The 2019 trail to the Kentucky Derby heats up coast to coast this Saturday as three Prep Races are being contested.

Aqueduct Park has the Grade 3 Withers Stakes.  It is the second stop on New York’s road to the 2019 Kentucky Derby.  Saturday’s race carries a $250,000 purse and KD qualifying points to the Top 4 finishers on a 10-4-2-1 scale.

The mile and an eighth distance represents a challenge for most 3-year-olds at this point in their careers, but the deep racing surface at Aqueduct makes it an even tougher task. This stretch out from any one-turn distance to this two-turn feature will quickly make it clear if a horse can handle the Triple Crown distances.

The Withers, attracted seven runners,  and is race 9 on a card of ten.  Post Time is scheduled for 4:30 pm eastern time.

The Grade 2, $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes kicks off the 2019 Kentucky Derby Trail trail at Gulfstream Park.  Ten 3-year-olds have been entered for this 1 mile & a 1/16th race.

Points toward a spot in the Churchill Downs starting gate May 4th will also be awarded at the rate of 10-4-2-1.  This race is the first of three Gulfstream Park preps, followed by the March 2nd Fountain of Youth (G2) and March 30th Florida Derby (G1).

A field of ten will compete in the Holy Bull, which is Race 11 on a card of 12 with a post time of 5:13 p.m. eastern time.

And rounding out the day is the Grade 3, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes.
The race is a 1 mile & a 1/16th at Santa Anita Park.  The point pay-outs are the same as the above mentioned races.

A short field of six horses will vie for the top spot here.  The Robert B. is race six on a card of ten, with an approximate post time of 5:30 p.m. eastern time.

So be sure to check out the Daily Racing Blog on Friday when we take a closer look at some of the horses in all three of these races, and offer up some of our Value Driven Choices.