The Lead:Saturday’s Preakness Day card at Laurel is loaded with stakes up and down the 14-race lineup. We’ve got you covered in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown via the 1/ST Preakness Stakes Wager Guide. The undercard headliner annually is the Grade 3 $250,000 Dinner Party Stakes at 1-1/8 miles on turf. It’s Race 10 on Saturday (4:11 pm ET post time) and makes its first appearance on the expansive Laurel Park turf course. The Dinner Party kicks off an all-stakes pick 4 ending in the Preakness.Players at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet be sure to play in the $20,000 Exacta-Thon promotion this weekend both Friday and Saturday for Laurel’s full-card. And also note up to a $10 money-back special if your win bet finishes second or third in either the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (Friday) or Preakness Stakes (Saturday).​​Field Depth:Grade 1 winner FORT WASHINGTON is defending champ in his race and has the field’s other signature score. DRESDEN ROW is a Grade 3 winner and Grade 2-placed. Other graded stakes-placed entrants include HARROW and WHAT SAY THEE among the field of 7.​Pace:The pace picture is murky with CRUISE THE NILE capable of setting the tone if sent along but won the local prep from off the pace. THUNDERING and DRESDEN ROW project to be forward in a race should not clip along very fast. Deep closers could be at a disadvantage.​Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.1-WHAT SAY THEE: Added blinkers when winning an April 17 Laurel allowance fresh off the claim that day for Horacio DePaz. The 8-year-old was picked up for $25,000 at Turfway when oddly dropped in price off a $40,000 claiming win just prior. He’s earned just shy of $500K and is 3-for-7 at the distance.2-THUNDERING: Maryland-bred makes his first trip home after racing in Canada, New York and Florida through 14 starts. He’s well-drawn in post 2 to take advantage of a rather paceless race and putting speed-friendly jockey Paco Lopez aboard would indicate that intent – even if this gelding has never made the lead in any start so far. He’s 0-6 in stakes, however, so I prefer others even if he gets the trip.3-CRUISE THE NILE: The good news is that he’s won 4 in a row, including the local prep, the Henry S. Clark. The bad news is that trainer Graham Motion indicated immediately after the Clark that he’s more inclined not to stretch him out to 1-1/8 miles in the Dinner Party just yet and always thought he’s a miler. The field came up a bit light on numbers and here they are, but he feels like an underlay price for this distance and further class rise.4-FORT WASHINGTON: Last year’s Dinner Party winner was the record-padding sixth in this race for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. The ‘title defense’ loses some of its handicapping relevance with the venue change from Pimlico to Laurel as we can’t necessarily check the box that he’ll run as well in his local debut. The pace scenario works against the late-running 7-year-old as does history. No horse has repeated in this race in exactly 100 years – sine Sarazen in 1925-’26.5-A BOURBON FOR TOBY: With all the clamor about running back on 14 days for the Preakness, nobody told trainer Tom Morley that his Dinner Party colt didn’t belong just 9 days after an Aqueduct allowance third. The son of 2006 Preakness winner Bernardini was a late bloomer, winning 2 of 3 since losing his first 10 starts. He’ll pick up Irad Ortiz Jr.6-DRESDEN ROW: Good-looking Keeneland allowance winner April 8 after 5 months away should be perfectly prepped for the re-rise in class. In the last dozen years, more winners of this race exited Keeneland (4) bids than any other venue. Trainer Todd Pletcher has only 1 starter Friday at Laurel and just this 1 on Saturday’s Preakness Day card. Plenty of reasons to skip if this wasn’t a perfect spot. Catches a soft pace set-up and should be anywhere Flavien Prat wants him to be. Highly effective over 9 furlongs on synthetic at Woodbine when with Lorne Richards, though this will be his longest race on turf. Horses adding distance have been very effective in the Dinner Party in recent history.7-HARROW: Late-runner failed to make a big dent in 2 Gulfstream allowance miles earlier this year and takes a step up in class after being left on the Churchill also-eligible list for an allowance race Thursday. The extra distance should help the Barbados Gold Cup winner for Saffie Joseph Jr., who also is stakes-placed stateside; but he won’t get any pace help here.Most Likely Exotics Contender:DRESDEN ROW is 16-for-16 in the trifecta lifetime and should get a comfortable trip near the front. Hard to see him giving that fully away and missing the board.Best Longshot Contender:None projected, though 12-1 ML offering WHAT SAY THEE has handled the course and responded to the equipment change last out.​Sending it in ($100 bankroll):Confident top tab, not so much for the underneath runners. Turn to a $100 daily double DRESDEN ROW to Race 11 Gallorette Stakes pick #2 RIBALTAGAI, one of my key plays on the Saturday card.

Preakness Stakes week kicks off on Thursday afternoon at Laurel Park where they have a 9-race card that gets started at 12PM eastern. The Preakness will be run at Laurel for the first time since 1908 due to construction at Pimlico, so it should be a great chance if you have not yet done so to get familiar with a racetrack that will have a quicker run into the first turn for the second level of the Triple Crown and a bit shorter stretch than we are accustomed to. Here are a few horses I am most interested in to kick off the 3-day Preakness weekend.Race 5:This open $20k claimer at one-mile over the grass kicks off the late Pick 5 where I like the chances of #8 Barnstorming. The son of Quality Road was claimed by trainer Bruce Brown at Saratoga last summer. Brown raised the 6YO gelding up in class once at Saratoga where he won at 22-1 before heading to the sidelines for over 6 months. Brown brought him back on the main track at Aqueduct, which did not go well, but he moved Barnstorming back to the grass in late April where he tried to win a race over this course during the middle stages with a 3-wide middle move. That run was turned away relatively easily by the eventual gate-to-wire winner, but is not the kind of trip that stands much of a chance in most turf routes. The speed looks far less underwhelming in this spot and the cutback from 9-furlongs should benefit his chances. Hopefully, jockey Mychel Sanchez gives Barnstorming a better chance in his second time aboard.Play: #8 Barnstorming (5-1 ML)Race 7:The pace should be fast and contentious in this allowance event at 6-furlongs over the main track given the presence of #2 Poor Peanut, #3 Laysen, and #6 Caseofthemondays. I am hopeful it is #1 Palacios that benefits. The son of Enticed makes his third start off the layoff after breaking slowly, making a 4-wide middle move, and understandably tiring over the final sixteenth of a mile. Trainer John Salzman Jr. should have the 3YO gelding set for his best third off the layoff in a race where he should get the right setup. If Joe Rocco Jr. can avoid losing too many lengths at the start he should be able to save ground early and have enough energy late to get by the tiring speeds and earn his third lifetime score.Play: #1 Palacios (9-2 ML)Race 9:The card concludes with this 5.5-furlong turf dash for MSW foes where I landed on #8 Clearly Sophia. The On Your Left Racing filly makes the second start of her 3YO campaign after a solid third to shake off the rust on April 10. In that similar spot over this course, the daughter of Caravaggio broke from well from the inside, but was forced to take back because she was not as fast to the front as the eventual gate-to-wire winner. In her second start off the layoff, Clearly Sophia draws more favorably to the far outside in this compact group of 8. This should give jockey Raul Mena the ability to play the break and base his tactics on the runners to his inside. The Michael Gorham trainee should get a stress free trip early, which should allow her to finish the deal late for the first time in her career at what appears to be a playable price based on the morning line.Play: #8 Clearly Sophia (5-1 ML)

PREAKNESS STAKES1/ST Preakness Wager Guide | daily updates | free access SCHEDULE NOTESDelaware Park | opening day | first post 12:20 pm ETNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | $32,090 | Thistledown | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETKEY RACESHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 7 | 5:16 pm ET | Onesmoothoperator HandicapHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 8 | 5:47 pm ET | Cleopatra HandicapHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 9 | 6:18 pm ET | Corningstone HandicapLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXDelaware Park | Race 5 | 2:28 pm ETThistledown | Race 5 | 2:50 pm ETHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 8 | 5:47 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJamie Ness | Delaware Park | all 4 entrants 4-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Thistledown | favorites went 1-for-8 on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

PREAKNESS STAKES1/ST Preakness Wager Guide | daily updates | free access NOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $144,686 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:40 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXParx | Race 6 | 2:56 pm ETThistledown | Race 6 | 3:20 pm ETHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 5 | 4:14 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHRobert Gorham| Horseshoe Indianapolis | 3 of 4 entrants 9-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Laurel | Preakness Day Saturday card drawn; 14 in main eventPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

A capacity Preakness field of 14 entered today for Satuday’s middle jewel of the Triple Crown, which will be run for the first time in its 151 years at Laurel Park. As historic Pimlico undergoes reconstruction, the Preakness field also will get a facelift compared to the runners who starred 2 weeks ago in the Kentucky Derby. Without Golden Tempo and Renegade, the 1-2 finishers from Louisville, Gotham Stakes winner #9 Iron Honor was bestowed with tepid 9-2 morning-line Preakness favoritism.Check out the 1/ST Preakness Wager Guide for all your handicapping needs leading up to a huge weekend in Maryland. Play with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet in our $20,000 Exacta-Thon on Friday and Saturday for your share of bonus cash. And take part in an up to $10 money-back special on win bets that finish second or third in the Preakness as well as Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for the fillies.The 1-3/16 miles Preakness will start much closer to the first turn than at Pimlico, given Laurel’s nearly 1-1/8 miles circumference. That, and the large field size, make post positions more of a premium this year than most. The post-position draw winner was local star Taj Mahal from post 1, despite his trainer's reservations in the post-draw quotes. The early speed players from posts 10-14 could find their assignments tougher due to wide draws and a need to expend more early energy to avoid ground loss. Favorite Iron Honor in post #9 could have several runners trying to cross his face in the initial strides, making Flavien Prat’s handling a key early point in the action. Incredibolt, in post #12, is the lone closer / stalker among that wider-drawn group and likely will be patiently handled out of the gate to drop over and save whatever ground he can in the early stages.The early pace of Preakness 151 figures to be highly contested. The pacemaker could be Napoleon Solo who leaves from post #10 or Taj Mahal from post #1. Others expected to show early interest and capable of leading with some extra rider intent include Chip Honcho (post #6), Pretty Boy Miah (post #14), Corona de Oro (post #11), Great White (post #13) and Robusta (post #4). The last of those, Robusta, got the obvious best of the draw if he’s good enough to capitalize on it.Fields for all races Friday and Saturday at Laurel Park are now set. Advance wagering on the complete Preakness Day Saturday card at Laurel Park will be available Friday at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet.Preakness Stakes 151 | Laurel Park | Saturday Race 13 | 7:01 pm ET1-Taj Mahal (Brittany Russell / Sheldon Russell) 5-12-Ocelli (Whit Beckman / Tyler Gaffalione) 6-13-Crupper (Donnie Von Hemel / Junior Alvarado) 30-14-Robusta (Doug O’Neill / Rafael Bejarano) 30-15-Talkin (Danny Gargan / Irad Ortiz Jr.) 20-16-Chip Honcho (Steve Asmussen / Jose Ortiz) 5-17-The Hell We Did (Todd Fincher / Luis Saez) 15-18-Bull by the Horns (Saffie Joseph Jr. / Micah Husbands) 30-19-Iron Honor (Chad Brown / Flavien Prat) 9-210-Napoleon Solo (Chad Summers / Paco Lopez) 8-111-Corona de Oro (Dallas Stewart / John Velazquez) 30-112-Incredibolt (Riley Mott / Jaime Torres) 5-113-Great White (John Ennis / Alex Achard) 15-114-Pretty Boy Miah (Jeremiah Englehart / Ricardo Santana Jr.) 15-1Special WagersTwo-Day All-Dirt Pick 5 will be:Leg 1 | Friday, Race 10 | Allaire Dupont Distaff S.Leg 2 | Friday, Race 12 | Pimlico Special S.Leg 3 | Saturday, Race 7 | Chick Lang S.Leg 4 | Saturday, Race 8 | MD Sprint S.Leg 5 | Saturday, Race 13 | Preakness S.Two-Day All-Stakes Pick 5 will be:Leg 1 | Friday, Race 11 | The Very One S.Leg 2 | Friday, Race 13 | Black-Eyed Susan S.Leg 3 | Saturday, Race 11 | Gallorette S.Leg 4 | Saturday, Race 12 | Jim McKay Turf Sprint S.Leg 5 | Saturday, Race 13 | Preakness S.

The fillies chase history in Friday's Grade 2 $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, a race more than a century old that will be run at Laurel Park for the first time. It's featured on a 14-race card that gets underway at 11:30 am ET and also boasts the Pimlico Special among a series of stakes to launch Preakness Weekend.Horseplayers with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet take advantage of up to a $10,000 Exacta-Thon promotion for Friday’s Laurel Park – and another $10,000 on Saturday. Hit exactas on 5 or more races on the program to earn your share of the $10,000 in bonus money ($2 wager minimum per exacta).Let’s meet the contenders for the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (Race 13):#1-MISS FULTON GAL: Winner of Laurel’s Beyond the Wire Stakes looks to rebound off a fourth-place prep in the local Weber City Miss Stakes. Jockey John Velazquez picks up the mount for the first time for trainer Mike Gorham. $35K daughter of Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World proved a bargain with nearly $160K earned.#2-IVY GIRL: Belmont-based filly has scored road wins in 2 straight, first Parx’s Main Line Stakes and most recently Laurel’s Weber City Miss. Jockey Victor Carrasco returns in the saddle after pulling a 27-1 upset last out for trainer Amelia Green, a fomer Todd Pletcher assistant. Filly is from the first crop of Maxfield, which also includes Danon Bourbon, Englishman and Black-Eyed Susan rival Holly’s Holiday.#3-HOLLY’S HOLIDAY: Strong close to the Oaklawn racing season with a maiden victory and a 21-1 upset score in the Valley of the Vapors Stakes. The Kenny McPeek trainee had a non-descript freshman season but comes into the Black-Eyed Susan on the ascent. Flavien Prat takes the controls for the first time aboard this Maxfield filly. Prat guided Margie’s Intention to victory in last year’s Black-Eyed Susan and can become the first back-to-back winner since Javier Castellano in 2014-’15. She will carry top weight of 122 pounds under the stakes conditions.#4-SAVOR IT: $5,000 bargain Vino Rosso filly exits an allowance victory at her Parx homebase. Trainer Uriah St. Lewis teams again with the Philly connections as Mychel Sanchez retains the mount. She’s 2-for-8 and has been well-beaten in both career stakes bids to date. St. Lewis best-known for upsetting 2018 Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup with 45-1 bomber Discreet Lover.#5-BRAKEN POPPA: Dominant filly in the Louisiana-bred sophomore class, she’s won 4 straight, including back-to-back stakes. Steve Asmussen trains the $80K daughter of Auerlius Mamimus, who wintered at Fair Grounds before changing locales to Churchill Downs. Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Ortiz was aboard in her Crescent City Oaks victory in late March and returns to the saddle. Both seek their first Black-Eyed Susan victories.#6-HAUTE DIVA: Joins Miss Fulton Gal as the most-experienced members of the lineup, making her tenth career start Friday. Patrick Biancone’s Florida-based filly won Gulfstream’s Cash Run Stakes on New Year’s Day but was soundly beaten in the Davona Dale and Gulfstream Oaks. Daughter of Florida Derby winner Constitution finished up the track in last year’s Alcibiades at Keeneland in her only prior start away from Gulfstream. Keith Asmussen rides.#7-JUMPING THE GUN: Beaten favorite in the Weber City Miss when third at 6-5 odds, this Gun Runner filly looks to make amends in her second start of 2026. The Andew Simoff trainee closed her juvenile season third in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct. Luis Saez takes the call for the first time on this Delaware Park-based filly who won the Blue Hen and Small Wonder at her home track last summer.#8-MAJESTIC LUCIA: Florida-based trainer Victor Barboza Jr. takes a class hike and road trip with this daughter of McKinzie. She’s the most lightly raced member of the field with just 3 prior starts, including back-to-back wins in maiden and allowance company. Junior Alvarado piloted her to the maiden score at Gulfstream 2 starts back and reunites in the saddle.#9-A.P.’S GIRL: Trainer Peter Eurton returns this filly from her Kentucky base for a second straight start, shipping in to finish a close second in the Weber City Miss Stakes last month. Filly by Honor A.P. has found her groove after starting 0-for-5, winning twice prior to her initial stakes try at Laurel. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount for the first time.#10-MY MISS MO (pictured): Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. entered her in the Kentucky Oaks but was forced to miss the race for an undisclosed reason and scratched. The Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up has worked 3 furlongs since (May 10 in :35-4/5) and will try to get back on track at Laurel. She’s been first or second in 4 of 5 career starts, all in Florida to date, and will have regular rider Tyler Gaffalione back in the saddle. The $320K Uncle Mo filly was the most expensive auction buy in the lineup.

Yonkers Raceway has a 9-race card. The $1.00 Pick 5 with a $10,000 guaranteed pool rolls in Race 5. The $1.00 Late Pick 4 starts in Race 8, and it will be my focus. Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.Race 6 (8:25 PM EDT)2-Himself N (3-1)-Had a good try from the 7-hole 2 back and finished 3rd, then dropped and popped drawing off by 5 lengths. Jordan Stratton sticks and he could get on the engine and make every call a winning one.4-Rolling With Sam (4-1)-Sam is a 1-move type that needs a trip. Has been cashing small checks but that was against tougher. Joe B sticks, so will look for a more aggressive steer at this level.6-GDS Thunder GB (8-1)-Will take a swing for a price and Austin Siegelman could be aggressive off the gate. Faced this kind in last and raced better, will string along, and look for another improved try.Race 7 (8:45 PM EDT)1-Boston Bound (9/5)-Was used a couple of times after leaving from post 4 and won. Jason Bartlett provided a sharp steer, now draws the 1-hole, and faces the same kind.2-Matai Phil N (7/2)-Liked Phil last week and Brent Holland went gate to wire from post 8 and stood tall to the wire. Faces better here, Holland sticks and could be up to the challenge. Respecting its chances to double up.Race 8 (9:05 PM EDT)3-Vicious (5-1)-Didn’t have a great start last week versus the Invites and lost to a well-meant winner. Did go the 2nd half in 55.1, has beaten this kind before and the last winner isn’t in this field. Should be a threat if Tyler Buter provides a smooth steer.4-Copperfield (3-1)-The last couple have been a bit dull, but Bartlett returns for this affair. The last time in at this condition was bet down to 4/5 and drew off by 3 lengths with tonight’s pilot in the bike.Race 9 (9:25 PM EDT)1-Verdun (5/2)-Leaving from post 1 might be a bit tricky, but Pat Lachance knows well and this field isn’t as stacked as those in the Borgata Series. Lands in a soft spot and will look for Lachance to push the button at the right time and take a picture.5-Catalpa Rescue A (8/5)-This is another who found the water too deep in the Borgata series. Not loving the short price, but Bartlett has that effect and he hasn’t steered the 7-year-old this year. Has won 5 of 15 at YR and the pedal will be down when the wings fold against this crew. Bartlett posts 44% winners when he drives for the Scott Blackler barn.$1 Late Pick 42,4,6/1,2/3,4/1,5Total Bet=$24Check me out on X!

PREAKNESS STAKESPost Position Draw | 5 pm ET1/ST Preakness Wager Guide | free access | launches tonightNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $116,805 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:40 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXParx | Race 10 | 4:43 pm ETHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 6 | 4:45 pm ETLouisiana Downs | Race 3 | 6:01 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHGenaro Garcia | Horseshoe Indianapolis | 4 of 5 entrants 9-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Mountaineer | favorites won 6 of 8 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section