The $75,000 Clocker’s Corner Stakes January 24 at Santa Anita features a field of ten set to contest the six and a half furlong downhill turf event.
Rocket Heat, the 7/2 morning line favorite, will break from the rail for trainer Vann Belvoir after finishing third in the December 26 Grade 3 Daytona Stakes. A winner of 5 of 12 career starts, Rocket Heat will be ridden by Edwin Maldonando and figures to factor prominently in the early pace scenario. The year-old gelded son of Latent Heat made all 12 career starts as a three year-old in 2015, enjoying a productive campaign that netted over $187,000 for his connections while racing out of the money just four times.
Home Run Kitten, one of two 4/1 shots in the race, will break from post 8 while making his first start since May 9 when the five year-old David Hofmans trainee finished eighth in the Grade 3 American Stakes. Prior to that effort, Home Run Kitten finished third in three straight graded stakes races in 2015 and finished 2014 with a second in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Stakes. Jockey Joe Talamo will be in the irons for the return. The Clocker's Corner will represent Home Run Kitten's first non-graded stakes try in his last eight races.
Ocho Ocho Ocho (8/1), a familiar name from the 2015 Triple Crown trail, gets back in action following his ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile December 26. The former Delta Jackpot stakes winner who finished 14th in the 2015 Kentucky Derby has been a non-factor in each of his last three races.
The Grade 2 $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby features the two biggest names from the Triple Crown trail September 24 at Parx as a field of 12 gathers in one of the most intriguing betting races of the year.
The $1 million Cotillion Stakes September 24 at Parx features a true clash of the titans as the six-horse field is headlined by the undefeated, five-time grade 1 winner Songbird who figures to face the most stern challenge of her career.
In a completely wide open renewal of the Presque Isle Mile September 18 at Presque Isle Downs, 13 runners including the also-eligible will contest the eight furlong trip over synthetic footing.
Champion Songbird is set to make her much-anticipated return to the races in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Grade 2 event will be run at a mile and a sixteenth and has attracted a field of seven.
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