The “Love at First Bet” promotion this February at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet offers a $10 bonus when you bet $100 or more at select tracks each Tuesday and Thursday. Penn National will be the track spotlighted for this Thursday for its opening night of the 2026 season. Here’s how I’ll approach with the help of the Betmix Angler database.Penn National: Race 3#9 Uncle Money (7-2 morning line odds) was claimed at the end of the ’25 season knowing full-well the 2-month winter shutdown was coming. Trainer Brandon Kulp got out of the gate last February by going 7: 4-1-1 with horses exiting 50-day layoffs or more, and note last year at Penn was 10: 5-1-1 with horses first off the claim who were off that same layoff span or more. Win bet #9.Penn National: Race 7#1 Heaven Street (3-1 morning line odds) has fit very well since dropping to the lower claiming levels and trainer Tim Kreiser is more than capable of holding this veteran’s form off a layoff. The barn wins 29% at Penn National off layoffs of 60-plus days the past 3 years, including 5-for-10 when paired when go-rider Angel Cruz. Win bet #1.

The Lead:Little went as anticipated in last week's Royal Delta at Gulfstream, so we'll look to restore order in this space for Saturday's Gulfstream Park Sprint. With Knightsbridge rolling in the Mr. Prospector and Fred W. Hooper already this Championship Meet, the local dash scene gets a chance for a fresh face in his absence this Saturday.The Gulfstream Park Sprint will be part of the Sunset 6 wager between Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita (final 3 races at each track daily).​​Field Depth:Grade 2 and Grade 3 winner DAMON'S MOUND has the signature wins in the lineup. ROLANDO and GREAT NAVIGATOR are listed stakes winners. DAMON'S MOUND has the class edge.​Pace:It's not obvious where the serious gas comes from, but it should be competitive early amongst WOUND UP, DAMON'S MOUND, ROLANDO, AJAAYB and perhaps BEELINE and CON COMPANIA. Hard read on pace.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.#1-GREAT NAVIGATOR: Consistent sort was no match for a tougher Mr. Prospector cast last out that included Knightsbridge and Super Chow. While he’s only won 2 of his last 11, he never misfires at 6 furlongs and gets back to his preferred trip. Not the fastest sprinter from the gate and needs a clear break or the field will come down and take his real estate.#2-JACK’S PROMISE: Scored an allowance victory over this track and trip on Christmas Eve and makes his first start since for a Dale Romans barn that is going very well of late at GP. Bullet workout Feb. 8 similar to the zip he showed prior to last win. He’s 2-for-3 at Gulfstream and son of GP successful sprinter Promises Fulfilled. Plenty to like while making his first rise into the stakes ranks.#3-AJAAYB: Victor Barboza took over the training of this 6-year-old over the winter and didn’t see any noticeable progress when returning him at Tampa for an allowance on Feb. 7. This one has struggled in stakes and has nibbled at Gulfstream with a 7: 0-3-3 mark. Prefer others.#4-BEELINE: Versatile pace player wired the Hutcheson here 2 years ago, but is 1-for-7 in sporadic appearances since. The Riley Mott trainee turns to Tyler Gaffalione for the first time while looking to a return to his preferred GP surface as the potential wake-up call. Solid marks at 6 furlongs on dirt play to his strength.#5-WOUND UP: Southern California transplant has battled some tough foes in the Claiming Crown Sprint and Mr. Prospector in recent starts and held his ground nicely. Jose D’Angelo barn has been off its normal success early in 2026 but having Irad Ortiz Jr. back aboard will be a boost. Could show strong early pace just inside the potential pacemaker and favorite, hooking up in a duel.#6-DAMON’S MOUND: Speedster wire the Sunshine Sprint last out and successfully followed his open-company win in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler at Aqueduct. He’s back in a groove after showing such initial promise to open his career. The 6-year-old is 2-for-2 at Gulfstream and note trainer Bill Mott’s 8: 4-1-0 meet in stakes at the Championship Meet. The horse to beat under regular pilot Junior Alvarado.#7-ROLANDO: The 2025 Hutcheson Stakes winner over this track and distance, he’s 1-for-6 since and hoping a return to his favorite surface shakes things in the right direction. He’s 3-for-6 at Gulfstream and never missed a trifecta locally. The 4-year-old by Vekoma caught a pretty tough field at Tampa in the Pelican Stakes Feb. 7 and wheels back quickly. His Hutcheson win was on 13 days’ rest, so the pattern entices and John Velazquez has had success with him prior.#8-CON COMPANIA: Chilean export is 2-for-8 in America while racing for 3 different trainers in Florida. Good effort around 2 turns last time out before succumbing to eventual Pegasus World Cup winner Skippylongstocking et al and should be strong at 6 furlongs. Versatile running style from outside post puts the task in Miguel Vasquez’s hands.Most Likely Exotics Contender:DAMON'S MOUND should be in the hunt every step of the way over a track and distance he likes.Best Longshot Contender:ROLANDO repeats a successful, short-rest pattern from 2025 and has run well locally and at this trip.Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$50 exacta part-wheel DAMON'S MOUND over ROLANDO and CON COMPANIA ($100).

Dino Sampo led all players to secure the $1000 weekly first prize in Week 7 of the 21st season of the Xpressbet Beat the Host handicapping contest. Just 2 regular season weeks remain as Zoe Cadman, racing analyst at Santa Anita, will be this Saturday’s host throwing down the challenge.Sampo’s Week 7 score narrowly edged runner-up Andy Muhlada at $204.50, which earned a $750 prize. Allen Friedman posted a $198.50 total that netted him $250 in prize money. Overall, 19 players managed to Beat the Host (Gulfstream paddock reporter Samantha Perry). That means 553 spots have been punched to the Beat the Host Championship Round on March 7.The $65,000 Beat the Host competition encompasses 10 races each contest Saturday, split between the final 5 Gulfstream Park races and first 5 from Santa Anita. Contestants place $5 win bets on the Xpressbet platform for each of the 10 Beat the Host races, earning their parimutuel winnings as well as prize pools.All contestants who beat the cumulative bankroll total of the host each Saturday qualify for the Beat the Host Championship on March 7. Weekly prize pools of $2,000 are also in play for the top-3 finishers, while a $6,500 Sweep the Host bonus split is in store for those sharp enough to top the host totals all 9 weeks of the contest. Only 3 of 819 registrants remain eligible for the Sweep the Host bonus with 2 weeks remaining.A check-in for the season-long leaderboard in contest earnings shapes up this way: Christopher Cupples’ opened up his lead $567.25 after a big week. John Souza made a huge move to second with $489.25. He’s followed by Phillip Perkins ($477.75), Stephen Brodhay ($475.00) and Steven Busching ($459.25).The BTH Championship pits all weekly winning players against one another in pursuit of seats in the lucrative Pegasus World Cup Betting Challenge, Xpressbet Santa Anita Derby Challenge and Xpressbet Florida Derby Challenge tournaments.Last season, 496 of 711 Beat the Host players were able to top the host total at least once during the season. Glenn Gulden paced all players in the cumulative season totals last year, while George Blanchard took down the top prize in the Beat the Host Championship round finale.Tournament & Host Schedule:Saturday, January 3, 2026 - Pete AielloSaturday, January 10, 2026 - Millie BallSaturday, January 17, 2026 - Michelle YuSaturday, January 24, 2026 - Scott ShapiroSaturday, January 31, 2026 - Brian NadeauSaturday, February 7, 2026 - Tom QuigleySaturday, February 14, 2026 - Samantha PerrySaturday, February 21, 2026 - Zoe CadmanSaturday, February 28, 2026 - Ron NicolettiSaturday, March 7, 2026 – Beat the Host Championship Round

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Tampa ($50+) & Turfway ($50+) | today’s racesNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $104,299 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $47,256 | Tampa Bay Downs | begins Race 4 | 2:17 pm ETKEY RACESTurf Paradise | Race 7 | 6:05 pm ET | Luke Kruytbosch StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXTampa Bay | Race 9 | 4:50 pm ETTurfway Park | Race 1 | 5:55 pm ETDelta Downs | Race 2 | 6:13 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHRonney Brown | Charles Town | all 4 entrants 5-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Parx | trainer Jamie Ness | 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third from 6 startersPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Bet $100, Get $10 Picks for Tampa/Turfway Wednesday Wins promoFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

After a week that saw Paladin fight the bias at Fair Grounds to win the Risen Star (G2) as the public choice and Pavlovian and Express Kid throw down in Sunday’s Sunland Derby, it is a light week on the Triple Crown prep docket. The John Battaglia Memorial over the all-weather at Turfway Park is the lone domestic race rewarding points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. I will get to that later, but without further ado (pun intended) it is on to this week’s Prep School.Current Contender under 20-1 I like least from Derby Future Pool 4: CanalettoFor those that missed it, Derby Future Pool 4 was conducted last weekend and to no surprise it was still “All Other 3-Year-Olds” going off favored (9-2). Of the individual entries, it was the aforementioned Paladin going off as the slight public choice (9-1) with Nearly, Canaletto, Renegade, and Silent Tactic being the others that are paying $40 or less on a $2 wager. Paladin’s effort in New Orleans on Saturday evening is tough to decipher. On the one hand, I love that he overcame an inside speed bias to get the job done in his first start as a 3YO, but he regressed in terms of his Brisnet late pace rating, and beat very little in this year’s Risen Star. He is a fade for me at his current price, as is Nearly as discussed in last week’s “Prep School”, but I prefer their value at this point to Canaletto. The son of Into Mischief was impressive in winning his debut at the challenging one-turn mile distance at Gulfstream Park, but has a long way to go before even making the gate. His trainer Chad Brown has illustrated in the past that he is not a conditioner all-in on pushing horses into the Derby starting gate. He has opted to run horses like Cloud Computing in the Preakness instead, if it works better for what he deems to be their overall potential. So not only does a horse that did not make his first start until late January have to be good enough from a talent perspective, but also needs things to go perfectly for his connections to run him on the first Saturday in May. 15-1 seems ridiculous at this point.Horse I Bet on Sunday afternoon in Derby Future Pool 4: Blackout TimeWith several runners at underlaid prices with just hours left until the pool closed, I opted to add a wager to my portfolio about 2.5 months from this year’s Kentucky Derby on Blackout Time. Without a wow performance to date, it would not surprise anyone if this year’s Derby winner still has yet to race in 2026. Blackout Time is a colt that has not competed in the afternoons since his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) last October. The son of Not This Time has done very little wrong through 3 starts with a second-place effort on debut followed up by an eye-popping win at Ellis Park. The Kenny McPeek trainee lost little in defeat running second to Ted Noffey to end his 2YO season and has worked without issue since returning to the tab on January 23. This is a horse that we know can finish and should be set to make his first start off the bench in next Sunday’s Rebel (G2).Horse with Most to Prove this Weekend: Stop the CarThe lone Triple Crown prep this weekend is the John Battalgia Memorial at 1 1/16-miles over the Turfway Park all-weather. The race was made a points race in 2021 and while the winners of the event have yet to make an impression on the Triple Crown, 2022 fourth-place finisher Rich Strike shocked the world with his late rally under jockey Sonny Leon. You can say I learned the hard way not to sneeze at this race despite not being on dirt. With a full field signed on, there are lots of colts with a chance to prove themselves on Saturday night, but none more than #9 Stop the Car. The Maximum Security colt rattled off a pair of off-the-pace victories to kick off his career for trainer Ben Colebrook before being caught wide throughout over a racetrack that favored the inside in the Lecomte (G3) last month. The Brendan Walsh trainee may or may not move back to the dirt with a strong performance in Florence, but regardless has the most to prove after the strong start to his career in 2025.

Wednesday is right around the corner, which means another opportunity to take advantage of 1/ST BET and Xpressbet’s Wednesday Wins promotion. The promo involves Tampa Bay Downs and Turfway Park and is simple. Just make sure you are registered for things on the promotional landing page, bet $50 each at Tampa and Turfway on Wednesday, and earn a $10 bonus. So, register now and get prepared to not only earn the bonus, but win some cash along the way. Here are a trio of horses I like most at the two tracks.Tampa Bay Downs, Race 9There is a noticeable lack of early speed entered in this non-winners of two lifetime event at two-turns over the Tampa sod. Perhaps #3 Terrie T will use the tactical speed she has to head to the front, but I expect #1 Nashville Slew to either head to the lead or sit just off the early pace along the inside. The Florida-bred was wrangled back to stalk just off the pace in the clear versus slightly better in her first start since last May for owner/trainer Roger Laurin, but should be ready to improve after shaking off the rust on January 28. Her lone victory came at two-turns on the grass and she will not have to that much to beat these if able to use her inside draw to her advantage. Veteran Pablo Morales will have that task after being aboard this Awesome Slew filly for the initial time last month.Play: #1 Nashville Slew (8-1 ML)Turfway Park, Race 3#2 Built is almost certain to come out of this $106k allowance at 6.5-furlongs since he ran on Saturday at Fair Grounds for trainer Wayne Catalano. I expect the public to back 3-1-ML favorite #9 Run Carson even more now, but I am concerned the son of Maclean’s Music has lost a step. I will try to beat the likely significant chalk with #6 Churchtown. The 7YO gelding made his first start in over 20 months on January 14 and understandably tired late after stalking early. The former Roger Attfield trainee is now in the hands of Brendan Walsh and should be primed for a big move forward on Wednesday evening after getting back to things in the afternoon last month. Jockey Fernando De La Cruz will be back in the saddle.Play: #6 Churchtown (9-2 ML)Turfway Park, Race 9My final spot play on the Wednesday agenda comes in this second-level allowance at 6-furlongs where I like the chances quite a bit of #2 Where Ya At Vince. The son of Paynter made his second start off the bench on January 7 after wiring out a field of first-level allowance foes to conclude his 2025 campaign and ran into a nice horse in G T Five Hundred. That Mike Maker trainee has found a real home over the all-weather in Florence since arriving in late fall. Where Ya At Vince should not only appreciate getting away from one of the better sprinters on the circuit this winter, but also cutting back half a furlong. Walter Rodriguez should have no issue getting this guy out of the gate and to the front. From there, I expect him to enough left late to seal the deal as the second choice on oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line.Play: #2 Where Ya At Vince (3-1 ML)

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Parx | today’s racesSCHEDULE NOTESFair Grounds | special Mardi Gras Day racingNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $82,865 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $62,299 | Fair Grounds | begins Race 4 | 3:15 pm ETKEY RACESFair Grounds | Race 8 | 5:15 pm ET | Mardis Gras StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXParx | Race 7 | 2:47 pm ETFair Grounds | Race 6 | 4:15 pm ETTurf Paradise | Race 8 | 6:40 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHJeff Radosevich | Mahoning Valley | all 5 entrants 4-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Oaklawn Park | jockey Ramon Vazquez | 5 wins from 9 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMJeremy Plonk: Parx Bet $100, Get $10 Picks for TuesdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

The “Love at First Bet” promotion this February at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet offers a $10 bonus when you bet $100 or more at select tracks each Tuesday and Thursday. Parx will be the track spotlighted for this Tuesday. Here’s how I’ll approach with the help of the Betmix Angler database.Parx: Race 4#1 Heat Alert (7-2 morning line odds) goes for a Mike Pino barn that’s been dynamite the past month at Parx. He’s 19: 7-2-1 during that span and takes this 5-year-old first time off the claim. Heat Alert was clearly second-best to a runaway winner in similar company Jan. 12 and benefits from the rail draw around 2 turns. Win bet #1. Daily Double 1-6 to Pino’s favorite in the next race.Parx: Race 8#4 Diamond Heist (6-1 morning line odds) could keep the trainer Mike Pino express rolling. This gelding won back-to-back while being claimed in his last 2 and now debuts for the circuit’s hottest barn. Pino and Mychel Sanchez hit 38% together at Parx and are 5-12 the past month (42%). Win-place bet #4.