Three Year Old Races Aplenty To Wager On Saturday’s Snow Day

Snow may be in the forecast for much of Virginia this weekend, so the time could be right to hunker down and get an early sneak peak at some the three year old horses that are on the Derby trail.

Gulfstream Park, which hosts the $12 Million Pegasus World Cup on January 28th, cards five $100,000 stakes races Saturday January 7th, all for three year old colts or fillies. The males compete in either the Grade 3 Dania Beach Stakes (7.5 furlongs on turf), Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes (6 furlongs on dirt) or the Mucho Macho Man Stakes (1 mile on dirt) while ladies can opt for the Ginger Brew Stakes or Old Hat Stakes.

Santa Anita offers a trio of graded stakes as well including a three year old Derby prep — the Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes (one mile on dirt). Also on the card is the Grade 2, $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes and the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Cienegas Handicap. Delta Downs also has a $100,000 stakes for three year old state breds called the Pelican at seven furlongs.

Work is coming along at the Virginia Equine Alliance's new Off Track Betting Center inside "Ponies & Pints" in downtown Richmond.
Work is coming along at the Virginia Equine Alliance’s new Off Track Betting Center inside “Ponies & Pints” in downtown Richmond.

Virginia residents can wager all the action on line at TVG.com, XPressBet.com, TwinSpires.com and NYRAbets.com. The first Off Track Betting Center in Richmond, located inside Breakers Sports Grille (9127 West Broad St.) is open daily from 12 Noon – 11 PM. The second Richmond area OTB is set to open this coming Wednesday, January 11th, inside a new restaurant/bar called “Ponies & Pints” in downtown Richmond at 110 N. 18th Street. Follow progress updates on the new OTB at facebook.com/Virginia Horse Racing.