Road to the Kentucky Derby turns into a superhighway this weekend

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- The Road to the Kentucky Derby becomes an expressway this weekend, with stops in Louisiana and New Mexico likely to sort out some real contenders from the pretenders.

Elsewhere, Fair Grounds has an excellent program surrounding its Derby prep and Laurel Park stages its annual festival for sprinters.

As the international scene heats up before next weekend's super Saudi Cup weekend, Switzerland is the early favorite for Saturday's Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington in Australia.

The Road to the Roses

The ante goes up for 3-year-olds with roses in their eyes as Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Risen Star at Fair Grounds is the first race in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" series to award 50 points to the winner -- usually enough to make it to the Louisville starting gate.

Sunday's $400,000 Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico is the final 20-point race in the series.

The Risen Star field has, among others: Built, winner of the Gun Runner Stakes and second in the Grade III Lecomte, both at Fair Grounds; and East Avenue, winner of the Grade I Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last October but idle since finishing ninth in the Breeders' Cup.

Also, Vassimo, undefeated after two starts for trainer Todd Pletcher; and Jonathan's Way, winner of September's Grade II Iroquois at Churchill Downs, seventh in the Breeders' Cup and second in the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club in December under the Twin Spires.

East Avenue, a Godolphin homebred by Medaglia d'Oro, trained by Brendan Walsh, is the 9-5 favorite on the morning line.

Sunday's $400,000 Sunland Park Derby attracted nine, including Bob Baffert's Getaway Car, who was sent to this as an alternative to next weekend's Saudi Derby; Touchy, who invades from Kentucky for trainer Wesley Ward; and Caldera, a recent Oaklawn Park maiden winner for D. Wayne Lukas.

They'll face the 1-2-3 finishers from the local Riley Allison Derby -- Take Charge Tom, Remember Big Jim and Smash It.

Meanwhile, Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager runs this weekend, Friday at noon EST through Sunday at 6 p.m. or about 90 minutes before post time for the Risen Star.

As usual, oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has made "All Other 3-Year-Olds" the overall favorite at 9-2. The only individual interests who drew single-digit odds are both trained by Baffert -- last year's Breeders' Cup and Eclipse Award winner Citizen Bull, recent winner of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes in his 3-year-old debut, and Barnes, who is a bit behind his stablemate, but hasn't done anything to discourage his backers.

Churchill Downs offers $2 win and exacta wagering. Remember: There are no refunds. If your horse doesn't make it to the starting gate for any reason, you are out of luck.

The Road to the Oaks

Seven signed on for Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds and three stand out from the rest.

Good Cheer, another Godolphin Medaglia d'Oro homebred, is undefeated after four starts and makes her 3-year-old debut after winning the Grade II Golden Rod at Churchill Downs to cap 2024.

Simply Joking, a Practical Joke filly, is 2-for-2 and won the local Silverbulletday over a sloppy Fair Grounds track in her latest.

Ballerina d'Oro has been good and not so good, but looked much improved in finishing second in the Grade II Demoiselle at Aqueduct in her last outing. And, yes, she also is by Medaglia d'Oro.

Baffert also sends out the favorite in Sunday's $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks -- Maysam, who won her only previous start at Santa Anita on Jan. 24. Steve Asmussen fields potential rivals Runnin N Gunnin and Enchanting.

Saturday's $150,000 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn Park is only 6 furlongs, so we'll have to see how it plays out.

Turf / Filly & Mare Turf

Saturday's $175,000 Fair Grounds Stakes is 1 1/8 miles on the lawn. Gigante has been impressive in winning last two starts, both local but one off the turf. As they say in poker, if you can beat 'em, bet 'em.

Saturday's $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial at Fair Grounds has a field full of fillies and mares, with Nanda Dea, another of those Ignacio Corerras IV-trained South American imports, as the favorite.

Turf Sprint

A competitive field of 10 is entered for Saturday's $100,000, 5 1/2-furlongs Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Classic

Last year's Louisiana Derby winner, Catching Freedom, returns from nearly eight months on the sidelines to contest Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds. He gets Lasix for the first time, but may need more than that to prevail in this field. Heroic Move has won two straight, lately the Grade III Louisiana Stakes in the New Orleans slop.

Also, Saturday's $100,000 John B. Campbell at Laurel Park has seven, with Offaly Cool, Speedyness and Hittheroadjak bunched atop the morning line.

Distaff

Grand Job is a slight favorite on the morning line in a big field set for Saturday's $165,000 Grade III Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park. That's appropriate as her trainer, Bill Mott, also trained the late Royal Delta through a fabulous career from 2010 through 2019. If only she could have handled old Tapeta surface at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai!

Saturday's $100,000 Nellie Morse at Laurel Park has six, featuring Sea Dancer and Headline Numbers.

Sprint

Big City Lights won last year's Grade III Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita and returns in Saturday's $100,000 renewal as the 2-5 morning-line pick.

The 6-year-old son of Mr. Big has won four of his last six starts and hasn't missed a first-three finish in any of his 13 races. Sold as a yearling for $22,000, the California-bred has earned $578,420 for owner William Peeples. As former Daily Racing Form writer Marty McGee points out, "It's an easy game."

Prince of Jericho and Quint's Brew top a field of six for Saturday's $200,000 General George at Laurel Park.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Irish Maxima, winner of four of her last five, is the even-money morning-line pick in Saturday's $200,000 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park.

Around the world, around the clock

Australia

Switzerland holds the favorite's hand in Saturday's Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington, aided by the presence of trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald, who gives up promising rides elsewhere to take this one. Growing Empire also has strong support in the field of 12 set to go 1,000 meters.

Among the mounts McDonald forsakes is Via Sistina, the sprinting sensation who is entered for the Group 2 Apollo Sakes at Royal Randwick.