Hoosier Park begins the weekend with a 14-race card. The 0.50 Late Pick 4 starts in Race 11. The sequence has a low 12% takeout, and it will be my focus. Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.Race 11 (9:20 PM EDT)4-Bam Bam (5/2)-Erv Miller 3-year-old raced from the backfield in its debut. Closed with a 54.1 back half with a 25.3 last panel and lost by less than 2 lengths. Has a good chance to post its maiden win, probably won't be 6 lengths back at the top of the lane this time.5-F Thirty Five (7/5)-Started from post 7, left and was hung out until the 1/4 pole got the lead and then had to retake right before the half. Then stayed on top and was strong to the wire. This was a well-meant winner, and the same effort probably leads to another picture.7-Practical Joke (7-1)-Will look for a solid price and the Tom Tetrick pupil got on the engine and didn't look back drawing off by over 4 lengths. That was quite a season debut and the mark of 154.1 is much better than its freshman campaign mark of 1.57. Will look for Kyle Wilfong to work a smooth trip and should offer a solid price despite coming off a win.Race 12 (9:43 PM EDT)2-Echo Canyon (2-1)-There isn't much form to chew on in this affair, but this 3-year-old went 3 seconds faster in the 2nd start this year. Finished a beaten 3rd but did improve down the lane and the mile went in a quick 153.2. Using at a small price, as the 26.4 last quarter was a plus too.4-Ilikeitlikethat (4-1)-Beaten odds on chalks was hung the mile after racing well in its season debut to finish 2nd. Gets a good post and could make amends at a better price.Race 13 (10:06 PM EDT)2-Dash Of Luck (4-1)-Drops to a spot to shine and should be able to get a cozy top of the stack trip. The P'Pool barn is ice cold but should be in the hunt versus this crew with Trace Tetrick at the controls.4-Sevens Sins (5/2)-Cullipher trainee had 8 wins last year and is 0-4 in 2026. But this is the level where a win could happen. Atlee Bender steers for his 3rd straight and has kept the 6-year-old flat in the last 2 races. Should be a main player if minds its manners.Race 14 (10:29 PM EDT)5-Big Law (7/2)-Tried to wire this kind on 4-1 but faded down the lane and cashed a 3rd place check. Will use the beaten chalk and fade the 9/5 morning line choice #2-Knights Templar A who has 1 win in the last 20 races.7-Pete And Repeat (9-1)-The 0-17 record at HoP is cause for pause but lands in a soft spot. Rolled the back half in .56 but was 16 lengths back at the 1st call. Had a win against similar at Haw, Tetrick gets the call tonight, and with a smooth trip could post an overdue win.$1 Late Pick 44,5,7/2,4/2,4/5,7Total Bet=$24Check me out on X!

The Keeneland Spring Meet is in full gear now as we approach the second Saturday of the meeting. The card is not quite as strong as last weekend’s stakes-laden Blue Grass card, but it has a pair of graded stakes events (G3 Lexington, G1 Jenny Wiley) and still offers plenty of great wagering opportunities throughout. Here are a few horses I plan to build my day around tomorrow in Kentucky.Race 5:I am not in love with the chances of 5-2-ML favorite #3 Comprehensive in this MSW for 3YOs at two-turns over the turf. The Hard Spun colt had four chances this winter for trainer Brian Lynch at Gulfstream Park and was unable to get home in any of them. My biggest issue with that is Lynch was white-hot most of the Championship Meet in Hallandale Beach and now this colt ships north to take on one of the stronger fields he has encountered. He is almost certain to be an underlay. I will try to beat him with #6 Minotaur. The Raging Bull gelding has lacked early speed in both starts, including last out on March 1 when he went off the 5-2-public choice. He failed to make a serious impression late that afternoon in Florida, but that is because he lost all momentum when attempting to put his run in before they reached the far turn. He now makes his second start off the bench and should have a big shot to run this group down with a cleaner voyage under jockey Joel Rosario.Play: #6 Minotaur (4-1 ML)Race 8:My top play of the day comes in this 7-furlong MSW event for 3YO fillies over the main track where I have been waiting for the return of #12 Al Ghadeer. The Gun Runner filly took noticeable public support for a barn that is not known for winning with first-time starters in her debut at Churchill Downs in late November ’25. The Andrew McKeever trainee broke from the inside that afternoon in Louisville in an 11-horse field and held her own finishing third beaten less than a length. McKeever opted to give her the winter off and point her to the spring where she gets a rider upgrade to Tyler Gaffalione and moves to a more favorable outside draw. Al Ghadeer has talent and upside. Hopefully she illustrates that in her 3YO debut.Play: #12 Al Ghadeer (8-1 ML)Race 10: Lexington (G3)The last chance at our ongoing “Triple Crown Prep Races Money Back Special” offer is tomorrow when they go to post for the Lexington (G3). The final crack at earning points on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard is not a factor this year in a race where trainer Brad Cox holds a strong hand. Cox sends out 2-1-ML favorite #9 Exum and 7-2-second choice #10 Confessional with a chance to continue his hot start to the meet. Exum failed to fire on debut in Florida, but dominated a field of maidens on the Virginia Derby undercard at Colonial Downs. He has the upside to crush this field, but did not beat much. Confessional is more battle tested, but has yet to get back to the winner’s circle since his debut win over this racetrack in August. I prefer him as a wager because he should offer more value and is likely to get a favorable setup, but this is a race where I am willing to take a far bigger swing.#3 Decisive Win ships east from Southern California off of one start where he finished fourth for trainer Doug O’Neill. On the surface, he is up against it in this spot, but his speed and fade in the strongest MSW race of the winter at Santa Anita for 3YOs is better than it looks. Not only did he battle early before yielding late, but he took a ton of action in a live group going off at 3-1. The winner of that maiden race Crude Velocity came back and won impressively for Bob Baffert in March and this colt clearly has upside. At his likely off-odds, he is worth a gamble, especially with the Money Back Offer insurance. Antonio Fresu will make the trip to Keeneland and be aboard.Play: #3 Decisive Win (15-1 ML)

SCHEDULE NOTESSanta Anita | dark this weekend as scheduledTOURNAMENT TIME$500 Keeneland Grade One Gamble Qualifier | details$100 Keeneland Feeder | details$40 Laurel Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSMandatory Payout Pick 6 | $40,008 | Mahoning Valley | begins Race 3 | 1:11 pm ETPick 6 | $138,226 | Aqueduct | begins Race 3 | 2:11 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $90,315 | Gulfstream | begins Race 4 | 2:23 pm ETPick 6 | $25,792 | Keeneland | begins Race 5 | 3:08 pm ETPick 6 | $18,499 | Oaklawn | begins Race 5 | 3:56 pm ETSuper Hi 5 | $15,975 | Keeneland | Race 10 | 5:48 pm ETKEY RACESKeeneland | Race 7 | 4:12 pm ET | Limestone StakesKeeneland | Race 9 | 5:16 pm ET | Maker’s Mark MileEvangeline Downs | Race 8 | 9:40 pm ET | Bon Temps StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXKeeneland | Race 2 | 1:32 pm ETTampa Bay Downs | Race 5 | 2:16 pm ETOaklawn | Race 6 | 4:30 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHBrad Cox | Keeneland | 3 of 4 entrants 9-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Oaklawn | jockey Cristian Torres | 3 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds from 8 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Keeneland Turf Pick 3 Play for FridayFrank Carulli: Oaklawn $3 Get Out Pick 3 Play for FridayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Saturday’s Oaklawn card is one of the biggest of the long Hot Springs season, featuring the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint and the Grade 1 Apple Blossom. Those co-features make up two spots in the late pick 5 sequence that spans Races 8-12.Let’s get to work.Race 8: Count Fleet Sprint HandicapA fantastic pace should give closers #8 Dreaminblue and #7 Tejano Twist every chance, but it’s behind quality speed that doesn’t have to wilt. I’ll trust #5 Roll On Big Joe and #4 Mad House most amongst the early pace players. Intra-race I’ll lean to value with Dreaminblue on the class rise.Race 9: maiden special weight#9 Munnings Challenge ran a strong debut second for Brad Cox and should graduate in her second start as a single. The Munnings filly is out of the outstanding local sprint mare Amy’s Challenge. She catches 8 rivals that include 6 first-time starters, mostly for barns with rather unthreatening debut stats. #1 No More Kings would be the alternative but has already had 5 attempts, several for claiming tags.Race 10: Apple Blossom HandicapThe long series of Oaklawn preps emptying into the Apple Blossom Handicap have shown a consistent and strong local cast. The new faces showing up in the $1.25 million main event are primarily adding more speed to the fold. That won’t hurt #3 Regaled (3-1 ML) and #2 Majestic Oops (9-2 ML), who actually may move up with the additional pace. They ran 1-2 in the same-trip Azeri Stakes, but Regaled gets the nod Saturday with this being her second start off a layoff and a sharper-than-usual work at Churchill Sunday before hitting the road. I don’t like to go 2-deep and double the cost of a ticket when those horses both have the same running style. If it sets up for a closer like I project it will, then I am riding with Regaled.Race 11: allowanceDeep group of 11 allowance milers requires some coverage. #1 Favorite Day (5-2) stacks up with these nicely but may be overbet after coming out of a very fast race against loose-leading Reagan’s Honor, a 3-year-old who bombed next out in the Blue Grass Stakes. Ron Moquett’s barn has been struggle city this season at Oaklawn, so you have to upgrade a horse with 2 wins and a third in 3 starts for the ice-cold operation like #6 Expect the Best (7-2). #9 Bourbon Society has led nearly every step in 2 starts (wins) at the current meet. There’s other pace competition, but the price is right at 12-1 ML.Race 12: maiden claimingThe process of handicapping elimination in the finale left me with three morning line choices simply by default of not disliking them as much as the others. Beyond #6 El Chavo (7-2) for Steve Asmussen, #7 Conway (3-1) for Ron Moquett and #10 Ripples Rocket (4-1) for Allen Milligan, there’s very little embraceable form in this capacity field of 12. But that trio has had 16 tries between them and 3 exacta finishes while trying to graduate at the bottom level. Instead of creating false confidence, let’s spread our wings, wheel the field and shoot for a longshot. The budget play is to reduce to the short-priced trio and concede that your new best-case scenario is a smaller return.The Ticket:8,4,5,7 with 9 with 3 with 1,6,9 with ALL = $72 for 50 cents.

One of my favorite wagers of the Keeneland Spring Meet is their $3 Turf Pick 3. I have spoken about these bets a number of times already this year at both Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park and Keeneland offers its own version. The 15% player friendly wager takes place over the last three turf events on a given card and is one of the better options throughout the boutique meet. Here are my thoughts on Friday’s sequence that begins in Race 5 and concludes with a salty edition of the featured Maker’s Mark Mile (G1).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 5:Grade: C+Main Ticket: 1 Goats On a Tree; 6 Wind Flower; 10 OnemoredanceBackups: NoneForecast: Friday’s Turf 3 gets started with this second-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles and appears to have a lack of early speed signed on. #6 Wind Flower is one of those likely to be prominently placed after breaking her maiden in gate-to-wire fashion in February at Gulfstream Park. The task is taller against this group, but she is dangerous if Junior Alvarado is able to control the early tempo. I will use her and a couple of others, including top choice #1 Goats On a Tree. The 5YO mare has taken on softer competition throughout most of her career, but has 6 wins in 19 starts to show for it. The Mike Maker trainee drew favorably along the inside, which should allow jockey Juan Hernandez to find favorable forward position early. She offers solid value at her 12-1-ML offering. #10 Onemoredance is the wild card. The Qatar Racing filly makes her first start in the States. Her races in Ireland put her squarely in the mix.Race 7: Limestone (G3)Grade: B-Main Ticket: 8 LenniluBackups: 1 Sapphire BeachForecast: This 5.5-furlong dash over the grass marks the return of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner #9 Cy Fair. The Not This Time filly was a neck away from going undefeated in her 2YO campaign and retains the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. for her start of 2026. She is no doubt the filly to beat and deserving 9-5-ML choice, but a tough one for me to get excited about wagering on off the layoff. There is really no reason to know whether she will pick up where she left off last year or if the crop will catch up to her, but at her price taking a shot against is a must.I will try to get the jump on her with #8 Lennilu. The daughter of Leinster holds the recency edge having raced once since getting beaten by Cy Fair in the Breeders’ Cup. She did what she needed to in her return race in Florida and should be a significantly better price. #1 Sapphire Beach is also slightly intriguing. The Three Diamonds Farm filly moves inside for the first time, which may lead to an aggressive ride out of the gate by jockey Jose Ortiz. Her price is good enough to include as a backup.Race 9: Maker’s Mark Mile (G1)Grade: XMain Ticket: 4 Notable SpeechBackups: NoneForecast: The Maker’s Mark Mile came up strong this year, but I still think the chalk is a bit of a standout. #4 Notable Speech also makes his first start since a victory at Del Mar in the Breeders’ Cup. The star Godolphin miler got a better trip than #1 Rhetorical that day, but is also just a better finisher. He has the strongest turn of foot in the field and one of the best riders in the world shipping in to ride him once again. With William Buick aboard, the Charles Appleby trainee should be a handful to hold off late in the Keeneland stretch.

Oaklawn Park’s $3 Get Out Pick 3 wager paid $954 last week with 2-1 and 7-5 winners in the first two legs. With more than $53,000 in the pool last week, it’s worth a playback for the card this Friday, April 10:OP 8th Race (5:34 p.m. EST) -- More than half the field in this $20,000 claimer have a $200,000-plus bankroll. PAYNE is nearing millionaire status and has finished first or second in 18 of 32 starts at 6F, but he turned in a sub-par effort as the favorite after a voided claim two starts ago, mandating a deeper punch in the leadoff leg. GEE NO HOLLANDER seeks a duplicate of his 15-1 upset off the claim. He slipped through a rail opening midway on the turn and exploded away from the 2-1 second favorite in the final eighth, prompting announcer Matt Dinerman to say “he looks like he’s 1-to-5 today.” The race timed 4/5 of a second slower than a $50,000 claimer in the next race. INNOVA has speed, a fastest-of-70 workout March 27, and fits on his best effort in his second start as a 4-year-old. Trainer Mike Maker is on a 19/6-3-1 streak with second-off-the-claim runners. HOLIDAY HOUSE ranged up on the turn and flattened out against off-track specialist KONTEEKEE, but he gets in light-weighted and can factor at an inflated price if he gets position from post 11.OP 9th Race (6:06 p.m. EST) -- Four entrants arrive in today’s featured $125,000 allowance off lifetime best speed figures (91 average Beyers). MASTER MULE was most impressive, blowing past the favorite in the final eighth and widening the margin after the wire. He moves inside out but is today’s solo play, nonetheless, in his third start for the red-hot Able Ramirez-Rodriguez barn.OP 10th race (6:38 p.m. EST) -- IGNITING EMBERS dueled to “command” for the stretch drive and battled gamely to the final furlong before a trio of closers got past him. Arrietta rides for the first time. REBEL RIDGE worked fast but didn’t factor in his debut, but he improved in his second start to finish ahead of IGNITING EMBERS despite dropping back on the turn and not changing leads in the stretch. FLAT OUT BLESSED’S improved form with blinkers was shrouded by a bumpy start and very wide backstretch run, but he’s worth using on the Get Out Pick 3 at a big price.Suggested $3 Get Out Pick 3 TicketOP 8th Race: 2, 4, 6, 11OP 9th Race: 10OP 10th Race: 1, 3, 6Cost: $36

EXTRA INCENTIVES10X 1/ST Rewards Points | Pisa (Italy) | today’s racesBet $100, Get $10 | Penn National | today’s racesTOURNAMENT TIME$100 Keeneland Feeder | DetailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSPick 6 | $50,563 | Aqueduct | begins Race 2 | 1:38 pm ETPick 6 | $11,649 | Oaklawn | begins Race 3 | 2:52 pm ETSuper Hi 5 | $13,660 | Gulfstream | Race 8 | 4:29 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $128,475 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 5:11 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXKeeneland | Race 2 | 1:32 pm ETOaklawn | Race 8 | 5:34 pm ETEvangeline Downs | Race 4 | 7:51 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHAnthony Farrior | Charles Town | 6 of 7 entrants 9-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Penn National | favorites won 6 of 7 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Penn National Bet $100, Get $10 Promo Picks for ThursdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

The “Blooming Bankrolls” promotion this April 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 Tuesday. Here’s how I’ll approach that card with the help of the Betmix Angler database.Penn National: Race 4#6 Shout to the Lord (3-1 morning line odds) makes her Penn National debut for a Todd Beattie barn that has won with 5 of 6 starters since March 6. Lightly raced Curlin mare has back class and fit very well regionally in Laurel sprints previously. Win bet #6.Penn National: Race 7#6 Tallahatchiebridge (5-2 morning line odds) gets a major jockey change here to David Cora, who has won 5 of his last 7 two-turn route mounts at Penn National (all paid $6-$12). Veteran has been most competitive in his one start at this class level sprinting in December. Bruce Kravets and David Cora have a winning ROI in tandem. Win bet #6.