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First Look: Ohio Derby, Chicago lead weekend stakes

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First Look: Ohio Derby, Chicago lead weekend stakes

The calendar has lightened considerably with the last of the Triple Crown races, but intriguing fields are lined up for this weekend’s stakes.

Kentucky Derby trail contenders return in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. Vahva, winner of three of her last four starts, all in graded stakes, looks for another one in the Chicago (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Here are the likely fields for these and two listed stakes on the weekend agenda.


Saturday

Ohio Derby (G3), Thistledown, 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds

Catching Freedom had won two of four starts, including the Louisiana Derby (G2), before finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Preakness. Uncle Heavy was 3-for-4 after winning the Withers (G3) by a nose, but then he was fifth in the Wood Memorial (G2) and sixth in the Preakness. Mugatu is 0-for-8 since breaking his maiden, including a fifth-place finish in the Blue Grass (G1) and eighth in the Preakness. Trainer Bill Mott considered the Belmont Stakes for Batten Down after he broke his maiden by 8 3/4 lengths but opted for this spot instead.

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Frizzante

Vino Rosso

0.00

Gregory D. Sacco

Isaac Castillo

2nd, PRX AOC (05/22/2024-R7)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, PRX AOC (05/22/2024-R7)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

2 Horse Silk Gould's Gold Gould’s Gold

Goldencents

5.45

Kenneth G. McPeek

Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.

2nd, 2024 Sir Barton Stakes LS

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, 2024 Sir Barton Stakes LS

2024 Ohio Derby G3

3 Horse Silk Charleston Charleston

Tapiture

0.00

Michael L. Rone

Luis Raul Rivera

3rd, OP MSW (2/24/24-R12)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, OP MSW (2/24/24-R12)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

4 Horse Silk Copper Tax Copper Tax

Copper Bullet

5.94

Gary A. Capuano

J. G. Torrealba

1st, 2024 Federico Tesio LS

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, 2024 Federico Tesio LS

2024 Ohio Derby G3

5 Horse Silk Uncle Heavy Uncle Heavy

Social Inclusion

6.19

Robert E. Reid Jr.

Mychel Sanchez

6th, 2024 Preakness Stakes G1

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

6th, 2024 Preakness Stakes G1

2024 Ohio Derby G3

6 Horse Silk Deposition Deposition

Constitution

0.00

Uriah St. Lewis

Dexter Haddock

1st, DEL AOC (06/05/2024-R6)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, DEL AOC (06/05/2024-R6)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

7 Horse Silk Who's The King Who’s The King

Not This Time

0.00

Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.

Rocco Bowen

6th, CD STR (05/31/2024-R9)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

6th, CD STR (05/31/2024-R9)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

8 Horse Silk Catching Freedom Catching Freedom

Constitution

7.72

Brad H. Cox

Luis Saez

3rd, 2024 Preakness Stakes G1

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, 2024 Preakness Stakes G1

2024 Ohio Derby G3

9 Horse Silk Batten Down Batten Down

Tapit

5.23

William I. Mott

Junior Alvarado

1st, CD MSW (4/30/24-R4)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD MSW (4/30/24-R4)

2024 Ohio Derby G3

10 Horse Silk Mugatu Mugatu

Blofeld

5.47

Jeff Engler

Ramon A. Vazquez

8th, 2024 Preakness Stakes G1

2024 Ohio Derby G3

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

8th, 2024 Preakness Stakes G1

2024 Ohio Derby G3


Lady Jacqueline (listed), Thistledown, 1 1/8 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Musical Mischief is 0-for-3 this year, most recently finishing second to odds-on favorite Shotgun Hottie in the Allaire Dupont Distaff. Misty Veil was in the money for her first three starts this year, including second by a neck in the Azeri (G2), before finishing eighth in the Apple Blossom (G1) last out. Kenny McPeek’s Corningstone is coming off an optional-claiming allowance at this track and distance on June 9.

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Horse Silk Batucada Batucada

Union Rags

4.79

Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.

Luis Saez

1st, GP AOC (05/31/2024-R5)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, GP AOC (05/31/2024-R5)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

2 Horse Silk Magic Palace Magic Palace

Palace Malice

0.00

Raquel A. Castro

Fernando Salazar Becerra

3rd, TDN ALW (06/03/2024-R4)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, TDN ALW (06/03/2024-R4)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

3 Horse Silk Dot Marie Dot Marie

Army Mule

3.79

Eduardo Caramori

Yan Aviles

7th, Sar Allow (6/6/24-R7)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

7th, Sar Allow (6/6/24-R7)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

4 Horse Silk Frosty O Toole Frosty O Toole

Frosted

3.79

Michael Dini

Rocco Bowen

4th, 2024 Serena’s Song LS

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

4th, 2024 Serena’s Song LS

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

5 Horse Silk Musical Mischief Musical Mischief

Into Mischief

5.59

Michael W. McCarthy

Edgar Morales

2nd, 2024 Allaire Dupont Distaff LS

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, 2024 Allaire Dupont Distaff LS

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

6 Horse Silk Misty Veil Misty Veil

Tonalist

5.77

Michael J. Maker

Ramon A. Vazquez

8th, 2024 Apple Blossom Handicap G1

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

8th, 2024 Apple Blossom Handicap G1

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

7 Horse Silk Corningstone Corningstone

Kantharos

4.84

Kenneth G. McPeek

Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.

1st, CD AOC (06/09/2024-R2)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD AOC (06/09/2024-R2)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

8 Horse Silk Key To Success Key To Success

Cupid

3.79

Kim A. Puhl

Luis Antonio Gonzalez

1st, TDN ALW (06/10/2024-R3)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, TDN ALW (06/10/2024-R3)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

9 Horse Silk Yankee Dollar Yankee Dollar

California Chrome

0.00

Marcus J. Vitali

3rd, Wildcat S.

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, Wildcat S.

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

10 Horse Silk Red Hot Lass Red Hot Lass

Texas Red

4.45

Jeffrey Skerrett

Jose A. Bracho

1st, TDN ALW (06/03/2024-R4)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, TDN ALW (06/03/2024-R4)

2024 Lady Jacqueline LS

Chicago (G3), Churchill Downs, 7 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

After closing out 2023 with two graded-stakes wins, Vahva returned from a five-month layoff to finish second in the Madison (G1) and win the Derby City Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Chi Town Lady was fourth in the Derby City Distaff after returning from a nearly eight-month break to win the black-type Minaret in February. Society, winner of this race last year, makes her first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Wild Applause (listed), Aqueduct, 1 mile (turf), 3-year-old fillies

Gala Brand would make her first start since finishing 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She had won her first two starts in August, including the With Anticipation (G3), before finishing fourth in the Miss Grillo (G2). Awesome Czech would make her first start since finishing second by a neck in the Tepin in November. In her first start since she finished sixth in the Demoiselle (G2) in December, Vino Rouge finished third in a May 19 allowance at Aqueduct. Tina Ballerina broke her maiden in April on her third try then was fourth in an optional-claiming allowance last month. One or two are possible from Chad Brown, who nominated seven fillies here.

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