Emerald Downs’ premier night of racing shines Thursday in Washington State. Whether you’re a regular to the circuit or dropping by for the huge card, the 1/ST BET app can help you bridge the gap with a data-driven process.

Selections provided by the 1/ST INDEX measure each contender against the 10 leading factors for each race. The 1/ST BET app looks at 52 handicapping factors and more than 200,000 past races to determine its AI selections. You can use the automated handicapping factors, or create your own factor filters to incorporate angles you prefer.

Xpressbet and 1/ST handicapper Jeremy Plonk provides his human insights to the AI picks for the Longacres Mile Night card.

Race 1 (8:03PM ET) // claiming // 6 furlongs

2 – Buckley Bay (26% W // 56% P // 74% S)
3 – Legitimate Cause (23% W // 42% P // 65% S)
5 – Docktarri (19% W // 34% P // 50% S)
1 – Capital Expense (12% W // 28% P // 41% S)

Jeremy’s Take: Capital Expense probably can’t beat Buckley Bay, but he sure can make the early pace a tough battle from the rail. Docktarri benefits if they go too fast. The 1/ST INDEX starts out chalky with an 8-5 morning line choice, but the 3-point spread indicates this is no free pass.

Race 2 (8:32PM ET) // maiden claiming // 1 mile

2 – Sherm (28% W // 53% P // 69% S)
6 – Mensch (17% W // 37% P // 59% S)
3 – Goboldly (17% W // 30% P // 47% S)
4 – He’s Bandido (15% W // 27% P // 42% S)

Jeremy’s Take: 13-race maiden Sherm has a history of minor placings, but has never really been close to the win. He and Mensch exit the same race and are the top pair on the 1/ST INDEX. Goboldly stretches out in trip and has the right pilot as Alex Cruz leads the colony in 1-mile wins (6) and win percentage (23%). Goboldly gets my mild endorsement.

Race 3 (9:00PM ET) // claiming // 6 furlongs

1 – Seattle Smoke (29% W // 44% P // 55% S)
2 – Dyf (18% W // 35% P // 51% S)
4 – Sleet Afleet (13% W // 26% P // 39% S)
6 – Gallant Heat (13% W // 38% P // 56% S)

Jeremy’s Take: It’s a surprising 11-point pick in Seattle Smoke, who exits a disastrous race and has lost 13 in a row dating back to 2018. At 7-2 in the morning line, I’ve got to shop elsewhere. The Jorge Rosales barn is 4-for-9 with fresh claims at the meet, and 3-for-5 when riding Cerapio Figueroa on those new recruits. They team with Dyf, and that’s the play.

Race 4 (9:28PM ET) // claiming // 6 furlongs

3 – Rocket Power (29% W // 44% P // 55% S)
2 – Jimjimmyjames (18% W // 35% P // 51% S)
5 – Irish Swing (13% W // 38% P // 56% S)
6 – Pamper Me Now (13% W // 26% P // 39% S)

Jeremy’s Take: Trainer Frank Lucarelli is a stout 17: 7-4-1 at the meet when extending the trip from 5-1/2 furlongs to 6 furlongs like he does with Rocket Power. He’s 5: 3-2-0 when making that move with favorites. I’ll lean heavily with this one, as does the algorithm as an 11-point pick.

Race 5 (9:56PM ET) // claiming // 6 furlongs

4 – Doubleshotofheaven (28% W // 42% P // 51% S)
1 – Dazzling Debi (17% W // 33% P // 47% S)
3 – Gold Supply (13% W // 36% P // 52% S)
7 – Sassy Edie (13% W // 24% P // 36% S)

Jeremy’s Take: I struggled to find any strong opinion in this race, but the 1/ST INDEX has Doubleshotofheaven as a solid, 9-point pick at a juicy 8-1 morning line price. I do like seeing top rider Alex Cruz staying with Salty Little Lass though the claim and move to a lesser barn.

Race 6 (10:24PM ET) // claiming // 1 mile

7 – Anna Lee Encore (27% W // 46% P // 55% S)
4 – Veraaj (18% W // 46% P // 65% S)
2 – Early Morn (15% W // 27% P // 38% S)
5 – Calese (15% W // 26% P // 44% S)

Jeremy’s Take: The Blaine Wright barn is 6: 3-1-2 at the meet with favorites shipping in from Golden Gate Fields like Anna Lee Encore. She’s a solid 8-5 morning line favorite and looks tough on paper if she handles dirt for the first time. Most of these are $2,500 claimers posing for $5,000.

Race 7 (10:52PM ET) // Emerald Distaff Handicap // 1-1/16 miles

4 – Killarney Lass (30% W // 48% P // 59% S)
5 – Alittlelesstalk (20% W // 33% P // 48% S)
7 – Amazonian (16% W // 33% P // 50% S)
2 – Dontkissntell (14% W // 32% P // 47% S)

Jeremy’s Take: A rematch with the 1-2-3 finishers of the Boeing Stakes includes 5-length winner Killarney Lass, the 9-5 morning line favorite. She’s a 10-point pick on the 1/ST INDEX and the one to beat. Amazonian could give trainer Glenn Todd his second Emerald route stakes win of the meet invading via Hastings Park, following an $11 victory in his only other such attempt of the season. It should come down to those two.

Race 8 (11:30PM ET) // Grade 3 Longacres Mile // 1 mile

4 – Anothertwistafate (21% W // 37% P // 51% S)
3 – The Press (19% W // 32% P // 40% S)
1 – Elliott Bay (12% W // 34% P // 48% S)
5 – He’s the Reason (12% W // 25% P // 37% S)

Jeremy’s Take: Trainer Blaine Wright (Anothertwisafate) was second with the favorite in the last 2 Longacres Mile editions at 4-5 and 9-5 odds. The last favorite to score was Stryker Phd in back-to-back runnings of 2014-’15. So while the 8-5 chalk is the horse to beat, Anothertwistafate hasn’t run since the 2019 Preakness and is a surprising 2-point pick in the 1/ST INDEX. Last-out $20,000 claiming winner The Press at 20-1 morning line is next up in the algorithm, which seems like a reach. Well-drawn #2 Five Star General has back class and doesn’t merit the respect by the computer that I think he deserves.

Race 9 (11:59PM ET) // claiming // 6 furlongs

6 – Battle Point Red (28% W // 40% P // 48% S)
7 – Emily’s Gold (17% W // 32% P // 44% S)
3 – Gentle Prince (12% W // 35% P // 48% S)
4 – Omanche Kid (12% W // 23% P // 33% S)

Jeremy’s Take: Trainer Bonnie Jenne’s runners have excelled in 6-furlong sprints at the meet, going 10: 5-0-2 with a $2.77 ROI for every $1 bet. She saddles Battle Point Red, 2-for-2 at the trip this meet, and a solid 11-point pick in the 1/ST INDEX. The 7-2 morning line price might hold on the natural class rise. Omanche Kid has previously fit well at this level, but drops after a mystifying non-effort last time.

Race 10 (12:27AM ET) // claiming // 6-1/2 furlongs

8 – R B Eye (21% W // 39% P // 57% S)
4 – Freestone (20% W // 36% P // 52% S)
3 – Aero Street (14% W // 25% P // 34% S)
5 – Norski (13% W // 30% P // 46% S)

Jeremy’s Take: The Howard Belvoir barn is only 1-for-9 at the meet with last-out winners in their return, so Norski could be a beatable favorite at 3-1 on the morning line. The 1/ST INDEX gives a nice 8-1 price player R B Eye, and I like the strong BRIS late pace figure going 6 furlongs last time with the additional distance tonight. He doesn’t win often (1-for-23), but fits well with these at a nice price as the ‘other Belvoir’ to the favorite.

Race 11 (12:54AM ET) // maiden claiming // 6-1/2 furlongs

3 – Chante (32% W // 52% P // 69% S)
4 – Miss Calculation (17% W // 40% P // 58% S)
7 – Lirio Tigrado (12% W // 20% P // 35% S)
1 – Merry Marie (11% W // 35% P // 51% S)

Jeremy’s Take: 15-point spread and 32% rate are both tops on the card. Trainer Frank Lucarelli netted a win and a runner-up with his 2 Emerald Downs maiden claims upon their returns in August. He’ll try to keep that going with Chante, who seems like a reasonable, final-race single in the multi-race bets.