Load up the passenger car as we’ve got another 18 stakes this Saturday with Breeders’ Cup intrigue and betting opportunities. It’s time for the express across North America and bottom-line decisions.

12:41 pm ET | Belmont at the Big A: Race 2 | $125,000 Discovery Stakes

Last year’s star Florida-bred juvenile #3 Rated By Merit returns from 10 months away now under elite trainer Chad Brown vs. just 4 rivals that simply don’t offer much opposition.


1:43 pm ET | Belmont at the Big A: Race 4 | $500,000 Jockey Club Derby Invitational

#2 Asbury Park has the top route pedigree and top BRIS late pace figure on turf, both feathers in his cap over 11 furlongs when meeting more ballyhooed Chad Brown barnmate #4 Hill Road.


2:49 pm ET | Belmont at the Big A: Race 6 | $400,000 Frizette Stakes

#2 Carmel Coast could run away from these early, and while her biggest late threat figures to come from #9 Five Bars, I don’t think she comes back to them on the easy stretch-out around 1 turn.


3:20 pm ET | Belmont at the Big A: Race 7 | $500,000 Champagne Stakes

As dominant as #6 It’s Our Time was in his debut, he’s been babied on the workout tab since, causing some concern and leaving the door peeked open for Hopeful alumni #1 Curtain Call and longshot #5 Aye Eye to do some late damage.


3:28 pm ET | Woodbine: Race 5 | $250,000 Nearctic Stakes

#5 Bring Theband Home has been blistering-fast at Saratoga this summer, but tanked in this race last year and #4 The Strikin Viking deserves an upset look for an international barn that shipped here to win the Singspiel Stakes last month.


3:40 pm ET | Keeneland: Race 6 | $400,000 Woodford Stakes

The rail and Keeneland course has been good in the past to #1 Arrest Me Red for local turf sprint ace trainer Wesley Ward, and this one may get first jump on the deep-closing Euro raider #8 Khaadem.


3:51 pm ET | Belmont at the Big A: Race 8 | $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes

Chad Brown’s 9 wins in this 2-year-old turf filly stakes speak volumes and #9 Deep Learning is way better than a paceless Natalma Stakes at Woodbine allowed her to show.


4:12 pm ET | Keeneland: Race 7 | $400,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes

Race favorites #5 Vahva and defending champ #8 Zeitlos haven’t been at their very best, so the consistent, veteran longshot #1 Taxed gets to play “The Price is Right.”


4:40 pm ET | Santa Anita: Race 2 | $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes

#3 Tamara hasn’t been able to stay healthy, but the daughter of superstar Beholder is working exceptionally well on video at 1st.tv for trainer Richard Mandella and will be interesting to watch while likely a major tote underlay.


4:44 pm ET | Keeneland: Race 8 | $800,000 First Lady Stakes

Chad Brown has won this stakes 7 years running and has #5 Dynamic Pricing and #9 Segesta (preferred of the pair), but my choice #1 Choisya tallied the Jenny Wiley in the Spring ... and Saratoga summer cut-backs like her have excelled in this highly competitive race over the years.


5:03 pm ET | Santa Anita: Race 3 | $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes

Trainer Bob Baffert has won this race 13 times (4 straight) and has 4 of the 7 entrants, but I was most impressed by the 2-turn ability and finishing zip by Jeff Mullins’ #2 Intrepido, who gets the upset tab.


5:07 pm ET | Woodbine: Race 8 | $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes

#6 Caitlinhergrtness has been better on the Tapeta than turf throughout her career, so I’ll swing against this favorite with #7 Hope Mission in what appears to be interesting spotting by shrewd Keeneland trainer Brendan Walsh.


5:16 pm ET | Keeneland: Race 9 | $650,000 Breeders’ Futurity

Favorites are a strong 5-11 since this race returned to dirt, and Todd Pletcher’s 3 wins during that span figure to get some company if #6 Ted Noffey runs anything close to his Hopeful Stakes effort as the solid chalk.


5:41 pm ET | Woodbine: Race 9 | $750,000 Canadian International Stakes

Even-money on 2023 Canadian International winner #10 Nations Pride feels too risky given his up-and-down campaign, but #1 Haunted Dream was sharp in the local prep after traveling from overseas and is one of a scant few here that look like 12 furlongs is achievable.


6:20 pm ET | Keeneland: Race 10 | $1,250,000 Turf Mile Stakes

Three superb, Group 1-proven Europeans team with local riders and will be very tough to tackle, led by top pick #4 Diego Velazquez over #12 Jonquil and #5 Woodshauna.


7:38 pm ET | Santa Anita: Race 8 | $200,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes

Graham Motion shipped 2 different eastern raiders to win Del Mar’s Yellow Ribbon and Mabee, so the west may be susceptible again to out of towners #3 Speed Shopper (Will Walden), #4 Long Ago (Bill Morey) and #7 Amber Cascade (Mike Maker), the latter my top choice.


8:08 pm ET | Santa Anita: Race 9 | $200,000 Oak Leaf Stakes

Maiden #1 Banzai Betty blew the start from the rail and didn’t figure this racing thing out until the quarter-pole, but exploded late (97 BRIS late pace figure) with a pedigree to want more on a confident class rise.


8:38 pm ET | Santa Anita: Race 10 | $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes

Wesley Ward flopped in this race last year with a 3-10 favorite on the road, and while #1 Schwarzenegger and #8 Bacio likely will be heavily backed here, I’ll turn to eye-catching debut winner #6 Ventry Strand off a huge rally and gallop-out.