Santa Anita Park’s Championship Weekend happens on Sep. 26 and Sep. 27. Check out top plays and Horse Racing Odds for the Top Stakes Races of the Week from Saturday, September 26 to Sunday, September 27. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.

Horse Racing Odds & Picks for Top Stakes Races of the Week ( Sept. 21st)

Top Stakes Races for The Week

• When: Saturday, Sep. 26 – Sunday, Sep. 27

Saturday, Sep. 26 Horse Races

Belmont Park

• Grade 2 Vosburgh – 6 furlongs dirt – $150,000
• Grade 3 Noble Damsel – 1 mile turf – $100,000

Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap winner Volatile leads the Vosburgh field. Firenze Fire, T Loves a Fight, and Stan the Man are also pointing to the Vosburgh. 

Significant Form won last year’s Noble Damsel. She may show up for this year’s event if trainer Chad Brown believes she can pick up an easy paycheck.

Churchill Downs

• Grade 3 Ack Ack – 1 mile dirt – $100,000

A lot of talented runners have signed on for the Ack Ack on Saturday. Brad Cox trained Warrior’s Charge, who took the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin in his last, rates top billing.

Santa Anita Park

• Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes – 1 ¼ miles turf – $300,000
• Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes – 1 1/8 miles dirt – $300,000
• Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes – 1 1/16 miles dirt – $300,000

Red Lark and California Kook return to the races on Saturday in the Rodeo Drive Stakes. The top two finishers in the Grade 1 Del Mark Oaks will go off the two favorites to win the Rodeo Drive, Santa Anita’s prep for the Breeder’s Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Trainer Bob Baffert will saddle the two favorites to win the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes on Sep. 26. Wagering in SoCal’s prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic should center around Pacific Classic winner Maximum Security and Whitney winner Improbable. 

Who will be next year’s Kentucky Derby contenders? The American Pharoah Stakes on Saturday attempts to answer that question. Baffert trained Spielberg finished second behind Dr. Schivel in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. Trainer Mark Glatt will point Dr. Schivel to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, making Spielberg the likely favorite to win Saturday’s American Pharoah Stakes.  

Sunday, Sep. 27 Horse Races

Santa Anita Park

• Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship – 6 furlongs dirt – $200,000
• Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes – 1 1/16 miles dirt – $200,000

Past winners of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship have included Roy H, Omaha Beach, and Amazombie. Collusion Illusion has won all 3 of his races this year. He rates top billing in the 2020 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

Harvest Moon could go off the favorite in the Zenyatta Stakes. The Simon Callaghan trainee has won 3 in a row including taking the Grade 3 Torrey Pines over Secret Keeper in her last. Fighting Mad, Bob Baffert’s horse, and Venetian Harbor figure to pose serious challenges to Harvest Moon’s run to the winner’s circle. 

Have a great week!