If you’re nursing a sore back from shoveling snow like I am, tuning into Tampa Bay Downs on Wednesday will be a sight for chilled eyes. Sunny and 75 degrees are in the forecast. I’ve identified a couple mid-range prices for lesser-known, but red-hot trainers early in the Tampa Bay Downs meeting.Tampa Bay Downs | Race 4 | 2:00 pm ET#5 Float On (5-1 morning line odds) was a good second here last January in his only local appearance. Trainer Michelle Castillo took over training this summer and note that her runners from PA have come out firing at Tampa so far: She has a 7-2 winner, 9-1 runner-up, 39-1 third-place finisher and 10-1 fourth-place finisher from her 4 starts to open the meeting. Win-place bet #5.Tampa Bay Downs | Race 8 | 4:00 pm ET#7 Jades Jay (6-1 morning line odds) looks to keep a hot start to the Tampa meet going for trainer Darien Rodriguez. His first 3 starters included $11 and $16 winners along with a third-place effort. Jades Jay has won over the Tampa track and makes his first appearance since moving to this high-percentage barn, which hits 31% locally with jockey Samuel Marin. Win-place bet #7.

EXTRA INCENTIVES10X 1/ST Rewards Points | Red Shores-Charlottetown | today’s racesNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $31,980 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $29,326 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 5:10 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXZia Park | Race 9 | 5:41 pm ETTurf Paradise | Race 7 | 6:02 pm ETMountaineer | Race 4 | 8:15 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHDick Cappellucci | Zia Park | 5 of 6 entries 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Mahoning Valley | jockey Erik Barbarab | 4 wins from 5 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Six stakes races are on the New York docket Saturday at Aqueduct, including a trio of Grade 2 tests. The Demoiselle and Remsen spotlight the 2-year-olds, while the $500,000 Cigar Mile puts the older horses on center stage. Recent wines include the likes of Locked, Mind Control and Maximum Security, while Congaree, Cigar and Forty Niner dot its history.Horseplayers with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet be sure to take part in a 1 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split on the late pick 4 on Races 8-11.Let’s meet the contenders for the Cigar Mile (Race 10):#1-DOC SULLIVAN: Two-time winner of New York-bred stakes this year, the John Ortiz trainee also finished fourth in the Grade 1 Forego and Grade 3 Vosburgh against open company. Ricardo Santana Jr. takes the mount as regular rider Joel Rosario hops seats to Phileas Fogg on Saturday. One of 4 last-out winners in the Cigar Mile lineup, exiting a career-best effort over his preferred, wet-track footing.#2-MIKA: Sophomore returns to the Mike Maker barn after spending all of this year with Brittany Russell’s Maryland string at Laurel. Maker trained the Catholic Boy colt to 1 win from 3 starts as a juvenile. Mike has won back-to-back allowance starts by 9-1/4 and 14-1/4 lengths and will be tested for class under first-time rider Manny Franco.#3-PENTATHLON: Shug McGaughey charge makes his first stakes attempt in his 15th lifetime start. Speightstown colt has won 2 of his last 4, including an Oct. 24 allowance over the track and distance, but loses jockey Joel Rosario to Phileas Fogg on Saturday. Junior Alvarado, who won the 2013 Cigar Mile with Flat Out, takes over.#4-CRAZY MASON: Irad Ortiz Jr. moves into the saddle aboard this deep-closing sprinter who will seek a fourth Aqueduct victory in 6 attempts. The Coal Front 4-year-old won the Grade 2 Carter at the Big A in April for his first and only stakes score to date. Greg Sacco has managed graded-placings this year in the True North, Vosburgh and Forego. Ortiz recently completed a leading rider title at Churchill Downs’ Fall Meeting.#5-BRAZENLY: Jockey John Velazquez aims for a fourth straight Cigar Mile victory after Mind Control, Hoist the gold and Locked. He’s won it 5 times overall and could pass Jerry Bailey’s race record with his next score. Brazenly’s well-traveled season has seen him move from California to Kentucky to New York and he’ll be with his third trainer of 2025 when Chris Englehart saddles for the first time. The 7-year-old looks to snap a 17-race losing streak while making only his second career stakes appearance.#6-PHILEAS FOGG: The Excelsior and Suburban winner has flourished since moving to the barn of Gustavo Rodriguez. He has finished first or second in all 5 career starts at Aqueduct. The 5-year-old gelding adds blinkers for the first time in the Cigar Mile while cutting back to a 1-turn mile for the first time in more than 14 months. Jockey Joel Rosario takes the mount while bypassing a pair of others in the field.#7-BISHOPS BAY: 3-time Grade 3 winner this year of the Westchester, Forty Niner and Salvator Mile, the first pair of which were 1-turn miles at Aqueduct like Saturday’s assignment. Trainer Brad Cox has gotten wins out of Bishops Bay in both prior local starts and note jockey Flavien Prat has won 5 straight when aboard this Uncle Mo 5-year-old. Remarkable 11-for-12 career record in the exacta.

EXTRA INCENTIVESCyber Weekend 1/ST Rewards Points Sale ends at midnightNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | $17,883 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 4:13 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXParx | Race 7 | 2:47 pm ETZia Park | Race 8 | 5:14 pm ETMountaineer | Race 8 | 9:55 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHTodd Fincher | Zia Park | all 6 entries 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Kentucky Derby Future Wager | Ted Noffey closed 7-1 individual favorite (All Other 2YOs 2-1)PUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Yonkers Raceway has a 10-race card. The $1 Pick 5 with a $10,000 guaranteed pool rolls in Race 5. The $2.00 Late Pick 4 starts in Race 7, and it will be my focus. Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.Race 7 (8:45 PM EDT)2-Captain Albano (2-1)-Looked sharp in Leg 1 and now will faceoff with Coaches Corner. The Capt might be a bit more versatile, could win without leading every step of the way. That could be the plan here.5-Coaches Corner (7/5)-The Per Engblom trainee looked as fresh as possible in Leg 1 in the 24th start of the season. Got on the engine and made every call a winning drawing off by over 6 lengths. Will be a better price than 1/5 here and Bartlett will have his foot through the floorboard when the wings fold once again. Put in a 151.2 mile all on its own in Leg 1 and might have to better that performance to double up.Race 8 (9:05 PM EDT)1-Always Cuttin School (5/2)-The issue for the Nick Devita trainee is a lack of big gate speed. That makes things more difficult even leaving from the rail. Using anyway as Colin Kelly should have the 4-year-old in play before the last turn.4-Warrior For Truth (9/2)-Was hung the mile last time against the straight $30k claimers. Now faces the 3-6-year-old $30k claimers and George Brennan gets the call. Going to use and will fade #2-Two Faced the 9/5 choice. If Brennan does a good job of timing the gate he lands on top or in the 2 hole, and if so will be tough to beat.Race 9 (9:25 PM EDT)1-Dancin Sancho (2-1)-This will be the 5th straight race leaving from post 1 and has started on the rail in 6 of the last 7. Beat 3 from this field last week by going gate to wire and need to use again in a contentious affair.2-Himself N (7/2)-My thinking is Brennan leaves like a shot, has the best gate speed of all and lands on the point. Assuming that happens without emptying the tank, the veteran has a good chance of winning.4-Thenu Came Along A (7/2)-Some won’t play the Scott Blackler pupil in its first US start. But this movie has been on before and the Aussi Bred could make its debut a winning one. Can’t let the 5-yr-ld bust up the ticket after getting a choice post draw, plus when Blackler and Bartlett team up they post 45% winners.Race 10 (9:45 PM EDT)4-Pefect Promises (2-1)-Shipped in from PcD and probably accomplished what the connections wanted even with a 5th place finish. Started from post 8, raced from the back and did pace the 2nd half in 54.4. Now Bartlett takes the lines and should be go-time against a beatable field.$2 Late Pick 42,5/1,4/1,2,4/4Total Bet=$24Check me out on Twitter!

EXTRA INCENTIVES$10,000 Turkey Bowl | Churchill Race 11; Del Mar Races 3,7,81 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split | Woodbine | Late Pick 4 todayTOURNAMENT TIME$300 Del Mar Challenge | details$100 Gulfstream Feeder | details$100 Aqueduct Feeder | details$40 Del Mar Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSPick 6 | $79,410 | Aqueduct | begins Race 4 | 1:40 pm ETPick 5 | $329,773 | Del Mar | begins Race 1 | 3:30 pm ETMandatory Payout Pick 6 | $451,889 | Churchill Downs | begins Race 7 | 3:55 pm ETJackpot Super Hi 5 | $214,854 (CAN) | Woodbine | Race 10 | 5:42 pm ETKENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGERPool 2 | closes today 6 pm ETKEY RACESDel Mar | Race 3 | 1:32 pm ET | DeMille StakesDel Mar | Race 5 | 2:32 pm ET | Stormy Liberal StakesDel Mar | Race 7 | 3:32 pm ET | Matriarch StakesDel Mar | Race 8 | 4:02 pm ET | Bayakoa StakesChurchill Downs | Race 11 | 5:54 pm ET | Cherokee Mile StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXLaurel | Race 6 | 2:23 pm ETChurchill Downs | Race 5 | 2:55 pm ETDel Mar | Race 1 | 3:30 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHBob Baffert | Del Mar, Churchill | 5 of 6 entries 3-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Churchill Downs | jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. | 5 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds from 10 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Churchill Downs Spot Plays for SundayBrian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Northfield Park has a 15-race card to begin the week. The $1.00 Late Pick 4 starts in Race 11. The sequence has a $10,000 guaranteed pool with a 14% takeout, and it will be my focus.Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.Race 11 (9:40 PM EDT)5-Rising Fire (8/5)-Missed a start before the last race and finished 3rd in a no-move mile. That was with Aaron Merriman steering, and now team Noble reunites. That seems to be the reason for the 8/5 morning line and will expect a big try.8-Marced Fox (20-1)The Alvarez trainee needs a sharp steer by Luke Hanners and if so, can be in the mix at the wire. Could leave and get a decent seat and then look to find a live cover flow. Should be a big # and this race could set up for a stalker.Race 12 (10:02 PM EDT)6-Don't Take My Keys (20-1)-Beat this kind from this same post 3 back. Chris Lems left and landed in the pocket and took over down the lane. Has the gate speed to get that trip again in a race where the main threat starts from the 9-hole.7-Digruntled Carl (6-1)-Wired this kind from post 6 last time and like the one above should be looking to land on the point again. Has taken 10 pictures in 30 starts this year and has won 30% of its races at Nfld (51-17-5-5) and should be a player.9-Rose Run Zoom (5/2)-The Kreiser trainee is seemingly always in the mix with this kind and Merriman will need a plan to be in play from the 2nd tier. Noble is on the rail horse and that could be Merriman's ticket to land near the top of the stack.Race 13 (10:24 PM EDT)2-Santastic Cruiser (5-1)-Was hung out to dry shortly after the wings folded and hung in there to cash a 4th place check. Faced better on a sloppy track from this post and lost by a neck. If Hanners gets a top of the stack trip it could be picture time.9-Okinawa Beach A (5/2)-Missed a start and was off 19 days before the last race and faced Open company. The team Noble trainee was hung the mile. Beaten 8/5 chalk makes the 2nd start in the Noble barn and takes a meaningful drop in class. Cashed checks versus $20K claimers at Yonkers and may have met a beatable field tonight.Race 14 (10:46 PM EDT)2-Bean Town Girl (8-1)-Does its best work leaving from an inside post and racing near the top of the stack. Will use the camera shy 3-year-old who could get a suck around trip just in case the morning line choice doesn't play its part.3-Lily Grace Hill (9/5)-Noble has driven for the Deyermand barn 6 times and has taken 2 pictures. The filly has trouble finishing off the mile. But now gets a ++ driver change and Noble is very good at controlling the mile and stealing a quarter.$1 Late Pick 45,8/6,7,9/2,9/2,3Total Bet=$24Check me out on Twitter!

It is Closing Day at Churchill Downs, which means big fields, one final stakes race included in the $10,000 Turkey Bowl, and mandatory payouts across the board. This includes a carryover of $451,889 in their Derby City 6. Here are a few horses I am leaning on this afternoon to hopefully make the final racing day of the year in Louisville a profitable one.Race 9:This 9-furlong affair over the grass drew a full field, but #4 Out of Deductions looks like a bit of a stand out. The son of Nyquist has been freshened up by trainer Chris Block after a third-place effort against stakes foes at Hawthorne on September 28. He put in a strong late run, but the top two finishers, including the winner Emmanuel, got the jump. Block generally means business when he sends his runners to Churchill Downs evidenced by his $2.14 ROI over a 42-race sample the last 5 years. This gelding has run well in his two recent efforts over this grass course and should be ready for his best off the two-month break. Brian Hernandez Jr. is back aboard the Team Block runner, who makes for a potential single in the late horizontals.Play: #4 Out of Deductions (3-1 ML)Race 10:This third-level allowance at 7-furlongs over the main track appears relatively wide-open. #3 Tap Into This is a deserving morning line favorite coming in off three consecutive wins for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, but has no early speed making him tough to fully trust over this racetrack. I think his stable mate is in with a shot as well. #2 Dimatic has not raced since early May at Oaklawn Park where he finished a well-beaten third in a non-graded $200k stakes to Saudi Crown and Mystik Dan. The Gun Runner colt faced some quality competition as a 3YO and easily could have gone directly to Oaklawn Park from Ellis where he has been training, but interestingly North America’s all-time leading trainer opts to ship him to Louisville off a 7-month break for closing day. Dimatic lacked early speed from the gate in his final few starts before the break, but I am hopeful he flashes enough off the layoff to get into him the race early on from his inside draw. I would not leave him out of your late horizontals at his price on the cutback.Play: #2 Dimatic (12-1 ML)Race 11: Cherokee MileThis one-mile event over the main track offers horseplayers one of the last chances to get to ten $10 winners in the $10,000 Turkey Bowl contest. It also happens to be a fantastic betting race with plenty of ways to go. I landed on #2 Implementation. Trainer Mike Maker and the connections thought enough of this son of Constitution to claim him for $100k at Keeneland two-back. Maker wheeled him back quickly after the claim where he ran a good second off less than three weeks rest over an off track. Now, Maker adds the blinkers and attracts Tyler Gaffalione, which should have him in a prominent spot early going the one-turn mile. Assuming he can avoid traffic issues from the rail, as well as a contentious early pace, he should certainly outrun his double-digit odds.Play: #2 Implementation (10-1 ML)