Picks for the Top Stakes Races with 2 Weeks till Kentucky Derby

With the Kentucky Derby just around the corner, now’s the time to lock in your Picks for the Top Stakes Races and take advantage of the best horse racing lines on this weekend’s action-packed card.

From the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes to the Royal Heroine and Senorita Stakes, our expert picks are built to help you ride the early momentum into Derby Week.

Racing Picks for the Top Stakes Races Before the Kentucky Derby
Just 2 Weeks to Derby! MUST-BET Picks & Analysis for This Weekend’s Top Stakes!

Top Stakes Races in April: Fourth Weekend Action | Friday, April 25 – Sunday, April 27
Keeneland Race Park – Oaklawn Park

Betting MyBookie Horse Racing in April: Top Stakes Races for the Weekend

The Kentucky Derby takes place in two weeks, which means there aren’t many graded stakes happening this weekend.

No worries.

There are plenty of terrific non-graded stakes races like the Woodhaven at Aqueduct, the Monroe at Gulfstream, and the Dig A Diamond at Oaklawn.

This weekend’s graded races are the Grade 3 Bewitch at Keeneland on Friday, the Grade 3 Royale Heroine at Santa Anita on Saturday and Sunday’s Grade 3 Senorita Stakes also at Santa Anita Park.

Check out more info for this week’s graded races so that when the updated horse racing lines land, you’re ready to lock in your picks.

Writer’s Picks on the Top Thoroughbred Stakes Races Happening this Weekend

Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes

1 ½ miles turf – 4 year old fillies and up
Friday, April 25th, 2025
Keeneland

The Bewitch should be an ultra-competitive race.

A number of fillies or mares could end up the chalk because only a single horse enters the Bewitch after winning their last.

Sabalenka won an allowance for trainer Joe Sharp in her last.

Sabalenka is making the step up to graded stakes competition, though.

So favoritism shouldn’t fall onto her shoulders.

Instead, horseplayers are likely to settle on Immensitude.

Second in the Grade 3 Very One in her last, the Bill Mott trainee has the makings of a serious player in this.

Forever After All and Eternal Silence also appear to be major players.

Forever After All finished fifth in the Very One.

She should improve.

Eternal Silence finished fourth in the Grade 2 Hillsborough in the last and is taking a step down in class.

Bet Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes: Keeneland Race Park

Woodhaven Stakes

1 mile turf – 3 year olds
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
Aqueduct

Although non-graded, the Woodhaven Stakes offers a healthy $125,000 purse, which is why trainers like Chad Brown, Mark Casse, Graham Motion, and Cristophe Clement have entered runners.

Brown’s equine is Septarian, a winner of 2-of-4 lifetime with a third.

Brown’s penchant for getting horses ready to run their best on grass should make Septarian the favorite.

Money will go to Mark Casse trained Dream On, which finished fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last year.

So far this year, Dream On hasn’t come close to repeating that performance but Casse is known for taking his time with horses so that they peak at the right moment.

This could be the moment Dream On peaks.

Revolutionnaire may go off the chalk.

The Clement runner has a 2-2-2 line from 7 starts.

That’s almost a one-hundred on the board finish, which is difficult for many turf horses to accomplish.

Give Revolutionnaire a long look.

If the price is right, consider pouncing.

Bet Woodhaven Stakes: Aqueduct Race Track

Monroe Stakes

1 1/16 miles turf – 3 and 4 year old fillies and maress
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
Gulfstream

A field of eleven will go in the Monroe Stakes at Gulfstream.

Contenders include a Mark Casse runner, Dancing in Dixie, two Cristophe Clement equines, Breath Away and Ozara, and Todd Pletcher trained Life’s An Audible.

No doubt, the most money will fall onto the Pletcher runner.

Life’s An Audible has a nice 3 wins and 3 places from 10 lifetime starts.

The likely chalk has earned $328,395 and Pletcher knows how to go into a race like the Monroe and steal the top prize.

Bet Monroe Stakes: Gulfstream Park

Dig A Diamond Stakes

1 mile dirt – 4 year old fillies and mares
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
Oaklawn

The winner’s share of a $200,000 purse is up for grabs when eight four year old fillies and mares enter the starting gate at Oaklawn Park for the non-graded Dig A Diamond Stakes.

Steve Asmussen will saddle 2-of-8.

Flashy Lass and Our Pretty Woman both have chances to score the victory.

But the favorite will be Tom Amoss trained Hoosier Philly.

The Amoss runner has scored close to $1 million after winning 6-of-18 starts.

Hoosier Philly has graded race talent, which means she should have most of her competition over a class barrel in this one.

If you don’t like the chalk, there are plenty of ways to go.

So make sure to handicap the race fully before committing to any filly or mare.

Bet Dig A Diamond Stakes: Oaklawn Park

Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes

1 mile turf – 4 year old fillies and up
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
Santa Anita

The Royal Heroine has attracted a field of thirteen, which makes it one of those rare turf events at Santa Anita where trainers and owners have decided to take a swing.

One of the reasons could be because the fillies and mares with turf talent are running in the upcoming grade 2 and grade 1 races on Derby Day.

In any case, Jonathan Thomas will look to make it back-to-back Grade 3 wins at the Great Race Place with Tirupati.

The Mitole sired miss won the Grade 3 Wilshire in the last.

Tirupati should go off the chalk in this.

Richard Mandella trained Venganza and Raw Ability from the John Sadler barn deserve long looks.

Also, never discount Phil D’Amato on the turf at SA.

D’Amato plans on running three: Public Assembly, Sun of Hill, and Eternal Reign.

All three should be taken seriously to prance into the winner’s circle.

Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes: Santa Anita Park

Grade 3 Senorita Stakes

6 ½ furlongs turf – 3 year old fillies
Sunday, April 27th, 2025
Santa Anita

Florida based trainer Jose D’Angelo ships a couple to the west coast hoping to score a victory in the Senorita Stakes.

D’Angelo thinks highly enough of Chloe and Spirited Boss, both winners in non-graded stakes in their last, to send them across the country.

For sure, D’Angelo wouldn’t ship unless he felt he could win this.

So Chloe and Spirited Boss are major players.

How About Pavel from the Doug O’Neil barn, Richard Mandella trained Amorita, and last out maiden winner Velocity for Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism trainer Mike McCarthy, can get it done.

The filly to take a long look at is one of those D’Amato horses, Jungle Peace.

Give that one a serious once over in the form and on the track before deciding to back any of the others.

Phil could sweep both graded turf races this weekend at Santa Anita.

Grade 3 Senorita Stakes: Santa Anita Park

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Want to dive deeper into Kentucky’s racing legacy? Check out our full guide on Kentucky Derby past winners and records to see how the legends stack up before this year’s top graded stakes take the spotlight.

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