EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Churchill Downs | today’s racesSCHEDULE NOTESChurchill Downs | opening day of meet | first post 5:00 pm ETTOURNAMENT TIME$40 Canterbury Park Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | $345,598 | Thistledown | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $97,209 (CAN) | Woodbine | begins Race 3 | 4:12 pm ETJackpot Super Hi 5 | $119,403 (CAN) | Woodbine | Race 8 | 6:49 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXHorseshoe Indy | Race 7 | 5:16 pm ETAlbuquerque | Race 8 | 6:25 pm ETChurchill Downs | Race 6 | 7:28 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJose Silva | Canterbury Park | all 5 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Kentucky Downs | jockey Flavien Prat | 6 wins, including 2 stakesPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Churchill Downs Opening Day $100, Get $10 Promo PicksFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Churchill Downs' opening day of the September meet on Thursday pairs nicely with this month's Fall Into Fortune promotion. Bet $100, Get $10 on the card this Thursday from Louisville when you play with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. Keep a close eye on the weather with a forecast for rain.Churchill Downs: Race 1 | 5:00 pm ET#1 Shinobu (9-2 morning line odds) is shrewdly placed on the class drop for trainer Joe Sharp, whose 2YO maiden claimers during the Churchill September Meets the past 5 years are 9: 4-0-2 with winners at $11, $12, $12 and $22. He's won with his last 3 such bids -- all with Tyler Gaffalione aboard like today. Win bet #1. Picks 1-7-9-12Churchill Downs: Race 4 | 6:30 pm ET#6 Flip Flop Freak (4-1 morning line odds) didn't get any breathers with the trip at Ellis in his Aug. 2 unveiling when hammered to 4-5 on the tote. Bullet work since over the CD strip is a big positive. Trainer Brian Lynch has been a September Meet maestro at CD the past 5 years with 22% wins, nearly 44% in the exacta and a nearly $1.40 return on every $1 bet to win. Only opening day starter for the barn. Win bet #6. Picks 6-8-2-4Churchill Downs: Race 8 | 8:26 pm ET#1 Contrary Chieftain (12-1 morning line odds) gets a longshot look with rail speed. Yes, he exits a race at Lone Star (a race won by a horse on a current 3-race win streak), but he was Southern California speed prior to that June start, his first for Robertino Diodoro. This high-octane barn often moves horses up and note Diodoro's claiming runners are 23% winners and 43% in the exacta during the Churchill September Meet the last 5 years. Win-place 1. Picks 1-2-10-6

Gulfstream Park’s last three races this Friday, Sept. 11, offer the best of two worlds. It covers the $3 Players Pick 3 wager but could also cap the 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6 that begins in race 4 with a $21,464 carryover pool.Gulfstream Park, Race 7 (3:25 p.m. EST)Five 3-year-olds are among the field that brings a combined 9-for-21 record at today’s one-mile distance. WILLING ONE is the top choice after he ‘took over’ at the 3/8 pole, drifted out at the 1/4 pole and just missed after a stretch-long battle in the same spot. VIRGINIA CITY earned competitive speed figures for this level when he faced much better in a pair of dirt routes at the turn of the year. He carries high weight of 125 pounds but adds value to the ticket nonetheless. NICE TRY RILEY tracked the in-hand, pace-controlling leader until he blew by late on the final turn and widened in the stretch to win after five months away.Gulfstream Park, Race 8 (3:55 p.m. EST)COQUETA BLUE ascended the claiming ranks to win 3 of 7 starts this year by a combined 12 lengths. She returned off a similar rest at this level in July and took charge on the turn at this level en route to the top speed figure of her career. Her 6F split was faster than the final time of an 6F allowance race for the boys that followed on the same card. She is today’s Pick 3 solo play.Gulfstream Park, Race 9 (4:28 p.m. EST)INHONOROFSONNY dueled to upper stretch in his 7-1/2F debut – his only start on turf -- dominated by deep closers. He chased the 2-to-5 winner and held second in a 6F dirt sprint last out. He picks up 12 pounds, but Reyes gets back aboard. Three of his dam’s siblings combined for a 12-36 record on turf with $79k in average earnings. UNPREDICTABLE returns to the lawn for his second start for Joseph. He posted a pair of bullet works in August and met three next-out maiden breakers (72 average Beyer) in his two turf races. POP chased fleet-footed, odds-on winner I C Light – who returned to win a $75k optional claimer – but faded in a MSW sprint when last seen in December.Suggested $3 Players Pick 3 Ticket GP 7th Race: 4, 5, 6GP 8th Race: 4 (If scratched, use #1 SWEET AGENDA)GP 9th Race: 3, 7, 8 Cost for a $3 ticket: $27

The Lead:Gulfstream's premier race of summer has been a safe haven for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in recents years, winning it on 3 straight occasions. His chances at a 4-peat are 3-ply with a trio of the 7 entrants in Saturday's 7-furlong main event. The Princess Rooney inaugurated in 1985 and was named for the first Breeders' Cup Distaff winner the year prior. But it's been a Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint launching pad in its current form with winners like Musical Romance and Ce Ce having success on championship day as well.​​Field Depth:INDY BAY (pictured) is a Grade 2 winner, while SIMPLY JOKING is a Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed. BOMBACHA VELOZ was a Group 1 winner in her native Chile. SIMPLY JOKING has the class edge in terms of schedule strength.​Pace:KERRY'S KISS likely will be fastest away with a clean start while rail-drawn ANAKARINA has plenty of early speed as does widest-drawn NO BAD BEATS. Inside-outside speed in the same field often creates an even faster pace scenario than appears on paper.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.1-ANAKARINA: First of 3 Saffie Joseph Jr. trainees in the entry box, exiting a Colonial Downs stakes win in listed company. Only with the barn in that most recent outing since departing Dallas Stewart's outfit this summer. Has shown major improvement since April and would benefit from a wet track if it presents itself. Not a proven commodity to pass horses and may not be fast enough to make the front.2-KERRY'S KISS: Broke on top in 6 straight whether sprinting or routing, including both local preps for this that she won in wire-to-wire fashion for Joseph. Well-traveled filly also was a new barn pick-up this summer like Anakarina. Big 97 and 91 BRIS late pace figures in her last 2 front-end victories indicates that it will take a serious late thrust to run past her.3-SIMPLY JOKING: Classy California raider takes a similar task on that Michael McCarthy gave to Ce Ce in 2021 and 2022 when shipping to Florida to win the Princess Rooney. Simply Joking hasn't raced around 1 turn in 4 starts this year, but was third in the Grade 1 La Brea the day after Christmas. Wasn't as strong late then as you'd hope on the cut-back in trip (90 BRIS late pace figure) but has trained sharply for this at Del Mar. Mixed vibes.4-JUST A PHILLY: Of the Sheer Drama Stakes alumnae rematched here from Aug. 15, this is the 1 who did the last amount of work since - just a single 3-furlong drill Aug. 31. Former $12,500 claim in February likely has hit her ceiling when distant thirds in both local preps. Prefer others.5-INDY BAY: Beaten favorite to Kerry's Kiss in both the Musical Romance and Sheer Drama, it will be interesting to see how much swing there is on the tote in Round 3 for this last of 3 Saffie Joseph Jr. charges. Hard to argue with a 5: 3-1-0 record over the demanding 7F distance, and if Kerry's Kiss is softened up on the pace, her pressing-middle style could be sitting in the catbird's seat. BRIS late pace figures of 106, 98 and 93 in her last 3 are descending but capable of closing the deal. Big chance.6-BOMBACHA VELOZ: Wildly tough task for Chilean export who hasn't raced since November and hasn't sprinted in more than a year. Trainer Amador Sanchez hitting just 10% on the year and 1-for-6 with newcomers to the US scene like this. A 3-week gap in the workout tab last month is a red flag I'm not going to try and overcome. Not for me.7-NO BAD BEATS: Second of 2 California shippers, this one fresh off the $50,000 claim for Leonard Powell, exiting leading Del Mar meet trainer Doug O'Neill's shedrow. Powell struggled mightily all meet at Del Mar so it's difficult to project a move forward. In fact, filly ran probably too strong off the 6-month layoff last out to not expect some regression.Most Likely Exotics Contender:Tough call between obvious players KERRY'S KISS and INDY BAY, but the latter's ability to rate might make her most likely to land in the superfecta, even if the former is the most likely winner.Best Longshot Contender:None projected.​​Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$75 exacta INDY BAY over KERRY'S KISS. $25 back-up exacta KERRY'S KISS over INDY BAY.

Congratulations to horseplayer Steve DeCaspers, who won Monday’s Xpressbet Fun in the Sun Final Table and took home top prize in the $16,367.50 summer finale. DeCaspers out-paced the 40 Final Table entrants, each earning their spot through 8 weekly Saratoga-Del Mar contests, to secure the $9,002.13 first-place check. His bankroll total of $463.30 (easily largest this season in the tournament) provided an absolute runaway on the leaderboard, some $53.60 more than runner-up Franco Pacione, who earned $4,0191.88 in prize money.Fun in the Sun included $10,000 added by Xpressbet and 100% of the weekly contest fees were paid back in prize money during the qualifying rounds and the Final Table.DeCaspers hit on 4 of his 10 contest plays, 3 of them at Del Mar, including 84-1 Marvelousmissmabel, 11-1 Miss Forza and 6-1 Dottie Hinson in succession in Races 2-4. He closed the Saratoga summer meet with 4-1 winner My Lil Army Girl in the Race 12 finale. Pacione made good on 5 of 10 selections, connecting on 3 of the same winners as DeCaspers, though Marvelousmissmabel was the obvious separator (which was contest-capped at $210 by rule).Not only were DeCaspers and Pacione the only players over the $400 mark in bankroll, no other players scored in the $300s for their $10 win plays over 10 contest races. That’s no shame when you consider during 8 qualifying weeks, the season-best weekly mark was $374.10. Craig Kaufman ($298.50 bankroll) finished third and earned $1636.75. Fourth and fifth-place finishers each bagged $818.37 – namely Greg Knepper ($235.80 bankroll) and Joe Rotell ($184.80 bankroll).DeCaspers’ qualifier to the Final Table came in Week 5 when he nosed into the lineup with a fifth-place finish. Pacione was a Week 4 winner and earned another $1,144.50 for that score along the way. Pacione was the only 1 of 8 weekly winners to earn a check at the Final Table. None of the season's 6 dual-qualifiers placed in the top-5 slots with their entries.The Final Table format began in 2020 and DeCaspers adds his name to past champions Robert Rosen (2020), Wayne Tam (2021), Kevin Saunders (2022), Joe Tambasco (2023), Gordon Maruya (2024) and Andy Muhlada (2025).

Last call for the 1/ST BET Kentucky Downs meet in 2026 comes Wednesday with another loaded turf card in terms of stakes and entries. The $750,000 Bowling Green Gold Cup at 2-1/16 miles tests stayers in Race 10, followed by the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile in Race 11 and the Grade 3 $2 million Dueling Grounds Oaks featured in Race 12. The 14-race lineup gets underway at 12:30 pm ET.The 1/ST BET and Xpressbet daily $3,000 Exacta-Thon continues. Be sure to register for your chance at the bonus cash with winning exactas ($2 minimum) in at least 3 of races.Kentucky Downs Race 11 | 6:17 pm ET#4 Otherworldly (12-1 morning line) merits big-time respect for trainer Joseph O’Brien despite maiden status back home in Ireland through 3 starts. This outfit has won with both 2-year-old mile stakes starters sent to Kentucky Downs, including similar 0-3 maiden Reckoning Force, who won this race in 2022, as well as the 1-for-3 prior Citrus Springs, heroine of last week’s Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies over this same trip for the gals. Barn also sends out #11 One Number, but Johnny V riding here vs. Ben Curtis there, indicates they might prefer Otherworldly. The Euros have been superb in stakes this meet.Exacta-Thon Play: Key-box 4 with 11,12,5,8.Kentucky Downs Race 12 | 6:49 pm ET#1 Bless Her (15-1 morning line) lost ground last out at Saratoga and gets to save all the real estate here with a short run into the first turn at 1-5/16 miles. Twirling Candy offspring relish this turf course and she doesn’t need to move up much to match her Keeneland and Saratoga tries behind Kentucky Belle, who is 3-1 morning line favorite. Graham Motion’s stakes shippers have been on point mostly this summer and worth a look in the win pool and exactas.Exacta-Thon Play: Key-box 1 with 6,7,8,9,11.

Breeders’ Cup prep season is in full effect, with many horses either having made or about to make their final starts before the World Championships are held at Keeneland in October. 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. Any changes made, whether they be additions / subtractions or new comments, are italicized.CLASSIC1 - Forever Young (last week: 1)To 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 - Magnitude (last week: 3)If 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 Whitney3 - Sovereignty (last week: 2)Maybe foolish to move him down a peg, but his unknown status due to the foot abscess has to be a concern; not sure he can afford any sort of hiccups if he’s to make the Breeders’ Cup4 - Knightsbridge (last week: 4)Devastated the G1 Pacific Classic, a field that was a G1 in name only; hard to find anyone to dispute his brilliance, but the question remains - can he reproduce that brilliance against the cream of the crop?DISTAFF1 - Nitrogen (last week: 1)Ran 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 Stars (last week: 2)Defeated as the heavy chalk in the G1 Alabama; clearly not her best but not going to be overly reactionary…she’s still one of the favorites in this division when firing on all cylinders3 - Always a Runner (last week: 3)The Kentucky Oaks winner is going to run in the Cotillion at Parx; may be of comparable ability to Counting Stars but down in the head-to-head battles4 - Fully Subscribed (last week: 4)Secured her first career G1 in the Personal Ensign, earning a 106 Beyer in the process; she’s failed before when tested against the best but has never regressed at any point in her career on the Beyer scale…may be peaking at the right timeSPRINT1 - Englishman (last week: 1)The clear leader of the division after another devastating performance at Saratoga in the Allen Jerkens on Travers Day; Beyers of 115 and 117 as a 3YO entering the BC put him in rarified air for Cherie DeVaux2 - T O Elvis (last week: 2)Lost 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 - Deep Flame (last week: 4)If not for the boss this would be a G1 winner entering the BC Sprint with a 110 Beyer in his back pocket…unfortunately that 110 was only good enough to get him beat by nearly four-lengths; getting better and better as part of one of the best 3YO sprint crops we’ve seen in years4 - Book’em Danno (last week: 3)Unwilling to completely remove him just yet, but the tone from the connections would lead one to believe his Breeders’ Cup status is in questionFM SPRINT1 - Kilwin (last week: 1)Perhaps being a bit stubborn keeping her #1…didn’t think her second in the Ballerina was a bad effort, just ran into a horse for course and found herself way too far back early despite the hot pace; absolutely needs a step forward but hopefully that is still to come at Keeneland2 - Explora (last week: 2)Filly 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 - Ways and Means (last week: 3)Disrespectful to have her this far down after a blowout win in a G1 at Saratoga? Maybe…still think she’s a different animal at the Spa v. Other venues; likely goes as the favorite for the FM Sprint in October off the 104 Beyer in the Ballerina4 - Mashallah (last week: 4)Another blowout victory, this time in the G3 Prioress; figs aren’t exactly improving but hard to argue with what she’s done when you watch her races…may end up being the “now” horseTURF1 - Tiffany (last week: unranked)Devastating victory in the KYD Turf Cup in her U.S. debut; 107 Beyer earned in that race has been the benchmark for BC Turf success over the past decade - a likely win candidate at Keeneland2 - Ethical Diamond (last week: 4)Credible second behind the filly on top in the KYD Turf Cup; connections seem very pleased with the run as a means to an end heading to Keeneland - a legit threat to repeat in the BC Turf3 - Calandagan (last week: 2)Bit of a leap with any of the Euros regarding who is / isn’t coming over; maybe not visiting the winner’s circle as much as he was in 2025 but still capable of firing elite-level shots at 12F4 - Burnham Square (last week: 1)Can’t rate him any higher after the disaster at KYD, but the intense heat that day may have been the excuse; if you still believe in him, you’ll wind up with a better price come BC SaturdayMILE1 - Blue Bolt (last week: 2)She’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 over2 - Erdenali (last week: unranked)Set a Longchamp course record winning the G1 Prix du Moulin, humbling previous #1 rated Gstaad in the process; connections have stated the G1 Coolmore Mile at KEE would be next en route to the BC Mile3 - Notable Speech (last week: 3)Has 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 luck. See him Saturday in Woodbine Mile4 - Deterministic (last week: 4)Hasn’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 moment. See him Saturday in Woodbine MileFM TURF1 - Thundering On (last week: 1)Time 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 Necklace (last week: 2)Defeated for the first time in her career, finishing behind Aventure in a G1 at Deauville; soft ground may not have been to her liking - willing to give a mulligan3 - Precise (last week: 3)Another of AOB’s who is at the elite level; she’s not as good as Blue Bolt (and likely others) at the mile, so wonder if a stretch to FM Turf’s 9.5F @ KEE is in the cards4 - Stellify (last week: unranked)An all or nothing type at this point in her career…when she’s part of the early running, she’s very good; decimated a field in the Ladies Marathon at KYD, a course which she’s 3-for-3 overTURF SPRINT1 - Cy Fair (last week: 1)Nothing to be gleaned from her off the board effort at KYD; buried on the rail for duration of the run…draw a line through the race - her best is still elite2 - Bacio (last week: unranked)Devastating winning the G1 Nunthorpe at York for Wesley Ward over a highly-accomplished group; no fault with anyone saying he’s clearly tops, just still believe in the filly at #1’s ability3 - Shisospicy (last week: 4)Difficult to say what to expect from her with the nonexistent campaign but know her best is as good as anyone’s4 - Possiblemente (last week: unranked)Put himself squarely in the mix with a strong victory in KYD Turf Sprint; versatile type in raging form for Joe SharpDIRT MILE1 - Knightsbridge (last week: 1)Hard to imagine the connections not heading to the Classic despite having both he and Sovereignty but will remain a part of this group for the time being2 - Napoleon Solo (last week: 2)Loses nothing in defeat finishing a gallant second in the Travers; coming up short in each of the past two would lead me to point to the Dirt Mile, but Classic remains an option for the connections3 - Bishops Bay (last week: 3)Solid older veteran who probably 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 Gold (last week: 4)Gave 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 | Parx | today’s racesNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $102,285 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:40 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $322,888 | Thistledown | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETKEY RACESAssiniboia Downs | Race 3 | 9:25 pm ET | Osiris StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXThistledown | Race 1 | 12:50 pm ETHorseshoe Indy | Race 5 | 4:14 pm ETMountaineer | Race 1 | 7:00 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHPaul Barrow | Finger Lakes | 3 of 4 entrants 3-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Kentucky Downs | jockey Jose Ortiz | 4 wins, 3 secondsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section