Bovada

The (G1) Claiborne Breeders' Futurity on Saturday at Keeneland serves a dual purpose. A 1 1/16 mile race for two-year-old colts, the top four finishers will gain points toward qualifying for the 2019 Kentucky Derby. At the same time, the winner will get an automatic berth in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. They'll also be racing for a share of the $500,000 purse.

On Saturday some of the top three-year-old colts in North America get one last prep race before heading to the Breeders' Cup Classic with the running of the $1 million (G1) Pennsylvania Derby. They'll be racing 1 1/8 miles on the dirt at Parx Racing outside of Philadelphia, and at least three in the field of 10 have BC Classic aspirations.

The focus of North American horse racing is on Parx Racing in Philadelphia this Saturday, which hosts the final two major stakes races this season restricted to three-old-fillies and colts. Both the Pennsylvania Derby and the Cotillion Stakes have handicapping implications for two of the biggest Breeders' Cup World Championships races coming up the first weekend of November at Churchill Downs.

With all the horses running at their special distance and on their special surface, every one of the 14 races that make up the Breeders' Cup weekend is a championship in its own right. With six weeks to go before the racing kicks off at Churchill Downs on November 2, here's a look at possible outright winners in a handful of races.

The race to the starting gate for the 2019 Kentucky Derby starts this Saturday at Churchill Downs with the running of the (G3) Iroquois Stakes. A full field of 12 two-year-old colts will go to the gate to run 1 1/16 miles on the Churchill dirt, chasing a purse of $150,000 and the first 2019 Derby qualifying points of the season.

The first and second-place finishers in the 2017 (G1) Northern Dancer Turf Stakes will renew their rivalry on Saturday at Woodbine Race Track, as defending champion Johnny Bear takes on UK star Hawkbill. The $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf will be run at 1 1/2 miles and has drawn an international field of 10 starters in a great betting race.

The road to the 2018 Breeders' Cup Mile goes through Woodbine Race Track this Saturday, with the running of the $800,000 Woodbine Mile. The race is a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the BC Mile to be held at Churchill Downs on November 3. Four of the past six Woodbine Mile winners have used the race as a prep to winning the BC Mile.

A wide-open field of ten fillies and mares are expected to go to the gate on Saturday at Kentucky Downs for the running of the $500,000 (G3) Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes. As part of a four-stakes card that highlights the short Kentucky Downs summer meet, they'll be racing a flat mile on the turf course, with Maryland-bred I'm Betty G the lukewarm favorite.

One of the biggest race days of the Kentucky Downs' summer meet comes this Saturday with the running of four graded stakes on the turf, including the $750,000 (G3) Kentucky Turf Cup. The race has drawn a full field of 12 starters and four Also Eligibles to run the 1 1/2 miles on the turf course, including the defending 2017 champion Oscar Nominated.