Weekend Stakes Races: Grade III Bold Ruler Handicap and Grade II Fayette Stakes

Race-times:  Bold Ruler at 1:32 pm EST and Fayette Stakes at 5:05 pm EST

The Breeders’ Cup is just around the corner.  Right now, the best in the world are beginning to descend upon Santa Anita Park for the greatest two days of horse racing action in 2009.

Aqueduct and Keeneland won’t ever be Breeders’ Cup sites, but they still provide great racing on the weekends.  Both tracks also happen to have the two most intriguing stakes races of Saturday on their cards.

Let’s take a look at the Grade III Bold Ruler Handicap at Aqueduct on Saturday and the Grade II Fayette Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday.

Aqueduct – Race 4

Grade III Bold Ruler Handicap

$150,000

For Three Year Olds and Upward

7 furlongs on dirt

There isn’t a whole lot of speed in this race which is one of the reasons Lucky Island could turn around his recent terrible form.  After winning 4 races in a row, Lucky Island hasn’t hit the board in his last 5.  His last race was horrendous, but he figures to turn things around in this.  Lucky Island likes Aqueduct and if Garcia decides to go to the front with him, then he could wire this field. 

Cherokee Country has busted two impressive speed ratings in a row.  Both of those races were at Philadelphia Park but he doesn’t face that much better competition in this and he could be the horse to beat.  Bettors should expect his odds to come down from that 4 to 1 morning line.  Le Grand Cru can be an exceptionally fast horse at times and a slow horse at other times.  Cru is coming off of a nice pressing victory and deserves a shot in this.

1. Lucky Island
2. Cherokee Country
3. Le Grand Cru

Keeneland – Race 9

Grade II Fayette Stakes

$150,000

For Three Year Olds and Upward

1 1/8 miles on Polytrack

National Pride hasn’t been that great in his last two starts and he does try the Polytrack for the first time in his career, but trainer Kieran McLaughlin has been awesome at Keeneland winning with 43% of his starters and National Pride has some back class.  He’s worth a shot at the 12 to 1 morning line odds.  Blame is one heck of a racehorse.  He just lost to Regal Ransom, another good horse, in the Grade II Super Derby but he didn’t lose by much.  He’s the class of this field and could easily win it with some luck.  Parading returns to Keeneland after failing out at Southern California.  He’s a good horse, but the odds will be short and three losses in a row may have taken away his competitive edge.

1. National Pride
2. Blame
3. Parading