This Saturday is the biggest day of the Hawthorne fall calendar: Hawthorne Gold Cup Day!

The feature race is the Grade II Hawthorne Gold Cup, which sees eight runners going a mile and a quarter over the main track.  The undercard sees a pair of sprint stakes for Illinois-preferred company: the Blackhawk Handicap for open company, as well as the Pershing Handicap for fillies and mares.

Will Mister Marti Gras finally win the Gold Cup, in his fifth try?  Will a different local prove his mettle at the Classic distance?  Will one of the marauding shippers get the money?

Head over to Picks and Ponderings, and find out what both Paul Mazur and I think!