EXTRA INCENTIVESBC Bankroll Builder | Bet $25, Get 5 | Alcibiades Stakes (Keeneland)10X 1/ST Rewards Points | Sunset 6 | Gulfstream/Santa AnitaSCHEDULE NOTESKeeneland | Fall Meet opening day | first post 1 pm ETSPECIAL WAGERSCoast-to-Coast Pick 5 | Gulfstream Races 8-9, Santa Anita Races 2-3-5Sunset Pick 6 | Gulfstream Races 7-8-9, Santa Anita Races 7-8-9TOURNAMENT TIME$100 Keeneland Feeder | details$100 Santa Anita Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | $538,694 | Thistledown | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETSunset Pick 6 | $20,491 | Gulfstream/Santa Anita | begins GP Race 7 | 3:30 pm ETJackpot Super Hi 5 | $50,705 (CAN) | Woodbine | begins Race 7 | 4:21 pm ETKEY RACESBelmont | Race 2 | 1:43 pm ET | Bongard StakesBelmont | Race 3 | 2:16 pm ET | Gimma StakesKeeneland | Race 7 | 4:12 pm ET | Phoenix StakesKeeneland | Race 8 | 4:44 pm ET | Jessamine StakesBelmont | Race 8 | 5:05 pm ET | Artie Schiller StakesKeeneland | Race 9 | 5:16 pm ET | AlcibiadesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXDelaware Park | Race 5 | 2:52 pm ETKeeneland | Race 8 | 4:44 pm ETBelmont Park | Race 9 | 5:38 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHBrad Cox | Keeneland | all 6 entrants 4-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Belmont Park | jockey Jose Ortiz | 3 stakes winsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli: Sunset 6 Carryover Analysis for FridayJeremy Plonk: Keeneland Daily Longshots to WatchFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer: best bets today in the Xpressbet member’s section

Hoosier Park has a 14-race card featuring Indiana 3-year-olds battling in Sires Stakes action. The Spot Plays are in Race 9, Race 11, and Race 13. Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.Race 9 (8:34 PM EDT)5-Shooting In Place (5-1)-Camera shy 5-year-olds is often in the mix but slow starts make the task more difficult. Could be overlooked, but there are a few in this field that should be out and rolling when the wings fold. Looking for a hot pace and counting on Jordon Ross to have in striking range at the top of the lane.5-7-1Race 11 (9:20 PM EDT)4-Door Dash (3-1)-Comes off a big effort at the Red Mile, left from post 10 and sizzled the back half in 54.1 to finish a good 2nd at 9-1. Ships in, comes back in 10 days and is able to go back on Lasix. That's a lot of positives, and has won 3 of 8 at Hoosier plus the Trent Stohler barn has been hot over the last 30 days. Not going to over think this one, with a smooth trip should be there at the wire and hopefully won't be bet too hard.4-2-1Race 13 (10:06 PM EDT)1-Miss Alexis (7/2)-Raced 1st over for about 3/8's of a mile in last and burned money as the race winner got through along the rail. Didn't live up to top billing and should be a much better price in this spot. Trace Tetrick returns and he didn't leave aggressively, and landed 5th around the opening turn. Tonight, this race should set up differently and will look for a bounce back effort from the word "Go".1-3-7Check me out on X!

Each day during the 17-day Keeneland Fall Meet, I’ll spotlight the double-digit morning line prices that you’ll want to consider for your exotics plays. These are based on my top-3 choices in each race and will only appear if they’re in my mix and of significant odds.Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet be sure to take advantage of the Breeders' Cup Bankroll promotion that begins with today's Race 9 Alcibiades Stakes. Earn a $5 bankroll deposit bonus in your account for Breeders' Cup weekend when you bet $25 or more on select races this month.Race 1:#1 Heartbeat (10-1 ML) – recent efforts haven’t inspired but will tip her chances from the start if she reverts to her past strong early speed; the Churchill alumni have dominated the starter allowances.Race 2:#3 Jus Too Fly (20-1 ML) – Belterra runners have done surprisingly well in claiming routes at this level in the Fall and gets a good, 2-turn draw with little speed inside of him.Race 3:#4 Master Queen (10-1 ML) – Turf was a disaster, but the Colonial maiden form holds up well against most of these and she’s worked fast over the track; sire Vekoma has had excellent local results with offspring.Race 4:#9 Parisinthespring (15-1 ML) – Cut-backs in distance aren’t typically strong in Kee 7F races like the clich� says they are, but at this elder maiden special weight level they have been; by top local dirt sire in recent meets City of Light.Race 5:#4 Should’ve (12-1 ML) – Drawn in a Keeneland turf sprint power post (3-4-5) for the track’s far-and-away leading turf-sprint trainer, Wesley Ward, and she’s a daughter of top Kee grass sire Not This Time.Race 6:noneRace 7:NoneRace 8:#12 Mightily (15-1 ML) – filly ran a dynamite second against the boys in stakes company at Colonial with a 99 BRIS late pace figure behind an odds-on, unbeaten winner; take back from this post and make one run.Race 9:NoneRace 10:#4 Lahainaluna (12-1 ML) – Joe Sharp aims for these longer Kee turf races and has secured multiple wins in Fall Meets with this type; the Kentucky Downs, long-winded preppers have had success at this class level and distance and this colt was a solid third over the course in April.

After a big Goodwood Day last Saturday, Santa Anita Park is back a week later with another big day of thoroughbred racing. This time there are four graded stakes races on the agenda headlined by the American Pharoah (G1) for the juveniles at two-turns.In addition to the stakes action on tap on Saturday, 1/ST BET and Xpressbet also have a promotion included on the afternoon involving the featured event, which is part of the return of our Breeders’ Cup Bankroll Builder. Check out the promotional landing page for details and a full list of races included over the next few weeks, but ultimately it is about betting $25+ on a given stakes event listed and getting a $5 bonus deposited into your account for each one on Friday October 30. The Alcibiades (G2) at Keeneland on Friday afternoon is the first opportunity with the American Pharoah to follow one day later. Here are a few horses I like on the day at the Great Race Place, including my play in the feature.Race 1:The card gets started with a MSW for 2YOs at one-mile over the grass where the morning line favorites appear vulnerable. Bob Baffert has won a lot of races at Santa Anita and often is a scary fade when he brings in the two ML favorites, but I am willing to take on both 2-1-top choice #5 Absolution in his first start over the lawn and the more experienced #2 Hoaxer. I tried to make strong cases for #1 Dream Seeker and #4 Bliksem as well, but their two-turn turf efforts are underwhelming and without an excuse. So instead, I will take a big swing with second-time starter #3 Schooner. The son of Justify debuted going five-furlongs over the Santa Anita main track on June 12 for trainer Dan Blacker and has been on the sidelines since. He clearly is bred to go a route of ground, so not going to take too much out of his well-beaten fourth-place effort at a distance far too short for this John O’Connor owned colt that has every right to move forward on the surface switch. In fact, Schooner’s dam was 2 for 9 on the grass and hit the board in 8 of those tries earning nearly $268k. He has a lot to prove after his debut, but the price should be right to gamble in what seems like a wide-open race to kick off the early Pick 5.Play: #3 Schooner (10-1 ML)Picks: 3-1-2Race 4:The pace should be honest at the very least in this state-bred first-level allowance event at six-furlongs over the Santa Anita sod. This should bode well for #4 Owl. The son of Sir Prancealot comes off a strong runner-up effort versus similar competition at Del Mar going five-furlongs on September 5. The effort was even better than it looks on paper since the rails were out on the turf that day and the Neil Drysdale trainee was caught three-wide on the backstretch. It was the first time Owl had competed with the blinkers off since his debut in May, as well as the first time Drysdale legged up veteran Joel Rosario. Both should benefit him once again in this spot. I like this 4YO gelding’s chances of getting to the wire first given the likely race shape in his third start of the form cycle.Play: #4 Owl (5-2 ML)Picks: 4-1-3Race 7: American Pharoah (G1)To no one’s surprise trainer Bob Baffert holds a very strong hand in this year’s American Pharoah. The Hall of Fame conditioner has won this event a record 13 times, including four years in a row from 2021-2024 before Intrepido pulled the upset last fall. The event originally called the Norfolk Stakes and renamed the FrontRunner in 2012 before taking on its current title drew a field of six with undefeated #2 Hughes listed as the 4-5-top choice. The $675k Keeneland September purchase has won all three starts for fun, including last out when he beat four rivals by nearly five lengths in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). He is unlikely to offer much value, but is tough to get past despite the horseplayer in me wishing otherwise. I will attempt to find value in other spots and rely on the chalk to get home in the Saturday feature.Play: #2 Hughes (4-5 ML)Picks: 2-4-5

The Sunset 6 wager that covers the last three races at Gulfstream and Santa Anita proved too difficult for bettors to solve last Saturday and Sunday. The good news is that the $1 wager will begin with a $20,491 pool and a mandatory payout this Friday, Oct. 2. Two turf races at each track are part of the sequence, so keep tabs on the weather at Gulfstream with a 60-percent chance of rain in the advance forecast.Gulfstream Park, Race 7 (3:30 p.m. EST)BERT’S KNOTY GIRL chased the pace-controlling favorite and ‘dug in’ to hold third after the sharp winner blew past them both in the Miss Gracie Stakes at this distance. She met 10 next-out winners – five in stakes company – with an average 77 Beyer since her maiden victory on a ‘good’ turf at one mile. DEL MAR SUNRISE was bottled up in traffic in the final quarter mile under the same conditions two starts back. She finished with good energy when free in late stretch while no match for odds-on favorite Striking Finale, who surpassed six figures in turf earnings with a follow-up allowance win.Gulfstream Park, Race 8 (4:04 p.m. EST)KING CAB is worth a price look in his first start for trainer Victor Barboza Jr., who won with two first-time starters and two others on the barn switch last weekend at Gulfstream. He is a two-time stakes winner and arrives for his first start as a 7-year-old off a series of fast workouts. But MISH, still going strong at age 9 with a 12-for-27 record at Gulfstream and $729k bankroll, draws favorably in a speed-laden field and is strictly the one to beat despite a photo-finish setback last out.Gulfstream Park, Race 9 (4:36 p.m. EST)HAPPY MEMORIES chased the winning favorite and a runner-up who followed with an impressive victory in a fast-paced debut, then he rallied at 6-1/2F but couldn’t reach the winning favorite in his second start. He figures tough if he handles his first turf assignment. JEAN LAFFITE returns to the turf after fading in a route race on the Tapeta track. He saved ground behind the dueling leaders on the turn in his debut and stayed on gamely to finish second to the 2-to-5 winner at 5F.Santa Anita Race 7 (7:05 p.m. EST)CANTO DELLA TERRA has two photo-finish sprint victories and a second in non-graded stakes at 1-1/16 miles since her U.S. arrival. Trainer Phil D’Amato has sent out 88 turf winners at Santa Anita since 2025. RAW ABILITY raced evenly through the stretch as the beaten 2-to-5 favorite at this distance, but she should get a much livelier pace to rally into in today’s six-horse field.Santa Anita Race 8 (7:37 p.m. EST)We are going 7-deep in this field of unproven long sprinters for California sired 3-year-old fillies in hopes that the Sunset 6 ticket is still alive.Santa Anita Race 9 (8:07 p.m. EST)ROYAL PEARL, a $425,000 sales buy, gave way chasing next-out Del Mar Debutante winner Miss Monica in her debut, then she raced 4-wide on the turn and lacked stretch kick against another runaway Bob Baffert-trained winning favorite at 6F. But she could awaken on the surface switch and stretch out in distance. Her sire, Mandaloun, was a multiple graded stakes-winning dirt router whose offspring are 3-10 in turf routes; her dam, Candy Sioux, is a half sister to hard-hitting turf allowance sprinter All I Want Is You (4-17, $274k on turf). Trainer Michael McCarthy is 13/3-2-1 since August 2025 with sprint-to-route grass runners.Suggested Sunset 6GP 7th Race: 1, 4GP 8th race: 1, 7GP 9th Race: 3, 6SA 7th Race: 2, 5SA 8th Race: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10SA 9th Race: 4Cost for a $1 Ticket: $112

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Belmont Park | today’s racesNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | $522,328 | Thistledown | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETKEY RACESThistledown | Race 7 | 3:50 pm ET | Scarlet and Gray StakesBelmont | Race 3 | 3:14 pm ET | Gallant Bloom StakesBelmont | Race 4 | 3:46 pm ET | Winter Memories StakesBelmont | Race 5 | 4:17 pm ET | Belmont Turf SprintBelmont | Race 6 | 4:48 pm ET | Vosburgh StakesBelmont | Race 7 | 5:18 pm ET | Joe Hirsch Turf ClassicBelmont | Race 8 | 5:48 pm ET | Flower Bowl StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXDelaware Park | Race 5 | 2:52 pm ETBelmont Park | Race 5 | 4:17 pm ETRemington Park | Race 5 | 9:22 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHCipriano Conteras | Horseshoe Indianapolis | 4 of 5 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Belmont Park | favorites won 1 of 8 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Bet $100, Get $10 Belmont Park Promo Picks for ThursdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer: best bets today in the Xpressbet member’s section

Mother nature decided to force the New York Racing Association to cancel their Saturday and Sunday cards last week due to the Nor’easter in the area, but that means one of the best Thursday cards this century is on tap to kick off the month of October. That’s right, six graded stakes make up the Pick 6 sequence for the afternoon with the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) being the headliner.Speaking of the start of the month, 1/ST BET and Xpressbet have a new promotion for October we are running back from last year. “Bonus Boonanza” rewards horseplayers for wagering $100 at a different track throughout the month with a bonus of $10. It begins on Thursday and you guessed it Belmont is the select track. Here are a few horses I like in the stakes and will wager on in order to earn my free 10% back.Race 4: Winter Memories (G3)This one-mile event over the grass for 3YO fillies is one of the more competitive races on the agenda. #8 Sister Troienne brings the strongest resume into the event for trainer Brian Lynch, but has not competed since early April at Keeneland. She is as capable as anyone probably, but may have peaked as a juvenile and early 3YO. I will try to beat her with #6 Lovely Grey. The Kelsey Danner trainee has been given three months to regroup after being involved in a spill in a restricted stake at Saratoga on July 3. Prior to that the Go Go Greys Stable filly was outrun taking an understandable shot on the dirt in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Her recent two starts have dirtied up her form, which hopefully helps counter the expected money from Dave Portnoy and his Barstool crew. Lovely Grey proved she can finish with energy and should appreciate getting back to the grass.Play: #6 Lovely Grey (8-1 ML)Picks: 6-7-3Race 6: Vosburgh (G3)My next play comes in this seven-furlong event for 3YOs+ over the main track where I expect #1 T Kraft to run a big race in his first start over the Belmont Park dirt. The son of Connect returns to the races after finishing in a dead heat with Senior Officer in the Forego (G1) at the Spa in late August. The 4YO colt draws the rail, which will be an issue if he breaks poorly, but also could lead to a perfect ground saving mid-pack trip under jockey Junior Alvarado. The Bill Mott trainee enters this year’s Vosburgh in the best form of his career and may prove to be at his best at seven-eighths of a mile.Play: #1 T Kraft (6-1 ML)Picks: 1-8-5Race 7: Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1)The lone Grade 1 on the stakes-laden Thursday slate is this 1 1/2-mile excursion over the Belmont grass where I could not get past 2-1-ML favorite #1 El Cordobes. The son of Frankel makes his first start since a trip to Qatar that led to a fifth-place finish for trainer Charles Appleby. Appleby has not won races in North America in bunches at all like he has in past years, but does come in off of two big wins at Woodbine with horses expected to finish first in the Summer (G1) and Woodbine Mile (G1). El Cordobes likely was given the spring and summer off to prepare for another shot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) after running third to Rebel’s Romance at Del Mar a year ago. Flavien Prat will be aboard the 5YO gelding who draws favorably along the inside in his first start over the new turf course in Long Island. He likely needs a good showing to get another chance to run in the World Championships. I expect him to get just that.Play: #1 El Cordobes (2-1 ML)Picks: 1-7-4

The Lead:A second straight weekend of important Breeders' Cup trail stakes will be featured at Santa Anita. We'll focus here on the Filly & Mare Turf division's Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes in Race 10 with a deep field of 11. The undercard boasts top sprint fillies and mares in the Grade 3 Chillingworth along with juvenile stakes in the listed Speakeasy, the G2 Oak Leaf and G1 American Pharoah.Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet can take advantage of 10X 1/ST Rewards Points on the Sunset 6 wager between Santa Anita and Gulfstream (final 3 races on each card), which includes the Rodeo Drive. Also note the Breeders' Cup Bankroll Builder promotion that features Saturday's American Pharoah Stakes on the same Santa Anita card.​​Field Depth:Grade 1 winner THOUGHT PROCESS tops the marquee. She's joined by multiple G2 winner MAY DAY READY as well as G3 winners DONA CLOTA and PUBLIC ASSEMBLY. That quartet, along with HEY JESSIE, have kept the strongest company lines.​Pace:There's not much tempo here, so while THOUGHT PROCESS neary always sits second in her races, she may default to the front if THE MIZEN QUEEN, TOTALLY JUSTIFIED or MAY DAY READY aren't intent on the lead. A deep closer would appear compromised by this modest pace set-up.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.1-THOUGHT PROCESS: Graded stakes winner at ages 2,3 and 4, she’s the undisputed leader in the California filly and mare turf division. But she’s shown a tad bit vulnerable at 1-1/8 miles twice now and the additional furlong asked of her Saturday is uncharted territory (while carrying a career-high 126 pounds). The downhill start to 10F at Santa Anita long has been a boost to those types who were in question at getting the traditional trip. She’ll get her typical, first over trip and be the one to beat at 4-for-4 over the course.2-RESOLVE: Late runner missed by a nose in the similar Santa Ana Stakes during the spring here but has just 2 wins in 22 starts and 1 win in 13 trips on the local lawn. Form seems to be stuck in place and not advancing and trainer Leonard Powel has been in a protracted slump.3-DONA CLOTA: Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is 9: 3-2-0 with his California ventures in 2026 from his Florida homebase, including 3 graded stakes wins and a pair of stakes seconds last week at Santa Anita. He’s bringing horses that fit and this Delaware stakes winner is a pure distance mare. Chilean export would be a bit of a surprise to win against these, but note this barn’s 3 SoCal stakes wins this year include a pair of 12-1 shots. Can’t dismiss.4-TOTALLY JUSTIFIED: Kentucky-based Anna Meah brings the Ellis Park Turf winner west for the second time, looking to improve on a midflight finish in the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita to close 2025. Current form is promising and should like the hard-packed turf course expected with soaring temps in Arcadia this week.5-PUBLIC ASSEMBLY: The 2025 Royal Heroine winner hasn’t been back for a picture in her last 11 starts and only has 3 placings during that run to show for it. No match for her Phil D’Amato barnmate Thought Process in the Gamely in May and appears to be a better finisher with a sharp miler’s pace than these elongated routes.6-KENTUCKY GAL: Won June’s Possibly Perfect over this course and distance and held that form with a late-running third at Del Mar in August. Another of the Phil D’Amato charges here and the one with the perhaps most versatile running style. Fits well enough on form, distance and coursework and should offer reasonable value.7-HEY JESSIE: Notched the 12-furlong Santa Barbara over this course in May but has been generally overmatched when stepping up into graded-stakes classes. Could make argument she’s faced tougher in her last 2 than most of these, so this race hits somewhere between on her resume. Deep closer is devoid of early foot, but reunites with her winning pilot Emisael Jaramillo on Saturday. Mixed vibes.8-VICTORIOUS DREAM: 3-year-old filly takes on elder stakes runners for the first time. Generally consistent until her Del Mar Oaks bid when she was her own worst enemy mentally. Rider change from Juan Hernandez to Ricardo Gonzalez as the former jumps seats to Vronti on Saturday. I’ll make her beat me against open elders like this, but 118-pound assignment gives her 6-pound break from the favorite and that doesn’t hurt over 10 furlongs.9-MAY DAY READY: Exits match race win at Kentucky Downs in the One Dreamer for Richard Mandella, but there’s concern about the additional distance for a filly who’s been best around a mile. Continues to work sharply as is her norm after the road trip to Kentucky and bounced out of that race well. No match for Thought Process in the Gamely, however, and must find more than 7 lengths to turn the tables. Inconsistency makes you demand a price if interested.10-THE MIZEN QUEEN: Irish export has found the winner’s circle just once in 9 domestic starts since joining Dan Blacker’s stable. But she’s hit the superfecta 8 times during that span, including back-to-back listed stakes placings. This is a step up in class on paper but she’s been right there with race rivals Vronti, Kentucky Gal and Resolve in multiple bids, so she fits well enough in her first graded-stakes attempt. Kyle Frey picks up the mount as she loses recent pilots to some of the favorites entered.11-VRONTI: Second cross-country trip about 6 weeks (and third this year) for this Maryland-based filly. Graham Motion netted a victory in listed stakes company at Del Mar last out and a fifth-place try behind Thought Process in May’s Grade 1 Gamely at Santa Anita. All-day pedigree and running style should fare well over the distance and notably lands top jockey Juan Hernandez away from a few of the other contenders. With 3 wins and a second among her last 5 starts, she should be right there if the travel doesn’t take a toll at some point before the wire.Most Likely Exotics Contender:THOUGHT PROCESS is unbeaten over the course and proven class. The distance could be the obstacle, but shouldn't prevent her from landing on the ticket somewhere, if not on top.Best Longshot Contender:THE MIZEN QUEEN never misfires on firm ground and has some ability to be in mix early in a race without much pace.​​Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$5 trifecta part-wheel THOUGHT PROCESS with THE MIZEN QUEEN, DONA CLOTA with ALL ($90). $5 exacta part-wheel THE MIZEN QUEEN, DONA CLOTA over THOUGHT PROCESS ($10).