After a racing week of carryovers and stakes action in Arcadia, they are back at it on Friday afternoon for the start of another three days of thoroughbred action at Santa Anita Park. The 9-race slate kicks off at 4PM eastern/1PM local time. Here are the horses I like most.Race 2:My first play comes in this state-bred $12,500 maiden claimer at two-turns where I am hoping to wire the field with #1 Brahms Mendelssohn. The 4YO gelding makes his third start of the form cycle after a pair of sprints to kick off his 2026 season. He ran a solid second in his first start back despite being caught wide throughout, but was not as successful last time when hung out four-wide going 5.5-furlongs. I like the stretch out for the Brendan Galvin trainee and of course the inside draw, which should allow jockey Kyle Frey to have no issue working out favorable forward position into the first turn. It should be graduation day for the Four Quarters Corp homebred to kick off the first Pick 4 of the week.Play: #1 Brahms Mendelssohn (5-2 ML)Race 8:Class dropper #1 Man Child was made the understandable 5-2-ML favorite in this open $10k claimer at 5.5-furlongs after a slow start from the rail put him in a spot he could not recover from on January 16. The issue is he draws the inside post again making him vulnerable since getting out of the gate well has not been his forte of late. I will try to beat the chalk with #3 Hey Brother. The 6YO gelding makes his first start in almost a year to the day and returns to the Librado Barocio barn after being on the east coast last winter. The son of City of Light gets to run under the waiver claim rule since he has been on the sidelines for 120+ days and is competing for a claiming price equal to or greater than his last start. He will be very tough, if able to get back to anywhere near his best. I will take my chances.Play: #3 Hey Brother (6-1 ML)Race 9:My final play of the day comes in the finale where I like the chances quite a bit of #8 Robin Olds. The Mo Forza colt debuted over this same surface and distance on February 13 and put forth a better than looks third to kick off his career. In that first try for trainer Phil D’Amato, the Nick Alexander homebred broke well and relaxed professionally off the pace early, but simply did not get the setup he needed to run the field down. In fact, the two runners prominent early finished 1-2 in the end with this good looking grey coming with a big run late to finish a hard charging third. With the start under his belt and hot riding Armando Ayuso aboard, I like his chances quite a bit to close the day with his first lifetime score.Play: #8 Robin Olds (9-2 ML)

Oaklawn Park’s “Get Out $3 Pick 3” won’t be an easy out for bettors on Friday the 13th. Large, competitive fields fill the lineup in races 8 through 10. Here’s a closer look with a suggested $54 ticket:OP 8th race (5:10 p.m. EST) -- The field is a combined 14-for-55 at one mile in this crowded starter allowance. UNLOAD, winless in the last 19 months since a stakes victory at Remington Park, was reclaimed by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen off a pair of decent 6F sprints that made him eligible for this condition. The son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner finished third behind the Asmussen-trained Cape Trafalgar (5-21, $312k) two starts back, then launched a good rally into the far turn, peeled out 5-wide at the top of the stretch and flattened out in the final furlong to finish fourth more recently. He has plenty of long-distance experience to summon, including a Grade 3 placing in the 2024 Cornhusker Stakes. LITTLE STEVEN set a solid pace at 1-1/16 miles but couldn’t hold off the winning favorite at 1-1/16 miles. He earned the top speed figure of his career, retains betting value and should appreciate the cutback to one mile. EXCEL CALCULATOR left too much work to do after he hopped at the break, but he advanced steadily in the final quarter mile to finish third behind LITTLE STEVEN. He won one-mile races at three tracks in 2025 and will have to negotiate post 10 to pay off on a claim by new trainer Wayne Potts.OP 9th race (5:44 p.m. EST) -- KANT BELIEVE IT makes her seasonal debut, but the lightly-raced 7-year-old has quality speed, has run well with similar time off between starts and won two of her last four sprints at Oaklawn with an 80 and 79 Beyer, respectively. LADY ABERDEEN carried her speed to two wins and a third in her last four starts and met multiple stakes winner Nerazurri (5-15, $381k) in between. She might have to find a passing gear, but the price is right to use on the Pick 3 ticket at a suitable distance. If a front-end battle ensues, DEMIDANU could loom in longshot range if she overcomes a bad habit of slow starts. She drew away from KANT BELIEVE IT at 5-1/2 for her last victory a year ago.OP 10th race (6:15 p.m. EST) -- WILDWOOD QUEEN, hard-ridden between rivals on the turn, exchanged bumps while launching a bid in early stretch, then finished full of run to finish second. She continued strong on the gallop out, earning a playback in the same spot. SHE’S STORMING dueled and found more late to beat the ‘Queen’ at 24-1 odds and could do it again, albeit at a much shorter price. SPARKLY, extremely wide from post 12 while unhurried to the turn, could change tactics with a better post draw, but she’s 0-for-13 at the distance.Suggested $3 Get Out Pick 3 TicketOP 8th Race: 6, 7, 10OP 9th Race: 4, 5, 6OP 10th Race: 2, 8Cost: $54

Saturday marks one of the biggest days on the racing calendar in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is Virginia Derby Day at Colonial Downs and for the second year it is held in the spring as part of a 3-day special meet. The 10-race Saturday card includes a late Pick 4 sequence that has three stakes races and 1/ST Bet and Xpressbet have a 2 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split to add to the fun. As always, just remember to register for the new promotion. Here is how I am attacking the Virginia Derby Day late Pick 4.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 7: Sandy BottomGrade: C+Main Ticket: 7 Runaway Diva; 6 EunomiaBackups: NoneForecast: The sequence kicks off with this $100k one-mile event for fillies and mares where I am intrigued by the horse for course, #7 Runaway Diva. The Runhappy mare comes in having hit the board in 7 straight races, including a pair of runs over this surface last summer. She has shown an affinity for this unique one-turn configuration and draws outside, which should give jockey Julien Leparoux options in this compact group of 7. I will use her along with the more obvious 6-5-ML favorite #6 Eunomia to kick things off.Race 8: Virginia OaksGrade: XMain Ticket: 3 Bottle of RougeBackups: NoneForecast: #3 Bottle of Rouge was made the 6-5-ML favorite in this year’s Virginia Oaks after her win last month in the Sunland Park Oaks. The Vino Rosso filly has done little running outside of her sixth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) last fall and should find herself in a perfect early spot a few lengths off the pace of #1 Dazzling Dame and #4 Kadabra. Flavien Prat will be aboard this $100,000 Keeneland September ’24 purchase for the first time. She should relish the one-turn 1 1/16-mile configuration at Colonial Downs.Race 9: Virginia DerbyGrade: BMain Ticket: 5 High Camp; 9 Ocelli; 7 IncrediboltBackups: NoneForecast: The third leg is the feature, which not only rewards 50 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, but also is part of 1/ST BET and Xpressbet’s ongoing Triple Crown Prep Race Money Back Special. Most of you know by now, but for those who do not, it is used much like insurance since you get up to $10 back on your Win bet if your horse finishes second or third. As always just remember to register.I will try to beat the ML favorite #1 Buetane and second choice #8 Confessional in this $500k 9-furlong affair with a trio of horses for barns hoping to make their first major impression on the Triple Crown trail in the near future. One of them is #5 High Camp. The Instagrand colt ran well on debut in Florida to finish second and backed it up with an off the pace victory in his first start as a 3YO. He has to prove himself at a mile or longer, but has a lot of talent and retains hot riding Johnny V. I also like #9 Ocelli. The maiden has kept better company over his last two starts than he encounters today and can absolutely finish with energy. If they go at it early, he should be rolling late. Finally, I will include #7 Incredibolt. I doubt he goes off at anything close to his 10-1-ML offering, but his last was too poor to believe. If he gets back to his runs at Churchill Downs last winter, he very well could earn himself a spot in the starting gate in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.Race 10:Grade: B-Main Ticket: 6 Freedom Road; 7 Maclean’s Rook; 1 Seeking Unity; 4 Dr Ruben MBackups: NoneForecast: The finale is a second-level allowance at 1 1/16-miles where I will try to beat 2-1-ML favorite #8 Lure Him In. The 11-time winner brings the strongest resume in and draws favorably outside the main speed, but has a spotty pattern of late. The 9YO raced last in a Florida-bred stake on January 10 and has only worked three times since. I know he won during this meet last year, but he was a far easier horse to trust in the early part of 2025. I will use a few in hopes of beating the Sam Wilensky trainee to close things out.

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Colonial Downs | today’s races10X 1/ST Rewards Points | Cheltenham Festival | today’s racesSCHEDULE NOTESColonial Downs | opening day of 3-day VA Derby MeetTOURNAMENT TIME$40 Gulfstream Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $126,514 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:40 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $116,891 | Gulfstream | begins Race 5 | 2:51 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $169,873 | Fair Grounds | begins Race 4 | 3:15 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $117,599 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 5:11 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $66,415 | Turfway | begins Race 5 | 7:55 pm ET--Gulfstream will have a mandatory payout SundayLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXFair Grounds | Race 6 | 4:15 pm ETOaklawn | Race 7 | 4:38 pm ETGulfstream | Race 10 | 5:24 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHSaffie Joseph Jr. | Gulfstream, Colonial | 5 of 6 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Mahoning Valley | trainer Nestor Rivera | 2 wins, 1 second from 3 startersPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMTimeform: Cheltenham Wager Guide for ThursdayJeremy Plonk: Colonial Downs Bet $100, Get $10 Thursday PicksFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

The Lead:Following a $647.50 Santa Anita Handicap score in this space last week, let's head back to Gulfstream Park, where we've had some Race of the Week success in the past month or so. Saturday's 11-runner turf sprint, the Race 12 Captiva Island Stakes, has few obvious tosses and much balance. That should conspire for very attractive exotics.Horseplayers be sure to take part in the $400 Florida Derby/Santa Anita Derby Challenge Qualifier tournament this Saturday at Xpressbet.com. Also note that Sunday's card to close the weekend will feature a mandatory payout in the Rainbow 6 wager.​​Field Depth:PANDORA'S GIFT is a stakes winner and Grade 2-placed and has kept the strongest strength of schedule overall. MOON SPUN, GREAT VENEZUELA, ME GOVERNOR and TWIRLING QUEEN are listed stakes winners. This is a race with a pretty familiar cast of players.​Pace:MOON SPUN from the rail and TWIRLING QUEEN in post 9 project fastest in the group. TALIESIN could show speed if her dirt form translates to turf. The tempo will be hot with PANDORA'S GIFT and ME GOVERNOR likely in the early hunt. But at 5 furlongs on turf and without a discernable and reputable closer, it's still likely to be one near the engine.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.#1-MOON SPUN: Rail blazer has won 4 in a row, including 2 stakes at the meet. She’s a pure turf sprinter and eliminates a lot of variables with her draw and style. Javier Castellano has won 32% in turf sprints at the current meet. Trainer Brain Lynch’s 8 stakes wins are most at the meet and his 10 turf sprint stakes wins the last 5 years at Gulfstream dwarf the competition (next-best 4).#2-SUNNA: Jockey Joel Rosario won this race last year and is one of the game’s elite turf sprint jockeys, but this recent non-winners of 2 lifetime claiming winner takes a massive rise in class. Too much to ask, but perhaps in the pace hunt.#3-KARAYA: Winless in 5 local turf starts, but she’s been all around the money. Best performances have been on synthetic, perhaps in part to the surface and the lesser quality y of competition gathered there. Hit the board at 7-1 and 4-1 in turf sprint stakes last winter and goes second off the layoff with a solid post.#4-GREAT VENEZUELA: Well-traveled 5-year-old has won 7 of her last 12 while racing in Florida, New Jersey and California. She’s been a wrecking ball on the Gulfstream synthetic, but 1-for-5 with 4 minor awards on the turf here. Probably has to find a way through from mid-pack in this group and occasionally has run a BRIS late pace figure good enough to make them sweat late.#5-TALIESIN: Dirt performer hasn’t tried turf in 13 starts and picks a difficult spot to see if she fits. She’s had 2 decent tries since moving to the Saffie Joseph Jr. barn, but didn’t see any major upgrade.#6-LE AMAZONIA: Late-running second in the Ladies Turf Sprint at 13-1 odds, she’s almost assured the same kind of tactical blue print behind so much speed in this tougher race. She tapped out in the 85-89 BRIS late pace figure range in multiple turf sprints, which is why she’s been second twice as often (6 times) as she’s won (3). Bottom at best again.#7-FLAMINGO WAY: Late rally has been a bit flat late in turf sprint stakes, but the effort has been there. Clearly improved since coming to Guadalupe Preciado last fall, but just not able to catch up to Moon Spun in 2 similar spots of late. Jockey Jose Morelos is winning 23% in turf sprints at the current GP meet with a positive ROI, so she’s in good hands.#8-ME GOVERNOR: Kind of spun her wheels last out on synthetic and should appreciate the return to turf, where 3 of her 4 career wins have come. Layoff since November brings a fresh 4-year-old to the party and she’s working like she’s sharp. Trainer Carlos Davis is 4-for-7 with limited turf sprinters at the meeting and jockey Mario Gutierrez has been a money rider with 5 stakes wins from just 13 mounts at the Championship Meet.#9-TWIRLING QUEEN: Speedster couldn’t get in front of Moon Spun in the Ladies Turf Sprint and that scenario saw her give way to a well-beaten fourth. Given the posts, she’s like chasing that one into and off the far turn as well. Luis Saez returns to Gulfstream after trying Oaklawn this winter and reunites with a former winning mount.#10-COCO ABARRIO: Allowance winner takes on easily the toughest test of her career from a difficult post. Best trip may require her dropping back farther than usual and trying to make a rally.#11-PANDORA’S GIFT (pictured): September layoff returnee makes her Gulfstream Park debut, but was highly competitive from Keeneland to Saratoga to the Presque Isle Masters on multiple footings. She was a pure turf sprinter in the UK and will be right in hunt off a series of 6 Payson Park workouts on the deep training track. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione’s 8 stakes wins at the current meet lead all riders.Most Likely Exotics Contender:MOON SPUN is 9-for-9 in the trifecta lifetime, undefeated in 3 Gulfstream starts and the rail wins 11% in full-field turf sprints at Gulfstream, second-best to post 6 with 12%.Best Longshot Contender:FLAMINGO WAY and ME GOVERNOR are both 12-1 morning line and offer a ton of appeal as my exotics keys under the logical players.Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$5 trifecta part-wheel MOON SPUN with FLAMINGO WAY, ME GOVERNOR with ALL ($90). $5 exacta part-wheel PANDORA'S GIFT with FLAMINGO WAY, ME GOVERNOR ($90).

The 4-day Cheltenham Festival is one of the world's most prestigious Steeplechase meetings. Watch and wager on all the action with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet each morning Tuesday through Friday this week -- and get 10X 1/ST Rewards Points on all those plays. To get you set for Cheltenham, check out Thursday's free Wager Guide from Timeform.

The “Lucky Strides” promotion this March at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet offers a $10 bonus when you bet $100 or more at select tracks each Tuesday and Thursday. Opening Day of Colonial Downs’ 3-day Virginia Derby Meeting will be the track spotlighted for this Thursday. Here’s how I’ll approach that card with the help of the Betmix Angler database.Colonial Downs: Race 4#1 American Direction (9-2 morning line odds) has shown marked improvement since moving to dirt 2 starts back and note the success of Tampa Bay Downs shippers during last March’s short Colonial Downs stand, going 2-for-2 with a stakes win. Barn changes away from Mott and Clement are in play with this race’s 2 favorites, so they could be vulnerable. Win-place 1.Colonial Downs: Race 8#10 Boost (10-1 morning line odds) was well-backed in his local debut Sept. 1 when Wickedwithbourbon ran everyone into the ground and has gone on to become a stakes-placed sprinter at Fair Grounds. Trainer Robbie Bailes looks to have aimed this one for the comeback spot off a series of Fair Hill and Laurel drills. Bailes ran 5 horses here during the 2025 Colonial spring fling and had a winner and 2 seconds among those (including a 22-1 runner-up). Win-place 10.

EXTRA INCENTIVES10X 1/ST Rewards Points | Cheltenham Festival | today’s racesNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $104,236 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:40 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $60,635 | Turfway | begins Race 5 | 7:55 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $101,711 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 5:11 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXTampa Bay Downs | Race 7 | 3:30 pm ETTurf Paradise | Race 8 | 7:40 pm ETTurfway Park | Race 10 | 10:25 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHErnesto Padilla-Preciado | Parx | all 4 entrants 9-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Parx | favorites won 6 of 10 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMTimeform: Cheltenham Wager Guide for WednesdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section