Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes Highlight’s This Weekend’s Horse Betting

There is a busy weekend of horse betting on the card with all of your favorite online sportsbooks offering action through their racebook. For anyone following the 2021 Kentucky Derby Trail, Saturday’s card at Laurel Park and Sunday’s card at Oaklawn Park offer a pair of preps for three-year old Thoroughbreds.

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The Miracle Wood Stakes is a featured race on Laurel Park’s card ahead of Sunday’s Southwest Stakes as the main Kentucky Derby prep race this weekend.

2021 Miracle Wood Stakes Predictions

When: Saturday, February 20th 2021

Track: Laurel Park

The ungraded Miracle Wood Stakes is a one-mile run on the dirt track at Laurel with an anticipated post time of 1:23 p.m. (ET). This race is open to three-year old Thoroughbreds.

Horse Racing Nation has seven contenders listed as entered for this race with four colts carrying a HRN rating. Topping the field is Kenny Had A Notion with an HRN rating of 5.73. This Virginia-bred gelding is trained by Dale Capuano. He will break from the No. 5 post on Saturday with jockey Jorge Ruiz on board.

The son of Great Notion made his three-old debut at Laurel by winning the ungraded Spectacular Bid Stakes. He covered the seven furlongs on dirt with a winning time of 1:29.98.

Another horse to watch is trainer Anthony Pecoraro’s Newyearsblockparty breaking from the No. 2 post with Charlie Marquez as his jockey. Sired by New Year’s Day, he recently placed second in this year’s ungraded Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. This was his fifth finish in the money in seven career events.

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2021 Southwest Stakes Predictions

Track: Oaklawn Park

When: Sunday, February 21st 2021

This Grade 3 stakes race is open to three-year old Thoroughbreds. This year’s total prize purse is $750,000 plus qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. The race covers 1 1/16 miles on the dirt at Oaklawn.

The field for Sunday’s main event at Oaklawn is still coming together but it is shaping up to be a major reunion of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. If the field holds true, three of the top four finishers in that race will be making their three-year old debut on Sunday.

At the top of the list is Essential Quality as the winner of the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Trained by Brad Cox, he comes in with a HRN rating of 7.58. A win on Sunday could cement this Kentucky-bred colt’s status as an early Kentucky Derby favorite.

The son of Tapit won all three of his races as a two-year old. Along with the BC Juvenile, he placed first in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 3.

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Keepmeinmind was in the field for last Saturday’s Risen Star at Fair Grounds but trainer Robertino Diodoro opted to run him in this Grade 3 prep. The son of Laoban placed third in the BC Juvenile after taking second in the Breeders’ Futurity the month before.

This Kentucky-bred colt closed out his juvenile campaign by winning the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28.

Trainer Steve Asmussen is expected to run Jackie’s Warrior in the Southwest Stakes in his three-year old debut. Last time out, he was fourth in the BC Juvenile.

Sired by Maclean’s Music, this Kentucky-bred colt won both the Hopeful Stakes at Sarasota and the Champaign Stakes at Belmont as two Grade 1 events for two-year old Thoroughbreds.

Read our guide on the best graded horse races to bet on in 2021.