After a week off at Santa Anita Park, it is time for Opening Day of the springtime Hollywood meet at “The Great Race Place.” The 9-race slate kicks off at 4PM eastern/1PM local time and includes five races over the grass. Here are a few horses I plan to build my Opening Day around in Arcadia on Friday afternoon.Race 2:My first play of the meet comes in this state-bred MSW event at one mile over the main track where I like second-time starter #2 Blame It On Jack. The Peter Miller trainee stretches out to two turns after breaking slowly from his inside draw on debut going 6-furlongs versus similar on April 2. The Blame gelding was no match for the two betting favorites who were far more prominent early than he was two weeks ago, but he did run on to finish a well-beaten third. The softer field, added ground, and experience gained from his first start should all lead to an improved run as jockey Juan Hernandez jumps aboard this time around.Play: #2 Blame It On Jack (9-5 ML)Race 3:#1 Cyprus Moon is listed as the 7-5-ML favorite in this non-winners of three claimer at 6-furlongs over the grass, but she has had very fair chances at this level in back-to-back starts and been unable to seal the deal. The Malibu Moon mare will likely be on the lead again, but I prefer the other likely speed #4 How Lovely. The Steve Knapp trainee drops out of a conditional starter allowance into this claiming spot and should have a tactical advantage on the chalk drawing to her outside. She has not necessarily proven she can settle just off and finish with energy, but her last couple of races have come against faster horses than she meets on Friday afternoon. I like her chances to gut this out under veteran Edwin Maldonado.Play: #4 How Lovely (3-1 ML)Race 5:The pace in this $25k claimer over the grass that not only kicks off the late Pick 5, but also the $3 All Turf Pick 3 should be contentious. #1 Invincible Molly and #4 Shangrilama were prominent in their start last month at this level, but are likely to be in the second tier in this bunch given the presence of #2 Long Mayshe Reigns and #5 Ro Town. The race should really setup for a horse that can settle early and finish strong. I am hopeful that is #8 Special Flower. The 7YO mare makes her fourth start of the year after being caught very wide into the lane in the common race on March 13. She still finished with energy at nearly 9-1 to earn third. She has had all of her success over this course, draws favorably to the outside, and should relish the slight cutback to 6-panels. At 9-2 Special Flower offers fair value in a fun way to start a few of the bigger horizontals on the card.Play: #8 Special Flower (9-2 ML)

Woodbine welcomes Thoroughbred racing back for opening day of the 2026 season on Saturday. To celebrate, the 20-cent base bet early pick 5 boasts a $1,000 Hit & Split promotion when you bet with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. First post will be 1:20 pm ET and note the initial 3 weeks of the season schedule feature Saturday-Sunday weekend racing.Let’s get to work.Race 1: claiming#5 Haley’s Honor broke her maiden immediately following the winter break a year ago and has trained in sharp times for a Steven Chircop barn that won 32% off 160-day or more layoffs at Woodbine in April / May over the last 5 years. #2 Rarified ran a good second off the layoff to open 2025 and closed the campaign with a dominant win when last seen in late November. She gets Rafael Hernandez to ride and note he won 24% locally over the last 5 years in dash races 5 furlongs or shorter. I’ll use that pair but deeper tickets consider #3 Saucy Name and #4 Rocket Riley, who both won their ’25 seasonal returns off the bench.Race 2: claiming#7 Mi Tormenta (5 wins) and #5 Summer Snow (6 wins) were blanked from the winner’s circle last year but catch a race condition favorable to them in that they’re facing essentially a group of non-winners of 3 lifetime races. Summer Snow has excellent gate speed to apply over the 4-1/2 furlong dash trip. Mi Tormenta ran a strong third vs. a much tougher claiming condition to open her ’25 season off a similar break. Her trainer Ross Armata is 7: 3-1-1 with limited April starters at Woodbine in recent years.Race 3: allowance/optional claiming#1 Minimum Forty looked like the goods in her November 22 debut when the Bobby Tiller trainee drew off to score by more than 5 lengths. That barn is a strong 19: 4-2-1 in April starts at Woodbine the last 5 years and the Tiller-Fukumoto combo wins 28% with a $3.29 ROI for every $1 bet. I’ll single while considering #2 Barbara Joan and #5 Lady Virago the primary challengers.Race 4: claimingThis looks like the best potential spread race in the sequence as #5 Dedos figures to be well-backed off 6-5 and 4-5 play at Turfway for Wesley Ward. Her modest maiden breaker Feb. 27 saw the runner-up take 3 more starts to break his maiden and have to venture to Mountaineer to do so. I’m not sure she has any decided edge though Ward is 12: 3-4-0 at Woodbine in April the last 5 years and might have caught the right field. I’ll toss the #2 and #3 who are 2-for-37 collectively and both broke their maidens at the basement $9,500 level. Use the other 5 runners in this 7-horse affair.Race 5: maiden special weightMark Casse’s pair of #2 Will Win and #1 Smokin Empire wintered in Florida and have some training fitness edge on the locals. #4 Justine exits the Wesley Ward barn and joined Dale Desruisseaux in March. Her local works and Churchill fall form give her a massive shot even against the boys as a 4-year-old vs. inexperienced 3-year-olds. Deeper tickets may consider #6 Delta Force, but with only 2 works on the tab, he may be short of his best and I’ll stick with using the leading trio.The Ticket:2,5 with 7,5 with 1 with 1,4,5,6,7 with 2,1,4 = $12 for each $.20 play

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Aqueduct | today’s races10X 1/ST Rewards Points | Pisa (Italy) | today's racesTOURNAMENT TIME$100 Keeneland Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 6 | $152,833| Gulfstream | begins Race 3 | 1:54 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $180,837 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 5:21 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXKeeneland | Race 3 | 2:04 pm ETAqueduct | Race 7 | 4:21 pm ETOaklawn | Race 8 | 5:34 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHChad Brown | Aqueduct | all 4 entrants 4-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Tampa Bay Downs | favorites won 7 of 9 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Aqueduct Bet $100, Get $10 Promo PicksFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

Two graded stakes-winning mares approaching millionaire status clash in the featured $400,000 Baird Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland this Friday. The 1-1/16-miles race on the main track is surrounded by two crowded 5-1/2F turf sprints that comprise the $3 Late Pick 3. Here’s a closer look and a suggested $72 ticket:KEE 8th Race (4:44 p.m. EST) -- Most of the favorites in this $120,000 turf allowance at 5-1/2F have kept suspect company lines, lending itself to a mixed bag of plays in the leadoff leg. The well-traveled ATLAL surged clear in a long sprint at Kentucky Downs to break his maiden on turf. More recently, he drew clear entering the stretch but got caught by the 8-5 winner in the shadow of the wire on Keeneland’s dirt track. He runs 5-1/2F for the first time but merits a spot on the ticket in his current form. STRATE CASH earned the field’s second-best speed rating when he won a Maiden Special Weight sprint attempt a year ago at Santa Anita. He’s now in the barn of trainer Cherie DeVaux, who has a win and six runner-up finishes from her last 17 turf starters. DOUBLE TALKER will try to follow the footsteps of his sire – 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf champion Hootenanny – in his first turf test. He impressed in a 4-1/2F debut victory on the Keeneland dirt a year ago, stalking the 1-to-5 favorite and blowing past him in the final furlong; however, few of his rivals that day have done much since. MOON SNIPER has a good enough 5-1/2F turf allowance at Keeneland to summon to make him a 20-1 consideration. He ranged up 5-wide in the stretch but was in tight at the 1/8th pole while the top pair were in full flight from off the pace.KEE 9th Race (5:16 p.m. EST) -- GIN GIN (pictured) blossomed into the field’s lone Grade 1 winner in four starts since last April for trainer Brendan Walsh. She survived a stretch-long duel to win the 1-1/8-mile Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland, but she was eased when last seen in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November. ALPINE PRINCESS toured the U.S. to compile a 7/1-4-1 record in graded route races, finishing 2-1/2 lengths behind GIN GIN in the G-3 Shawnee at today’s distance before she won the G-3 Fall City Handicap with similar rest entering today’s race.KEE 10th race (5:48 p.m. EST) -- SHE WANTS WAR shows some flashy workouts for her seasonal debut. She was out-dueled by the runner-up and passed by a pair of deep closers on the Churchill Downs lawn at this distance last summer. Her uncoupled stablemate, FOOL’S ADVENTURE, is sure to get a lot of betting attention for trainer Wesley Ward, who is 30-for-147 with debut turf starters in the last five years, though 88 of them were dismissed at 4-1 odds or less. AMANI’S MUSIC ‘led through most of the stretch’ but was out-dueled by the 5-to-2 winner on Gulfstream Park’s synthetic track. The race timed 4/5 of a second slower than a six-figure optional claimer for older fillies and mares on the same card. Her two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, Brad Cox, is 98-for-317 with second-time starters the last two years with a positive return on investment.Suggested $3 Pick 3 TicketKEE 8th Race: 1, 5, 6, 7KEE 9th Race: 1, 4KEE 10th Race: 2, 3, 5Cost: $72

Thursday marks the midway point in our month long “Blooming Bankrolls” promotion. For those that have not checked it out yet, it could not be simpler. Just bet $100 on the featured track for that Tuesday or Thursday in April and earn a $10 bonus per day. Hopefully, some of you have already taken advantage of the promo, but for those that have not be sure to register on the promotional landing page.The featured track on Thursday afternoon is Aqueduct and it is a good day to get back into action at the New York Racing Association since they are back on the lawn! The 8-race card includes four grass races. Two of them will be where I use my budget.Race 5:To no one’s surprise Chad Brown holds a strong hand in this MSW for 3YO fillies at one-mile over the turf. #1 Academia was made the 8-5-ML favorite by oddsmaker David Aragona, but I prefer her stablemate #4 Tax Holiday. The daughter of Kingman debuted at Tampa in early February where she went off the 6-5-public choice. The Klaravich Stables filly did zero running that day, but has been given time by Brown despite staying on the work tab throughout. She meets a softer, more compact group in this spot and should run much better after gaining invaluable experience in her Florida debut. Dylan Davis will be aboard.Play: #4 Tax Holiday (3-1 ML)Race 8:The finale is a full-field state-bred MSW event at the same one-mile distance over the sod where a number of fillies will make their first start, including Dave Portnoy and Go Go Greys Stable #8 Miss Apples. She will likely to take plenty of public support as her 7-2-ML suggests, as will #1 Morning Prayer. The Tom Morley runner makes her first start since being part of a 3-horse blanket finish over this course in late October. Both merit respect, but this race is too wide-open to swallow a short price. I will take a big swing with #7 Fairweatherlover. The King for a Day filly raced twice as a 2YO at Finger Lakes where she hit the board in both starts, but failed to make a serious run at the winner. Trainer Melanie Giddings has given her time and brings her back off the break in a two-turn grass race. King for a Day is not much of a turf sire, but there is enough on the bottom side to gamble on a filly that comes in from Florida having worked over both the dirt and turf at Palm Meadows. Giddings has proven capable off a long break and this race is ripe for an upset. Hopefully, the veteran Jose Lezcano can deliver one!Play: #7 Fairweatherlover (15-1 ML)

The Lead:Keeneland's final Saturday of the Spring Meet, which concludes a week from Friday, co-features the Grade 2 Elkhorn and the Grade 3 Ben Ali. They go back-to-back in Races 9-10, the Elkhorn the latter of the pair and a fantastic betting race. This Spring Meet stakes has averaged an 8-1 winner over the past 18 years with favorites losing 7 straight and just succeeding 3-18 during that time. The 13-runner field includes a defending champion, a Sycamore winner, a Lexington winner and a Blue Grass winner, spanning Keeneland's stakes gamut.​​Field Depth:BURNHAM SQUARE is a Grade 1 winner on dirt. Grade 2 turf winners include DESVIO, UTAH BEACH, GRAND SONATA, TRULY QUALITY, while TAWNY PORT is Grade 1-placed and ANEGADA is Grade 2-placed. Any among these are of similar class and difficult to separate on strength of schedule.​Pace:PRESIDER, NAVY SEAL and FREEDOM'S WAY likely vie for what should be a modest pace. These turf marathons at Keeneland typically end up a finisher's game regardless of the pace, so don't be afraid of a closer.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.#1-PADIDDLE: Late-running marathoner has been competitive in Gulfstream’s distance series, but has failed to win in his last 10. Not without some races on the ledger that could impact the exotics. Jose Morelos comes north to ride for Elizabeth Dobles.#2-DESVIO (pictured): 34-1 Sycamore Stakes stunner over this course and trip during the Fall Meet, this seems like a very aggressive placement for Maryland-based Madison Meyers. They run the Henry Clark at Laurel on Saturday, a race they used to prep for the Preakness-day Dinner Party. Confident to take this return Keeneland trip with those races in the back yard. Beware under John Velazquez again.#3-UTAH BEACH: Defending Elkhorn champ was 11-1 last year and the form held up one more start before starting to slip. Upon retirement of trainer Ignacio Correas, Brendan Walsh took over this winter and nothing went right in the Kentucky Cup Classic in March’s return on synthetic. Admire the Keeneland record but going to make this one beat me in the title defense.#4-GRAND SONATA: Steady on turf and sometimes that’s good enough to win, but there are few remarkable performances. Won’t embarrass himself, but beaten 3-3/4 lengths in this last year and should be somewhere in the hunt looking for breaks. Prefer a few others.#5-FLEETFOOT: Bouncing around between the flats and jumps, he returns from a November layoff in the Red Smith at Aqueduct that puts him on the fringe discussion off that fourth-place finish. Doesn’t have a lot of layoff experience, but his one bid was poor, so he’ll have to prove it.#6-BURNHAM SQUARE: The 2025 Blue Grass winner makes a plot twist in his Keeneland return, converted to turf late in his sophomore season. Has plenty of grass on the damside of the pedigree, and his Nashville Derby narrow second and Gulfstream return allowance runner-up on Feb. 28 are encouraging for the surface. Expect Brian Hernandez Jr. to save ground on the 3 turns.#7-TRULY QUALITY: Back-to-back winner of Del Mar’s Hollywood Turf Cup over this 12-furlong trip, he returns to Keeneland for the first time in 2 years. Firmer conditions the better as he’s become a top-of-ground specialist. Jonathon Thomas adds blinkers back on after 4 starts without them, a move that’s 1-for-13 for the barn. Luan Machado takes the mount for the first time.#8-TAWNY PORT: 7-year-old multi-millionaire returns from an overmatched appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He’s lost 16 straight going back to the Saratoga 2024 summer and hasn’t factored in 2 local appearance during the Fall Meet’s Sycamore. Pass on Miguel Clement trainee for now.#9-NAVY SEAL: Wesley Ward 5-year-old hasn’t faced elder stakes horses in his career and picks a tough spot for his first start since November. Distance no issue based on pedigree and past performances, but class hurdle here is legitimately high.#10-PRESIDER: Speedster nearly wired the Connally Turf at Sam Houston over this trip 2 starts back and all of his best work has come on the front end. Joe Sharp trainee has run 2 of his worst races over the Keeneland course, so even if he isn’t challenged, there’s no assurance he’ll benefit from the pace.#11-FREEDOM’S WAY: Career allowance-type takes a class rise off a July layoff curiously for Eddie Kenneally. Should be part of the early, pressing flight and will have to be used early by Luis Saez as that first turn comes up quickly over this alignment. Hard to see this 7-year-old with 3 wins adding a fourth vs. this group.#12-ANEGADA: Mike Maker once dominated races like this in Kentucky, winning the Elkhorn in 2013, 2016 and 2019. With a good trip under Flavien Prat, there’s no reason this 4-year-old can’t add to that. With speed just to his inside 2 spots in the gate, that could help open up some early real estate to avoid excessive ground loss. This one continues to get better and at an age where improvement can still be projected.#13-DANCIN IN DA’NILE: Woodbine distance veteran wintered in Florida and makes a pitstop in Kentucky before returning home. Will need a scratch to draw in off the also-eligible list. He’s won just 1 of his last 12 and didn’t offer much off the layoff in his seasonal return a year ago, needing a few races.Most Likely Exotics Contender:No obvious answer here, but I’m solidly behind DESVIO and the confident return to Keeneland.Best Longshot Contender:ANEGADA at 15-1 morning line, is in excellent form, right within his form cycle and connections more than capable in these kind of races.Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$60 Win DESVIO. $10 Exacta key-box DESVIO with ANEGADA and BURNHAM SQUARE ($40).

EXTRA INCENTIVES2 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split | Keeneland | Late Pick 4TOURNAMENT TIME$100 Keeneland Feeder | detailsNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $199,817| Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:40 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $180,837 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 5:17 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXTampa Bay | Race 5 | 2:22 pm ETKeeneland | Race 8 | 4:44 pm ETEvangeline Downs | Race 5 | 8:18 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHRandy Klopp | Horseshoe Indianapolis | all 4 entrants 9-2 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Parx | favorites won 8 of 9 races on the cardPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Keeneland Hit & Split Late Pick 4 Analysis for WednesdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

They are back at it Wednesday for the start of their second full week of racing at the Keeneland Spring Meet. The week is headlined by the Doubledogdare (G2) on Friday and the Elkhorn (G2) and Ben Ali (G3) on Saturday, but first things first. An 8-race Wednesday card that is part of our April 2 Million 1/ST Rewards points Hit & Split promo at Keeneland. If you did not register for the promotion last week, be sure to do so before playing because if you connect on the Late Pick 4 you split those rewards points between all 1/ST BET and Xpressbet customers. Best of luck!Grade Descriptions: Grade A=Highest degree of confidence; Grade B=Solid Play. Grade C=Least preferred or pass; Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play.Race 5:Grade: CMain Ticket: 8 She’s No Angel; 2 Black GingerBackups: NoneForecast: I struggled not only with confidence in this beaten $20k claimer over the main track, but with creativity as well. There is a noticeable lack of early speed signed on, which should bode well for a pair of stalkers that are likely to take a good share of the public’s money. #8 She’s No Angel should benefit from the outside draw and the aggressive Martin Garcia in the saddle. She has run some of the fastest recent races on dirt and makes the most sense. #2 Black Ginger is also sensical. The American Freedom filly gets a massive rider upgrade to Jose Ortiz and has a good second over this course last spring. Neither will have to be too much to get to the wire first against this bunch.Race 6:Grade: C+Main Ticket: 7 Jubilee Parade; 2 Catch Hound; 10 Fuzzy StareBackups:Forecast: The second leg of the late Pick 4 is another tricky one. This heat is a 5.5-furlong turf sprint for MSW foes. Wesley Ward appears to hold a strong hand here with two, including the 2-1-ML favorite #5 Gypsy Art. The son of Munnings competed in two stakes races to start his career last year before losing as the favorite in a MSW at Aqueduct. I understand why the public will flock to this gelding, but he does not separate much to me from some other logicals. Therefore, I will toss him and use three others. #7 Jubilee Parade is my lukewarm top choice. The Juddmonte colt moves back to the turf after just missing over the synthetic at Gulfstream Park in March. I liked the way he finished two-back in his lone grass sprint. He should be tough to hold off with a contentious early pace. #2 Catch Hound should be a big price and maybe a reach, but Rusty Arnold is more capable of springing first-time starter upsets then a quick glance at his stats suggest. He could help bust this thing open a bit after what looks like a chalky start to the sequence.Race 7:Grade: BMain Ticket: 5 FactBackups: NoneForecast: Like oddsmaker Nick Tammaro has it tabbed, this first-level allowance event at two-turns is very likely to be bet like a two-horse race between 7-5 ML favorite #2 Rothko and 9-5 second choice #5 Fact. I prefer Fact. Rothko had things all his way last month at Fair Grounds and gave it up late to a 14-1 shot that was coming in off a 6-race losing streak. Fact finished second in his last race as well, but it was much forgivable. Not only was it to a legitimate winner that got the jump on him at one-turn, but it was also his first start since last August. Fact should be tough to beat second off the bench.Race 8:Grade: B-Main Ticket: 8 She’s Lookin Lucky; 1 ZadorskyBackups: 3 Child of the MoonForecast: 2-1-ML favorite #3 Child of the Moon is the clear horse to beat on form in this third-level allowance to close the card, but her enemy maybe the race shape. There simply is not a lot of speed on paper to say the least. I expect Luis Saez to get aggressive with #1 Zadorsky from the 1-hole and #8 She’s Lookin Lucky to be prominent as well, but that is unlikely to pave the way to a race that sets up for off-the-pace runners. Flavien Prat might be good enough to overcome this, but I will use the two gals I expect to get the jump on my main ticket in hopes of an upset in the finale.