The racing action in New York continues on Thursday afternoon at Saratoga with an eight-race card that commences at the normal 1:10 PM eastern start time. The day is headlined by the $150k NYSS Cab Calloway Division for 3YOs at one-mile over the Inner Turf. Here are the horses I like most on the afternoon.Race 4:The wagering on this state-bred MSW event is likely based on the morning line to go through a pair of first-time starters. #2 Dry Drastic debuts for George Weaver, while #4 Cash Burn for the powerful tandem of Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables. Both clearly are capable of getting to the wire first in their initial start, but I prefer the value of second-timer #5 Secret Connection. The $90k OBS March ’26 purchase returns to the races after being beaten out of the gate and between rivals early before tiring late to finish a disappointing eighth at odds of 7-2. Given the smaller field, move to an outside draw, and racing experience under the Connect filly’s belt, I like her chances to take a big step forward in career start number two. Manny Franco will take over riding duties on the stretch out from 5.5 to 6.5-furlongs.Play: #5 Secret Connection (5-1 ML)Picks: 5-4-2Race 5:This $55k maiden claimer at 5.5-furlongs over the grass kicks off the late Pick 4 and includes a strong uncoupled Wesley Ward entry. #7 Deported is set to make his Stateside debut and was made the 8-5-choice by oddsmaker David Aragona, while #4 Ink Lies hopes to earn his first win in career start number six. Both can win, but so can my top choice #5 Escapades. The son of Into Mischief raced twice down at Gulfstream Park over their all-weather surface as a 3YO before heading to the sidelines until his return on Thursday. He comes in off a steady series of drills for trainer Miguel Clement and lands Flavien Prat. He will not have to be much to best this bunch and earn the first victory of his career.Play: #5 Escapades (2-1 ML)Picks: 5-1-7Race 7: NYSS Cab CallowayThe featured event for 3YOs is relatively competitive and led by 5-2-ML favorite #7 Jaxer. The Head of Plains homebred makes his first start since last November for trainer Graham Motion. Motion has been hot throughout the country of late, so I am expecting this son of Slumber to fire fresh, but I slightly prefer #3 A Little At First. The son of War Dancer makes his second start of the meet after a third-place finish in the Richard Violette on July 24. The Horacio De Paz trainee ran better than looks that day given the fact he was three-wide into the first turn. I expect A Little At First to appreciate the slight cutback to eight-furlongs as well as the move to an inside draw. Javier Castellano jumps back in the saddle after being unavailable for her effort last month.Play: #3 A Little At First (3-1 ML)Picks: 3-7-6

Week 6 at Del Mar launches Thursday as the race to the Pacific Classic awaits this Saturday. This 8-race card gets underway at 5 pm ET and includes no less than 6 fields of 10 or more entries. A pair of winning days during last week’s 4-day run continued to push our profitable meet-long ROI deeper into the black. From 92 plays in this space during the Del Mar meet, $235.40 has been returned and delivered a $2.56 ROI for every $2 bet. The average winner for us at the meet has paid a very juicy $10.23.Each day this summer at Del Mar, I’ll be handicapping the action with my top plays on the card – including full-card selections for a featured program each week (this week’s full-card will be Saturday).Del Mar: Race 5 | 7:00 pm ET#5 He’s Got Fire (7-2 morning line odds) found the right local class level last time but overspent his game in make-up mode after a troubled start. Trainer George Papaprodromou has been plagued by third-place finishers like this who’ve run well at the meet, but not well enough. His move to Antonio Fresu here indicates they’re not messing around with lesser pilots. Win bet #5. Daily Double 5-2 bigger, 5-10 smaller to next play. Picks 5-2-1Del Mar: Race 6 | 7:30 pm ET#2 Vegas Del Oro (7-2 morning line odds) looks like a carbon copy of He’s Got Fire in today’s Race 5. George Papaprodromou barn turns the keys over to Antonio Fresu once again after a solid debut third in which this one was hooked every step of the way. Unless the rookies can cook, has only Shemakesmemad to worry about early on. These Gato Del Oro runners have put up big numbers at Del Mar in recent years. Using with debut runner #10 Palo Alto Baby, whose trainer Peter Miller caught fire last week after a drought and is working fast. Win bet #2. Exacta 2-10 bigger, 10-2 smaller. Picks 2-10-1-7

‍‍Remington Park’s Thoroughbred Meet will begin with a nine-race card this Friday and note a later 8:15 pm ET post time due to extreme heat. The 50-cent Late Pick 4 features 40 entrants, all but assuring a good payout for bettors who solve the sequence. Here’s a closer look:Remington Park Race 6 (10:30 p.m. EST)TARGARYIS broke a step slow but led most of the way in his second start since February, only to get caught by favored Mobster (4-15, $176k), who was in the midst of a three-race, photo-finish winning streak. The race timed 2/5 of a second faster than a $7,500/nw4 claimer on the same card. POLLITO TITO was disqualified from a 5-1/2F victory at Lone Star Park for wiping out two inner rivals at the start. But he was tons the best, nonetheless, angling 5-wide near the stretch and inhaling the field en route to the top speed figure of his career. The extra half-furlong should only help his chances.Remington Park Race 7 (10:57 p.m. EST)TWICE LAST YEAR shows a couple good August workouts and tries to follow the footsteps of his dam, Okie Queen, a runaway first-out winner at Remington Park. Trainer Tristan Ashford is 10/4-3-0 with debut runners in the last three months, so include uncoupled stablemates DUNCAN’S LEGACY and HOW ABOUT THAT on the ticket. FORGED WITH FYRE, the lone entrant with a race under his belt, checked sharply on the Canterbury backstretch going 4-1/2F and recovered with a steady rally until he flattened out in the final sixteenth.Remington Park Race 8 (11:24 p.m. EST)ESSENTIAL COFFEE trailed in her last start, but the 7F maiden-breaker at Keeneland deserves a second look. She finished behind three stakes-placed rivals and met Indiana Oaks runner-up Betty’s Pearl and two smashing next-out winners in back-to-back May races at Churchill Downs. PRIVATE DEBBIE finished third behind the favorites in the Goldfinch Stakes at Prairie Meadows, a performance worthy of an upgrade after the top pair post 84 Beyers in runaway follow-up victories. She was in tight through the stretch in an allowance sprint at Lone Star last out but galloped out strongly once free. TEXAS SPEED QUEEN seeks her third consecutive allowance sprint victory after she overcame trouble lines in a pair of six-horse fields.Remington Park Race 9 (11:51 p.m. EST)JACKMAN’S RIDE led at every call but one in his last five grass sprints spanning the last 12 months. He earned his second highest speed figure but got caught by multiple turf stakes winner and fellow $500k earner Usually Wrong last out in the Grand Prairie Turf Sprint. He is the horse to beat, but with room to spare in the final leg of the Pick 4, go 4-deep.Suggested Pick 4RP 6th Race: 4, 9RP 7th Race: 1, 2, 4, 8RP 8th Race: 3, 7, 10RP 9th Race: 2, 5, 6, 7Cost for a 50-Cent ticket: $48

Cheryl Knepper’s $358.50 bankroll in last Saturday’s Fun in the Sun handicapping contest marked the highest player output so far this season through 6 qualifying weeks. She needed all of that to knock off Joseph Bassett’s $347.80, the season’s second-highest total. Those 2 – and 3 others – earned seats at the Labor Day Final Table of the Saratoga / Del Mar contest with 25 of 40 seats now secured.Knepper earned $997.50 in prize money while Bassett bagged $415.63. Third-place finisher Stuart Levine’s $273.00 bankroll was worth an additional $249.37. Dino Sampo ($268 bankroll) and Anothony Decaspers ($261.00 bankroll) also earned Final Table credentials.Three more qualifying weeks remain. The 2026 Fun in the Sun progressive jackpot now stands at $14,027.50 with $10,000-added from Xpressbet. Week 7 this Saturday once again features the final 5 races at Saratoga and first 5 races at Del Mar. Those contest heats include the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes from the Spa as well as the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap on the undercard of Pacific Classic Day at Del Mar.Fun in the Sun contestants play for weekly prize money and a chance to join each week’s top-5 players in the tournament’s Final Table on Labor Day. The 9-week Fun in the Sun handicapping contest runs 8 Saturdays from July 18-September 5 and concludes with the Final Table on Labor Day Monday, September 7.Entry is just $25 each qualifying round week and players utilize a $100 live bankroll on the final 5 races from Saratoga and first 5 races from Del Mar ($10 parimutuel win bets in each of the contest races). The top-5 players in accumulated earnings each week qualify for a seat in the final table, where just 40 entries will square off for the grand prize (players can qualify up to 2 entries in the Final Table). Weekly prize pool money will be on the line for the top-3 finishers each Saturday (70% of entry fees paid out weekly, 30% carries over to the Final Table pool).The Final Table format began in 2020 and past champions include Robert Rosen (2020), Wayne Tam (2021), Kevin Saunders (2022), Joe Tambasco (2023), Gordon Maruya (2024) and Andy Muhlada (2025).2026 Tournament DatesSaturday, July 18, 25Saturday, August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29Saturday and Monday, September 5 and 7 (Final Table)Buy-In$125 Buy-In per week, split between $100 Bankroll + $25 Entry FeeHow to PlayTournament consists of the last five (5) races each Saturday at Saratoga and the first five (5) races each Saturday at Del Mar. Players must make a $10 Win bet on one (1) horse in each race via the Contest Wagerpad.Weekly Prize Pool70% of Entry Fees are paid out each week as the Weekly Prize PoolWeekly PrizesTop Five (5) finishers each week automatically qualify for the Final Table1st Place Finisher – 60% of Weekly Prize Pool + Final Table Seat2nd Place Finisher – 25% of Weekly Prize Pool + Final Table Seat3rd Place Finisher – 15% of Weekly Prize Pool + Final Table Seat4th Place Finisher – Final Table Seat5th Place Finisher – Final Table SeatFinal Table Prizes30% of Entry Fees carried over to the Final Table$10,000-added prize pool courtesy of Xpressbet1st Place Finisher: 55% of Final Table Prize Pool2nd Place Finisher: 25% of Final Table Prize Pool3rd Place Finisher: 10% of Final Table Prize Pool4th Place Finisher: 5% of Final Table Prize Pool5th Place Finisher: 5% of Final Table Prize Pool‍For more and to register, visit the Tournaments page.

EXTRA INCENTIVES1 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split | Saratoga | Late Pick 4SCHEDULE NOTESLouisiana Downs | cancelled due to heatNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | Thistledown | $200,133 | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETPick 6 | Saratoga | $154,119 | begins Race 3 | 2:20 pm ETJackpot Pick 5 | Assiniboia Downs | $111,211 (CAN) | begins Race 3 | 9:25 pm ETKEY RACESSaratoga | Race 7 | 4:40 pm ET | NYSS Statue of Liberty StakesAssiniboia | Race 3 | 9:25 pm ET | CTHS Sales StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXSaratoga | Race 8 | 5:15 pm ETPresque Isle Downs | Race 8 | 6:39 pm ETMountaineer | Race 3 | 7:50 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJerry Gourneau | Assiniboia Downs | 5 of 6 entrants 7-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | nationally | favorites won 44% of all Thoroughbred races (up from 39% over last 30 days)PUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Saratoga Pick 6 Carryover Key Plays for WednesdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

For the second consecutive Sunday, horseplayers were unable to piece together the final six winners on the card, leaving Saratoga with a strong $154,119 carryover to start the racing week in their traditional $1 Pick Six Pool. This along with another Wednesday afternoon 1 million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split make it a great time to be alive to play at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. The Pick Six sequence kicks off in Race 3 at 2:20 local time and includes the featured New York Stallion Statue of Liberty at one-mile over the Inner Turf. Here are a few horses I like most within the Wednesday Pick Six.Race 3:The pace should be contentious in this seven-furlong affair over the main track, which is likely to benefit #7 Hot Gossip. The 3YO filly makes her second start of the meet after a third-place finish in a similar condition out of the Wilson chute on July 19. Not only do I expect things to set up a bit better for the Linda Rice trainee on the turnback to a true one-turn race, but it has not been easy making up a ton of ground late in the races over the one-mile dirt configuration at the Spa this summer. The Linda Rice barn has been smoking hot and hopefully continues to kick the sequence off with Manny Franco back in the saddle.Play: #7 Hot Gossip (4-1 ML)Picks: 7-1-8Race 4:Up next is an optional claimer at six-furlongs over the main track where I presume a significant number of horseplayers will take a stand with 8-5-ML favorite #7 Gardiner. The Joe Sharp colt won his last race at Churchill Downs on June 21 and had his claim voided after the race for the second time in his 13-race career. The fact Sharp shipped him to New York and protects him is a positive, but I struggle to want to push all-in on a horse with soundness issues that is likely to be tested on the front end. Therefore, I will take a swing with #8 Runaway Joke. The son of Practical Joke makes his second start off the long layoff after a stalk and fade against NY-bred allowance foes last month. He shook off the rust last out and draws favorably outside the main speeds. Hopefully, he springs the upset and gives trainer Chad Summers his first win of the stand.Play: #8 Runaway Joke (8-1 ML)Picks: 8-7-9Race 7: NYSS Statue of Liberty DivisionThis state-bred event for 3YO fillies run at one-mile over the Inner Turf probably goes through 2-1-ML favorite #7 She’s a Country. The daughter of Combatant makes her first start since last November, but does so for a George Weaver barn capable of having ready to roll off the layoff, especially she already won fresh in her first start over this course last year. I will not be surprised if she wins, but #5 Celtic Dawn is likely to be a better price. It is possible the Carlos Martin trainee is a sprinter, but I am willing to give her one more chance going long after chasing the pace last time instead of using her strong gate speed to control the early tempo. Javier Castellano did not ride last time, but was onboard her first three wins and is back onboard again. If she has things her way on the front end, I think she can get the eight panels.Play: #5 Celtic Dawn (3-1 ML)Picks: 5-2-7

With just over two months until the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships are held at Keeneland Race Course, it’s time to start thinking about what each of the championship races may look like and who the main players might be. Each week, I’ll adjust my personal rankings accordingly based on races and news from the weekend prior. The juvenile divisions will enter the equation once the marquee summer meetings have concluded.Below you’ll find my rankings for nine of the Breeders' Cup divisions, with the top four contenders listed in chronological order.CLASSIC (See my YouTube video analysis of Classic here.)1 - Forever YoungTo be the man, you’ve got to beat the man; likely to prep in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at BEL before heading to Kentucky…the best in the world on dirt when on his game2 - SovereigntyThe champ was back and arguably better than ever in the Whitney; may indeed be a Saratoga move up but that doesn’t preclude him from winning a race like the Classic at KEE3 - MagnitudeIf you forgive his Saratoga form, he’s done nothing wrong; ticks all the boxes at what’s likely a reasonable price assuming you can get past the dud in the Whitney4 - KnightsbridgeHis best figure would defeat all comers, but the question about distance / class remains; will answer some, not all, questions this weekend in the PClassic at DMRDISTAFF1 - NitrogenRan arguably the best race of her career in defeat in the Whitney; outside chance she takes on boys again but strictly the horse to beat if she tackles the females in the Distaff2 - Counting StarsNitrogen’s biggest obstacle to Distaff glory may be her stablemate, who is clearly the best 3YO filly in the land; runs Saturday in the Alabama as a massive favorite (deservedly so)3 - Always a RunnerThe Kentucky Oaks winner is going away from Counting Stars to run in the Cotillion at Parx; may be of comparable ability to Counting Stars but down in the head-to-head battles4 - SplendoraNot completely sold that she’s truly a 9F type but hard to argue with her 2026 record to this point; defending BC FM Sprint winner gives Baffert options to either go long or turn her backSPRINT1 - EnglishmanStaggeringly good effort in the Woody Stephens, earning a 115 Beyer; returns in the Allen Jerkens at Saratoga in two weeks, where a repeat of the Stephens would result in another G1 victory2 - T O ElvisLost in the late odds hoopla on Derby Day was just how emphatic his win in the Churchill Downs was; may need to find a bit if Englishman holds his form - but may not need to find much3 - Book’em DannoWould have been the first or second-choice in last year’s BC Sprint; two necks away from being undefeated in his last eight starts4 - ListenupshanceNarrowly defeated by Danno in the True North but came back to win the G1 Bing Crosby at DMR; continues to improve as the season progresses…if that trend continues, he’s interesting at a priceFM SPRINT1 - KilwinLight on figs but undefeated on dirt in three tries, including a G1; division is deep but have a strong inkling we’ve still not seen this one’s best2 - ExploraFilly had been screaming for a turn back all spring but stayed the Oaks course; since the turn back has looked like a monster…figs still light compared to the older fillies and mares but on the right path3 - EclatantThe best version of Eclatant is probably the best female sprinter on dirt, but she’s not always fired her best on the clock; good to know her career defining race came over course / distance in spring’s G1 Madison @ KEE4 - Ways and MeansMay simply be a Saratoga freak and a shell of herself away from the Spa; how good is her good? Arguably the best - but does that version show up in October at KEE?TURF1 - Burnham SquareHis figs may be tapering off some but his win over course / distance this spring makes him a legit threat against all comers; a 107 Beyer in this race historically puts you right there at the wire2 - CalandaganBit of a leap with any of the Euros regarding who is / isn’t coming over; may not be visiting the winner’s circle as much as he was in 2025 but still capable of firing elite-level shots at 12F3 - Benvenuto CelliniHas long been discussed as being the cream of the 3YO crop in Europe; first try against elders at Ascot was fine…nothing more, nothing less4 - Ethical DiamondThe surprise winner of last year’s BC Turf (with a 107 Beyer) hasn’t had much of a campaign in 2026; stating the obvious - if he can get back to the Del Mar form he displayed last fall, he’s dangerousMILE1 - GstaadIf not for the since retired Bow Echo, we may be looking at an unbeaten 3YO campaign comprised of four G1s to this point; already shown that American style of racing is no issue with last year’s BC Juvenile Turf win @ DMR2 - Blue BoltShe’s done little wrong in her career in Europe and has established herself as the clear leader of the filly and mare milers; Juddmonte filly would be extremely dangerous if she came over3 - Notable SpeechHas been known to lay an egg from time to time but his North American record is quite strong; miserably unlucky at Keeneland in April, likely wins that G1 with any sort of racing luck4 - DeterministicHasn’t lost a turf race since October 2024; five consecutive 100+ Beyers at distances ranging from 8F to 9.5F is no small feat…the best of the American bunch at the momentFM TURF1 - Thundering OnTime hasn’t been kind to the form of the Epsom Oaks, however her turn of foot was electric that day; assuming she comes over, would have to think she’s in with a big chance for Joseph O’Brien2 - Diamond NecklaceUnbeaten filly of Aidan O’Brien’s has acted on a variety of ground over a variety of distances…nothing really to knock other than her price come BC Saturday; could see her go longer in BC Turf if connections want 12F3 - PreciseAnother of AOB’s who is at the elite level; she’s not as good as Blue Bolt (and others) at the mile, so wonder if a stretch to FM Turf’s 9.5F @ KEE is in the cards4 - KathynmarissaAs solid as they come in the U.S., winning the G1 Diana at Saratoga in most recent start; race being run at 9.5F works to her advantage and she’s trained by Chad Brown, who has multiple FM Turf victories on his resumeTURF SPRINT1 - Cy FairHas done nothing wrong in her career and exits a win at Saratoga that has already produced two next-out winners; a 3YO filly won this race last year2 - Ag BulletOne of the main beneficiaries of the 5.5F trip this year; rock solid mare who fires her best more often than not3 - ShisospicyDifficult to say what to expect from her with the nonexistent campaign but know her best is as good as anyone’s4 - John the Beer ManPerhaps a slight notch below the top options but sharp at the moment and the 5.5F distance works to his advantageDIRT MILE1 - KnightsbridgeAnother division that is in flux right up until entries are taken; assuming the distance of the Classic doesn’t work for him, hard to argue with Knightsbridge as the Belle of the Ball for the Dirt Mile2 - Napoleon SoloThe Preakness winner would probably be a likelier Classic starter - but would have a better chance of winning the Dirt Mile; tactical speed and already a G1 winner at the mile distance in his career3 - Bishops BaySolid older veteran who isn’t a true G1 caliber runner, but depending on who shows up here…this may not be a race of true G1 caliber4 - Chunk of GoldGave Bishops Bay all he could handle in the Iselin last weekend @ MON - perhaps a rising 4YO who could steal this at a decent number; owns a win over the course last fall by more than 8L

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Thistledown | today’s racesSCHEDULE NOTESLouisiana Downs | cancelled due to heat--note Louisiana Downs already has cancelled for WedNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | Thistledown | $188,946 | begins Race | pm ETJackpot Pick 5 | Assiniboia Downs | $80,063 (CAN) | begins Race 3 | 8:25 pm ETKEY RACESParx | Race 6 | 2:55 pm ET | PTHA President’s Sprint StakesParx | Race 7 | 3:22 pm ET | State Representative’s Sprint StakesParx | Race 9 | 4:16 pm ET | Mayor’s Mile StakesParx | Race 10 | 4:43 pm ET | Cathryn Sophia StakesParx | Race 11 | 5:11 pm ET | Smarty Jones StakesAssiniboia Downs | Race 4 | 9:50 pm ET | Graduation StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 4 | 3:43 pm ETPenn National | Race 2 | 6:14 pm ETMountaineer | Race 1 | 7:00 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHAnthony Ferraro | Finger Lakes | 9 of 9 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Parx | Race 6 | nation’s highest-paying exacta ($325), trifecta ($1974) and superfecta ($13,906)PUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Thistledown Bet $100, Get $10 Plays for TuesdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section