Slam Dunk Racing’s Maxim Rate got a perfect trip under Kent Desormeaux in the $100,000 Senorita Stakes (G3T) May 4 at Santa Anita Park and prevailed by a half-length.

Making his season debut May 4, Canada’s reigning champion male sprinter Pink Lloyd won the third straight edition of the $125,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine.

The connections that own Country House, awarded the 145th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), came together after the colt broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park Jan. 17 of this year in his third career start.

Gary West, breeder of Maximum Security, reacted graciously to his colt’s disqualification in the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1).

Bricks and Mortar has given trainer Chad Brown anxious moments more than once during his career, but in the May 4 $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs, he did what Brown trusts him to do–find the wire.

Mr. Money barreled home to win the $400,000 Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG and E and KU (G3) and earned his first graded stakes win for Allied Racing Stable. 

R Unicorn Stable’s Santa Monica turned in yet another solid effort when she recorded a 1 ¼-length victory in the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G2T) for fillies and mares, the first of three graded stakes on Kentucky Derby Day at Belmont Park. 

Klaravich Stables’ Irish-bred Digital Age stormed down the middle of Churchill Downs’ turf course to overtake pacesetter A Thread of Blue in deep stretch for a three-quarter-length victory in the American Turf Presented by Ram Trucks (G2T).

Roger Varian has high hopes of adding a second British classic to his CV with favorite Qabala and Mot Juste giving the Newmarket trainer a powerful hand in the May 5 QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (G1). 

From his rivals Magna Grecia came clear to stake his claim as the leading miler of his generation with a glorious QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) win May 4 at Newmarket. 

The sharp recent form Beau Recall has found under the care of trainer Brad Cox carried the 5-year-old daughter of Sir Prancealot straight to victory May 4 at Churchill Downs.

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt’s Mitole cut a path between rivals in mid-stretch before storming home clear to take the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G1) May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Mia Mischief got the jump on grade 1 winner Marley’s Freedom in the $500,000 Humana Distaff (G1) May 4 at Churchill Downs and pulled off an 11-1 upset in the first stakes race on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) under card.

On a drizzly May 4 morning, Churchill Downs workers had just finished installing the sign proclaiming Barn 29 as the home of Serengeti Empress, winner of the previous day’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) when a sleep-deprived trainer Tom Amoss arrived.

Bolt d’Oro (USA), the multiple Group 1-winning millionaire by Medaglia d’Oro and a leading U.S. two-year-old of 2017, will shuttle to Spendthrift Australia to stand the upcoming breeding season.

Some of Japan’s top 3-year-olds, both colts and fillies, drop back in distance to clash in the NHK Mile Cup (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse May 5.

Wagering on the 145th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 3 reached record levels at Churchill Downs as Serengeti Empress captured the race before a crowd of 105,719 that braved early morning rain.

Each Saturday NTRA and BloodHorse provide a one-stop guide to the day’s top stakes races. This week we’ll focus on the graded stakes at Churchill Downs. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). For full preview, click race link. 

Bob Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby (G1) with horses who finished second in their start before the Louisville classic as both Real Quiet in 1998 and Silver Charm in 1997 won the Derby off runner-up finishes in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Joel Politi’s Serengeti Empress grabbed the lead at the start and fended off a stretch bid from Liora to win the 145th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies May 3 at Churchill Downs.