Another holiday weekend is upon us and there is plenty of stakes race action to keep players engaged Saturday thru Monday. Saturday (Jan. 14) features a four pack of graded stakes and a pair are on tap holiday Monday (Jan. 16). And speaking of on tap, the Virginia Equine Alliance’s newest Off Track Betting Center — at Ponies & Pints — will open in downtown Richmond Monday at 12 Noon. The OTB is located at 110 N. 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom in the former Tiki Bob’s Cantina building. The restaurant/bar, which will make its debut Monday as well, has over 50 beers on tap in addition to full service dining.
Ponies & Pints features a horseplayers exclusive room with 4 self betting terminals, 2 manned teller stations and 13 flat screen TVs
The main focus Saturday is at Gulfstream Park where in two weeks, the $12 million Pegasus World Cup will be contested. This weekend, three graded stakes go to post — -the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (Gr. 2), $150,000 Hal’s Hope (Gr. 3) and $150,000 Marshua’s River (Gr. 3). Santa Anita hosts the Grade 2, $200,000 La Canada Stakes the same day and Oaklawn chips in with the $125,000 Pippin Stakes as part of their opening weekend festivities.
On Sunday, Aqueduct hosts the $125,000 Busanda Stakes for 3 year old fillies then on Monday, they’ll present the Grade 3, $125,000 Toboggan Stakes. Oaklawn has the only Derby prep race this weekend — the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3 year olds, which takes place on Monday. Santa Anita finishes out the holiday weekend with the $100,000 Megahertz Stakes (Gr. 3), also on Monday.
All the action is available to wager at the Breakers Off Track Betting Center as well in Richmond’s west end (9127 W. Broad Street in the TJ Maxx Shopping Center). Virginia residents can also play via one of four on liner partner sites — TVG.com, XPressBet.com, TwinSpires.com and NYRABets.com.