It has been another wild summer of thoroughbred racing from coast-to-coast with plenty of drama to go along with outstanding wagering and competition. It reaches its pinnacle on Saturday when it is Travers Day in Saratoga Springs. The 14-race slate led by the Midsummer Derby is a strong one with five other graded stakes races on the undercard and another big promotion at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. The Travers Day Trifecta-Thon challenges customers to hit four or more $1 trifectas over the course of the afternoon at the Spa. Those who hit at least four will win their share of $7500, while the player(s) that connects on the most will split an additional $2500. Here is how I see things in all 14 races.Grade Descriptions: A= Highest Degree of Confidence, B= Solid Play, C= Least Preferred or Pass, X= Likely Winner but at odds probably too short to wager on.Race 1:Grade: C+Use: 6 Beau Valor; 5 Exhibit; 3 Up to the Task/7 Club ReignForecast: The opener is a MSW event for 2YOs at six-furlongs where I will roll with all first-time starters. #3 Up to the Task was made the 5-2-ML favorite after selling for $525k at the OBS March sale. The son of Nashville clearly looked the part in Florida and makes as much sense as any of the new comers. I prefer #6 Beau Valor though. His sire Beau Liam stands for just $6k, yet this colt commanded $525k at Keeneland last September. He along with #5 Exhibit draw outside the favorite and appear well-meant heading into their first try.Race 2:Grade: B-Use: 8 Emphasis; 4 Oil Capital; 6 Sculcos Folly; 5 AnywayForecast: 8-5-ML favorite #6 Sculos Folly returns to Saratoga after tiring late as the 3-5-favorite in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes at a 1 1/16-miles. That was the Richard Dutrow trained colt’s first start around two-turns and it led to a much slower performance than any of his previous few starts. The NY-bred takes on open company foes for the first time since January, but if he gets back to his win in the Mike Lee, they are running for second place. That said, it is a gambling game and there are three solid prices that can spring the upset if Sculos Folly fails to repeat his efforts in the spring. Linda Rice trains two of them. #5 Anyway has won two in a row against state-breds this summer and fits well in here, while #4 Oil Capital is an intriguing long shot. The son of Maclean’s Music has good speed from the gate, but can relax a touch if need be, in the early stages. He was on the wrong part of the track last time when finishing third at 14-1 and makes his third start of the form cycle. #8 Emphasis is the wild card. The Todd Pletcher trainee has not been seen in over thirteen months, but won impressively on debut over this oval as a 2YO. The fact they are bringing him back on Travers Day leads me to believe he is ready to fire a big one.Race 3:Grade: B-Use: 3 Fedupwiththefed; 9 Fabian’s PrincessForecast: I lack trust in the ML favorites in this state-bred first-level allowance at 6.5-furlongs over the main track, so I will take a swing with a pair of prices, including top choice #3 Fedupwiththefed. I take it as a positive that trainer David Donk wheels this Central Banker filly back on just two weeks rest after a runner-up effort out of the Wilson chute. Donk legs up jockey Johnny Velazquez on the cutback to one-turn. The price should be right to gamble on her being set for her best third off the freshening.Race 4:Grade: CUse: 8 Alto Blues; 6 Feline CuriousForecast: I also lack trust in the logicals in this first-level allowance at two-turns on the grass, but do not have much confidence in any horses entered. I will go with a pair of prices on top with first-time States competitor #8 Alto Blues and #6 Feline Curious as my top choices. Alto Blues could get forgotten by the public since Miguel Clement’s other runner is the 2-1-ML choice. He comes in off a steady series of drills at Belmont Park. #6 Feline Curious had things his way on the front end in his maiden victory earlier this month, but perhaps is a son of Kitten’s Joy on the rise. Tyler Gaffalione is likely to stalk off the early speed for #2 Iron Palace in this colt’s first try versus winners.Race 5:Grade: B-Use: 8 Sammy C Note/9 Sir OscarForecast: I like the chances of #8 Sammy C Note most in this state-bred first-level allowance over the Inner Turf. The son of Good Samaritan nearly earned a win in his first start versus winners at two-turns on July 25, but ran out of real estate. Trainer Michael Miceli brings him back in a similar spot, but half a furlong longer where he should sit a favorable stalking trip with Jose Ortiz taking the call for the first time. He has been a different horse since moving into Miceli’s barn and should continue to prove that in the final leg of the early Pick 5.Race 6:Grade: B-Use: 2 Virabhadrasana; 6 Sayatara; 3 Foxiest; 5 Letter of CreditForecast: #3 Foxiest certainly has the sexiest pedigree in this MSW event for 2YO fillies over the main track. The daughter of Gun Runner is out of champion mare Covfefe, so she is clearly bred to be a serious filly. The LNJ Foxwoods homebred has been training regularly at Churchill Downs in preparation for her debut and makes a lot of sense, but taking on short prices on big pedigree first-time starters is far from a long-term winning formula. #2 Virabhadrasna has the experience edge over the majority of her rivals. The daughter of Jackie’s Warrior was off slow and raced against the flow on debut, but was the one from the back showing by far the most interest late. A move forward should be expected. In addition to Foxiest, a pair of other first-time starters offer solid win early pedigrees for top barns. #5 Letter of Credit debuts for Chad Brown and is out of a mare that won her first two starts, while #6 Saytara makes her first start for Todd Pletcher and is out of a mare that not only won by more than seven lengths on debut, but came right back to win the Forward Gal (G3). Both should offer solid value given the money expected to go to Foxiest.Race 7:Grade: B-Use: 6 River Ride; 5 ShelzawaForecast: I will take a swing on top in this first-level allowance for 3YO fillies over the grass with #6 River Ride. The daughter of Not This Time makes her second start versus winners after being caught wide throughout against similar on July 25. She had things her way at Aqueduct two-back to break her maiden on the front end, but showed talent in her others starts over the grass. She can find her way into the mix at the very least with a better trip under Jose Lezcano.Race 8: H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1)Grade: B-Use: 5 Local KnowledgeForecast: The stakes action starts with this seven-furlong dash for 3YOs over the main track where #4 Englishman is likely to be a huge favorite. The son of Maxfield lost for the first time in the Pat Day Mile (G2), but bounced back with a massive effort in the Woody Stephens (G1). No 3YO in the world will beat the Cherie DeVaux trainee if he repeats his last, but some level of regression has to be expected. Given the likely differential in odds, I will try to beat the chalk with #5 Local Knowledge. Clearly the son of Yaupon has not been as dynamic as Englishman, but at the same point has done very little wrong thus far. He beat a strong maiden field on debut at Keeneland, but was scratched out of his next start scheduled in Florida and did not return until June where he was actually better than I anticipated despite failing the public. He bounced back in a big way besting a field of seven in the Amsterdam (G2) and should be a fair price given the presence of Englishman and 3-1-second choice #2 Deep Flame. Hopefully, he is set for a career defining run.Race 9: Personal Ensign (G1)Grade: XUse: 2 Fully SubscribedForecast: This year’s Personal Ensign appears to be a rematch between the top two finishers in last month’s Shuvee (G2) where it was #2 Fully Subscribed nailing #4 Scottish Lassie right on the wire. I have a tough time backing Scottish Lassie after giving up a three-length lead in the lane last out. Perhaps, she will be a bit tighter with the race off the freshening out of the way, but it sure is difficult to go back to the Jorge Abreu filly with confidence. This leads me to Fully Subscribed. The daughter of Tiz the Law is not a world beater, but has only finished out of the exacta once in eight starts. She should earn her first Grade 1 score in this nine-furlong event over the Saratoga dirt.Race 10: Lake Placid (G2)Grade: C+Use: 5 Naomis; 4 Deep LearningForecast: Trainer Chad Brown has won this one-mile event for 3YO fillies over the Inner Turf a record six times and holds a strong 1-2-punch again in 2026 with #4 Deep Learning and #5 Naomis. Both are in with serious chances, but I will side with European invader Naomis. The French-bred makes her first start in the States off the freshening with her most recent run being a Grade 2 score at Chantilly in late May. She attracts Flavien Prat despite him being aboard Deep Learning in all, but one of her lifetime starts. Both of them have a significant chance to best 2-1-ML favorite Queen of Hawaii. The Lindy Farms filly got a great ride and split in her first start off the bench on July 9, but has to prove herself against a tougher group.Race 11: Forego (G1)Grade: C+Use: 6 Senior Officer; 5 Book’em DannoForecast: Jersey-bred Book’em Danno won this race a year ago before going to the sidelines until June and has won 5 of 6 over this surface, but is going to take a ton of public support. The question is not whether the 5YO gelding is capable of winning his third in a row, but what price is too short on him considering he has regressed from a number’s perspective in 2026. I will not go crazy trying to beat the favorite, but do think #6 Senior Officer is in with a solid chance to get to the wire first. The Maryland-bred takes on stakes foes for the first time for Brad Cox after overcoming traffic issues to run down #1 Tip Top Thomas in a high-level allowance event last month. The lightly-raced gelding has also shown an affinity for the surface and draws outside his main rival.Race 12: Ballerina (G1)Grade: BUse: 2 Kilwin; 7 Ways and Means; 11 Beauty Reigns; 12 EclatantForecast: Outside of the main event, this seven-furlong dash for fillies and mares is clearly the best of the stakes races on the Travers card. 9-5-ML favorite #7 Ways and Means is the clear horse to beat off of her win in the Bed O’ Roses (G2) in early June. She has been dominant over this surface, but is likely to be tested big-time against this full field. I will hope the pace is hot early setting things up for the late run of #2 Kilwin. The Twirling Candy filly came back off a lengthy layoff at Ellis Park last month in a non-graded stake and proved once again she can finish with serious energy on the dirt. She earned a neck win last summer in the Test (G1) and gets the hottest rider in the country in the saddle. She and #11 Beauty Reigns should be rolling late at solid prices if the race plays out like I expect early on.Race 13: Travers (G1)Grade: B-Use: 5 Sea Strike; 9 Golden Tempo; 4 The Puma; 2 Leading ChangeForecast: The featured event for the meet came up about as strong as one could hope with the top three from the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness winner, and a few new shooters with talent all lined up to go ten-furlongs over the main track. I talked in detail on both Horse Cents with Bailey Armour and the 1/ST Call Podcast with Jeremy Plonk this week on the big race so check those out for a more in-depth chat, but I will once again try to beat the late running #5 Renegade and #9 Golden Tempo. Of the two, I trust Golden Tempo to run his race more, but at some point, his ability to just stay the distance is likely to run into a horse that has speed, as well as the stamina to get the classic distance. #5 Sea Strike could be that colt despite being bred to sprint. The Chad Brown trainee stalked the early pace and finished strong against lesser in the Curlin and should get a great trip on the class test under Flavien Prat. He is my top choice, but #2 Leading Change and #4 The Puma also could be primed for a big run at solid prices.Race 14:Grade: XUse: 4 That’s How We LoveForecast: I have no interest in trying to best 6-5-ML favorite #4 That’s How We Love in the finale. The Justify filly put on a show in her debut at Monmouth Park last month and meets just an okay bunch in the Travers Day finale. She might get over bet off the big win, but I will opt to chalk it out to close the big card.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic Future Wager returns Friday and horseplayers at Xpressbet and 1/ST BET can get in early on the $7 million main event at Keeneland on Oct. 31. A total of 24 wagering interests will be presented in the Futures – 23 individual runners and an all-others option. The $2 minimum play has a 16% takeout and will be offered from noon Friday through 6 pm ET on Sunday, which gives players time to process any Charles Town Classic and Travers Stakes news from this Friday and Saturday.A second Breeders’ Cup Classic Future Wager will be offered Sept. 25-27, surrounding the Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs, Goodwood at Santa Anita and Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.My future wager approach is that I want at least double the projected price on raceday for horses who still have 1 prep race to complete. That’s not being pie-in-the-sky this weekend when you consider 24 wagering interests here vs. 14 max in the Breeders’ Cup and often a Classic field size that could be in the single digits.Let’s look at the 24 possibilities in 3 pockets: Most Likely Starters, Reasonable Chance to Start and Least Likely Starters. Your fair odds assessment has to start with their likely availability to compete. Each runner is listed with betting number, trainer, morning line odds and projected next start.Most Likely Starters24-All Others Not Listed, 8-1, Breeders’ Cup Classic 10/31 (Kee)13-Magnitude, Steve Asmussen, 10-1, Breeders’ Cup Classic 10/31 (Kee)6-Forever Young, Yoshito Yahagi, 5-1, Jockey Club Gold Cup 9/18 (Bel)21-Sovereignty, Bill Mott, 4-1, Jockey Club Gold Cup 9/18 (Bel)3-Baeza, Bill Mott, 15-1, Goodwood 9/26 (SA)1-Antiquarian, Todd Pletcher, 25-1, TBDConsiderations among this grouping:A win in the JCGC by Forever Young or Sovereignty makes either almost certainly post-time favorite if able to get to the Classic. Neither seems like a play now as second-off-the-plane is generally a negative for foreign raiders (Forever Young) and Sovereignty has been managed cautiously and scratched from last year’s Classic pre-race. In other words: wait. Magnitude should love a speedy Keeneland strip and will be fresh with obviously more early speed than the presumed Classic co-favorites. Perhaps he loathes Saratoga and can be forgiven of his Whitney, but he may be close to 10-1 on raceday off that effort anyway, depending how the field shakes out. Not a bad buy but you’ll need fair odds closer to 20-1 this weekend, which isn’t likely. As for the All Others option, it’s likely to get you raceday action, but it’s most likely contribution would come from steep outsiders domestically or international runners from Aidan O’Brien et al who’ve had a checkered history in this race historically.Reasonable Chance to Start11-Knightsbridge, Bill Mott, 6-1, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile or Classic 10/31 (Kee)17-Renegade, Todd Pletcher, 12-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)8-Golden Tempo, Cherie DeVaux, 12-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)9-Hit Show, Brad Cox, 80-1, Lukas Classic 9/26 (CD)20-Skippylongstocking, Saffie Joseph Jr., 70-1, Charles Town Classic 8/28 (CT)4-Commandment, Brad Cox, 40-1, Pennsylvania Derby 9/19 (Prx)7-Further Ado, Brad Cox, 70-1, Pennsylvania Derby 9/19 (Prx)2-Baby Vino, Lindsay Schultz, 50-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)18-Sea Strike, Chad Brown, 30-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)23-The Puma, Gustavo Delgado, 40-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)Considerations among this grouping:Hard to take a short price on the ‘now horse’ Knightsbridge when the connections also have Sovereignty for the Classic and were not apt to run Cody’s Wish in the Classic even after his Whitney stretch-out win. I think he’s 67%-33% more to the Dirt Mile. The Travers result on Saturday is going to be tell-tale for many 3-year-olds. Even in victory, Golden Tempo wouldn’t seem assured to go on to the Classic as he’s been lightly campaigned post-Derby. Connections would seem gung-ho to run Renegade so long as he comes with his usual late run, but little value at 12-1 unless he dazzles Saturday. Sea Strike is the fresh, late bloomer in the Travers and could skyrocket up consideration if able to win Saturday in just his fourth start. Brad Cox’s PA Derby horses may be most interesting here and present the best value: Further Ado (who loves Keeneland) and Commandment (true 10F horse). Cox hasn’t been in a mindset to push Hit Show to the Breeders’ Cup, instead shopping easier spots, and a similar approach has been employed by Saffie Joseph Jr. with Skippylongstocking (always a Dirt Mile possibility).Most Unlikely Starters15-Nitrogen, Mark Casse, 20-1, Locust Grove 9/12 (CD)16-Phileas Fogg, Gustavo Rodriguez, 25-1, Jockey Club Gold Cup 9/18 (Bel)10-Iron Honor, Chad Brown, 90-1, Pennsylvania Derby 9/19 (Prx)5-Emerging Market, Chad Brown, 90-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)12-Leading Change, Brad Cox, 60-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)14-Napoleon Solo, Chad Summers, 50-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)19-Silent Tactic, Mark Casse, 60-1, Travers 8/29 (Sar)22-Ted Noffey, Todd Pletcher, 50-1, TBD September return projectedConsiderations among this grouping:Nitrogen will be one of the heaviest favorites in the Breeders’ Cup if she beats Splendora in the Locust Grove in their pre-Distaff showdown. Can’t imagine they’d bypass odds-on status to battle the boys over 10 furlongs, even after her stellar Whitney second over 9. But if her price swelled higher than 20-1, you could do much worse. It’s a speculator’s bet, after all. Iron Honor would likely get a shot for Chad Brown if able to win the Pennsylvania Derby after a lightly raced sophomore season that has avoided a lot of wear and tear. His Preakness rival Napoleon Solo feels much more like a Dirt Mile candidate, but a Travers win on Saturday could change that. Ted Noffey hasn’t raced this year and seems an odd inclusion here still a few works away from even a possible return.

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Penn National | today’s racesTOURNAMENT TIME$100 Saratoga Feeder | details$80 Del Mar Feeder | details$40 Canterbury Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSPick 5 | Delaware Park | $6,684 | begins Race 1 | 12:20 pm ETPick 5 | Delaware Park | $4,226 | begins Race 3 | 1:24 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | Thistledown | $255,402 | begins Race 3 | 1:50 pm ETKEY RACESSaratoga | Race 8 | 5:14 pm ET | Skidmore StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXSaratoga | Race 5 | 3:29 pm ETHorseshoe Indianapolis | Race 4 | 3:43 pm ETRemington Park | Race 5 | 9:22 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJeff Runco | Charles Town | 4 of 5 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | favorites won 46% of North American Thoroughbred races offeredPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Saratoga Spot Plays for ThursdayJeremy Plonk: Del Mar Spot Plays for ThursdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Week 7 of 8 at Del Mar gets underway with an 8-race card on Thursday as we look to bounce back from a subpar handicapping week ($1.21 back on each $2 bet, our second losing week against 5 winning weeks at the meet). Managed to close with a couple of Sunday winners at short prices and still hold a strong $2.31 return on every $2 win bet from 112 Del Mar summer plays in this space. Let’s regain momentum for the final few weeks.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 Sunday – providing more focus away from Travers Saturday at Saratoga).Del Mar: Race 3 | 6:01 pm ET#4 Movingwithpurpose (8-1 morning line odds) tries to buck a forgettable summer meet for trainer Richard Baltas, who clearly hasn’t been as effective as he once was. But 2-year-old maiden turf sprinters are a spot where he has shown up huge in the past, 12: 4-2-3 at Del Mar in recent years, including 10: 3-2-3 with first-time starters like this. Works are fast at San Luis Rey away from the cameras and note Baltas’ success with Twirling Candy offspring of all ages turf sprinting locally – 11: 3-4-2 and his star Ag Bullet is 0-2 with a couple of Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint placings among those defeats. Win bet #4. Exacta key-box 4 with 6,8,10 (also eligible). Picks 4-6-8Del Mar: Race 5 | 7:03 pm ET#4 Jet Black Jewel (3-1 morning line odds) looks like the strongest play on the card and multi-race single. Switches to Juan Hernandez and makes the maiden special to maiden claiming drop in what looks like go time for Bob Hess Jr. Split good field last out that included next-out repeat allowance winner Goodies. Win bet #4. Daily Double 4 with 8-2. Picks 4-2-5Del Mar: Race 6 | 7:34 pm ET#8 Swaggish (12-1 morning line odds) warrants a longshot look despite a class rise in claiming price. Plenty of pace here that I don’t trust and his 95 BRIS lace pace figure last out was earned in a very fast overall time for the trip when beaten just over a length. Got an excellent trip that day and may need that again, but kept trying throughout and should be finishing best with dangerous #2 Ya’ll Come (7-2 morning line odds). Win bet 8. Exacta box 8-2. Daily Double 8,2 with 1.Del Mar: Race 7 | 8:05 pm ET#1 Winika (5-1 morning line odds) removes all variables as rail speed in an apparently paceless race and can take advantage of the infield elbow chute start that’s pseudo 3 turns. Steps up off maiden claiming tally but love to see Jeff Mullins’ charge back on work tab just 9 days after winning and apparently bounced out of the race great. Barn has been aces in turf races this summer. Half this field of rivals exits the same race July 30 in which the winner came back and ran sixth in a state-bred allowance last week. Win bet #1. Picks 1-4-7

The thoroughbred action continues in Saratoga Springs, NY on Thursday afternoon for Travers Week with a nine-race card that kicks off at the normal 1:10 PM eastern start time. The card is led by the $200k Skidmore for 2YOs traveling 5.5-furlongs over the turf. The featured event goes as Race 8 making it a key race within all late horizontals. Here are the horses I like most on the Thursday slate.Race 5:This MSW for 2YO fillies traveling 5.5-furlongs over the turf is comprised of mostly full-time starters and appears wide-open given the fact there is a 7-2-ML favorite. I will try one of the debut runners not expected to take too much public support #3 Brickyard Belle. The $600k OBS April ’25 purchase is bred to be quick being by Yaupon out of a More Than Ready mare that finished her career with 2 wins in 10 starts on the grass, including a third-place finish on debut over the Ellis lawn. She has been even more productive thus far as a broodmare producing six-figure turf sprint earners Joe Shiesty and Johnny Unleashed. The pedigree is there to be good early in one-turn races over the grass. Hopefully, the newest member of the family can fire bit at first asking for trainer Miguel Clement.Play: #3 Brickyard Belle (8-1 ML)Picks: 3-1-6Race 8: Skidmore#6 Titan Ready was made the 8-5-ML favorite by oddsmaker David Aragona in this $200k turf sprint for juveniles. The Title Ready colt enters his first start on the grass a maiden after a pair of runner-up efforts in races at the same 5.5-furlong distance over the Woodbine all-weather. The $12k FTK October ’25 purchase now moves into the Brad Cox barn and appears to be the speed of the speed, but his inability to win twice as the public choice in Canada, as well as his lack of experience over the lawn make him tough to endorse at his ML offering.The field is pretty suspect for the purse to be honest, but I will try to beat the favorite with 5-2-second choice #5 River of Deceit. The Hard Spun colt makes the second start of his career after a solid runner-up effort to a 2-1-shot that got the jump on him in mid-June at Aqueduct. He was back on the work tab regularly shortly after the debut and appears to have been pointed for this spot all summer by trainer Tom Morley. Hopefully, he takes a step forward and runs by this bunch late under Junior Alvarado.Play: #5 River of Deceit (5-2 ML)Picks: 5-8-6Race 9:The finale is a state-bred $50k starter at 1 1/16-miles over the Inner Turf where I understand the appeal of 8-5-ML choice #4 Coach Case. The son of Slumber draws favorably, retains one of the best riders in the country, and is coming in off a pair of near misses over this surface and distance. That said, he has had plenty of chances to earn his second win making him tough to get excited about at his likely final price. Instead, I will try to wire the field with #6 Naguile. The Three Diamonds Farm runner makes his third start of the year going long on the grass at the Spa for trainer Keri Brion. He broke his maiden in gate-to-wire fashion at Aqueduct before a pair of off-the-board finishes against NY-bred allowance foes. Brion drops the Summer Front gelding down in class and finds a spot where he appears to have a pace advantage. Naguile will likely need things his way to spring the upset, but certainly can do so if Hall of Famer John Velazquez can back down the speed early. Brion has had a slow summer in terms of wins in upstate New York, but has had several runners finish in the money. Hopefully, she can get herself a victory to close the Thursday card.Play: #6 Naguile (6-1 ML)Picks: 6-4-2

The $1 million Charles Town Classic will go post-ward this Friday, Aug. 28, with added appeal for bettors. The 1-1/8-mile, Grade 2 event is surrounded by five 7F stakes races that make up a Pick 6 wager featuring a $96,814 carryover pool and, more importantly, a mandatory payout. It only costs 20 cents to play, but if your ticket is alive late in the sequence, you’ll have to stay awake until almost midnight to see the tail end of the 13-race card play out.Charles Town Race 8 (8:32 p.m. EST) MYSTIC LAKE is back to defend her title in the $300,000 Pink Ribbon Stakes, but the speed that carried her to a 13-for-26 record and $1.6 million bankroll will be fully tested if the field remains intact. Soon-to-be millionairess IRISH MAXIMA has six wire-to-wire wins at 7F – though none around two turns that the distance mandates at Charles Town – by a combined 33-1/4 lengths in the last two years. FOIS GRAS is the top pick in the leadoff leg. She bid 3-wide at the top of the Churchill Downs stretch last out from post 8 and led until the closing yards against odds-on favorite Eclatant, a Grade 1 winner and runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Sprint. ICONA MAMA is a big longshot to consider. She posted escalating speed figures with Lasix to start her 4-year-old season, finishing behind 1-to-9 winner Kappa Kappa and between two next-out allowance winners when a “willing” third two starts back. She draws the rail with Manny Franco in from New York to ride.Charles Town Race 9 (9:05 p.m. EST) SOLITUDE DUDE, one of three entrants for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in the Robert Hilton Memorial for 3-year-olds, just missed after a stretch battle against Local Knowledge (103 Beyer) in the Grade 2 Amsterdam at Saratoga last out. SCULCOS FOLLY won three consecutive stakes races at as many distances against New York breds by a combined 19-1/2 lengths before the streak ended in a fast-paced 1-1/16-mile route race. Both are entered in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial the next day at Saratoga but would face 3-to-5 morning-line favorite Englishman if they run there. If SOLITUDE DUDE runs here, he is a solo play in the Pick 6. If he is scratched, use SCULCOS FOLLY and LANGVAD on the ticket.Charles Town Race 10 (9:44 p.m. EST) Local sensation AT A PREMIUM toyed with 19 overmatched rivals to win her four starts by a combined 40-1/2 lengths. She draws outside of post 2 for only the second time and will get the class test in the $750,000 Charles Town Oaks (G-2). LUV YOUR NEIGHBOR raced 3- and 4-wide much of the way but found more in mid-stretch to win the Delaware Oaks going a route of ground, upgrading three consecutive graded stakes placings. LITTLE MISS CURLIN is 4-for-4 and a three-time minor stakes winner at 6F with jockey Jareth Loveberry aboard. She could sit the right trip from just off a projected lively pace in her first try around two turns.Charles Town Race 11 (10:25 p.m. EST) BULLARD ‘sustained a solid bid,’ earned a 102 Beyer and finished second to multiple Grade 3 winner Navajo Warrior (10-19, $632k) on a night when four stakes races at Prairie Meadows were won in wire-to-wire fashion. Defending Charles Town Classic champ BANISHING arrives to the $1 million race at 1-1/8 miles off a 6-1/2F minor stakes victory as he did last year. He reportedly will bypass the Forego Stakes at Saratoga this weekend to run in this spot. SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING disappeared in his bid for a Classic three-peat in 2025, but he turned the tables on BANISHING in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G-1) earlier this year. Don’t sleep of ‘Skippy’s’ stablemate, FULL SCREEN, who posted four 97-plus Beyers in his last five route races and adds blinkers after drifting in the Saratoga stretch last out.Charles Town Race 12 (10:55 p.m. EST) West Virginia breds take center stage in the $75,000 Frank Gall Memorial and, aside from longshot DIRECT APPEAL, the field is a combined 31-for-71 at the 7F distance. TECHINTHERELEASE opened a commanding lead and won last year’s Gall in the midst of an 8-for-10 winning streak with an average 86 Beyer. He fired three bullet workouts at the bullring for his second start this year. JUBAWITHATWIST, a model of consistency who doesn’t shy from the photo-finish camera, will eclipse a half million in earnings if he wins. SPOTAFREEONE rallied to win 7 of his last 10 starts, three by a neck and two in WV-bred stakes company.Charles Town Race 13 (11:25 p.m. EST) MALIBU YEARS, a $5,000 claim in March, has blossomed into one of the favorites in the $75,000 Sadie Hawkins Stakes for fillies and mares. She swept by the favorite on the turn to win on a muddy track two back, then drew even at the top of the lane and won going away on a good track en route to her career-best 80 Beyer. ZIP START, a three-time WV-bred stakes winner around two turns, followed the move of MALIBU YEARS to finish second at a distance which she’s conquered 4 of 8 times. OVERNIGHT POW WOW went post-ward as the odds-on favorite in 18 of 21 starts at Charles Town, winning 11 times from start to finish but only drawing outside of post 6 three times. She is as game as they come.Suggested Pick 6CT 8th Race: 1,3, 5, 8CT 9th Race: 3 (If scratched, use 4 and 6)CT 10th Race: 5, 7, 9CT 11th Race: 4, 6, 8, 10CT 12th Race: 3, 5, 7CT 13th Race: 2, 5, 8Cost for a 20-Cent ticket: $86.40

The Lead:The 157th edition of the Midsummer Derby rolls out the red carpet Saturday at Saratoga. The guest list includes the 1-2-3 finishers of the Kentucky Derby, the 1-4 finishers of the Preakness, the 1-3 finishers of the Belmont Stakes, the 1-2-4 finishers in the Haskell and the 1-3 finishers in the local Jim Dandy prep. GOLDEN TEMPO looks to seal the 3-year-old championship on the back of his victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, a similar path Sovereignty took before floating the Travers canoe in his colors a year ago.Horseplayers at Xpressbet and 1/ST BET be sure to take advantage of the bonus money up for grabs in the $10,000 Trifecta-Thon promotion on Saturday's Saratoga card. The first of 14 races begins at 11:05 am ET.​​Field Depth:A Who’s Who of 3-year-olds are lined up, headed by Grade 1 winners GOLDEN TEMPO, RENEGADE, NAPOLEON SOLO and BABY VINO. EMERGING MARKET is a Grade 2 winner. Seven of the 10 entries are Grade 1-placed.​Pace:Expect a solid pace for 1-1/4 miles led by NAPOLEON SOLO and LEADING CHANGE and BABY VINO on the engine. SEA STRIKE and SILENT TACTIC could be close to the mix with a significant gap back to a group of sustained closers.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.1-EMERGING MARKET: Louisiana Derby winner in his second start was the good news, but it launched him into Triple Crown consideration and he’s not been effective since. Thought he looked very good working solo Aug. 22 on video with a big gallop-out and distance always appeared to be his friend. Flavien Prat jumps to ride Chad Brown stablemate Sea Strike and he winds up with Ricardo Santana Jr., a rare pairing for these connections and a speed jockey that may not fit a true closer. Could pass several for a minor share but prefer others.2-LEADING CHANGE: Unbeaten Indiana Derby winner has the field’s lightest resume with 2 starts. We don’t see that kind of Travers inexperience often, only Uncle Chuck (sixth at 5-2 in 2020 for Bob Baffert) in the past decade-plus. Brad Cox trained ’21 Travers winner Essential Quality, who had a much more complete resume. Picks up 8 pounds while adding 330 yards in additional real estate from the Indiana Derby. Jockey Manny Franco – a Travers winner aboard Tiz the Law 6 summers ago – picks up the mount and is having a personal-best Saratoga season. Part of the pace but would take a Herculean effort to see out the trip with such little foundation.3-NAPOLEON SOLO: The last Preakness winner to add the Travers was Bernardini in 2006 – and Point Given (2001) is the only other since Damascus in 1967. Whereas the middle jewel in the Triple Crown often rewards spring brilliance, the Travers has been more of a long game. And that’s the chief talking point with Napoleon Solo. Just how far does he want to go? BRIS late pace figures of 90 and 92 in the Preakness and Haskell don’t appear nearly strong enough to carry his speed 10 furlongs against these. Workout video study of his Saratoga moves indicate a horse who hasn’t finished as strong as I’d like despite flashing some eye-catching times. Three-time Travers winner John Velazquez provides good hands in trying to nurture that speed as Paco Lopez jumps to ride Baby Vino.4-THE PUMA: Raced only once since March, there could be a sense of Grade 1 now-or-never for this colt by 2021 Travers winner Essential Quality. He ran toe-to-toe with many of this division’s better runners in Florida before a series of ailments and setbacks forced him to miss the Triple Crown. Upon his Haskell return July 18, he never made any inroads from off the pace. He’s been asked to gallop-out well beyond his recent workout distances as Gustavo Delgado tries to build a 10-furlong foundation in a colt with 9 furlongs of racing action in 154 days. Javier Castellano’s 7 Travers victories are most all-time and among a 6,000-career victory milestone this week. Can contend for a placing but prefer others on top.5-RENEGADE: The Jim Dandy winner has wheeled back to win the Travers 4 of the last 5 years. His 123 BRIS late pace figure on the back end of that local prep is one of the highest I’ve ever seen and the visuals absolutely backed up his fantastic finish. The twist? Irad Ortiz Jr. is sidelined with an ankle injury, so Tyler Gaffalione takes the call. He’s compiled 7 stakes victories over the years for Pletcher, 4 of them with Grand Sonata (most recently February’s Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream). While he’s 0-2 at 1-1/4 miles (second Derby, third Belmont), sire Into Mischief brought us Sovereignty here last year. The Pletcher barn has been on point after a rough patch around Belmont and early Saratoga. Expect his A-game and I project him strictly the horse to beat though his morning workouts – as they have been all season long – don’t give any indication of his afternoon prowess.6-OCELLI: The 70-1 Kentucky Derby third-place finisher keeps punching upward on the class ladder as he seeks his first win in 11 starts. Trainer Whit Beckman and the ownership group remain idealistic that 10 furlongs will bring further bankroll to a colt who has bagged $819K this year without the need of a win photo. I liked what I saw on video of his final Saratoga breeze as he loped early and finished up nicely with a big gallop-out, reminiscent of his running style. The wet track in the Haskell might have had a lot to do with his last-place finish that day, but he still has work to do in order to handle this group. Tyler Gaffalione jumps saddles to Renegade and Edgard Zayas picks up the mount.7-SEA STRIKE: The dominant Curlin Stakes winner over this track August 2 gets the biggest test of his career Saturday and couldn’t be training any better. Absolutely loved what I saw on multiple workout videos just dragging the rider along and galloping out like a beast, earning multiple ‘wows’ along the way. There’s nothing here on pedigree to suggest 10 furlongs and with only 3 career starts it’s a foundation that could leave him needing more gas late. Even brilliant 2016 winner Arrogate had an additional start with 4 Travers priors – so he’ll need to be that kind of animal. But this one’s talent is apparent if he can muster the stamina and fortitude to dispatch rivals and fend off the proven closers over the distance. Trainer Chad Brown is 19: 0-0-3 in the Travers and has not had any luck with established horses or upstarts like this in the past. Big threat but might be an underlay price at anything less than 6-1.8-BABY VINO: The Haskell winner has notched 3 straight, the longest active streak of any of this year’s Travers entrants. His 28-1 victory in Monmouth’s biggest race was a knockdown fight with Preakness winner Napoleon Solo in which he benefitted from a heady rail ride. The Linday Schultz trainee now picks up 7 pounds and tries 10 furlongs for the first time after a career-best 95 BRIS late pace figure. Paco Lopez, who rode him in the Pegasus Stakes win and battled him on Napoleon Solo in the Haskell, takes the mount back and departs his seat on the Preakness winner. Big half-mile work in :47 on Monday at Saratoga where he eased into it effortlessly but didn’t gallop out with big promise. Expect a pressing trip and this one projects to get a potential no lead, no pass journey in the Travers and note no Haskell alum has won the Travers since Keen Ice in 2015 and no horse has swept both since the great Point Given in 2001.9-GOLDEN TEMPO: Bout with an illness kept the Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner from accruing his Travers prep in the Jim Dandy. Now he’ll try to connect the 12-week dots off works alone. Archangelo did that in 2023, but he was the only since Birdstone in 2004. It’s a road literally less traveled, frankly because the Travers is 1-1/4 miles. But that 10-furlong trip has been the great equalizer over the years and Golden Tempo clearly relishes it. Trainer Cherie DeVaux has been consistently working Golden Tempo inside of a workmate to get a little more out of his breezes in terms of competition, but he’s never been let out of a gallop despite a couple of fleet 47s on the clock. Six works all at a half-mile suffice for the training of a horse who obviously was super-fit with a December-June form cycle that featured 6 races in 5-1/2 months. Jose Ortiz is in the midst of a record-breaking Saratoga summer season and it would be no surprise if Golden Tempo passes them all to win and follow Sovereignty’s Derby-Belmont-Travers sweep from a year ago, the first to do so since Thunder Gulch in 1995.10-SILENT TACTIC: Flat late in his last 2 matchups with Renegade in the Arkansas Derby and his Jim Dandy return in August, it’s difficult to project this one outkicking that rival over 10 furlongs in the Travers. And if you watched him struggle in his workout with the solid stakes mare Nerazurri at the Spa on August 19, it’s a case that’s very hard to make. Two-time Travers winner Luis Saez is back aboard this $1.1 million earner who has never missed the board in 7 starts and only 1 exacta misfire. But this is his toughest test yet and I don’t like how he’s coming into the race for the difficulty of the task.Most Likely Exotics Contender:RENEGADE is 8-8 in the money lifetime and exits an impressive rally in the key Travers prep while checking most all boxes.Best Longshot Contender:The logical players will be difficult to unseat from the exacta, but THE PUMA at 8-1 morning line could add mild spice to the bottom of trifectas and superfectas. He’s co-fourth choice so it’s not a big reach.​​Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$50 trifecta RENEGADE over GOLDEN TEMPO over SEA STRIKE. $30 trifecta RENEGADE over SEA STRIKE over GOLDEN TEMPO. $10 trifecta part-wheel RENEGADE with GOLDEN TEMPO, SEA STRIKE with THE PUMA ($20).

Just 2 qualifying weeks – a total of 10 seats to the Labor Day Final Table – remain in the 2026 Xpressbet Fun in the Sun handicapping tournament. Saratoga and Del Mar handicappers will clash this Saturday on the Spa’s biggest day as the 157th Travers matches Kentucky Derby / Belmont winner Golden Tempo against Preakness winner Napoleon Solo and more.Contestant Bryan Ingram brings the hottest hand into Travers Week after posting a season-high $374.10 bankroll total last week to earn the $1,218 weekly first prize. George Scott put up the season’s second-highest total at $356.10 to nab $507.50 in prize money. Frank Campanella earned $304.50 in prizes for his $336.80 bankroll. Other Week 6 Final Table qualifiers were Aaron Gold ($322.90 bankroll) and Christopher Skotz ($308 bankroll).That fivesome brings the Final Table seat total to 30 of 40 qualifiers. Two more qualifying weeks remain. The 2026 Fun in the Sun progressive jackpot now stands at $14,897.50 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 4 stakes from the Spa: the Travers, Ballerina, Forego and Lake Placid.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.