Two stakes on first day of summer racing at Suffolk Downs

The first of six days of racing this summer at Suffolk Downs in East Boston will take place Saturday, when an 11-race card is highlighted by a turf sprint that honors a longtime fan favorite.

The $75,000 Jill Jellison Memorial Dash, a five-furlong race that drew 10 fillies and mares, anchors a program that starts at 12:35 p.m. Eastern. The meet begins with a pair of steeplechases and the $75,000 African Prince (race 3), a six-furlong race restricted to Massachusetts-bred 3-year-olds.

The Jellison, carded as the 10th (post 5:03), is a terrific race that brings together shippers from New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Illinois. It is named for the popular jockey who died of breast cancer nearly a year ago at age 51. Jellison rode her last race on Nov. 2, 2013, retiring with 1,913 wins, most of them in her native New England.

Perhaps the horse to beat in the Jellison is Forest Funds, beaten a nose in the Honey Bee last month at Monmouth Park. Other notables include Ruby Notion, Lindisfarne, Sunnysami, Richies Sweetheart, and Spectacular Me.

In the African Prince, Dr Blarney heads a Joseph DiRico stable coupling that figures as a huge favorite.

An 11-race card also will be run Sunday at Suffolk. The last of six cards is set for Sept. 4. This is the second year for an abbreviated meet at embattled Suffolk, where 36 races were run last fall. The 2014 meet comprised 560 races.

Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer at Suffolk, said in a prepared release: “We are looking forward to the return of live racing at Suffolk Downs and welcoming back the horses, horsemen and women, and, of course, the local racing fans.”

Takeout is 15 percent on all wagers. Efforts continue elsewhere in Boston to revive racing at the Brockton Fairgrounds, a half-mile track where officials are hoping to conduct 15 days of action later in the year.

KEY CONTENDERS

Forest Funds, by Forestry

Last 3 Beyers: 85-83-80

◗ Trained by Jorge Navarro, who is winning this year at a sizzling 33 percent clip in New Jersey, Florida, and elsewhere, this late-running mare comes favorably drawn in post 10 and will be ridden by Angel Moreno.

Ruby Notion, by Great Notion

Last 3 Beyers: 55-78-71

◗ A romping winner of back-to-back stakes last summer, she’s a 3-year-old facing her elders, but that’s a typical outside-the-box move by trainer Wesley Ward, who sends her here off a series of workouts at Keeneland.

Lindisfarne, by City Zip

Last 3 Beyers: 82-88-72

◗ Steve Asmussen-trained mare has been quite competitive in recent outings in Kentucky and stands to capitalize from post 2 in the case of a pace meltdown.