Ellis Starr

Ellis Starr: Sierra Leone is a very smart horse, and when given his cue to speed up, he does just that. In the Kentucky Derby, this kind of on-command acceleration should allow Sierra Leone to quickly overtake a lot of horses on the far turn.

Nations Pride, above winning the 2023 Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine, looks like a prime contender for the $400,000 Man o’ War Stakes Saturday at the Belmont at the Big A meet. (Woodbine/Michael Burns)

Dornoch, above winning the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, profiles as a live longshot for the 2024 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. (Eclipse Sportswire)

The $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1T) is the first grade 1 race during what promises to be another big Saratoga Race Course summer meeting.

Fans enjoy a typically splendid summer day at Del Mar. (Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing)

The $1 million, Grade 1 Whitney Stakes Saturday at Saratoga lives up to its historical billing in having a strong field of 12 entered, with the winner earning an automatic starting spot in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic this fall in addition to $550,000 in earnings.

The Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special Stakes Saturday at Saratoga Race Course drew a field of nine 2-year-olds, all running the 6 ½-furlong distance for the first time.

The Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks is Del Mar's feature race on Saturday, Aug. 17, at Del Mar. (Eclipse Sportswire)

The field for the 2021 Pacific Classic Stakes enters the first turn. Eight contenders are slated to run in the 2024 edition of this marquee race on Saturday at Del Mar. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Get Smokin leads the field through the backstretch on Kentucky Downs’ turf course en route to an upset win in the 2023 Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes. (Eclipse Sportswire)