Heading into the last Saturday before the big Thanksgiving holiday, there are no marquee horse racing events on the weekend card. However, there is still some great betting action on the board this Saturday at a trio of different featured tracks running a live card.
2021 Native Diver Stakes Predictions
Where: Del Mar Racetrack
One of the bigger events on the board this Saturday is at Del Mar Racetrack with the running of the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes. Open to Thoroughbreds three and older, this stakes race covers 1 1/8 miles on the dirt.
The actual field for this race is still wide open with as many as 11 contender listed as possible by Horse Racing Nation. The top horse on my list to win is the veteran Midcourt if he runs.
Midcourt is trained by John Shirreffs. The six-year old gelding is coming off a tough eighth-place finish in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita against some stiff competition. That race was won by Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.
The son of Midnight Lute is still the class of this projected field based on his overall racing resume. He placed second in this event last year as part of a string of 10 runs in the money in 11 events going back to the 2019 racing season.
2021 Red Smith Stakes Predictions
Where: Aqueduct Racetrack
Moving to the turf track at one of the more iconic tracks on the East Coast, the Grade 2 Red Smith Stakes for Thoroughbreds three and older will cover 1 3/8 miles in total distance.
This is another field that has yet to be finalized but it is shaping up to be a good one according to the list of nine probable entries on the board at HRN.
The horse that stands out of the crowd as my winning pick would be Channel Cat. This six-year old Kentucky-bred horse is also coming off a rough run his last time out. He finished sixth at Kentucky Downs in the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup.
Trained by Jack Sisterson, he is due to turn things around if he gets a chance to race this Saturday at Aqueduct. Sired by English Channel, this is the same horse that won this year’s Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes at Belmont Park back in early May.
2021 Jean Lafitte Stakes Predictions
Where: Delta Downs
As the second-most famous race track in Louisiana, Delta Downs offers up some exciting racing this time of the year. One of the featured events on this Saturday’s card is the ungraded Jean Lafitte Stakes for two-year old Thoroughbreds. They will cover a mile on the dirt in this race.
The field for this event has been finalized with 10 contenders listed as entered. The class of the field and my top choice to win is Kaely’s Brother. Trained by Brad Cox, he will break from the No. 7 post with Timothy Thornton as his jockey.
Sired by Twirling Candy, the Kentucky-bred colt looked impressive in his first-place run in a six- furlong Maiden Special Weight race at Keeneland on Oct. 9. Winning this race would be a major step up in his early racing career heading into his three-year old campaign next year.
Read our horse racing betting guide if you’re new to the sport.
