Group 1, $12 million Dubai World Cup airs Saturday at noon Eastern on FS1. The field for the 25th renewal of the Dubai World Cup is headlined by multiple graded stakes winner Mystic Guide and will include a collection of standout runners from around the world.

Coverage of the Dubai World Cup undercard, featuring six stakes races, will air live from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on FS1. The ‘Golden Hour’ telecast, featuring live coverage of the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic and Group 1 Dubai World Cup, will air from noon-1 p.m., Eastern on FS1. Coverage of the Dubai World Cup card on FS1 is presented by Star Guitar.

Sunday’s coverage will run from 1:30-6 p.m. on FS2, highlighted by Aqueduct’s $100,000 Haynesfield for New York-bred 4-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile.

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.