Some of racing's biggest names will take to the track this weekend, starting off Saturday in the Gr-III West Virginia Derby, where Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird (below) returns to the track after his third place finish in the Belmont Stakes last month.

MTB will be the first Triple Crown race winner to ever race in West Virginia's Mountaineer Racetrack.  But this will be no means be a cake walk, as he will face off against (disqualified) Gr-II Swale Stakes winner Big Drama, in his first race since finishing 5^th in the Preakness... MTB has been installed as the odds-on favorite, but if Big Drama gets off to an easy early lead, he will be very hard to catch. Granted, he's not yet won over two turns, but he has shown the talent to go all the way. Reminds me of the 2007 Kentucky Cup Classic, when Hard Spun took an early uncontested lead, then was able to hold of Derby Champ Street Sense down the stretch...

Next up is the first of three Gr-I's this weekend, the Gr-IT Diana Handicap.  Leading the charge is defending race winner and '08 F&M Turf champion Forever Together.  She is coming off a surprising second place finish in the Gr-IT Just a Game, will once more have to fend off fellow Gr-I winner Rutherienne, who she beat by a length in the Jenny Wiley back in April, but who bounced back to romp in the Gr-IIT Nassau Stakes in Canada... These two are the class of the field and the race should come down to them.  FT should take the lead down the stretch with Ruth' coming on strong.  Whoemever makes the first move might be the one to take it...

Also of note on Friday is the ungraded Wickerr Handicap, at one mile on the turf, where last year's Santa Anita Derby and Travers winner Colonel John makes his return to the races after a 7 month layoff following an injury sustained last December after his fourth place finish in the Malibu Stakes... The Colonel' was a very underrated race last year, and will use this race as a much needed prep for the major stakes coming up in the late summer and fall.

Moving on to Sunday, we have the most anticipated race of the weekend, the Gr-I Haskell.  Here, super filly and Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra will square off against Belmont Derby winner Summer Bird, as well as Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem. With only 6 horses expected to start, and no true front-runner, this will be a very tactical race.  Expect Rachel' and Papa' to be at the head of the pack with 'Bird laying far back waiting to see how those two go at it.  Should come down to the finish... Rachel has already sown up the 3yo filly crown, and a win here would solidify her spot at the top of the Horse of the Year race, while a win by Summer Bird would catapult him to the top of the 3yo colt division.

This race was won in 2008 by Big Brown, one of his four Gr-I's, on his way to the 3yo Champion crown.

The Gr-I Go for Wand will also be run Saturday, with Gr-I Apple Blossom winner Seventh Street ... first or second in her last six, the likely favorite alongside multiple Gr-II Miss Isella, coming off wins in the Fleur de Lis and Louisville Handicaps... No household names, but two quality fillies facing off.  Neither is in the class of division leader Zenyatta, but a win by either would put them close to $0.75M in career earnings.

Ginger Punch won this race both in 2008 and 2007.  She was retired after the Breeders Cup last year, following an outstanding career that had her the Older Female Horse champion in 2007, and a winner of 12 of 22 races, and in the top 3 20 times, and over $3M.

Also on Sunday will be the Gr-II San Diego Handicap, which is part of the Breeders Cup Challenge, the winner earning a spot in the BC Mile. The headliner is the returning Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed, in his first race since demolishing a tough international field in that race back in March.  He also won this race back in '08.  His main challenger figures to be the filly Life is Sweet, last out a very game third against older males in the Gr-I Hollywood Gold Cup, coming ahead of some of the other entries here...  If all goes well, Well Armed should wire the field without much difficulty.  But nothing is ever certain, and it has been over 4 months since he last raced, so endurance might be a factor.

Finally, we close out with the Gr-II Amsterdam on Monday, where we will see another long awaited return, this time that of Gr-I Florida Derby winner Quality Road, at one point one of the pre-race favorites for the Kentucky Derby, but out with quarter cracks within a week of the big race.  Yet, it will not be easy, as he will be taking on multiple graded winner Capt. Candyman Can, whom he beat in the Fountain of Youth, but who has looked sharp in his two wins afterwards... According to plan, this should be a prep on his way to the Gr-I Travers at the end of August. 

So have a fun and see ya' at the races!