This weekend is one of those few times that we will be able to look at racing at CNL, as the track hosts two big races. One of them is the $500.000 VA Derby, a race that has seen significant changes from what it has been in the past, as it is moved to the dirt for the first time.
STAKES ARTICLES
All the Stakes previews and reviews.
Plenty of Chances in VA Oaks
VA Oaks [KYO]CNL Race #1 1 1/16m Dirt StakePurse $250.000 For Fillies Three Years Old. 1 Heaven In The Bronx Langley Farms Centeno D E 122 — It is a bit of a stretch to see this one’s form being… Read More ›
Mb Scores Another Big Win as Banned Closes to Take The TAM Derby
3/8/2025 12 TAM The TAM Derby (GIII) [KYD] $400.000 1 1/16th Mile Dirt 120lbs If you mashed The Card and my picks together, you walked away with a handsome $1,004.70 tri… nice! Sometimes,… Read More ›
Aliens Looks Out of This World in The Hurricane Bertie
The Hurricane Bertie – Grade III 6 1/2 Furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $165.000 Filly & Mare 4 Year Olds And Up. 1st Aliens Team 7 Illusions Van Dyke D This one raced for Smokey Stover four times in 2023 placing… Read More ›
Mb Takes a One-Two in The FL Oaks
The FL Oaks – Grade III 1 1/16 Mile Turf Stake Purse $200.000 Filly 3 Year Olds. 1st Creepy Ruler Mb Stables Spencer J P Whilst her stable mate was stalking just an average pace she went back to be… Read More ›
Lady Hilltopper Wins Today’s Battle as We May Have Just Witnessed the Race of the Year So Far
The Hillsborough Stakes – Grade II 1 1/8 Mile Turf Stake Purse $225.000 Filly & Mare 4 Year Olds And Up. 1st Lady Hilltopper Black N Gold Stable Velazquez J R Well, this was just one of the great finishes… Read More ›
Rock Creek Uses “Charm” to Take Challenger at TAM
3/8/2025 6 TAM The Challenger Stakes (GIII) $125.000 4yo 11/16th Mile Dirt 122lbs + penalties It was a swing and a miss for us, handicapping this one… but at nearly 9/1 odds, I don’t think a log… Read More ›
Max Party Goes Wire to Wire in Big Daddy
Away from the bright lights of the more well known races on Saturday, the Big Daddy took place at TP for just the second time. Surprisingly, Max Party went off as the second longest shot on the board at 14/1, though he was among our picks.
Wavy Girl Shines in Stretch to Win The Azeri
Out at SA, we saw Wasted Away, the winner of the BC Distaff run for the first time in 2025. In the Azeri, we had Wavy Girl, another one that ran in the BC Distaff, make her third start in six weeks. The result: layoff or a busy schedule, it doesn’t matter as they both are winners today.
Wasted Away’s Dominance Continues with Beholder Mile Win
After her dominant three year old season that saw her win both the KYO and the BC Distaff, among others, Wasted Away returned to the race track after some well deserved time off to make her four year old racing debut. This filly by Fire N Fury had not been wasting away over the last four months and successfully took care of business in the Beholder Mile just like we are used to her doing.