EXTRA INCENTIVESWoodbine Mile Flyaway Sweepstakes | earn up to 4 entries todayTOURNAMENT TIME$100 Saratoga Feeder | details$80 Del Mar Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSSuper Hi 5 | $21,081 | Ellis Park | Race 1 | 12:50 pm ETSuper Hi 5 | $3,663 | Belterra | Race 8 | 4:05 pm ETPick 6 | $28,078 | Del Mar | begins Race 3 | 6:02 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $67,735 | Charles Town | begins Race 3 | 8:02 pm ETSuper Hi 5 | $17,891 | Del Mar | Race 8 | 8:35 pm ETKEY RACESSaratoga | Race 9 | 5:42 pm ET | Nat’l Museum of Racing Hall of Fame StakesSaratoga | Race 10 | 6:17 pm ET | Saratoga OaksDel Mar | Race 7 | 8:06 pm ET | Graduation StakesPrairie Meadows | Race 10 | 9:51 pm ET | Hawkeyes StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXSaratoga | Race 3 | 2:16 pm ETEllis Park | Race 5 | 2:44 pm ETDel Mar | Race 8 | 8:35 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHPeter Miller | Del Mar | all 6 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Saratoga | jockey Manny Franco | 3 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third from 7 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Saratoga Friday Spot PlaysJeremy Plonk: Del Mar Friday Spot PlaysFrank Carulli: Colonial Downs $3 Late Pick 3 Play for FridayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Cal-bred juveniles clash in the $100,000 Graduation Stakes to top the Friday card at Del Mar. The Race 7 feature likely runs through heavy favorite Early Encore for red-hot connections that we’ll try to catch at a better price on the undercard. Carryovers in the pick 6 ($28,078) and super hi 5 ($17,891) add some spark. First post for Friday’s 8-race card is 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT.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 Saturday).Del Mar: Race 1 | 5:00 pm ET#5 Eva Lea (4-1 morning line odds) won fresh here in her debut in November and was a winner when last seen 3 months ago at Santa Anita. Trainer John Sadler had 5 wins last week, jockey Joel Rosario 8 wins (both most in their respective ranks), including 3 in tandem. Modest speed figures could help hold her price. Win bet #5. Picks 5-1-6.Del Mar: Race 4 | 6:34 pm ET#5 Opus Uno (3-1 morning line odds) has faced much tougher competition than this both locally and at Oaklawn this winter. Should be near the front throughout in a short field size. Steady workout tab for return. Really like what I’m seeing on video at 1st.tv in recent works and looked stronger than barnmate / race rival #6 Marcos Performance in their team drill. Win bet #5. Picks 5-1-6Del Mar: Race 6 | 7:36 pm ET#3 Pro Payne (20-1 morning line odds) narrowed the gap between her and morning line favorite Make Me Money from their first to second starts and has delivered a sharper-than-par for her workout Aug. 1 since then. Extra distance won’t hurt in her third showdown. The Val Brinkeroff barn went from 0-16 at the meet to notching a pair of victories last week and everything seems to be perking up, perhaps tipped by her Aug. 1 drill. Win-place bet #3. Picks 3-10-2.

Whitney Week continues on Friday afternoon where Saratoga Race Course has a strong 11-race card that kicks off at the normal 1:10 PM local time. The slate is led by a pair of Grade 2 races over the lawn and several attractive horizontal wagering opportunities. Here are a few horses I like most on the agenda.Race 4:Trainer Linda Rice got off to a slow start to the Saratoga summer meeting, but has begun to pick things up late evidenced by her 6 for 17-record with a $2.56 ROI over the last seven days. Rice holds a strong 1-2-punch in this state-bred second-level allowance at six-furlongs over the main track with #3 Anyway and #5 Three B’s. Neither will surprise, but I prefer the longer price of the duo Three B’s. The son of Collected moves back to his preferred surface after trying a grass stakes race in late June at Aqueduct. Rice has given her colt some time since and brings him back in a much more favorable spot. He has run well in his four starts over this surface with a win and two seconds and gets a massive rider upgrade to Irad Ortiz Jr. Hopefully, he can run this group down in the final furlong.Play: #5 Three B’s (5-1 ML)Picks: 5-3-2Race 9: Hall of Fame (G2)The first of two graded stakes over the sod is for 3YOs at one-mile over the Inner Turf where I expect #1 Touch of Fire to be a difficult colt to beat. The Juddmonte homebred brought a 3 for 4-record to the Spa with him for the Belmont Derby (G1) where he drew to the far outside and attempted to get the nine-furlong distance for the first time. Flavien Prat was aboard that day and opted to send aggressively from his far outside draw, which clearly used up far more of his energy than if he had been posted along the inside. He understandably tired late to finish fourth. The Brad Cox runner gets a far more favorable rail draw in his second local try and turns back to the more favorable eight-furlong distance. Combine that with some class relief and tactical speed and you have a runner that should be prominent early and tough to catch late.Play: #1 Touch of Fire (5-2 ML)Picks: 1-3-9Race 10: Saratoga Oaks (G2)The other graded stakes on the card is for 3YO fillies and run at 1 3/16-miles where the pace is likely to be dawdling. This is unlikely to benefit ML favorites #2 Fitz Right or #6 Faithful Departed. Of the two I prefer Faithful Departed, but am concerned she may have too much to do late. Therefore, I will take a swing with the other Chad Brown runner #7 Just Aloof. The Justify filly broke well from her inside draw last time out in the Belmont Oaks (G1) and appeared poised to find a prominent spot early, but got shuffled back when there were a few others being ridden far more aggressively to her outside heading into the first turn. She was eventually able to find a favorable inside position on the backstretch, but her best chance that day was on the front end. She should get that today in a field full of fillies that lack speed outside of long shot #3 Code. I expect Dylan Davis to send more aggressively in this gal’s second start off the bench. Hopefully, if she is able to control the tempo, she has enough stamina to seal the deal. The price should be right to gamble.Play: #7 Just Aloof (12-1 ML)Picks: 7-6-2

Hoosier Park has a 14-race card to start the weekend. The Spot Plays are in Race 5, Race 8, and Race 10. Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.Race 5 (7:02 PM EDT)8-Shamwow (9/2)-The 10-year-old put in a new lifetime mark of a 149.0 with a 27.1 last quarter. Normally, this might be a spot to fade on a double bump up, but the last mile deserves respect (26.2-54.1-121.4-149.0). Got on the engine and didn't look back as Trace Tetrick pulled the plugs at the 5/8's pole, and made the 7/5 choice, who got a pocket ride look like it was towing a boat down the lane. Hopefully the morning line price holds up, and this is an unproven level for basically the entire field.Playing #8 Shamwow to WinRace 8 (8:11 Pm EDT)2-Sanday A (5-1)-Posted a recent win at this level and has cashed smaller checks as well. Should appreciate the post relief and will look for Marcus Miller to work an efficient trip. The veteran could be sitting on a big try. Has hit the board in 28 of 49 at HoP and has taken 11 pictures.Wil use #2 Sanday A in a Win BetRace 10 (8:57 PM EDT)5-Little Rocket Man (4-1)-Won 2 straight coming off the bench then drew outside versus this kind in the last 2 starts. Starts from the choice post tonight and could get the jump on tough foes leaving from the outside. The Rucker trainee can down this crew if dialed on high.Playing #5 Little Rocket Man in a Win BetCheck me out on X!

It’s the perfect spot for an hour-long afternoon escape. Whether you’re looking to add to a winning day or bail out from a bad one, Colonial Downs’ Late Pick 3 fits the bill. With double digit turf entrants in races 7 through 9 and a minimum $3 wager, the payout could be lucrative.Colonial Downs 7th Race (3:30 p.m. EST)ZEVON, an allowance winner on the Colonial Downs lawn, and THE BRIGADE, slowed by the pace in a longer route race last out, both improved to the 80 Beyer speed figure range on turf since adding Lasix early this year, earning spots in the leadoff leg of the ticket. RECKLESS “cruised” past the dueling leaders and held safe the slow-starting favorite to romp on the surface switch to the turf, but he will be undervalued off the claim for high-percentage trainer Jamie Ness. The last time BOLT FROM ABOVE ran on turf, he appeared hopelessly beaten at the 1/2-mile marker, only to launch an eye-catching rally to win in a longer race at the Fair Grounds. PROMISSIO, claimed out of a runner-up finish in the same spot at Santa Anita seven weeks ago, worked four times locally for his first start off the cross-country journey. He took 3-wide aim in the stretch, held off the favorite for second but couldn’t get by the 17-1 winner. Use him at 15-1 on the morning line. Try to beat 4-1 second choice IZZY D’ORO, who was disqualified from a front-end victory against THE BRIGADE at this level after he set slower middle fractions than a $16,000 maiden claimer on the same card.Colonial Downs 8th Race (4:00 p.m. EST)KNOCKANARA was a nose short of five consecutive wins sprinting on turf before he finished third in the Turf Sprint Championship at Aqueduct, surrounded by three multiple stakes winners who are a combined 22-for-68 on turf with $1.5 million in earnings. He is a solo play in the Pick 3. (NOTE: If he is scratched, use numbers 9 and 10 on the Pick 3 ticket).Colonial Downs 9rd Race (4:30 p.m. EST)BOSS LILLY returns to his level of claim, where his momentum stalled in a traffic jam on the final turn and he had to regroup to finish a clear second two starts ago. He was no match in his most recent start against Reckless, who will provide a good measuring stick in today’s 7th race. BEEKMAN STREET, the lone Maiden Special Weight winner in the field, drops below his claim level for top trainer Brittany Russell. He backed off a torrid pace battle two starts ago, re-grouped to take a brief stretch lead and fought gamely to the wire to get beat a length.Suggested $3 Pick 3CNL 7th Race: 3, 4, 6, 9, 10CNL 8th Race: 8 (If scratched, use #s 9 and 10)CNL 9th Race: 4, 9Cost for a $3 ticket: $30

The first open-company juvenile stakes of the Del Mar season takes place Saturday with the Best Pal, co-featured on a 10-race card that includes the Yellow Ribbon for Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf divisional prospects.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 Saturday).Let’s get to work.Del Mar: Race 1 | maiden / optional claiming#4 Billy Goat and #5 High Pronto chased winners who will match up in the co-featured Best Pal Stakes a few races later. Tough to separate those Doug O’Neill stablemates who could be dueling up front, while top choice #6 Boss Man Bolt exits a good second July 17 over the track and continued the success we’ve seen from the Bolt d’Oro stock locally in past seasons. Blinkers off could get Boss Man Bolt over the top after being his own worst mental enemy late in his last start. Picks 6-5-4.Del Mar: Race 2 | starter / optional claimingSolid lean to top pick #2 Hannah Buckle, who is beautifully drawn for a turf mile and returns to her favorite course (2-5 here, 0-8 elsewhere). The Bated Breath offspring relish this lawn and she’s no exception. Note the mare who beat her at Santa Anita in June already has returned to win the Osunitas Stakes at this meet. #1 Eternal Reign is a public darling while favored in 8 of her last 12 starts, but she’s won just 1 of her last 10 and has settled far too many minor awards to take at a small price. #3 Nikolina might be stretched farther than her damside pedigree suggests, but intigues enough to include underneath. Picks 2-1-3.Del Mar: Race 3 | $150,000 Best Pal StakesNot unexpected, the Best Pal has been dominated by Bob Baffert’s 12 career wins, including each of the last 4. #3 Hughes debuted like a 3-5 should at Los Al and has trained well since. Liked the gallop-out from his July 25 bullet work over this track as seen at 1st.tv. Speedball #2 He Is No Lie nearly parlayed a Santa Anita debut dash win into Churchill Downs’ Bashford Manor score. He dueled the favorite into a 12-length defeat, but was nailed late by a 31-1 shot. This looks like the right pair but short prices in an uncreative opinion. #6 Kennyten romped in his SA debut, while his 2-3 pursuers already have returned to finish second in maiden heats. Picks 3-2-6.Del Mar: Race 4 | claimingTurf sprint claimer has at least 4 runners on paper who could cook early, setting this up for a finisher. The slight cut-back for #4 Tigerhon should suit him for a stalk-and-pounce under Hector Berrios, riding turf with success this meeting. Another in a line of Bated Breath offspring who relish this grass. Best bet early in the card and will feather out some depth underneath for the exotics. #5 Code Duello is the early pace player I trust most, dropping in class and so consistent on grass. He’s often hammered in the betting, so be price sensitive. #7 Regal Patriot likes to win races (45% 9-20 lifetime) and returns from the long layoff while dropping in class for a Steve Knapp barn that has struggled. Big shot to #11 Doncic if that one draws in off the also-eligible list, even from a tough post. Picks 4/11-5-7-3-1-8.Del Mar: Race 5 | claimingThe best maiden win in this non-winners of 2 lifetime claimer belongs to #2 Ima Track Star, and he’s merely 1-for-3 in a race loaded with horses mired at this condition for a long time. Pace looks fair, but if he’s simply faster than these it won’t be a surprise. Next door, #3 Desert Kat just missed for us at 13-1 earlier in the meet and returns in a similar spot. He’s part of a long line of tough beats for trainer George Papaprodromou this summer so far. Deserves a look, especially if price is right. #8 Chapter One has 1 “where’d that come from?” race surrounded by a bunch of lesser efforts. Hard to trust, but scary at his random best. Picks 2-3-8.Del Mar: Race 6 | maiden special weightHalf of these 10 exit the same July 18 Del Mar maiden turf mile won by a prior 0-for-4 runner. Now extending to 9 furlongs, I’m apt to reach for a fresh face. #3 Khonsu hasn’t raced since December and never on turf, but I’ll take a shot he fires early fresh in a paceless heat. The American Pharoahs have been better on turf, and the damside pedigree from an unraced dam leans grass. Second dam was a Calder turf stakes winner and the dam was half-sister to a Del Mar Green Flash Stakes turf sprint runner-up. Working sharp and we nailed an Adam Kitchingman sharp worker last week. #9 Path to Power is the other fresh face I like. The British export has all-day genes for the 9 furlongs and returns gelded and with blinkers. #1 Corkscrew Andy preferred among the July 18 returnees – quickest to return to the workout tab after that race and gets a much better post than harpooned in 10-hole last time. Picks 3-9-1.Del Mar: Race 7 | maiden special weightA spread race with no overly confident options to this eye. #6 Her Strut and #8 Take Revenge tried to close July 18 in a common event where the 1-2 finishers led throughout. Former’s trainer George Papaprodromou has better second-start stats and gets the slight nod. #4 Big Blast seemed to get better as his July 23 Del Mar 3-horse team drill from the gate went along, as seen on video. Best of the rookies. #3 Just Work It Out, albeit green, has been fast from the gate on video and might get the front for sharp debut barn John Sadler. Picks 6-4-3-8-2.Del Mar: Race 8 | $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes#4 Princess Moche could get loose on the lead while making another sprint-to-route bid. Note she’s 2-for-2 when immediately extending the trip since arriving in the US from Peru. Those wins came on 17 and 21-day quick returns, so her 14-day rebound from the Daisycutter earlier this meet might be right on plan for hot-going Doug O’Neill. #5 Take a Breath gives herself a lot to overcome late but fits well with this group and should be firing in the lane like she was in last year’s Del Mar Oaks. Another Bated Breath offspring to fear on this course. Mike Maker doesn’t ship many west but #2 Sweet Rebecca was very good on a top-of-ground kind of turf at Lone Star and that will play well and similar to Del Mar. Shrewd road trip. #8 Whiskey Decision also comes west, and notably was runner-up last out to Gimme a Nother, who since returned to win last Saturday’s Beverly D at Colonial Downs. Good options in this race. Picks 4-5-2-8.Del Mar: Race 9 | allowance / optional claiming#4 Supernal won a similar condition at Los Al last out and returns Saturday for the optional claiming price to remain eligible. Six-time winner from 21 starts faces less-accomplished rivals. Has run well for Steve Knapp and Doug O’Neill through prior claims and looking for Isidro Tamayo to keep him in form. #9 Matt At Five was clearly second-best in his local unveiling July 17 and smoked a bullet since for Peter Miller. Remains on tilt and a big threat. #1 Special Club has run well over the track, but loses Juan Hernandez to #3 Miss Jo’s Curlin, perhaps a sneaky indicator on that turf runner coming off a year layoff. Picks 4-9-1-3.Del Mar: Race 10 | maiden claiming#3 Lucky Sniper didn’t want to settle when last seen in May, but since gelded and could be a different horse on the class drop if able to relax. Should be a lot of pace here drawn in the middle of the field and pace sets up for some patience. #1 Heroic Dose has been in drama through both starts but Jeff Mullins’ turfers are firing and could improve with a clean go. #5 Non Domicile might be best of a fast pace scenario but stamina comes into question. Leaning mostly on the top pair. Picks 3-1-5.

One of the biggest days of the summer is upon us in upstate New York on Saturday where it is Whitney Day at Saratoga. The $1M Grade 1 at 1 1/8 miles is the headliner, but there are a trio of other Grade 1 events, as well as a plethora of loaded maiden and allowance races.The big day also marks another chance at our popular Exacta-Thon promotion at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. Details and registering are on the landing page, but the goal is to hit as many $2 exactas as possible over the course of the day. $5k is up for grabs with $3k split between all of those who can connect on five with the other $2k going to the customer(s) that hit the most.The 14-race slate gets started at 11:45 PM eastern. Here are my thoughts on each race.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: B-Use: 4 With Luck Forward; 3 Gorillaz; 5 Star SaluteForecast: The card gets started with this 6.5-furlong dash for 2YOs where there is strong pedigrees amongst the nine first-time starters entered. #3 Gorillaz is a half-brother to Magnitude and is listed as the 5-2-ML favorite for Danny Gargan. I included him in my top few along with Dr. Venkman’s half-brother #5 Star Salute, but will ride the hot hand of Todd Pletcher on top at what should be a fair price. #4 With Luck Forward is out of a Speightstown mare that won first out sprinting at Gulfstream Park and has already produced a pair of runners that also won at first asking. He comes in off a steady series of local drills and lures Jose Ortiz.Race 2:Grade: C+Use: 6 Iron Confessor; 10 Implied Open; 8 MystrixForecast: I struggled finding something I liked with confidence in the second division of the 6.5-furlong dash for 2YOs, so I took a swing with #6 Iron Confessor. Trainer Amelia Green has not had much luck so far this summer at the Spa and has had no success on her own thus far with first-time starters. That said, she worked under Todd Pletcher for some time, so it is likely more of a stock thing than anything she specifically is not doing to have them cranked at first asking. Her statistics should help the price on #6 Iron Confessor. The son of Basin commanded $190k at the OBS March ’26 sale, which is noteworthy since his sire stands for just $5k. The fact Green attracts Flavien Prat leads me to believe this colt has some talent and worth a swing in a wide-open start to the early Pick 4.Race 3:Grade: B-Use: 4 Vibe/6 Yo DaddyForecast: There is a noticeable lack of early speed in this $130k allowance, which should benefit #4 Vibe assuming he is no worse for the wear after being pulled up out of the Met Mile (G1) in early June. The $3M Keeneland September ’23 purchase came into his first stakes start on a three-race winning streak and should have no issue controlling the pace on the stretch out with Irad Ortiz Jr. jumping onboard for the initial time. If he is right and loose on the lead, I expect him to be very tough to catch. If Vibe fails to fire his best shot, #6 Yo Daddy is a solid alternative. Trainer Linda Rice is heating up and this son of Yoshida cuts back in distance after a stalk and fade in the Suburban (G2).Race 4:Grade: C+Use: 1 Consumer Sentiment; 8 Lovely ChristinaForecast: I struggled to get creative in this first-level allowance over the grass where 2-1-ML favorite #1 Consumer Sentiment has not raced in 16 months, but still appears the one to beat. The daughter of Speightstown found a favorable mid-pack spot from her outside draw in her turf debut last May before winning for fun. The time off is a concern as always, but she has six works in succession for a barn that can have them ready off the bench. Plus, she draws favorably along the rail and gets Flavien Prat for the first time. She is the one to beat, but not one I am rushing to bet. Perhaps, #8 Lovely Christina will give her a run for her money. The Vekoma filly tries the grass for the first time. She is out of a Wildcat Heir mare that earned 7 of her 8 career wins over the grass and gets Irad in the saddle.Race 5:Grade: B-Use: 3 Agoo; 7 TagermeenForecast: A pair of 3YOs tackling older competition are expected to take the most money by oddsmaker David Aragona with #6 Pretty Boy Miah listed as the 2-1-top choice. The son of Beau Liam very well could appreciate the cutback to a sprint after being caught wide into the first turn in his third-place finish going 1 1/8-miles last out, but that price is far too short for me. I outright prefer 3-1-second choice #7 Tagermeen who failed to win as a juvenile, but took on some of the fastest 2YOs in the land. He won professionally off the layoff to kick off his 3YO campaign and should get another great trip under Jose Ortiz. He is the likeliest winner, but #3 Agoo is the horse I am more excited to wager on. The range of outcomes is high on this 5YO making his first start since October ’24, but he has been working steadily for some time for trainer Whit Beckman. Picking a spot on Whitney Day for his return appears to be a tell that he is ready to roll.Race 6:Grade: B-Use: 3 Red Poppy; 6 Aerial Affair; 7 Dulce VitaForecast: #6 Aerial Affair ran big in her first start. She did not break well and made a big middle move trying to catch up to impressive first out winner Angel of Kirk. The Flightline filly was passed late for the runner-up spot, but was clearly second best that day. She should improve with the experience under her belt, but meets what appears to be a loaded field. #7 Dulce Vita has the pedigree I like most in terms of precocity, but Todd Pletcher’s barn is going too well to overlook. The Hall of Fame conditioner is 10 for 27 over the last 15 days at the Spa for a $4.03 ROI and sends out #3 Red Poppy. The bottom side pedigree is fine, but far from overwhelming, yet she sold for $900k at Ocala in April. She has been working strong, including a bullet best of 26 five-furlong drill on August 1. I am expecting a big effort the way this barn is going of late.Race 7:Grade: CUse: 4 Write Off Jerry; 1 Monterey Bay; 8 Fort ThomasForecast: I struggled to make heads or tails of this first-level allowance over the Inner Turf, so logically I will take a swing with a big price. #4 Write Off Jerry makes his first start off the claim for trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci after being caught wide throughout in a similar spot in early July. The son of Practical Joke moves to an inside post, ran well in his other two starts over the Saratoga green, and gets a positive rider upgrade at the moment to Manny Franco. I like him most given value in a race I can see just about anything happening in.Race 8:Grade: C+Use: 1 Djokovic; 6 Port in a Storm; 12 And the Runner Is; 7 Revenue StreamForecast: This MSW event for 2YOs at 1 1/16-miles over the Inner Turf is another race where there are plenty of ways to go. The ML favorites #7 Revenue Stream and #12 And the Runner is make plenty of sense. And the Runner is nearly got there on debut, but fell short and finished second. He retains Irad, but draws once again unfavorably. Revenue Stream is one of several first-timers entered. He might want longer in the end, but gets Prat for a barn obviously capable. They are more likely to win than others, but it is a betting game and #1 Djokovic and #6 Port in a Storm are the values. Djokovic is out of a fantastic female family and draws the rail on debut, while Port in a Storm is a half-brother to Limited Liability. Shug McGaughey has had a slow summer, but is still capable of popping with a two-turn horse debuting over the lawn.Race 9: Test (G1)Grade: BUse: 1 Movie Night/3 Sippin PrettyForecast: The first of the four Grade 1 races is the premier event of the summer for 3YO filly sprinters and it drew yet another strong field. #7 Explora was made the 5-2-ML favorite off of her win over #6 On Time Girl two months ago at Churchill Downs. Both the Bob Baffert and Brad Cox trainees fit well in here, but I prefer a pair of fillies with a bit less experience.#1 Movie Night is my top choice. This Winstar Farm homebred has done almost nothing wrong through three starts and should get an honest to pace to chase. The fact she has to deal with the rail for the first time is the main concern, but gets the right man in the saddle in Jose Ortiz. #3 Sippin Pretty has also done little wrong yet for Ian Wilkes, but her one chance against On Time Girl led to a disappointing effort. She should get another great trip though at a fair price under Ricardo Santana Jr. after a perfect one in her win in the Victory Ride (G3) last month.Race 10: Fourstardave (G1)Grade: B-Use: 1 Rhetorical; 7 LagynosForecast: I am hoping for a Will Walden Grade 1 double since I landed on NY-bred #1 Rhetorical in this year’s Fourstardave. The son of Not This Time has competed in races that are a bit longer than he prefers since the Turf Classic (G1) and the Manhattan (G1) were the best spots for him, but he should relish getting back to eight-furlongs. He was too good for the field two-back on Derby Day, but the distance clearly caught up with him last out. Now, the 5YO gelding draws the rail and should get a dream run in the pocket with Irad back in the saddle. He is likely to be tough to get by late. If the race falls apart late, the underappreciated #7 Lagynos is the likeliest to run by them all. The Steve Asmussen trainee has won 10 of 28 overall, including five in a row. I am not sure his late kick is at its best at one-mile, but it will probably be good enough if he gets the right setup.Race 11: Saratoga Derby (G1)Grade: C+Use: 4 Title Role; 10 West End Kid/6 GlaciusForecast: I lack a strong opinion in this 1 3/16-mile event for 3YOs over the grass other than 3-1-favorite #3 Remember Mamba appears once again unlikely to get the right setup for his strong late kick. Last out in the Belmont Derby (G1), Jose Ortiz had the Kitten’s Joy colt closer than expected due to a slow early tempo. With the lack of speed once again signed on, he is probably going to have to be much the best to get to the wire first. I will try to get the jump on him with #4 Title Role and #10 West End Kid. They finished 1-2 last out besting Remember Mamba by a neck and have the tactical speed from the gate that the favorite lacks.Race 12: Whitney (G1)Grade: C+Use: 3 Antiquarian; 5 White AbarrioForecast: The featured event drew the top three from the Stephen Foster (G1) run over the sloppy going in late June. #1 Magnitude wired out the field that day earning his fourth straight win, but I am not so sure the Winchell Thoroughbreds colt is going to have things too easy on the front end in the Whitney. With the filly #2 Nitrogen to his immediate outside and #4 Forged Steel not too far away, it is hard to see a scenario outside of gate issues that lead to an easy lead for the near $10M earner.#8 Baeza ran by stablemate #6 Sovereignty easily in the lane in the Foster despite another terrible break from the starting gate. Baeza clearly has a lot of ability, but something appears to be missing from a mental standpoint making him tough to trust. Sovereignty is likely to run his race, but I do not think his best stands out in 2026 like it did a year ago. Plus, he is almost certain to be an underlay.The lack of excitement in the three favorites’ chances at their likely off odds has me looking for a price. #5 White Abarrio is definitely worth consideration if he gets overlooked in the wagering. The son of Race Day has not performed at his best at Saratoga, but should get a great trip and obviously has races that beat this group. I ended up landing on #3 Antiquarian though. As mentioned already, the Todd Pletcher barn is on fire and this horse has had excuses in his last three. He has raced twice this year at too sharp of a distance and then last time did not have much go his way when chasing gate-to-wire winner Phileas Fogg. The son of Preservationist has run some big races over his 13-race career and gets hot riding Manny Franco aboard at a square price.Race 13:Grade: BUse: 3 Helen’s RevengeForecast: There should be an honest pace in this first-level allowance at 7-furlongs, which bodes well for the chances of #3 Helen’s Revenge. The Linda Rice trainee rattled off three wins in a row this spring at Aqueduct before finishing third in a race here in early June where the speeds ran 1-2 around the track. She did well to finish third and now gets a rider upgrade to Flavien Prat. Hopefully, we get the 6-1-ML offering.Race 14:Grade: C+Use: 4 Versailles Road; 6 Very Connected; 8 Miztronic; 9 Stark; 5 Light CavForecast: The pace should also be honest in the finale assuming both #1 Rothschild and #7 Complex Agenda remain in the field. Many handicappers will look to 7-2-favorite #2 General Partner, but I lack interest in the Kingman colt. He has failed twice as the public choice since breaking his maiden a year ago over this course. I am not convinced the added ground will make enough of a difference. I will use a number of runners against the chalk to close things out, including another Todd Pletcher runner as my top choice. #4 Versailles Road broke his maiden in gate-to-wire fashion, but is unlikely to be on the lead in this spot. He ran a solid third in a similar spot in his first try versus winners and moves to a more favorable inside draw.

Throughout August, Tuesdays and Thursdays stay hot at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet with our Midsummer Money promotion. Bet $100, Get $10 on select tracks this month. Next up Thursday will be Canterbury Park. Here’s how I’ll approach the card in Minnesota with an assist from the Betmix Angler database.Canterbury Race 6 | 8:34 pm ET#4 I’ll Make Bank (12-1 morning line odds) catches a smallish field size for turf (7) and will be flying on the front end if he takes to grass at all. Trainer Patrick Fields is 4-11 at the meet with limited starters, more notable 3 of his last 4 ($6, $9, $13) with 2 of those on turf. Win bet #4. Exacta key-box 4 with 3,6. Picks: 4-3-6Canterbury Race 9 | pm ET#4 Tiger Hunter (6-1 morning line odds) got an old-school sprint prep in the return and now goes sprint-to-route while second off the layoff. Trainer Chip Woolley of Mine That Bird fame has seen his barn take off in recent weeks, with 3 wins ($6, $8, $23) and 2 seconds in his last 8 starters. Win bet #4. Exacta key-box 4 with 3,5. Daily Double 4-2 to Woolley’s 5-2 shot Ize a Blast in the finale. Picks: 4-3-5