The month of September rolls in with a bang when it comes to wagering on major graded stakes races. This Saturday, Del Mar Racetrack in Southern California heats things up with the running of the Del Mar Derby as the featured event on this track’s live card. This is one of two graded events on the board.

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As the annual summer meet at Saratoga Race Course winds down, Saturday’s card offers four graded events led by the Jockey Club Gold Cup. This is a “Win and You Are In” event for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.

2021 Del Mar Derby Picks

When: Saturday, September 4th 2021

Where: Del Mar Racetrack

The Grade 2 Del Mar Derby is open to three-year old Thoroughbreds. This year’s race offers a total prize purse of $250,000. It will be contested on the turf track at Del Mar covering 1 1/8 miles in total distance.

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Top Favorites to Win the Del Mar Derby 2021

As the field for this race comes together, Horse Racing Nation has eight horses listed as probable. Headlining the field is trainer Doug O’Neill’s Hockey Dad with an HRN rating of 5.73. The sire of Nyquist is coming off a second-place finish in an Allowance Claimer race at Del Mar on Aug. 12.

The three-year old Californian colt has placed in the money in six of his previous eight races. This includes a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway Park earlier this year.

Another top contender expected to run in this race is Flashiest with a 5.12 HRN rating. Coming off a disappointing fade to 11th place in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, trainer Leonard Powell is looking for a much better effort if son of Mizzen Mast runs on Saturday.

One to Watch

You can put Crew Dragon at the top of this list if trainer John Sadler give the three-year old Kentucky-bred colt the green light to run. He just won an Allowance Claimer at Del Mar on Aug. 12. In eight career races, the son of Exaggerator has yet to finish out of the money.

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2021 Jockey Club Gold Cup Picks

When: Saturday, September 4th 2021

Where: Saratoga Race Course

This Grade 1 events is one of the biggest of the summer at Saratoga with a set prize purse of $1 million. Open to Thoroughbreds three and older, the Jockey Club Gold Cup covers 1 1/4 miles on the dirt at this track.

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Top Favorites to Win the Jockey Club Gold Cup 2021

The biggest betting race this weekend is expected to have seven entries as this field continues to take shape. As an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, this race could set up a rematch between Max Player and Happy Saver.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Max Player is coming off a victory in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on July 3. He covered the 1¼ miles on dirt in 2:01.95. The son of Honor Code placed fifth in the both the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Happy Saver placed third in the Suburban Stakes his last time out. Trained by Todd Pletcher, this four-year old Kentucky-bred colt won his previous five races including a victory in last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup over Mystic Guide and Tacitus.

One to Watch

If you are looking to stretch the odds in this race, Night Ops earns a closer look. Trainer Brad Cox is expected to run this five-year old on Saturday after he placed second at Saratoga in this year’s ungraded Alydar Stakes on Aug. 6. Sired by Warrior’s Reward, he has finished in the money in 10 of his last 11 races.