The 2025-'26 Meet at the Fair Grounds begins this week with large and competitive fields throughout. Louisiana-bred 2-year-old fillies will be featured in the $100,000 Donovan L. Ferguson Memorial Stakes on Friday, Nov. 21, the leadoff leg in the Late Pick 3. Here’s a closer look and a suggested $1 ticket that costs $40.FG 7th race (4:45 p.m. EST) -- Favorites dominated in the first three runnings of the Ferguson Memorial. Not sure if LITTLE MISS CURLIN will assume that role off a smashing debut victory at Delta Downs, but she is worthy as a solo play in the Pick 3 off that effort. She accelerated inside rivals on the backstretch to secure the lead position, was pressed by the 17-1 runner-up to the top of the stretch and exploded in the final 1/8 of a mile to win by 4-1/4 lengths in :58-3/5, less than a second off a 5F starter allowance for the boys on the same card. She breezed a 4F bullet workout in :47.3 since the win.FG 8th race (5:15 p.m. EST) -- The possibilities abound in this 5-1/2F Maiden Special Weight turf sprint, so go 8-deep on the ticket. MORE SWEETER worked fast between her two starts but was no factor either time. Her debut race, however, produced Grade 2 winner Miss Grillo and two follow-up MSW winners. ACQUAZURRA, a $300,000 sales buy, exited a double ‘key’ dirt sprint and pressed the pace from post 11 while 3-to 5-wide last out. She gets Lasix for her grassy debut. NELSON’S PENNY exits a pair of six-figure turf sprints that produced follow-up stakes winners. STRESS TEST rallied to finish third behind a speedy winner in her debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis. WOOTEN WARRIOR’s sire, Wootton Bassett, was 5-8 and a multiple turf stakes winner of $843k. AL MUHEERAH debuts for trainer Brendan Walsh, whose debut 2-year-olds are 20-for-125 the last two years with a positive return on investment. More than half of those starters were dismissed at single-digit odds. The son of Kitten’s Joy is out of the dam, Musawaah, a stakes-winning grass router in France. MY BLUE LINE and BUGS MALONE will try to enhance trainer Michael Stidham’s strong numbers with first-time starters on the turf, but they are uncoupled in the wagering. MY BLUE LINE’s sire, Blue Point, was 10-for-20 and a multiple Group 1 winner of $2.9 million overseas. BUGS MALONE is out of the dam Maya Princess, whose siblings are 34/6-5-6 in turf sprints. (Note: Use #14 SPRING IN PARIS if she draws into the race.)FG 9th race (5:45 p.m. EST) -- MY MAN BRANDON (8-1) gets pace to run at and gets the top call in a wide-open, 6F MSW sprint. He sustained a strong 4- and 5-wide rally in a 5F sprint at Delta Downs but couldn’t reach the rival he bumped at the break. MISTER BANDERAS dueled with the second favorite in a race dominated by deep closers. He shortens up for the high-percentage claim barn of trainer Tom Amoss and is a must use off a bullet 5F work over the track. SHOT GUN SHACK ran loose on the lead in his March debut at Fair Grounds and finished second, 1/2 of a length ahead of FREE SCRIM, his closest pursuer, who didn’t change leads in the stretch. The race produced three MSW winners with an average 58 Beyer and a stakes runner-up. SHOT GUN SHACK tired in his return at Churchill Downs and FREE SCRIM starts off an eight-month layoff. MUSICAL BAND also merits price-play consideration, returning to the main track for the first time since a much-improved second in a productive long sprint at Louisiana Downs in May.Suggested $1 TicketFG 7th Race: 2FG 8th Race: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (AE-#14)FG 9th Race: 1, 7, 9, 10, 11Cost: $40

Fair Grounds opens its 2025-’26 racing season Thursday and once again 1/ST BET and Xpressbet open the Cornucopia of Cash. Another Bet $100, Get $10 offer will be in play for the Fair Grounds card, which gets underway at 1:45 pm ET. Forecast is for temps nearing 80 degrees and mostly sunny skies.Fair Grounds | Race 3 | 2:45 pm ET#3 Butcher Holler (8-1 morning line odds) represents trainer Keith Bourgeois, who has been a tremendously fast starter to the Fair Grounds meetings the past 2 years. He’s won 6 of 19 November starts locally in 2023-’24, popping $24, $45 and $56 prices in that span. Two of those huge prices came via Delta Downs like Butcher Holler, who is in excellent form currently. Win bet #3. Daily Double 3-12 to our next play.Fair Grounds | Race 4 | 3:15 pm ET#12 South Side (12-1 morning line odds) is the second of 2 Keith Bourgeois trainees on the card (see FG meet-opening stats above in Race 3 comments). This one runs second off the layoff and can be excused for the dirt performance last out. He’s back on the FG turf, where he won at 27-1 to open last year’s meet at a big price in a similar form cycle under Mitch Murrill and reunites. Win-place bet #12.Fair Grounds | Race 7 | 4:45 pm ET#5 Quick Kiss (3-1 morning line odds) looks to continue an early tear trainer Larry Rivelli set forth at Fair Grounds last year. He won with 4 of his first 5 two-year-olds at the meet (2 of 3 with debut runners like this). Quick Kiss is a well-meant $200,000 purchase who figures to be well put together given the more modest pedigree for that price. Win bet #5.

The Lead:The stakes season may be winding down, but Laurel Park's trio of featured races Saturday provide a welcome mat for some of the circuit's biggest stars. The Willa on the Move Stakes, Richard W. Small Stakes and the Dave's Friend Stakes are grouped together on the 9-race card that begins at noon. The 6-furlong Dave's Friend will be my focus in Race 7 (post time 2:52 pm ET).​Field Depth:Grade 1-placed performers TWISTED RIDE and DEAN DELIVERS have dabbled at the top sprint levels, while Grade 2-placed SUNNY BREEZE and Grade 3-placed PRINCE OF JERICHO have earned black type. Six of the 9 entrants are listed stakes winners. The lineup is very evenly matched on class.​Pace:Seven different runners have some designs on or pressing the lead, which should lead to a hotly contested pace. It's cloudy which will fire fastest and who will be left in chase mode, but SUBROGATE and TETINGAS TWIN figure to be the beneficiaries from off the pace.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.#1-SUBROGATE: DeFrancis Dash winner over this track and distance in June returns with a great pace set-up. The Jorge Duarte trainee also hits a key, second-off-the-layoff spot of his form cycle. Note he won his second lifetime start, a 2OL allowance in June 2024 and a 2OL spot for the DeFrancis Dash. Major threat.#2-PETINGAS TWIN: Off the board in all 3 career stakes bids, this allowance sort exits a career-best race over the track and is 9-for-12 in the exacta on the Laurel main. Should get a good pace set-up for the high-percentage Anthony Farrior barn. Consider at a price.#3-TWISTED RIDE: Parx-based 6-year-old is 18-36 in the exacta lifetime with a commendable 10 wins. Runner-up in the Maryland Million Sprint here Oct. 11 and has been second in all 3 Laurel efforts lifetime. Third last summer in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga, but an 11-race losing streak lasted all the way until his Oct. 29 Parx allowance victory. Consider underneath.#4-UNCLE CAT: Allowance sort has managed only 1 win from 10 starts at Laurel on the main track, albeit with 4 seconds. Against this crew looks to be in a no-lead, no-pass situation and others offer far more appeal.#5-SHOWSTOPPER COPPER: Able to punch out lesser competition, but when faced with rivals of this ilk he's been flat late and unable to finish the job. Penn National-based gelding should be part of the contended pace, but prefer others when it counts late.#6-MAXIMUS MERIDIUS: Parx trainer Butch Reid brings a rested and ready sprinter to town, off since September's runner-up in the Parx Sprint. While not a need-the-lead type, this fast breaker might be on the engine while fresh.#7-SUNNY BREEZE: First of 2 for veteran trainer Ned Allard, who also sends out Dean Delivers. Won the Concern Stakes over this track last year, but has dropped 7 straight since (0-4 in 2025). Has lost margin in the final call in each of those defeats and appears to be in a no-lead, no-pass situation Saturday.#8-PRINCE OF JERICHO: Morning line favorite returns from a February layoff as red-hot trainer Brittany Russell picks a steep spot for the comeback. While his record is strong at 6 furlongs (9: 3-4-1), at top levels he's been dynamite at 7 furlongs and potentially that's his best trip. Only 1 career start off a long vacation and that netted a solid, but unspectacular, allowance win. I'll try to beat him, but respect the ledger.#9-DEAN DELIVERS: The 2024 DeFrancis Dash winner at Laurel was in peak form a year ago, but this 6-year-old season has seen a noticable decline. Poor allowance effort over this track and distance in his local prep doesn't inspire any confidence the Ned Allard trainee is about to turn it around.Most Likely Exotics Contender:SUBROGATE is proven locally at this trip and class level and should be ready to fire at this point of his form cycle behind a hot pace to tackle.Best Longshot Contender:PETINGAS TWIN should get a great trip, and while only 6-1 in the morning line, is the best 'price' to dabble.Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$100 win SUBROGATE.

SCHEDULE NOTETampa Bay Downs | Opening Day | first post 12:40 pm ETNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $81,615 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $145,504 | Churchill Downs | begins Race 4 | 2:27 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXTampa Bay Downs | Race 3 | 1:40 pm ETChurchill Downs | Race 9 | 4:55 pm ETDelta Downs | Race 1 | 5:45 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHBrandon Kulp | Penn National | all 5 entrants 9-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Mahoning Valley | jockey Erik Barbaran | 3 wins, added a fourth at Mountaineer last nightPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Tampa Bay Downs Opening Day Wednesday Spot PlaysFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Tampa Bay Downs opens its 2025-'26 racing season Wednesday and we'll look to keep a little momentum going after a $40.60 exacta score to close our Parx spot plays in this space on Tuesday. Tampa Bay's 9-race card on opening day boasts 10+ entries across the final 8 races. First post is slated for 12:40 pm ET.Tampa Bay Downs | Race 4 | 2:10 pm ET#9 Precious Cat (15-1 morning line odds) has a longshot look in her second career start. She never got uncorked in a turf sprint at The Meadowlands, but horses from that circuit were very effective moving turf-to-dirt here during the initial weeks of last year’s Tampa Bay Downs meeting. Note trainer Mike Dini had 4 top-2 finishers from his first 10 starters here last season, including a 12-1 winner via the Meadowlands. Win-place #9.Tampa Bay Downs | Race 7 | 3:40 pm ET#4 Princess Bettina (8-1 morning line odds) makes yet another trainer change and appears first time for the high-percentage Jose D’Angelo outfit. She’s faced tougher competition throughout her career and should fitvery well with a pressing running style. D’Angelo scored his first turf starter of last year’s Tampa Bay Downs meeting with Samuel Marin riding. Win bet #4. Exacta key-box 4 with 2,9,10.

Let’s see what is in store this Wednesday at Happy Valley.Helpful ResourcesHappy Valley – November 19HKJC Resource Page – Free PPs, Pace Projections, Workout Videos, Weather Race 1 | 1200M | Class 4Win/Place - #10 BASIC INSTINCTQuinella Box – 2,3,10Grade: B+Notes: Let’s put this 6/5 Morning Line favorite, #1 SIR CHARGE, on fade alert for the indefinite future. Sure, he’s dropping in class, but my ratings have his last five tries as being woefully uninspiring even when considering the class change. At that price, I wouldn’t bet on him with someone else’s money. A few others intrigue me at solid prices, including #2 WAVE GARDEN and #3 FREE PONY who are both somewhat inconsistent but have banked one solid race in the new season each. Where I’m leaning the hardest is #10 BASIC INSTINCT, who has put in four races in the new season and has improved drastically with each start. He’s going to get a hood and a pacifier for the first time, and I’m hoping they have him dialed in for a shocker to open the card with a 21/1 Morning Line.Race 5 | 1000M | Class 4Win/Place - #8 BUNTA BABYGrade: ANotes: At 11/1, I think BUNTA BABY is a steal. This five-year-old gelding is going to be carrying only 116 pounds over five furlongs, and I think the weight difference could be what pushes this horse over the line. In his last race, he broke awkwardly and cut his leg and maintained nearly a length’s lead until being taken over at the wire. He’ll get a furlong less to run here, and I’m willing to trust Britney Wong, who’s winning nearly 10% of her starts this season, will have this horse firing out of the gate and never looking back. At his best, BUNTA BABY is the best sprinter in this field, it’s just a matter of whether we get his best. At those odds, I’ll take my shot.Race 9 | 1600M | Class 3Quinella Box – 2,3,12Grade: ANotes: The problem I have with this race is I like a few too many horses. I think #2 SOUTH STAR is more than deserving of the 7/2 Morning Line, but not unbeatable. #3 HIGHLAND RAHY, when at his best, is more than capable of taking down this field with a Morning Line of 10/1. #12 SUPER UNICORN started the new season pretty slow, tried the All-Weather course, and then bounced back for a race like this and ran a strong figure. There’s a healthy mix of potential meeting overall quality in this race, but I think the prices will be fair and give us a chance to mix the most likely outcomes in a way that still pays itself off. Let’s play these three in a Quinella and root for the best-paying combination to get home.Good luck!

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Parx | today’s racesNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $54,183 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETSuper Hi 5 | $2,891 | Mountaineer | Race 8 | 9:55 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXZia Park | Race 2 | 2:32 pm ETParx | Race 10 | 4:08 pm ETMountaineer | Race 8 | 9:55 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHChris Englehart | Finger Lakes | all 6 entrants 4-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Turf Paradise | favorites won 5 of 8 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Parx Bet $100, Get $10 Best Bets for TuesdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

November’s Cornucopia of Cash promotion continues Tuesday with a Bet $100, Get $10 offer on Parx Racing when you play with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. The 10-race Parx card gets underway at 12:05 pm ET with all races on the main track. Cloudy skies with temps in the mid-40s are in the forecast over what should be a fast main track.Parx: Race 5 (1:53 pm ET)#5 Centaur Central (5-2 morning line odds) represents a smoking-hot Jose Gonzalez-Milian barn that is 7: 4-1-0 to start November at Parx. The winners have paid $8, $11, $17, $33 during this streak. This colt got that ball rolling on Nov. 1 and I like that the trainer helped fill the field by entering a second longshot entry in order to insure this one got a chance to run. Win bet #5. Daily Double 5-6 to this hot stable’s follow-up runner in the next race.Parx: Race 6 (2:20 pm ET)#6 Second Best (10-1 morning line odds) steps up in class off a $33 mutuel November 1 while breaking her maiden. That score coincided with a move to the Jose Gonzalez-Milian barn, which is 7: 4-1-0 to start November at Parx. The winners have paid $8, $11, $17, $33 during this streak. Gonzalez-Milian was 1-for-15 at Parx in September and October combined, so the tide has turned. Win-place bet #6. Exacta box 6-1 with #1 Sweet Marie.Parx: Race 9 (3:41 pm ET)#4 Put the Crazy Away (5-1 morning line odds) has been knocking on the door since late summer and the rider change to Frankie Pennington might be what gets her over the top. Note trainer John Kirby’s last 8 starters at Parx have 1 win, 5 seconds and 1 third, all firing (including 2 recent checks by this mare). Exacta key-box 4 with 3,8,6.