Yonkers Raceway starts the weekend with a 10-race card. The Spot Plays go in Race 4, Race 7, and Race 9. Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.Race 4 (7:45 PM EDT)6-Jesses Doll (10-1)-Not feeling strongly about the two program chalks (4,1) and will lean toward a price. Posted 1 win in 6 races at Yonkers but has been taking pictures this year (24-5-1-1). The 1-2-4 could leave, so there should be solid fractions to close into. Will look for Dan Dube to improve position when the wings fold. Could come off cover and be the best the down the lane.6-1-2Race 7 (8:45 PM EDT)7-Louies Girl N (2-1)-My take is this is the time to take a swing. This is the 1st start in town and draws outside, which will help provide some value. Rallied from the backfield in the Milton Final at Wbsb and couldn't catch #6 tonight's 8/5 chalk who got the jump. Could get revenge this time, has won 10 of 12 at Yonkers and can leave as fast as the gate car. Jordan Stratton gets the call as Jason Bartlett isn't at Yonkers tonight and he can get the job done. Best to respect, the mare has banked over $398,000 this year.7-6-3Race 9 (9:25 PM EDT)4-Front Page Story (4-1)-This mare knows how to win but she hasn't sealed the deal in a while. Pat Lachance should make the most of starting from one of the top posts. Has beaten better at YR and could have her way with this group with a sharp steer. There should be honest fractions that could help and will look for a big try at a square price.4-2-3Check me out on X!

This Friday through Sunday, Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet play for extra cash in our $5,000 Los Alamitos Trifecta-Thon. Simply connect successfully on 3 trifectas over the course of the entire weekend to stake your share of bonus cash. $3,000 will be split among all players with 3 or more winning trifecta bets ($1 base) while another $2,000 will be won by the player(s) with the most trifecta wins on the weekend.I’ve gone through the Los Alamitos cards for the Sept. 18-20 window and have identified a few trifectas to kickstart your participation. For this promotion’s purposes, we’re not only looking for the best payouts parimutuelly but also a few easier spots to accrue the necessary number of winning tris.Friday: Los Alamitos Race 1 | 4:00 pm ETJust a 5-horse field makes things easier from a math standpoint and the dominance of Bob Baffert and John Sadler at Los Al cannot be overstated. Two-year-old maiden rookies #1 Mystic Ride and #5 Gallant Jack should be well-meant and we’ll try to check 1 of our 3 boxes right away in what might be the weekend’s most obvious chance.The Trifecta-Thon Play: 1,5 with 1,5 with 3,2 … 1,5 with 3,2 with 1,5 ($8 total)Friday: Los Alamitos Race 7 | 7:00 pm ETAndy Mathis’ barn was fantastic to close Del Mar and he claimed #6 Harney Lane on his way out the door Aug. 30 knowing full well this July Los Al starter allowance winner was eligible for a return spot like this right around the corner. Regular rider Ricky Gonzalez sticks through the barn change, always a positive sign. She’ll be my key in the field of 8.The Trifecta-Thon Play: Key 6 over 1,4,5,7,8 ($20 total)//Saturday: Los Alamitos Race 4 | 5:30 pm ET#3 Thirsty Rebel dominated in his only prior Los Al bid and returns in excellent form after spring stakes placings vs. state-breds and a summer second at Del Mar in open company allowance. Fits beautifully vs. state-bred allowance goes and bred to handle the mile trip.The Trifecta-Thon Play: Key 3 over 1,2,6 ($6)Saturday: Los Alamitos Race 8 | 7:30 pm ETThe featured E.B. Johnston Stakes runs through romping defending champ #3 Man O Rose, who lost all chance before and after the start of his Green Flash turf sprint at Del Mar. Stretches his legs as the one to catch, while veteran #6 None Above the Law comes off a shrewd $50K claim with past success at Los Al in tow and could be best of the rest late.The Trifecta-Thon Play: 3-6-all ($4)//Sunday: Los Alamitos Race 6 | 6:30 pm ET#7 See Through It is a Los Al horse-for-course with a remarkable 12: 8-1-3 over the track. He held good form this summer at Del Mar when placed properly and already won this condition and distance locally in July.The Trifecta-Thon Play: Key 7 over 1,5,6 ($6)Sunday: Los Alamitos Race 8 | 7:30 pm ET#6 Hurricane Way always is around the discussion but has just 1 win in 14 starts and should be well-backed in this spot. Let’s try to get this one second and work some potential prices above and below.The Trifecta-Thon Play: 1,3,4,7,8 with 6 with 1,3,4,7,8 ($20)

After several years in the making, it is nearly time to finally run thoroughbred races once again at historic Belmont Park. The newly renovated venue in New York begins racing on Friday with the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) headlining Opening Day and runs through December 6. The meet will contain 72 stakes races worth well over $17M and I for one am ready for the action. Here are my thoughts on the Opening Day middle Pick 5 sequence that kicks off in Race 3 and includes the featured event for seven figures.Grade Descriptions: Grade A=Highest degree of confidence; Grade B=Solid Play. Grade C=Least preferred or pass; Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play.Race 3:Grade: B-Main Ticket: 3 Melodies; 9 Fiora; 8 Lady GirvinBackups: NoneForecast: This 6.5-furlong dash for 2YO fillies over the grass features mostly first-time starters, including 7-2-ML favorite #12 Inflect. The Klaravich Stables filly is bred to want a bit more ground and is likely to take plenty of public support, so I will look to a trio of runners, including two with experience to try to beat her. #3 Melodies is my top choice after starting a bit slow from her inside draw on debut, but leveling out nicely late to finish second to an odds-on lone speed runner at Monmouth in July. With a cleaner break, she has a big shot for trainer Lindsay Schultz. #8 Lady Girvin did not show as much on debut, but it was against open company foes over the dirt at Saratoga where she was clearing still learning at odds of over 30-1. A move forward seems likely at a playable price. Of the debut runners, I like #9 Fiora most. She commanded $625k at the sale for high-percentage conditioner Phil Antonacci. She appears quick.Race 4:Grade: C+Main Ticket: 8 Early Adopter; 9 RothschildBackups: 10 A Bourbon for TobyForecast: 3-1-ML favorite #10 A Bourbon for Toby was made the understandable 3-1-ML favorite by oddsmaker David Aragona in this ten-furlong affair over the Inner Turf. The son of Bernardini comes in having run the fastest races, including a runner-up effort to gate-to-wire winner Starship Titan on August 6. He certainly is capable, but the extra half furlong, his lack of early speed, and outside draw make him a bit tough to fully trust. I will use the chalk as a backup, but give big shots to #8 Early Adopter and #9 Rothschild as well. Rothschild had things his way on the front end in his victory at this level at Saratoga last month, but could control the pace once again on Opening Day. Early Adopter has to turn the tables on the favorite after being beaten soundly by him last out. Perhaps, the added ground and shaking off the rust will lead to a career best effort from the Lope De Vega gelding.Race 5: Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1)Grade: C+Main Ticket: 4 Phileas FoggBackups: NoneForecast: There is no doubt that $31.75M earner #7 Forever Young is the one to beat in both the first Grade 1 over the newly renovated surface and in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) less than two months out. The Japanese superstar has not raced since his runner-up effort to Magnitude in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in March, but has been a warrior through 15 starts. He clearly towers over this field on accomplishments and should get a great trip just off the early pace, but is likely to be a very short price.I am not going to go nuts trying to beat arguably the best horse this decade, but do wonder if he will be all-in to win this or if this is being treated exclusively as a tune up for the Classic at Keeneland. I will gamble that #4 Phileas Fogg can beat Forever Young to the wire in this year’s JCGC. The 6YO gelding has run some huge races when left alone on the lead and there is little reason to believe he will not be loose given the early scratches of #3 Chunk of Gold and #5 Banishing. I am not sure if the son of Astern is good enough to hold off Forever Young at his best, but the price differential should be good enough to gamble he can do so this one time.Race 6:Grade: BMain Ticket: 3 ConmanBackups: NoneForecast: My stand in the sequence comes in this state-bred second-level allowance at 1 1/16-miles over the Widener Turf Course where I like the chances of #3 Conman. The son of Constitution was claimed for $45k by Tom Morley last November and was on the sidelines until less than a month ago when he kicked into another gear late to run down the lone speed at Saratoga. He moves into the state-bred ranks now, retains Ricardo Santana Jr., and meets a field I think he can handle. Anything 5-1 or higher and I will be firing in a win bet as well on the 6YO gelding.Race 7:Grade: BMain Ticket: 11 Card ManBackups: 10 BletchleyForecast: A fun MSW for 2YOs over one of my favorites, the Belmont dirt one-turn mile configuration, closes the sequence. There are a lot of horses that have huge chances to move forward after their debut efforts in this spot, but will that be good enough to beat 2-1-ML favorite #11 Card Man? The son of Life is Good rode the rail in his debut before angling out and finishing well to earn second to a promising juvenile for the Brad Cox barn. The move outside over this configuration does not bother me one bit. He attracts Prat and scares me away from spreading. That said, I will still use stablemate #10 Bletchley. The Gun Runner colt sold for $1.55M at the Keeneland September ’25 sale and is out of a precocious female family. It takes a talented horse to win in one-turn mile races at first asking, but he very well could be just that.

The ‘Masters’ Class will be in session this Friday at Presque Isle Downs. The Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes will carry a $300,000 purse and be part of a 2 Million 1/ST Rewards Points promo for account holders who place a winning wager on the Pick 4 or Pick 5 sequences that the Masters is part of. Here’s a closer look at the Pick 5 and a suggested $48 ticket:Presque Isle Downs Race 6 (7:15 p.m. EST)VASA beat a suspect field of $25,000 claimers in his first try on a synthetic track, but he looked good doing it. He shrugged off a stern challenge on the turn and accelerated away from the field in the stretch to win off a 10-month layoff. He equaled the top speed figure in the field when he won a 6-1/2F MSW race at Del Mar last year as a 4-year-old and worked well for his winning return. THORN OF HEARTS advanced on the turn and loomed boldly for the stretch drive but settled for second in the same spot two starts ago. He pressed the winner last out and held third on a day when 5 of the 8 races were won in wire-to-wire fashion. He lures Paco Lopez to ride and should add value to the ticket.Presque Isle Downs, Race 7 (7:42 p.m. EST)BOSSY WOSSY pressed the pace under minimal urging, responded when asked in the stretch at 1-to-5 odds and looks to keep red-hot trainer Juan Arriagada rolling in the $100,000 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile. CACTUS KRISTOPHER saved ground throughout and ‘took control late’ in a second-out maiden win at 5-1/2F as the 1-to-5 choice. His dam, Cactus Kris, was 7-for-22 with $564k in synthetic track earnings and a Grade 3 winner at today’s distance for the same barn.Presque Isle Downs, Race 8 (8:09 p.m. EST)NEOEQUOS, four times graded stakes-placed going a route of ground, runs on a synthetic track for the first time in the $150,000 Presque Isle Mile. He chased but lost contact with 2-1 pace-setter Bracket Buster, who posted a 108 Beyer in the West Virginia Governor's at 1-1/16 miles last out. ENCINO overcame a slow start and a slow pace to win last year’s race for his third stakes victory on synthetic tracks, but he has five wire-to-wire victories on his resume, too, and a win today from the rail will put him on the brink of millionaire status.Presque Isle Downs, Race 9 (8:32 p.m. EST)REAGAN’S FLAME is a deserving favorite and the one to beat in the featured Presque Isle Masters (G-2) for fillies and mares. She has three wins, a troubled third and a Grade 3 victory in her last four starts – all with 90-plus Beyers that no one in the field can match on this surface. But our top pick is her uncoupled stablemate, PARADISE CITY, a model of consistency who appears well-suited for 6-1/2F on the surface change. She rode the rail throughout and surged clear of multiple graded stakes-placed speedball Silent Law to win the 6F Saylorville at Prairie Meadows. PONDERING followed the move of trip-sitting millionairess Caitlinhergrtness and ‘powered past’ to win the Grade 3 Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine in her lone long sprint attempt on a synthetic track. SEA RUNNER, unhurried to the stretch off a six-month layoff, angled 5-wide and split rivals to win an allowance race in her local debut. She employed similar tactics at Turfway Park when she won a six-figure allowance at this distance, running down Overcome Adversity, who won by 9-1/2 lengths two months ago with a 91 Beyer. She makes the ticket at double-digit odds. LOVELY EMMA found her best stride on the turf, winning a pair of allowances and holding third against turf specialist Cloe (3-7, $702k on turf) in the Hummingbird Stakes at Ellis Park last out. She won a turf-to-dirt allowance to start the year but only one of the rivals she defeated that day posted higher than a 76 Beyer so far this year.Presque Isle Downs, Race 10 (9:03 p.m. EST)A CASE FOR YOU, dismissed at 3-1 odds or less in his last 11 starts on a synthetic track, rallied to win six of them in a manner that suggests 6-1/2F will be to his liking. REELED IN is a six-figure earner at Presque Isle, fresh off another photo-finish victory in which he wore down the 4-to-5 pace setter at 6F. WHERE YOU WAS has tactical speed, a 12-for-39 mark at Presque Isle and met five next-out winners with an average 74 Beyer in four starts this year. READY SET CAIRO runs for the cheapest claiming price of his career and rallied for the second behind the odds-on winner and upper-60 Beyer type in his only long sprint try, but he is a beatable favorite at even-money on the morning line.Suggested Pick 5 TicketPID 6th Race: 2, 8PID 7th Race: 3, 9PID 8th Race: 1, 8PID 9th Race: 1, 3, 5, 6PID 10th Race: 3, 5, 6Cost for a 50-cent ticket: $48

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Woodbine | today’s racesTOURNAMENT TIME$40 Canterbury Park feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | $400,069 | Thistledown | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXDelaware Park | Race 5 | 2:48 pm ETChurchill Downs | Race 3 | 6:00 pm ETCharles Town | Race 7 | 10:02 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJustin Evans |Remington Park | 4 of 5 entrants 7-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Delaware Park | jockey Paco Lopez | 4 wins, 2 seconds from 8 mountsYesterday | Canterbury Park | trainer Mac Robertson | 4 wins, 1 second from 6 startersPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Woodbine Bet $100, Get $10 Promo Plays for ThursdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet play for extra cash in September with the Fall into Fortune promotion. Bet $100, Get $10 on select tracks each Tuesday and Thursday. Up next on Thursday: Woodbine. Here are my key plays in Canada with an assist from the Betmix database.Woodbine: Race 1 | 3:10 pm ET#1 Sterling Heights (7-2 morning line odds) has been knocking on the door all season and the recent hot streak for 13% trainer Debra Rombis might carry this one over the top. Rombis has won 2 of her last 5 ($8, $16) with this filly’s third-place effort among them. That’s a significant tide switch for a barn that was 1-for-28 at WO since the start of June prior to the recent run. Win #1. Picks 1-5-4Woodbine: Race 6 | 5:45 pm ET#4 Silver Is Best (12-1 morning line odds) lacks early speed, but the ratcheted-up pace expected with the shorter 5-1/2 furlong trip might work in his late favor, witnessed by his prior success in dashes. William Tharrenos is doing everything right of late, winning with 5 of 12 starters in September. Win #4. Exacta Box 4-7. Picks 4-7-6

The Lead:Parx soaks in the racing spotlight for its major racing event of the season, a 15-race Pennsylvania Derby Day card that co-features the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes for the 3-year-old fillies. The latter drew Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner, while the former has attracted known sophomores from the Triple Crown, Haskell and Travers Stakes.Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet can take advantage of a Bet $100, Get $10 bonus for their Parx wagers on Saturday.​​Field Depth:Grade 1 winner FURTHER ADO is joined by Grade 3 winners / Grade 1-placed contenders THE PUMA and IRON HONOR (pictured). ZIHNAL also is a Grade 3 winner. FUTHER ADO, THE PUMA and IRON HONOR have held the top strength of schedules.​Pace:Local PONDER AND DREAM has outside speed and likely takes pressure from INGNITER, TALK TO ME JIMMY, FURTHER ADO and FREEDOM'S ECHO. The pace should be solid for 1-1/8 miles.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.1-ZIHNAL: Romping West Virginia Derby winner fits perfectly in a spot on the calendar like this as a late-blooming sophomore who debuted in April. Blinkers-on may have helped at Mountaineer, but competition there was considerably softer than what he faced in the Indiana Derby. Note his Indiana fourth was his only start without Lasix, which won’t be available. John Velazquez piloted in WV and returns; he won this race in 2010 with Morning Line.2-IRON HONOR: The Preakness runner-up and Haskell third-place finisher saw his form flattered from those races when Napoleon Solo returned to run a dynamite second in the Travers against the division’s elite. That should stack this Nyquist colt right at the top of contenders Saturday. Trainer Chad Brown won the 2016 PA Derby with Connect, and while he loses Flavien Prat to Further Ado in this spot, the Plan B is Mr. 2026 himself, Jose Ortiz. Wore blinkers initially and showed more early speed and goes back to them Saturday. Expect him right off the mix from a great post draw.3-OUR MONEYMAN: Louisiana-bred has fired every time regardless of competition level or venue, witnessed by a 9: 3-5-1 record that includes a runner-up to PA Derby rival Further Ado in the Matt Winn and neck loss to eventual Travers winner Leading Change in the Indiana Derby. Trainer Bret Calhoun replaces regular rider Axel Concepcion with Manny Franco, who exits a record-setting leading rider crown at Saratoga. Longest test for colt whose pedigree doesn’t scream for more distance, but his BRIS late pace figures are encouraging.4-IGNITER: One-turn specialist stretches his legs around 2 for the first time since running sixth in November’s Remsen at Aqueduct. He’s had a really good 5: 3-0-2 campaign going shorter this season while shipped and aimed at shrewd spots at places like Laurel and Ellis. This is his big-money shot for Rick Dutrow, who won this race back in 2004 with Love of Money. Luis Saez piloted to the Ellis Park Derby victory and returns; he won this race in 2013 with Will Take Charge. Big work September 4 at Belmont indicates he’s remained sharp. It’s all about the final quarter-mile and how strong he can keep punching.5-TALK TO ME JIMMY: New York-bred has been rock-solid in and out of state-bred company for Rudy Rodriguez this season. Withers winner and Peter Pan runner-up has been tested 4 times over this PA Derby’s 9-furlong distance. Loses regular rider Manny Franco to Our Moneyman and lands back with Ruben Silvera, his Withers-winning pilot from spring. All 3 wins have come either on the lead or dueling for it, so expect him to push the pace. Prefer others at this class level.6-THE PUMA: Arguably the best finisher in the field when you look at BRIS late pace figures and the level of competition he’s putting them up against. How blinkers on for the first time will impact that is an unknown variable. Gustavo Delgado has not had success adding blinkers historically and if The Puma is too much into the race early, will he finish with the same flair? This seems a bit desperate for a horse who missed the Triple Crown and didn’t deliver in 2 previous big-money dances this summer at the Haskell and Travers. Almost a last call force on 3 weeks’ turn-around. Have always respected this horse but will try to beat him Saturday under 2-time PA Derby winner Javier Castellano.7-FURTHER ADO: The 2-1 morning line favorite has done major damage at home in Kentucky, winning the Blue Grass and Matt Winn at Keeneland and Churchill. But he’s been like Superman without a cape on the road, going 0-for-4 between Saratoga, Tampa and Monmouth, 3 of those at 2-1 or less odds. Perhaps he hated the slop in the Haskell last time when fifth at 6-5 odds, but he didn’t return to the workout tab for 25 days after that. Regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. remains sidelined with an ankle injury, so Flavien Prat takes the call for the first time. Capable winner will be an underlay price on the tote and he has to give weight under these allowance conditions, carrying top weight of 126 pounds. I’ll make him beat me at the expected price.8-FREEDOM’S ECHO: Distant third-place finisher in the local Smarty Jones Stakes prep behind a couple of other PA Derby returnees. Locally based colt for Lupe Preciado was beaten 22 lengths in the Jerome in his other stakes bid and appears overmatched.9-SASSMASTER: Todd Pletcher’s new shooter to the stakes scene has won 2 straight at Churchill and Saratoga since mossing nearly a year after his 2025 Saratoga debut fourth. Curlin colt won a fast 1-1/8 miles allowance at the Spa last month. Another who loses Flavien Prat for the PA Derby, however, and winds up with Tyler Gaffalione. We’ll see how he fares without Lasix for the first time as a sophomore. Pletcher won this race in 2002 with Harlan’s Holiday. Not impossible if he makes a leap forward.10-MICANOPY: Strongest finisher in the race in recent starts based on BRIS late pace figures with 99 and 98 on the ledger, including his win the Smarty Jones local prep. Paco Lopez rides for the first time, fresh off no less than leading rider summers at 3 different venues. This $8,000 claim in April has gone above and beyond moving forward off Jose D’Angelo for Michael Simone. A win at this level would take another big step forward off his last and the post does him no favors.11-PONDER AND DREAM: The entrant with perhaps the most intent on going to the front drew the widest post, forcing leading local pilot Mychel Sanchez to use even more horse from the opening bell. Unable to sustain that pace in the Delaware Derby or the Smarty Jones Stakes, he figures to be part of the action until the head of the stretch. Trainer Butch Reid has won just about every race at Parx in his long career, but this would be his first PA Derby if able to upset.Most Likely Exotics Contender:IRON HONOR projects to get a dynamite trip just behind the speed, saving ground from a favorable draw.Best Longshot Contender:OUR MONEYMAN is 9-for-9 in the trifecta, 8-for-9 in the exacta and should come with his run once again while a healthy 8-1 in the morning line.​​Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$100 win IRON HONOR.

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Assiniboia Downs | tonight’s racesTOURNAMENT TIME$40 Canterbury Park feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSPick 5 | $13,948 | Delaware Park | begins Race 1 | 12:40 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $384,778 | Thistledown | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETPick 5 | $9,173 | Delaware Park | begins Race 4 | 2:16 pm ETKEY RACESAssiniboia | Race 6 | 11:00 pm ET | Gold CupLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXDelaware Park | Race 5 | 2:48 pm ETFinger Lakes | Race 8 | 4:18 pm ETChurchill Downs | Race 9 | 4:50 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJonathan Wong | Louisiana Downs | 5 of 6 7 entrants 7-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Fairmount Park | jockey Alexander Bendezu | 3 wins, 2 seconds from 7 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section