Turning to a new year of horse racing, avid bettors are hoping for a return to some sense of normal. The coronavirus pandemic turned the 2020 schedule of major graded events upside down. Looking ahead to 2021, here are few major races that should attract quite a bit of betting attention.
Best Online Horse Betting Sites
January
The 2021 Kentucky Derby prep race season for the top three-year old Thoroughbreds gets underway early in the year with the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Later in the month at Santa Anita, the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes is another early prep.
The biggest horse race of the month is the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. This year’s total prize purse for top Thoroughbreds age four and up is $3 million.
February
The Kentucky Derby Trail starts to heat up with the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct early in the month. Also on the slate is the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Santa Anita and Gulfstream will also host a few more preps.
February closes out with the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream as a popular Kentucky Derby prep.
March
Oaklawn Park’s Grade 2 Rebel Stakes is one of the biggest preps this month with $1 million in prize money. Fair Grounds will host the annual Grade 2 Louisiana Derby later in the month followed by the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream to close out March.
Expert Sports Handicapper Reviews
April
The final round a major graded Kentucky Derby preps will put the final touches on the actual 20- horse field. This list includes the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.
May
One of the biggest betting events of the year is once again set for the first Saturday in May. The annual Kentucky Derby marks the start of the 2021 Triple Crown racing season for the best in class of three-year old Thoroughbreds.
With the Derby on May 1, the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course takes place two weeks later on May 15 as the second jewel.
June
The final jewel in the Triple Crown series highlights this month with the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. This year’s race is set for Saturday, June 5.
UK racing fans can look forward to this year’s Royal Ascot covering an entire week of major graded events at Ascot Racecourse in England.
What is a Trifecta and Superfecta?
July
Live horse racing at Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Del Mar mark the start of the summer racing schedule.
One of the top events in July is the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.
August
Summer racing continues at tracks from coast to coast. The Grade 1 Arlington Million highlights early August. The Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar is another big betting race.
September
Kentucky Downs is one of the featured tracks with live racing this month along with the start of Belmont Park’s fall meet later in September.
Pay Per Head Bookie Services
October
The final round of major graded events ahead of next month’s Breeders’ Cup will help set the field for many of the races in that two-day event. Keeneland’s fall meet is another thing to look forward to.
November
The biggest two-day betting event in horse racing takes place the first weekend of the month. This year’s Breeders’ Cup will be held at Del Mar Racetrack on Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6.
This event features 14 different major graded stakes races with more than $30 million in total prize money.
December
As another exciting year of racing winds down, December is a great time to get an early look at the upcoming class of Triple Crown contenders.
Aqueduct hosts the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes for juveniles while the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity is the last big race of the year for up and coming two-year old’s.
