Thanksgiving is not only about turkey and family gatherings but also features an exciting weekend filled with high-stakes horse racing. Leading the four-day holiday racing events are Churchill Downs’ closing weekend and Del Mar’s Turf Festival.
In Louisville, Kentucky, nine major stakes races take place, including the G2 Clark Stakes, G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, and G2 Golden Rod Stakes. The latter two, held on Saturday, offer points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks respectively.
At Del Mar, the highlight on turf during the Bing Crosby race’s final weekend will be the G1 Hollywood Derby and G1 Matriarch. These premier races are accompanied by six other stakes, five of which are graded, at the seaside track.
Meanwhile, the Florida Sire Stakes Series wraps up at Gulfstream Park with the My Dear Girl Stakes for young fillies and the In Reality Stakes for young colts and geldings, both run on the 1 1/16-mile main track.
On Friday at 5:54 PM, Churchill Downs hosts the G2 Clark Stakes, featuring graded winners Magnitude, Godzger, and Chunk of Gold, all representing the 2025 sophomore class. They’ll compete against notable runners like the 2025 Dubai World Cup champion Hit Show, previous Clark Stakes winner Rattle N Roll, and four-time graded stakes winner First Mission, who will retire to stud at Darley in 2026.
Saturday’s 5:25 PM G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs will see Father Add, a promising maiden winner from Spend Thrift Farm, making his stakes debut. Other contenders include G1 winner Universe, graded stakes winner Spice Runner, and Cherokee Nation from Bob Baffert’s stable.
At 6:30 PM, Del Mar’s G1 Hollywood Derby features Ammerman Racing LLC’s Test Scores aiming for a second G1 victory. Challenger Mars, a close runner-up in the Twilight Derby, returns alongside Woodbine’s Breeders’ Stakes winner Tom’s Magic and Chad Brown-trained Salamis from the East.
Fan Take: This thrilling Thanksgiving weekend racing lineup offers fans a chance to witness rising stars and seasoned champions battling for supremacy and Derby points, signaling exciting prospects for the future of horse racing. The blend of tradition and fierce competition promises to keep enthusiasts engaged and invested in the sport’s evolving storylines.
