Sports

Let’em Run: Switching It Up for a High-Stakes Race Weekend

Published

2 days ago

April 3, 2025

Aqueduct race track

This weekend, we’re changing things up on Let’em Run! Instead of Gulfstream Park, our focus shifts to Aqueduct, where the Wood Memorial headlines an exciting slate of races. With the Santa Anita Derby featuring only five entries (and potentially just four by post time), we’ve opted to pass on covering that race. However, we still have an action-packed schedule, including the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, which has been rescheduled to Tuesday, April 8th, due to inclement weather.

Aqueduct Selections – Saturday, April 5, 2025

The Gazelle Stakes (G3) Race 9 – 4:34 PM EST | 1 1/8 Miles Dirt |

#2 Ballerina d’Oro – Returns to Aqueduct after an impressive second-place finish two back. With Dylan Davis riding for Chad Brown, she has the closing kick needed to capitalize on a strong pace set by speedsters (#1, #3, #8).
The switch to dirt has unlocked her potential.
#3 Vanilla Sundae – The Todd Pletcher-Repole Stable duo keeps Manny Franco aboard. Dominated last out by 15 lengths and was eased up late. This Gun Runner filly won’t mind an off track.

The Carter Stakes (G2) Race 10 – 5:06 PM EST | 7 Furlongs Dirt |

#2 Quint’s Brew – Third off the layoff and Mychel Sanchez’s only mount. Seeking a third consecutive win and could be undefeated but for trouble three starts back. Trainer wins at a 35% clip when last-race winners return.
#4 Full Moon Madness – Kendrick Carmouche, the 7-furlong wizard, teams up with this Aqueduct specialist. Prime Power #1, stretching out to 7F, should make him a major player.
#7 Maximus Meridius – Joel Rosario reunites with Butch Reid’s consistent colt. Loves Aqueduct and has the speed to be involved early.

The Excelsior ($150K) Race 11 – 5:38 PM EST | 1 1/4 Miles Dirt |

#4 Crupi – Class relief could be key. Has battled top-tier competition (White Abarrio, Skippylongstocking, Tapit Trice) but finds a softer spot here. Dylan Davis stays aboard.
#8 Masmak – Consistent runner (4 wins, 1 second in 5 Aqueduct starts). First time at this distance, but Manny Franco’s patient ride should suit.
#6 Phileas Fogg – Kendrick Carmouche (2-for-2 with trainer Rodriguez) gets the mount. If the track is off, stock rises further.

The Wood Memorial (G2) Race 12 – 6:10 PM EST | 1 1/8 Miles Dirt |

#5 Sand Devil – Needs points to qualify for the Derby. Speed of the speed, loves Aqueduct, and trainer Linda Rice is red-hot.
#8 Passion Rules – Undefeated and trained by Brad Cox. Carmouche pulled off an upset in this race last year—can he do it again?
#2 Captain Cook – Likely favorite. Needs a win for Derby eligibility. Already victorious at this distance, and workouts suggest readiness.

Race 13 – 6:44 PM EST | 7 Furlongs Dirt | OC 45K/N2X

#10 Sohana – Big class drop for Brad Cox (38% off this kind of layoff). Rosario takes over.
#5 Ariana Rye – Speed threat with jockey Sophie Vives, who knows her well.
#3 Dolomite – Consistently firing, finished second three times in a row. Manny Franco stays up.

Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland – Rescheduled to Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Due to weather concerns, Keeneland’s entire Saturday card has been moved to Tuesday. The Toyota Blue Grass Stakesremains a pivotal Derby prep race.

Race 10 – 5:52 PM EST | 1 1/8 Miles Dirt | The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1)

#5 East Avenue – Blinkers on for sharpness. Working out well and primed for a big return effort.
#1 River Thames – Likely favorite. Irad Ortiz Jr. takes over for Velazquez. Should benefit from a ground-saving trip from the rail.
#3 Burnham Square – Best value and a strong upset candidate. Brian Hernandez Jr. takes the reins.

Don’t Miss Our Live Coverage!

Join us for One Horse Wonders on Thursday at 8 PM EST on Capital Sports Network for our latest insights, and catch our updated program Saturday at 12:30 PM EST for race-day analysis. This is the biggest weekend for Kentucky Derby hopefuls—don’t miss a second of the action!

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Kansas City Mayor Claims The City Has Money For a Royals’ Stadium

Published

51 minutes ago

April 5, 2025

Austin Reed

Quinton Lucas, Kansas City, Missouri mayor

The Royals’ owner wants a new stadium soon.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas said his city has offered more than $1 billion to the owner of the Major League Baseball Kansas City Royals franchise John Sherman to help Sherman build a new downtown stadium or renovate the business’s 52-year-old home stadium. “We do have, I think, a very robust offer that combines state and local incentives,” Lucas said. “It’s my view that gets you to a $1.2 to $1.4 billion range with no tax increase. It doesn’t calculate or include the current Jackson County sales tax.” Sherman has been talking to political leaders in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri and politicians in Kansas about getting a stadium-village built somewhere in the Kansas City market.

Sherman has been looking for a site for his business for a year after the Jackson County, Missouri voters said no to extending a sales tax that would have funded a new baseball stadium in downtown Kansas City and a renovated stadium for the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs franchise. Kansas lawmakers are still mulling over a proposal that would see STAR bonds used to pay 75% of the cost of building two stadiums in Kansas. Additionally, sports gambling and lottery gaming and sales tax revenue from businesses in the stadium development districts would cover bond debt. Another source of revenue to pay off the debt would come from a liquor tax. Kansas lawmakers could use a mechanism that would allow up to 100% of sales tax revenue on alcoholic liquor sales within a stadium district to pay off bonds for the structures. Chiefs’ owner Clark Hunt and Sherman should be in a good spot in 2025 as two states, Missouri and Kansas, might be ready to throw money at them to build stadiums for their businesses. It is a place that sports owners dream about. Sherman wants a stadium deal this year.

Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191

Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com

Royals Defeat Rays 4-2 — (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Mahle pitches 5 shutout innings for first win since April 2023 as Rangers beat Rays 5-2

Published

13 hours ago

April 5, 2025

Austin Reed

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Tyler Mahle throws to the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tyler Mahle rebounded from a rough opening start to pitch one-hit ball over five shutout innings for his first win since April 3, 2023, and Kyle Higashioka’s RBI double highlighted a four-run third inning as the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 on Friday night.

Mahle (1-0) allowed only a two-out single to Yandy Díaz in the third inning, striking out five and walking two on 83 pitches. He lasted only 1 2/3 innings last Saturday against Boston, walking three and allowing two hits with 31 of his 61 pitches called balls.

The 30-year-old Mahle had Tommy John surgery in May 2023 while with Minnesota, signed with Texas as a free agent that December, and made three starts last August without a win before being shut down with a stiff shoulder.

Texas’ first five batters in the third all had hits off Zack Littell (0-2). The streak ended when center fielder Jonny DeLuca made a diving catch to turn Wyatt Langford’s liner into a sacrifice fly. Littell also contributed an error on a high pickoff throw to first base that advanced leadoff batter Josh Smith to second base, where he scored on Higashioka’s double.

Smith homered in the seventh.

Luke Jackson struck out two in the ninth for his fourth save.

Key moment

Higashioka’s double on a 1-0 slider over the middle of the plate lifted chalk down the left-field line.

Key stat

Rangers pitchers threw 25 consecutive scoreless innings, winning 1-0 at Cincinnati on Tuesday and Wednesday, before the Rays scored on wild pitches by Shawn Armstrong and Chris Martin in the seventh.

Up next

In Saturday’s middle game of the series, Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (0-0, 0.00 ERA) should be capped around 85 pitches after throwing 73 in his season debut last Sunday. He’ll face Rays RHP Taj Bradley (1-0, 3.00), who’s 4-0 in his career in March and April.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Will The Trade Wars Impact John Fisher’s Las Vegas Stadium Plan?

Published

18 hours ago

April 5, 2025

Austin Reed

The planned Las Vegas Athletics’ stadium.

There is no groundbreaking ceremony planned.

Are there some nervous people in Las Vegas where a nearly two-year dance is taking place? The dance where Major League Baseball’s Athletics franchise owner John Fisher continues to look for a partner to help finance his planned baseball stadium in town. The trade war has suddenly made building a stadium much more costly and Fisher’s two companies’ stocks, The Gap and Levi’s, have been hit hard. Because of that wealth, Fisher has claimed that he and his family have the wherewithal to fund the stadium that is projected to cost about $1.75 billion. Nevada politicians have put aside $380 million to help Fisher fund the project.

The saga of the Las Vegas stadium has been going on since April 2023 when Fisher decided to leave Oakland and a stadium proposal on the Oakland waterfront behind. Nevada is giving Fisher $380 million in seed money for the construction. That is in the bank but none of that cash becomes available until Fisher spends $100 million on the planned ballpark. The ballpark’s estimated cost has gone up and figures to rise. It is now $1.75 billion. The park will seat about 33,000 people and the original plan was for Las Vegas tourists to stop by and see a game and not count on local fans as much as other franchise owners do in their home markets. Fisher could not or would not make a deal with city of Oakland officials to build a ballpark village at Howard Terminal overlooking the San Francisco Bay and just ended talks with the city and decided there was gold to be found in Las Vegas. Fisher’s team is temporarily in Sacramento and this is supposed to be a three-year run with Las Vegas getting the team when the new stadium opens in 2028. Fisher still has to put up money.

Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191

Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com