Capsules for Busy Saturday of Derby Preps, Big 'Cap

Throughout the year, the NTRA and BloodHorse will provide a guide to the best Saturday stakes races in North America and beyond, complete with entries and links to full previews. Races are listed in chronological order (all times ET). 2:18 p.m.—$100,000 Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs (TVG) The Bill Mott-trained Modernist seeks his first victory in more than a year when he breaks from the outside post in a field of five for the Challenger Stakes going 1 1/16 miles. Modernist won the grade 2 Risen Star Stakes in February 2020 but has not started since finishing fifth in the grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes July 16. 4:02 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct on TVG Gold Square's Wendell Fong will look to make the grade in the Tom Fool Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for older horses. Wendell Fong provided trainer Natalia Lynch, previously an assistant and exercise rider for Jeremiah Englehart, her first career win last out with a neck score in the six-furlong Fire Plug Stakes Jan. 16 at Laurel Park. 4:25 p.m.—$225,000 Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay Downs (TVG) Magic Attitude (GB) will try to launch an even better 4-year-old campaign in the Hillsborough at 1 1/8-miles on the turf. In September Magic Attitude, after trailing early took off in the stretch, sweeping to victory against four rivals to win the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T). 4:55 p.m.—$200,000 Florida Oaks (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs (TVG) Trainer Arnaud Delacour, who will saddle Magic Attitude in the Hillsborough, is seeking his first triumph in the Florida Oaks when he sends out Lael Stables homebred Be Sneaky. 5:07 p.m.—$300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct (FS2, TVG) Owner Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown already campaigned a winner in a Kentucky Derby qualifier in New York when Risk Taking captured the grade 3 Withers last month. Now they'll look to put another contender in the running for the first Saturday in May with stakes-winner Highly Motivated in the Gotham. 5:25 p.m.—$400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs (FS2, TVG) The Tampa Bay Derby will bring together 12 3-year-olds, most with much to prove if they are to continue to advance toward a date with destiny in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Headlining the field will be Candy Man Rocket, who won the grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes here Feb. 6. 5:45 p.m.—$300,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park (FS2, TVG) Bob Baffert's lightly raced Life Is Good heads an outstanding field of seven sophomores in the San Felipe Stakes. A key prep for the grade 1 Santa Anita Derby April 3, the San Felipe will be contested for the 83rd time, with Baffert bidding to win it for a record eighth time. 6:10 p.m.—$300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park (TVG) Juddmonte Farms' two-time winner Sun Path was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies signed on to compete in the 1 1/16-miles Honeybee, which offers 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). 6:52 p.m.—$200,000 San Carlos Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park (TVG) Jay Em Ess Stable's graded stakes winning Extra Hope will cut back in distance off five consecutive routes as he heads a field of nine older horses going seven furlongs in Saturday's San Carlos Stakes. 7:26 p.m.—$400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park (TVG) Trainer Michael McCarthy's Smooth Like Strait heads a deep and competitive field of 10 older horses in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile. A winner of the opening day Mathis Brothers Mile (G2T) Dec. 26, Cannon Thoroughbreds' homebred Smooth Like Strait is a head away from three consecutive graded stakes wins. 8 p.m.—$400,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park (TVG) Goldolphin's unbeaten homebred Maxfield heads the 2021 Santa Anita Handicap, which has attracted a field of eight older horses. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield, a 4-year-old colt by Street Sense, rallied from far back to win the grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots under Florent Geroux, who will be back aboard Saturday.