SPECIAL WAGERSSunset Pick 6 | Gulfstream Races 8-9-10; Santa Anita Races 7-8-9Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 | Gulfstream Races 9-10; Santa Anita Races 3-4-6TOURNAMENT TIME$100 Gulfstream Feeder | details$40 Santa Anita Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSPick 5 | $7,097 | Laurel | begins Race 3 | 12:58 pm ETPick 6 | $15,392 | Aqueduct | begins Race 3 | 2:11 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $73,206 | Fair Grounds | begins Race 3 | 2:45 pm ETPick 6 | $15,594 | Oaklawn | begins Race 5 | 3:34 pm ETSunset 6 | $64,308 | Gulfstream/Santa Anita | begins GP Race 8 | 3:50 pm ETPick 6 | $34,288 | Santa Anita | begins Race 4 | 5:02 pm ETKEY RACESDubai | Race 7 | 12:10 pm ET | Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby StakesOaklawn | Race 8 | 5:07 pm ET | Downthedustryroad StakesTurfway | Race 9 | 9:55 pm ET | Cincinnati TrophyLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXTampa Bay Downs | Race 7 | 3:38 pm ETOaklawn | Race 9 | 5:38 pm ETTurfway Park | Race 8 | 9:25 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHLinda Rice | Aqueduct | all 9 entrants 4-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Gulfstream | favorites won 1 of 10 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli: Sunset 6 Carryover Analysis for FridayScott Shapiro: Santa Anita Friday Carryover Pick 6 AnalysisFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Can you answer the $100,000 question? If you pick the winners of the last three races at Gulfstream and Santa Anita this Friday, Feb. 20, a six-figure payout could be headed your way. The Sunset 6 pool starts with a $64,000 carryover and could grow to six figures when the new money for the $1 wager is added.GP 8th race (3:50 p.m. EST) -- Going 5-deep in this crowded grass sprint for fillies and mares at 5F. THANKFULLY posted a career-best 80 Beyer in winning a main-track sprint, now changes surfaces in her second start for trainer George Weaver, whose runners are 7-for-27 on the Gulfstream turf in the last three years with an average $11.20 payout. NANA’S CORN MUFFIN caught 3-to-5 favorite Hot Cargo (6-16, $233k on turf) in her only turf start since 2024. It was her second start off a similar layoff to the one she’s on today. INDEPENDENCE AVENUE won on four turf courses in 11 starts and runs for the cheapest price of her career. SOD SIREN set faster fractions than a same-day, $62,500 optional claimer when she broke her maiden in October, the last time she raced. THE DOVE RULES made a late, wide run but settled for second behind an odds-on repeat winner.GP 9th race (4:20 p.m. EST) -- NAVY CROSS didn’t corner well after a bumpy start, settled down to press the longshot pace-setter to the stretch but flattened out as the favorite in a shorter route race. He steps up off the claim and should hold a decided tactical advantage from close-up in a field that lacks speed, but he’s still a risky play at a short price. LAS OLAS was slowed by the pace last out and is a live longshot despite a 2-for-35 record. He met four next-out winners and two runners-up – all with 80-plus Beyers -- in his previous four starts.GP 10th race (4:50 p.m. EST) -- SAPPHIRE GIRL, unhurried while saving ground behind a fast pace, sustained a rally to break her maiden at this distance, before a non-factoring stakes try. She will be an underlay with Irad Ortiz Jr. getting the call, but she should be on the ticket. FISH MOONEY is 0-for-14 on the lawn, but she rallied for minor awards in 3 of 4 turf routes at Gulfstream, two at this level.SA 7th race (6:33 p.m. EST) -- If SHARON’S BEACH doesn’t ‘bounce’ off his seasonal debut, he should win this Maiden Special Weight sprint at odds-on. He chased favored Liam Smith and ‘dug in late’ to miss in a photo finish at 6-1/2F. He showed marked improvement with Lasix and the performance was validated when Liam Smith came back to win a $50,000 optional claiming race by 11 lengths with a 90 Beyer.SA 8th race (7:03 p.m. EST) -- LINO’S ANGEL defeated seven of the same rivals in January, six in the same spot at 6F last out. But she had trouble at the break in 3 of her last 6 starts and it could change the complexion of this 5-1/2F sprint as she draws post 9 for the first the first time in her career. I’ll try to beat her with three better-priced options. MEMETIC appeared outrun as the 2-1 favorite, but she was racing on short rest and hit her best stride in the final sixteenth. She’s worth using with a strong maiden victory on the Santa Anita dirt to summon. STILL UNWRITTEN showed good zip on the dirt to start her career, then returned from an eight-month layoff and went wire-to-wire in her turf debut, running 2/5 faster than a split-division race on the same card. She remains a front-end presence on the surface switch. PASALUBONG steadied and lost momentum into the turn behind the dueling leaders but recovered with a contending rail rally in the stretch before flattening out late. She gets in light with apprentice Alfredo Bautista summoned to ride.SA 9th race (7: 33p.m. EST) -- AFTERNOON NAP is working up a storm on the Santa Anita dirt after facing some hard-hitting turf rivals like stakes winner Flyover, recent $50,000 optional claiming winner Proof He Rides and multiple stakes-paced Cali Cat. The last time he ran on the main track, he pressed stakes winner Lonesome Stew (5-10, $189k) before fading in a long sprint. COACH CRONIN was dull as the favorite in his last start, but he is reunited with Kamura, who coaxed open-length victories from the 6-year-old the two times he rode. He projects a similar up-close journey from a favorable post on the heels of a :35-1/5 bullet workout.Suggested $1 TicketGP 8th Race: 1, 4, 5, 7, 9GP 9th Race: 4, 5GP 10th Race: 3, 4SA 7th Race: 2SA 8th Race: 2, 4, 8SA 9th Race: 3, 7Cost: $120

It is another big start to the racing week in Arcadia, California when Santa Anita Park re-opens on Friday afternoon. The 9-race slate not only includes a two-day carryover of $64,308 in the Sunset Pick 6, but also a $34,288 carry in the $2 Pick 6. The sequence kicks off at 5:02 PM eastern/2:02 local time with an open claimer at two-turns over the main track and concludes with a state-bred allowance. Here is how I plan on attacking the traditional Pick 6.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 4:Grade: XMain Ticket: 1 AustonianBackups: 6 TougherthantherestForecast: I lack creativity in this $8k claimer at one-mile over the main track where class dropper #1 Austonian looks like the horse to beat. The Cal-bred is 0 for 5 over this surface, but has hit the board 3 times, including twice back in September in his first two starts for trainer Bob Hess, Jr. If he gets an honest pace to run at, he will be tough to hold off, but there is a chance there is not a ton of early speed since trainer Steve Knapp has the two likely pacesetters on paper. If one is scratched, I will use the other on my main ticket, but if they both run, I like #6 Tougherthantherest more. The son of Take Charge Indy makes his second start of the year after battling early and tiring late on January 16 going 6.5-furlongs. He is far from proven traveling a route of ground, but has a chance to control the tempo in the early stages.Race 5:Grade: C+Main Ticket: 3 Ahrens; 5 Texas WildcatBackups: NoneForecast: #3 Ahrens was listed as the 7-5-ML choice in this maiden claimer at 6-furlongs over the main track after dueling early and tiring late against better on the grass last month. It is hard to be overconfident in a horse that finished ninth and 40-1 in his only start, but if he shows that same early zip over the main track, this field is going to struggle to catch him. I will use the Maryland-bred along with #5 Texas Wildcat. The son of Frosted finished second at this level off the freshening last out and should be right there at the wire with a similar performance.Race 6:Grade: C+Main Ticket: 2 Mici’s Express; 4 Ballyhooligan; 6 Unbridled VisionBackups: NoneForecast: #3 Handsome Ticket aims to make it two wins in a row in his first start off the claim for trainer Francisco Rodriguez in this conditional claimer, but appears vulnerable as the 9-5-top choice. The 7YO has to stretch his speed an extra half-furlong against better and may not have things easy on the front end. I will try to beat the ML favorite with a trio of runners, including top pick #2 Mici’s Express. Trainer Doug O’Neill has had a great meet winning with well over 20% of his starters and jockey Emisael Jaramillo has been aboard many of those. He brings back this Cal-bred off a 9-month break. His best bests these. Hopefully, he avoids leaving himself with too much to do when they turn for home.Race 7:Grade: XMain Ticket: 2 Sharons BeachBackups: NoneForecast: I will take a stand in this auction restricted optional claiming maiden event for 3YOs where #2 Sharons Beach is going to be a very tough customer if able to replicate his effort on January 23. Sure, the track favored those forward last month when this son of Omaha Beach ran second by a neck, but he did so to a horse that came back and romped in his next start. Antonio Fresu jumps aboard this likely single that also kicks off the $3 late Pick 3.Race 8:Grade: B+Main Ticket: 2 MemeticBackups: 8 PasalubongForecast: I am hoping to get serious separation from the public in this state-bed first-level allowance for 3YO fillies since I am against 5-2-ML favorite #7 My Kat amongst others likely to take a good deal of public support. My Kat and several others exit a January 23 race that had a favorable flow for those prominently placed. I thought #5 Memetic ran well in that start despite finishing fifth beaten over 3 lengths. The Calumet Farm runner did not break well and raced against the flow, yet still showed some life late off of just 8-days rest. Now, the Lexitonian filly gets normal rest, which should allow her to put forth much closer to her best. I will also use #8 Pasalubong. The Jeff Bonde trainee was down on the inside in the aforementioned January 23 race when finishing fourth. The move to an outside draw should give her a better chance to relax in the early stages. The daughter of Maximum Security is likely to be a big price.Race 9:Grade: BMain Ticket: 2 Mr. MachupicchuBackups: NoneForecast: I will take my final stand in this state-bred first-level allowance for the boys with #2 Mr. Machupicchu. The son of Conquest Fahrenheit returns to the races after being beaten to the lead in a similar spot on January 17. The Jeff Bonde trainee finds a field with much less early speed signed on, which should allow jockey Kyle Frey to get this one to the lead and never look back. A Kyle Frey late Double to close this card would be a beautiful thing.

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Penn National | today’s racesSCHEDULE NOTESPenn National | opening night | first post 5:45 pm ETTOURNAMENT TIME$100 Gulfstream Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $127,037 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETPick 6 | $9,959 | Oaklawn | begins Race 4 | 3:03 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $69,387 | Fair Grounds | begins Race 4 | 3:15 pm ETKEY RACESTurf Paradise | Race 7 | 6:05 pm ET | Shawn Swartz StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXOaklawn | Race 8 | 5:07 pm ETFair Grounds | Race 8 | 5:15 pm ETTurfway Park | Race 9 | 9:55 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJonathan Wong | Delta Downs | all 4 entrants 7-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Turfway | jockey Fernando del la Cruz | 4 wins from 8 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Bet $100, Get $10 Picks for Penn NationalFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

The “Love at First Bet” promotion this February at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet offers a $10 bonus when you bet $100 or more at select tracks each Tuesday and Thursday. Penn National will be the track spotlighted for this Thursday for its opening night of the 2026 season. Here’s how I’ll approach with the help of the Betmix Angler database.Penn National: Race 3#9 Uncle Money (7-2 morning line odds) was claimed at the end of the ’25 season knowing full-well the 2-month winter shutdown was coming. Trainer Brandon Kulp got out of the gate last February by going 7: 4-1-1 with horses exiting 50-day layoffs or more, and note last year at Penn was 10: 5-1-1 with horses first off the claim who were off that same layoff span or more. Win bet #9.Penn National: Race 7#1 Heaven Street (3-1 morning line odds) has fit very well since dropping to the lower claiming levels and trainer Tim Kreiser is more than capable of holding this veteran’s form off a layoff. The barn wins 29% at Penn National off layoffs of 60-plus days the past 3 years, including 5-for-10 when paired when go-rider Angel Cruz. Win bet #1.

The Lead:Little went as anticipated in last week's Royal Delta at Gulfstream, so we'll look to restore order in this space for Saturday's Gulfstream Park Sprint. With Knightsbridge rolling in the Mr. Prospector and Fred W. Hooper already this Championship Meet, the local dash scene gets a chance for a fresh face in his absence this Saturday.The Gulfstream Park Sprint will be part of the Sunset 6 wager between Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita (final 3 races at each track daily).​​Field Depth:Grade 2 and Grade 3 winner DAMON'S MOUND has the signature wins in the lineup. ROLANDO and GREAT NAVIGATOR are listed stakes winners. DAMON'S MOUND has the class edge.​Pace:It's not obvious where the serious gas comes from, but it should be competitive early amongst WOUND UP, DAMON'S MOUND, ROLANDO, AJAAYB and perhaps BEELINE and CON COMPANIA. Hard read on pace.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.#1-GREAT NAVIGATOR: Consistent sort was no match for a tougher Mr. Prospector cast last out that included Knightsbridge and Super Chow. While he’s only won 2 of his last 11, he never misfires at 6 furlongs and gets back to his preferred trip. Not the fastest sprinter from the gate and needs a clear break or the field will come down and take his real estate.#2-JACK’S PROMISE: Scored an allowance victory over this track and trip on Christmas Eve and makes his first start since for a Dale Romans barn that is going very well of late at GP. Bullet workout Feb. 8 similar to the zip he showed prior to last win. He’s 2-for-3 at Gulfstream and son of GP successful sprinter Promises Fulfilled. Plenty to like while making his first rise into the stakes ranks.#3-AJAAYB: Victor Barboza took over the training of this 6-year-old over the winter and didn’t see any noticeable progress when returning him at Tampa for an allowance on Feb. 7. This one has struggled in stakes and has nibbled at Gulfstream with a 7: 0-3-3 mark. Prefer others.#4-BEELINE: Versatile pace player wired the Hutcheson here 2 years ago, but is 1-for-7 in sporadic appearances since. The Riley Mott trainee turns to Tyler Gaffalione for the first time while looking to a return to his preferred GP surface as the potential wake-up call. Solid marks at 6 furlongs on dirt play to his strength.#5-WOUND UP: Southern California transplant has battled some tough foes in the Claiming Crown Sprint and Mr. Prospector in recent starts and held his ground nicely. Jose D’Angelo barn has been off its normal success early in 2026 but having Irad Ortiz Jr. back aboard will be a boost. Could show strong early pace just inside the potential pacemaker and favorite, hooking up in a duel.#6-DAMON’S MOUND: Speedster wire the Sunshine Sprint last out and successfully followed his open-company win in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler at Aqueduct. He’s back in a groove after showing such initial promise to open his career. The 6-year-old is 2-for-2 at Gulfstream and note trainer Bill Mott’s 8: 4-1-0 meet in stakes at the Championship Meet. The horse to beat under regular pilot Junior Alvarado.#7-ROLANDO: The 2025 Hutcheson Stakes winner over this track and distance, he’s 1-for-6 since and hoping a return to his favorite surface shakes things in the right direction. He’s 3-for-6 at Gulfstream and never missed a trifecta locally. The 4-year-old by Vekoma caught a pretty tough field at Tampa in the Pelican Stakes Feb. 7 and wheels back quickly. His Hutcheson win was on 13 days’ rest, so the pattern entices and John Velazquez has had success with him prior.#8-CON COMPANIA: Chilean export is 2-for-8 in America while racing for 3 different trainers in Florida. Good effort around 2 turns last time out before succumbing to eventual Pegasus World Cup winner Skippylongstocking et al and should be strong at 6 furlongs. Versatile running style from outside post puts the task in Miguel Vasquez’s hands.Most Likely Exotics Contender:DAMON'S MOUND should be in the hunt every step of the way over a track and distance he likes.Best Longshot Contender:ROLANDO repeats a successful, short-rest pattern from 2025 and has run well locally and at this trip.Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$50 exacta part-wheel DAMON'S MOUND over ROLANDO and CON COMPANIA ($100).

Dino Sampo led all players to secure the $1000 weekly first prize in Week 7 of the 21st season of the Xpressbet Beat the Host handicapping contest. Just 2 regular season weeks remain as Zoe Cadman, racing analyst at Santa Anita, will be this Saturday’s host throwing down the challenge.Sampo’s Week 7 score narrowly edged runner-up Andy Muhlada at $204.50, which earned a $750 prize. Allen Friedman posted a $198.50 total that netted him $250 in prize money. Overall, 19 players managed to Beat the Host (Gulfstream paddock reporter Samantha Perry). That means 553 spots have been punched to the Beat the Host Championship Round on March 7.The $65,000 Beat the Host competition encompasses 10 races each contest Saturday, split between the final 5 Gulfstream Park races and first 5 from Santa Anita. Contestants place $5 win bets on the Xpressbet platform for each of the 10 Beat the Host races, earning their parimutuel winnings as well as prize pools.All contestants who beat the cumulative bankroll total of the host each Saturday qualify for the Beat the Host Championship on March 7. Weekly prize pools of $2,000 are also in play for the top-3 finishers, while a $6,500 Sweep the Host bonus split is in store for those sharp enough to top the host totals all 9 weeks of the contest. Only 3 of 819 registrants remain eligible for the Sweep the Host bonus with 2 weeks remaining.A check-in for the season-long leaderboard in contest earnings shapes up this way: Christopher Cupples’ opened up his lead $567.25 after a big week. John Souza made a huge move to second with $489.25. He’s followed by Phillip Perkins ($477.75), Stephen Brodhay ($475.00) and Steven Busching ($459.25).The BTH Championship pits all weekly winning players against one another in pursuit of seats in the lucrative Pegasus World Cup Betting Challenge, Xpressbet Santa Anita Derby Challenge and Xpressbet Florida Derby Challenge tournaments.Last season, 496 of 711 Beat the Host players were able to top the host total at least once during the season. Glenn Gulden paced all players in the cumulative season totals last year, while George Blanchard took down the top prize in the Beat the Host Championship round finale.Tournament & Host Schedule:Saturday, January 3, 2026 - Pete AielloSaturday, January 10, 2026 - Millie BallSaturday, January 17, 2026 - Michelle YuSaturday, January 24, 2026 - Scott ShapiroSaturday, January 31, 2026 - Brian NadeauSaturday, February 7, 2026 - Tom QuigleySaturday, February 14, 2026 - Samantha PerrySaturday, February 21, 2026 - Zoe CadmanSaturday, February 28, 2026 - Ron NicolettiSaturday, March 7, 2026 – Beat the Host Championship Round

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Tampa ($50+) & Turfway ($50+) | today’s racesNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $104,299 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $47,256 | Tampa Bay Downs | begins Race 4 | 2:17 pm ETKEY RACESTurf Paradise | Race 7 | 6:05 pm ET | Luke Kruytbosch StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXTampa Bay | Race 9 | 4:50 pm ETTurfway Park | Race 1 | 5:55 pm ETDelta Downs | Race 2 | 6:13 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHRonney Brown | Charles Town | all 4 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Parx | trainer Jamie Ness | 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third from 6 startersPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Bet $100, Get $10 Picks for Tampa/Turfway Wednesday Wins promoFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section