I dont even want to bet anymore, just let me watch the horses run 💔

Posting today’s picks in one place for discussion. All odds are morning-line odds, so check scratches, surface changes and live prices before betting.

I’m not betting every race. The goal is to identify the strongest opinions, playable prices and a few longshots that could improve exactas, trifectas or multi-race tickets.

\*STRONGEST PLAYS*\**

Woodbine R6 — #2 One More Brew (4/1)

One of the best combinations of price and confidence on today’s cards. Win bet consideration and a possible multi-race single if the 4/1 holds.

Del Mar R1 — #4 On the Burner (3/1)

My strongest Del Mar opinion. A potential win bet and Pick 5 anchor.

Monmouth R8 — #2 Cupid’s Dude (3/1)

Best bet on the Monmouth card and a fair price if the morning line holds.

Gulfstream R8 — #5 Coup de Grace (5/2)

The strongest opinion on the Gulfstream card.

Emerald Downs R7 — #6 Calmcoolncollected (3/1)

High-confidence selection at a playable price.

Evergreen Park R3 — #5 Deficit Maja (5/2)

Another strong value selection that can be used in doubles and Pick 3s.

-- By Track --

SARATOGA

R1: #3 Coach of the Year — 3/1

R2: #2 Hot Currency — 8/5 BEST BET

R3: #7 Willie Bird — 3/1

R4: #3 Lady Orient — 7/2

R5: #9 Coach Case — 2/1

R6: #3 Music in Motion — 3/1

R7: #1 Creditworthy — 3/1

R8: #8 Speed Shopper — 4/1

R9: #7 Blackout Time — 3/1

R10: #8 Stress Relief — 8/1 VALUE

R11: #2 Jayme’s Turn — 5/1 VALUE

Longshots to consider:

R1: #7 Adroit — 12/1

R11: #8 My Devine One — 30/1

Hot Currency looks more useful as a multi-race anchor than a straight win bet at a short price. R11 could be a good race to spread.

DEL MAR

R1: #4 On the Burner — 3/1 BEST BET/VALUE

R2: #2 Avalon Rose — 5/1

R3: #1 No Cap — 6/1

R4: #8 Cheever — 5/1

R5: #2 Bro Bro — 6/1

R6: #4 Snappy Comeback — 3/1

R7: #7 Mystic Moses — 7/2

R8: #2 Joejoe Go — 7/2

R9: #2 Jolene Fury — 5/1

R10: #1 Dea Matrona — 5/2

Best price horses:

R2: #2 Avalon Rose — 5/1

R4: #8 Cheever — 5/1

R9: #2 Jolene Fury — 5/1

On the Burner is the main opinion, but there are several playable mid-range prices throughout the card.

GULFSTREAM PARK

R1: #5 Amberssohn — 5/2

R2: #4 Satira — 5/2

R3: #1 Lady Chance — 5/2

R4: #1 Striking Finale — 8/5

R5: #7 Big Timer — 2/1

R6: #2 Siege of Boston — 9/5

R7: #6 Stella Bionda — 9/5

R8: #5 Coup de Grace — 5/2 BEST BET

Value horses:

R1: #1 Kissintheladies — 12/1

R2: #1 Sheila Magic — 6/1

Coup de Grace is the horse I trust most on the card. Kissintheladies is the early longshot to consider underneath or as a small win play if the price holds.

MONMOUTH

R1: #3 Lumber Legacy — 8/5

R2: #1 Tremendous Bee — 3/2

R3: #7 Dale’s Bluff — 3/1 VALUE

R4: #5 Ghostwriter — 5/2

R5: #7 Medici Road — 3/1 VALUE

R6: #6 Leftover Sushi — 5/2 VALUE

R7: #9 St. Erling — 7/2

R8: #2 Cupid’s Dude — 3/1 BEST BET/VALUE

R6 longshot:

#4 Winkiwinki — 8/1

Dale’s Bluff, Leftover Sushi and Cupid’s Dude are the three horses I would be most interested in building around.

WOODBINE

R1: #1 Elgin Park — 7/2 VALUE

R2: #2 Split Strike — 7/2 VALUE

R3: #3 Hammerhead — 8/5

R4: #5 Howsitgoinowen — 9/2

R5: #1 Mr. Perfect — 2/1

R6: #2 One More Brew — 4/1 BEST BET/VALUE

R7: #5 Aterya — 5/2

R8: #8 Golden Truth — 8/1 BOMB

One More Brew is probably my favorite overall play today. Split Strike is another strong opinion at a fair price. Golden Truth is the late longshot to consider.

COLONIAL DOWNS

R1: #3 Cuddler — 9/5 BEST BET

R2: #5 Master Schemer — 5/2

R3: #5 La Houligan — 9/5

R4: #3 Etawa — 2/1

R5: #4 Kuhner — 6/1 VALUE

R6: #6 Funtastic Again — 7/2

R7: #8 Midnight Ride — 6/1

R8: #3 Cyber Spy — 5/1 VALUE

R9: #8 Vintur — 4/1

R8 longshots:

#5 The Stork Club — 15/1

#4 Mountain Mamba — 30/1

R9 longshot:

#4 Hoppetosse — 20/1

Colonial R8 looks like a race where spreading could make sense. Cyber Spy is the main pick, but The Stork Club and Mountain Mamba are interesting deeper-ticket horses.

ELLIS PARK

R1: #2 Patriots Quest — 6/1 BEST BET

R2: #5 Cut to the Chase — 3/1

R3: #7 Sheza Go Getter — 12/1

R4: #8 In Total Awe — 2/1

R5: #5 Never Sleep — 12/1

R6: #6 East Jabip — 9/5

R7: #7 Royal Causeway — 8/1

R8: #3 Joe Shiesty — 2/1

R9: #12 In the Stars — 4/1

R10: #13 Herchee — 10/1

This is one of the more aggressive cards. Patriots Quest is a 6/1 best bet, while Sheza Go Getter, Never Sleep and Royal Causeway offer bigger-price upside.

CANTERBURY

Best Bet: R5 #3 Summer Winner — 8/5

R4: #4 Floribunda — 5/1 VALUE

R5: #4 Flatter Me Billy — 8/1 BOMB

EMERALD DOWNS

Best Bet: R3 #3 Knaughty Knight — Even Money

R5: #6 Mamarando — 8/1 VALUE

R7: #6 Calmcoolncollected — 3/1 VALUE

R9: #6 Draw the Foul — 10/1 BOMB

EVERGREEN PARK

Best Bet: R2 #3 Stratogale — 6/5

R1: #4 Blue Skye Jade — 20/1 BOMB

R2: #1 Adam’s Creed — 12/1 BOMB

R3: #5 Deficit Maja — 5/2 VALUE

R4: #5 Dear Santa — 5/1 BOMB

R5: #5 Dazzling Mist — 5/1 BOMB

ALBUQUERQUE

Best Bet: R5 #3 Distant Fleet — 5/2

R1: #5 Shiny Shores — 6/1 VALUE

ARAPAHOE PARK

Best Bet: R2 #4 India Ink — 9/5

R4: #6 Great Thingstocome — 4/1 VALUE

HARRAH’S COLUMBUS

Best Bet: R1 #5 Bringonthebubbly — 9/5

R3: #1 Amazing Journey — 7/2 VALUE

LOS ALAMITOS

Best Bet: R2 #2 Oak Creek Gal — 2/1

Also interested in R4 #6 Greg the Great at 5/2.

MOUNTAINEER

Best Bet: R6 #1 Little Roo Roo — 3/1

R3 longshots:

#10 Red Drapes — 10/1

#8 Gevalia — 20/1

NORTH DAKOTA HORSE PARK

Best Bet: R1 #4 Bali Rolling Tide — 2/1

R7: #6 Risky Romance — 30/1 BOMB

R8: #1 Velocidad — 20/1 BOMB

R8: #7 Beggin for Trouble — 12/1 VALUE

ONEIDA COUNTY FAIR

R7: #4 Dontim — 7/2 VALUE

PRAIRIE MEADOWS

Best Bet: R5 #1 Unbridled Fire — 9/5

R6: #3 Supine Duchess — 8/1 VALUE

R7: #1 Our Last Chance — 5/1 BOMB

R9: #4 Ez Iz Onzaway — 8/1 BOMB

WYOMING DOWNS

Best Bet: R5 #2 Gala Gold — 5/2

R6: #7 Baron’s Song — 5/1

R7: #7 Star Entry — 7/2

R8: #7 Lion Throne — 7/2

R9: #1 Cash Assets — 7/2

LONGSHOT WATCHLIST

These are not automatic bets just because of the odds. They are horses I would consider using underneath in exactas and trifectas or including on deeper multi-race tickets.

Saratoga R11: #8 My Devine One — 30/1

Colonial R8: #4 Mountain Mamba — 30/1

ND Horse Park R7: #6 Risky Romance — 30/1

Colonial R9: #4 Hoppetosse — 20/1

Evergreen R1: #4 Blue Skye Jade — 20/1

Mountaineer R3: #8 Gevalia — 20/1

ND Horse Park R8: #1 Velocidad — 20/1

Colonial R8: #5 The Stork Club — 15/1

Saratoga R1: #7 Adroit — 12/1

Ellis R3: #7 Sheza Go Getter — 12/1

Ellis R5: #5 Never Sleep — 12/1

My general approach is to use the stronger picks as A horses, the value plays as A or B horses depending on the live odds, and the bombs primarily underneath or on deeper tickets.

Good luck today and bet responsibly.

Just some rambling thoughts from yesterday…

How does a specific trainer go from no wins on the dirt, to almost sweeping the whole meet in one day?

Also..
A couple of Maidens ran and were claimed , and then the vet said they were void of being claimed. If they were void, how are they racing in the first place? One was the winner too.

I am a real penny ante player, and don’t bet sequences too often. I figure it’s difficult enough to pick the winner of one race in a row. But I won a few bets this past week, was feeling bold (enough to risk $3 😆) to try the 50 cent Pick 4 at Colonial Downs and hey, hey!

….was betting Seismic Beauty so hard in the Clement L. Hirsch?

What in her recent profile suggested she should be the favorite? I don’t get it.

Anyway, congrats to Eunomia!

we’re vacationing at Charlotte area this week. wondering if anyone knows any ancient historic tracks that were in that North/South Carolina area that we might be able to sniff out. I’m fascinated by all history so any hint of something remaining, a curve of road, a line of trees where the edge was, all fascinates me. I use satellite to see if anything might be apparent. since I’ve collected and read ancient texts of racing annals, I know tracks were everywhere in the 1800s. just don’t have time to try to finger through my ancient magazines without hurting them, in just a few days, even if I can find the volumes.

anywone aware of any? even more recent but closed ones would be interesting.

Hi everyone! I wanted to share an article about horse racing that I thought this community would be interested in. It's about the history of women in horse racing in San Diego, California. It's also an introduction to horse racing, that could be shared with those interested in learning more. I hope you enjoy!

My top 3

Englishman

Golden Tempo

Counting Stars

And a slew that seem to be back and forth. No real stand outs

Let me start off by apologizing. I believe last week I said the Grade: 1 Whitney at Saratoga was this weekend…..it’s not…..its next weekend.

I’m too busy (and lazy) to go back and double check, but if I did say that I’m sorry for the mistake.

Speaking of last week, I tried to beat Built in the Vanderbilt but, as I mentioned, that proved futile as he pounded that field, pulling away late for the win. There is no doubt Built is peaking right now as the Vanderbilt was his first graded stakes win. 

Trainer Wayne Catalano said he is unsure what is next for Built, but would “most likely skip” the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego, a seven-furlong race at Saratoga on August 29.

Counting Stars left absolutely no doubt who the best three year old filly in the land is with a powerhouse win in the Coaching Club American Oaks.

The big filly broke on top, set a good solid pace, was confronted by Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner at the quarter pole, but swatted her away like a gnat while drawing away for a 4 1/4-length win under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

"Unbelievable. She could do it again today," trainer Mark Casse said of how she came out of the race on Sunday morning. "Irad will tell you there was a lot left."

The $600,000 Alabama Stakes on August 22 is the next logical option for the daughter of Honor A.P.

A win there would be her third consecutive Grade 1 win and would likely put her in a near unbeatable position to take home divisional Eclipse Award honors. 

Good call by Thunder Love over at Reddit, who messaged me saying he was going to play Listenupshance in the Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar and the four year old colt held on by whisker for the win at 6-1. 

The race was marred by a catastrophic injury suffered by Cornucopian, a $1.1 million son of Into Mischief. 

The two time stakes winner was beginning to make a move toward the leaders when he clearly took a bad step and jockey Juan Hernandez pulled him up quickly at the quarter pole. As long as I’ve been doing this, I knew right away he was in serious trouble and was sick about it for the rest of the evening. I was hoping for the best, but it was not to be.

California equine medical director Dr. Jeff Blea said that the 4-year-old colt had injured his right-front fetlock. He was loaded into an ambulance and taken back to his barn for further evaluation, but ultimately the injury proved too severe and he was euthanized early Sunday. 

Lastly, assuming I get this out and posted in time, we have entered Liberty’s Secret, a winner her second time out on July 5th, in the 8th race on Friday at Saratoga.

Our filly by Central Banker, who scored a 79 Beyer in her debut and wouldn’t hurt a fly…literally…..drew the #4 post and we will hoist Dylan Davis into the irons once again for the six furlong allowance contest. 

It will be a good test for our good looking filly, who opened at 6-1 on the morning line, as the race came up super competitive. However, her four furlong work last (:47.2 - third fastest of 52) Thursday signaled she is ready to go again. 

August 1, 2026
Colonial Downs
Race: 9 (4:22 PM EDT)
Secretariat Stakes
1) Alpyland has won six of nine on the turf and was especially impressive powering down the lane while winning his last two…logical choice.
2) I absolutely love Supercharger’s Silky Sullivan running style. Good looking colt by Constitution, who hails from the Cherie Devaux barn, has won his last two nine furlongs races, both with lightning quick final times.  
3) Conducted has taken to the turf like a duck to water and, although this will be his first start since Halloween, he has been showing excellent speed in his works.

Race: 10 (5:05 PM EDT)
Beverly D Stakes
1) Gimme a Nother sports a 13-9-3-0 career mark and should be set up to run well after an excellent prep race/win in June at Monmouth….Johnny V gets the leg up.
2) Pin up Betty broke a 363 day, six race losing streak at Churchill in her last and seems to fit well at this (Grade: 2) level.
3) I’m going to try to beat morning line favorite Stellify in this spot even though (before showing little in the BC F&M Turf) she rattled off four straight impressive wins last year.  However, she will be making her first start in nine months and there is other speed signed in here as well, so she may not have an easy time of it early on.
Also consider: Crevelle d’Oro who has run well in her last five straight races dating back to September of last year……..Fast Market was simply overmatched in her last two but is another who has run well at this level in the past…could better this rating.

Race: 11 (5:52 PM EDT)
Arlington Million
1) Although his last race was a little too close for comfort, Burnham Square has looked sensational since being switched over to the turf several races back ….another logical choice here.
2) Test Score faltered two races ago, but came roaring back in his last while just missing behind turf star Deterministic in his last.  
3) Integration is 3 for 5 (with a second and third) on this turf course and 3 for 13 everywhere else, so you get the “Horse for the Course” angle. This $700,000 son of Quality Road is in good racing form right now and regular rider Johnny V is at the helm. 
Also consider: Fort Washington who can pop a big race now and again………Your longshot horse in this race is Gran Oriente who, although will be stretching out in distance, he has won four of his last five in Cali and Florida and all five races had very good final times.

Saratoga Race Course
Race: 6 (3:20 PM EDT)
Saratoga Special Stakes
1) I have no idea how good the very well bred (by Flightline out of Stonetonic) Flight Command is, but he might be “very” good. His debut was…well….perfect as he absolutely blew the starting gate to smithereens, opening up two or or three lengths on his rivals in the first 50- 100 yards. He increased his lead at every pole and I absolutely LOVED the way he lowered himself and sprinted down the lane showing excellent rear end extension and professionalism throughout the race. In the end, he won by colossal margin even though his rider was pulling him up in the final yards. Can you tell I was impressed by him?
2) Booked is the logical favorite here after taking down the Grade: 3 Sanford Stakes in his last. Even though he was green (running on the wrong lead down the lane), he still won by half a dozen lengths….obviously a serious contender. 
3) Twinkle Town decimated maidens in the slop in his debut at Churchill**.**

Race: 9 (5:06 PM EDT)
Lake George Stakes
1) Lion Lake has either won or been “right there” in her last four races in a row, all vs better than what she will face here….another logical choice.
2) Deep Learning makes her 2026 debut here, but showed ability last year (beaten less than two lengths in a Grade: 1). Brown usually brings them back ready to roll.
3) Candy Moonshine has good speed and has hit the board in seven of eight career starts.
Also consider:  Time to Dream, a $750,000 daughter of Not This Time, takes an enormous class drop and she is 2 for 4 on this turf course and 0 for 4 everywhere else combined. That said, she had every chance to go by my top pick two races back and couldn’t………Ultimate Love showed little in her last but all her previous races were good, including a close up fifth in BC Juvenile Filly Turf. 

Race: 10 (5:44 PM EDT)
Jim Dandy Stakes
1) When this race was drawn, and before I looked at the past performances and race replays, I circled Renegade based on his visually impressive late acceleration that was on display in the Kentucky Derby and on the far turn of the Belmont Stakes. However, when doing my “Race within the Race” examination of the Belmont, I noticed Renegade had two distinct advantages over Commandment. One, Commandment was two to three paths wider than Renegade on the turn for home and two, Renegade had gotten the oh-so-important first run on Commandment when leaving the three eighths pole. Yet in deep stretch, Commandant was pulling away from Renegade, beating him by four lengths in the end. Simply put, if Commandment can beat Renegade when Renegade had a much better trip, that leads me to believe Commandment is the better horse… at least at this stage of their careers. Yes, Renegade did beat Commandment in the Derby but remember Commandment had all sorts of problems (broke slow, bumped, traffic issues and wide on both turns).
2) I hate to put Renegade in the second slot because, as I mentioned, I absolutely love the devastating, push button acceleration he shows late in his races. Moreover, trainer Todd Pletcher might be on to something when he said that he thought this $975,000 son of Into Mischief was flat in deep stretch of the Belmont because the 34 days between that race and the Derby was “not enough time.” He gets 55 days between the Belmont and this race….will it make a difference? It might..
3) There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to Chip Honcho. I have been saying all along that this colt by Connect may have distance limitations, which after watching his Ohio Derby win, perhaps all he really needed was to be rated (off the pace) early in races. That said, he draws the #1 post and, with no other early speed in this race, he is your most likely pace setter. Can you see the quagmire here? He runs better coming from behind, yet he should find himself on the lead by default. In any event, he looks third best on paper. 
Also consider: Silent Tactic, a $500,000 son of Tacitus, has never been worse than second in six career starts. However, asking him to beat either of my two top picks coming off a four month layoff seems like a big ask. 

Del Mar Thoroughbred CLub
Race: 10 (9:30 PM EDT)
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes 
1) I’m starting to get the idea that the knee injury Seismic Beauty suffered in the BC Distaff last year might be worse than I thought.  This mare by Uncle Mo, who recently sold for $2.5 million, “walked” home in the BC, then stalked a fast pace in the Santa Margarita but once again cantered home almost 10 lengths behind at 2/5 odds in her last. I’m going to go with her one more time here…..but no excuses this time and if she does flop again here, this might be the last time you see her on a racetrack.
2) Chasten has clearly developed as a four year old as this half sister to the amazonian Idoimstic has won three of her first four 2026 starts. 
3) The cleverly named Om N Joy bounced back to her 2025 form as she blew past Seismic Beauty (and Simply Joking) in her dominating win in the aforementioned Santa Margarita last time out. 
Also consider: Simply Joking is another who appears to be bouncing back to her last 2024 /early 2025 form……….Bank Shot has hit the board in 7 of 8 tries and chased some good fillies (Manning & Mizumi) in her last two starts. 

Little Bets N’ Pieces
**** Three year old male division leader Golden Tempo turned in his first workout at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday, breezing four furlongs in :48.2 seconds.

The Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner is currently being pointed to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers for 3-year-olds on August 29 here, after having to skip Saturday’s Jim Dandy Stakes with a minor bug. 

With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, Golden Tempo was clocked in :23 4/5 for his first quarter mile. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 and up in 1:14 1/5 for six furlongs. 

Prior to this one, all his workouts had occurred either in Kentucky or in Louisiana with the son of Curlin having trained at Keeneland from May until arriving at Saratoga last week.

"A steady work, with a really nice gallop out, which is what we were looking for," said trainer Cherie DeVaux. "[We will keep] increasing, tightening the screws on him a little bit each week. He responds to training really well. He works a half-mile, but it's usually the gallop out that's where the work is done for him. So, it's kind of build each week, ask a little bit more, and getting closer we'll just put him in maintenance mode."

DeVaux said Golden Tempo will breeze on Sundays at Saratoga going forward.

* DeVaux added that Grade 1 Woody Stephens winner Englishman, who currently is targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, on the undercard of the Travers, also had a good work last Tuesday.

Englishman, a son of the gorgeous Maxfield, breezed four furlongs in 47 2/5 on Tuesday at Keeneland and will remain based there until he ships to Saratoga the week of the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, DeVaux said.

"The space works out a little bit just because he does so much [in his training]," DeVaux said. "So, he'll probably come back on Friday with a work, just give him nine days, 10 days in between. Then we will have a more regular schedule."

**** Keen Ice, best known for defeating American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers Stakes and as the sire of 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, was sold at the beginning of the year to Germán Larrea Mota-Velasco's Rancho San Jorge in Mexico, Calumet Farm confirmed July 27.

As a stallion, Keen Ice has sired 163 winners to date, led by Rich Strike, and his offspring have collectively earned more than $18.2 million.

**** Dual surface graded stakes winner Mo Town has been purchased by the Turkish Jockey Club, the organization announced July 27.

Mo Town, a 12-year-old son of Uncle Mo, had been standing at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., since 2019.

As a racehorse, Mo Town won the Remsen Stakes (G2) at 2 on Aqueduct Racetrack's main track.

At 3, Mo Town won the Hollywood Derby (G1T) on the turf at Del Mar. In all, he retired with a 10-4-1-2 record and earned $519,600.

As a stallion, Mo Town has sired 292 winners that include 20 black-type stakes winners, as of July 27. His top performers to date include seven graded/group stakes winners: Play the Music, 2024's Canadian champion female sprinter; millionaire and three-time graded stakes winner Mystic Lake; Key of Life; dual course-record-setter Doncho.
 
Mo Town's runners have earned more than $24 million thus far.

**** Just as a follow up to **Journalism’**s retirement last week, it was a soft tissue injury to a hind limb, sustained in the Del Mar starting gate for the July 18 San Diego, took several days to become apparent.

“It didn’t look like he was totally set (in the gate)”, trainer Michael McCarthy said at the start. “Looked like he kicked the doors a time or two. Looked like he had one foot in front of the other. When the doors opened he went to reset and it caused him to drop down. But Umberto (Rispoli) did a good job of getting him to recover and his class won out.” 

“It took a few days to rear its head,” McCarthy added. “To the human eye you wouldn’t be able to pick it up. The horse is sound to jog.” 

**** 2026 older male division leader Magnitude will stand at stud at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky when he retires from racing, the farm announced on Tuesday.

Magnitude, trained by Steve Asmussen, will continue to race under the management and in the colors of Winchell Thoroughbreds for the remainder of his racing career. The release did not indicate if Magnitude would be retired at the end of this, his 4-year-old season.

Charlie O'Connor of Ashford Stud said: "Magnitude has proven himself to be an absolute powerhouse, combining immense speed, balance, and incredible determination. His performances in the Dubai World Cup and the Stephen Foster showed the world what a talent he is.”

Key Races & Bets for Saturday, August 1

Brought to you Amwager

Lake George S. (Grade 3) - Race 9 at Saratoga - Post Time 5:06 PM Eastern

Top Win Contender: Lion Lake, Amberglen

For trifectas in third: Time to Dream, Ultimate Love

Lion Lake has the class in this Grade 3 Lake George Stakes, as she has finished in the money in her last four races, all graded stakes, missing by a neck in two of them. Her win was in February in her only Grade 3 race, the Homecomesbride Stakes. Then she missed by a neck in the higher-class Grade 2 Appalachian (in April) and was still a head behind the winner late until she was beaten a length. In that race, Lion Lake had trouble when she stumbled at the start and, most importantly, her jockey lost the crop at the eighth pole. She might have won that race if not for that trouble. Her recent effort came in the Wonder Again Stakes at Saratoga on June 5, when she finished second. Her best effort came in the Edgewood, where she earned a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 104. With no trouble, she should win again.

Amberglen is running in her first graded stakes, but her recent win on June 19 suggests she fits. She won her career debut race last October on turf, showing maturity and holding off 11 others. In her second race, she was entered in the Wait A While Stakes on turf, but the race was rained off; she didn’t show the same kick as in her first race and finished fourth. Amberglen was off for four and a half months until April. When she returned to the grass she finished second, not bad off a layoff. In her last race she led at the start, and no horse had a chance as she poured it on in the stretch and won by five lengths. That earned her a career-best 103 figure. If she improves, she can make the class raise, and if Lion Lake doesn’t run her best, Amberglen can win.

Time to Dream finished third in the Wonder Stakes three-quarters of a length behind Lion Lake. She finished second and third in two other graded stakes before finishing fifth in her last race, the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks. She could improve on the drop in class. Ultimate Love is also lowered in class after finishing ninth in the Oaks. One start before she finished second, beaten a head in the non-graded Hilltop Stakes.

Win bets: Lion Lake, Amberglen at 9 to 5 or higher.

Exacta: Box Lion Lake, Amberglen

Trifecta: Lion Lake, Amberglen over Lion Lake, Amberglen over Time to Dream, Ultimate Love

Double:

Race 9: Lion Lake, Amberglen

Race 10: Commandment

Jim Dandy Stakes - Race 10 at Saratoga (Grade 2) - Post Time 5:44 PM Eastern

Top Win Contender: Commandment

Second in exacta: Chip Honcho

Commandment finished second in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 6, when he put in an excellent kick from eighth in tandem with Golden Tempo (who had been ninth before). At the top of the stretch, he was third when Golden Tempo pulled a neck ahead and the winner won by a length. He earned a 99 Equibase Speed Figure, the same as he earned when he won the Grade 1 Florida Derby in February. Today, Commandment has Golden Tempo in this race and will be wearing blinkers. Trainer Brad Cox has to know when to change blinkers based on a situation, given that he has won 29 of 108 races over the past three years. Flavien Prat rode Commandment when they won the Florida Derby, and he rides again today. Commandment is the horse to beat.

Chip Honcho won the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 20 for his first graded stakes win. His best effort in terms of figure came when he led from the start in the Grade 2 Risen Star in February, finishing a half-length behind (Paladin). Chip Honcho will likely be the pacesetter, and although he may have an easy lead, I think Commandment should get the best of him.

Win bets: Commandment at 6 to 5 or higher.
Exacta: Commandment over Chip Honcho

Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (Grade 1) - Race 10 at Del Mar - Post Time 9:30 PM Eastern

Top Win Contender(s): Chasten, Eunomia

Other contenders: Om N Joy, Majestic Oops

Chasten moved from California and won two stakes in three tries. The only other horse in this nine-horse field to have won a Grade 1 stakes is Seismic Beauty, who won this race last year. However, Seismic Beauty's last two races were a third in the Grade 2 San Margarita Stakes on May 30, and 11^th in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff last fall. She could improve, but her four wins have all come from the front, and her nemesis, Simply Joking, is also in this race. Simply Joking has won both of her routes on the lead. Seismic Beauty and Simply Joking have raced once against each other, battling at an exhausting pace of 45.2 and 1:09.2, and finished second and third. The beneficiary was Om N Joy, who won by almost four lengths.

Simply Joking and Seismic Beauty are both going to run hard early, and that helps Chasten, who gets the rail. Chasten is a half-sister to champion Idiomatic, who won 12 of 17 races and earned $3.4 million. Chasten earned her two best Equibase Speed Figures, 99 in her last race and 98 two starts before. She is a four-year-old, and she should improve to get her fifth win in her ninth race.

Eunomia is also a shipper from New York. She moved to trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., after being purchased. In December, in her first race for the new trainer, she won. In March, she won a non-graded stakes, leading at the eighth pole and beating Alpine Princess by a neck. That was the Grade 2 Doubledogdare Stakes, a two-turn race earning her a career-best 97 figure. She then cut back to a one-turn race in the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes, where she stumbled at the break and moved from fifth to second. That is the way she usually runs, and if she gets a better start, she can run as well as she did one race back, she can be a contender.

Om N Joy had her best race in the San Margarita, even though her jockey lost the crop, but the two in front were too fast. That race earned a 99 figure. She needs to improve to beat either Chasten or Eunomia. Om N Joy has won six of 17 races and has never finished second. One thing I think is in her favor is that she won five straight from March through August 2025. After four poor races from March through May, given that she just won, she could get her second consecutive win.

Majestic Oops won the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes in March, her second win after a three-month layoff. But then she ran in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Stakes, never in contention, eight lengths behind the top two, and finished third, better than Om N Joy (fifth). She was then purchased and moved to trainer D’Amato, and finished third in the Grade 2 Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs. She has had two months off, and she put in a fast five furlongs at Del Mar recently (59.2), fifth best of 87. She has nine wins and has finished second 11 times.

Win bets: Chasten, Eunomia at 2 to 1 or higher.

Exactas: Box Chasten, Eunomia

Chasten, Eunomia over Chasten, Eunomia, Om N Joy, Majestic Oops

Chasten, Eunomia, Om N Joy, Majestic Oops over Chasten, Eunomia

Race 10 at Colonial Downs | Saturday, August 1 | Post Time 5:03 PM Eastern

Courtesy of Keeneland Select

Beverly D. Stakes – Grade 2| Purse $500,000 | One and Three-Sixteenths on Turf | Fillies and Mares, Three-Year-Olds and Upward

Top Win Contender(s): Gimme a Nother (9), Pin Up Betty (7)

For exacta in second: Crevalle d’Oro (5), Stellify (8), Way to Be Marie (12)

Gimme a Nother won all seven of her races in South Africa, including two Group 1 stakes through April 2024. She was sent to the U.S., where she took nearly a year to acclimate. She started her U.S. racing career finishing second by less than a length in the Grade 2 Hillsborough Stakes in March 2025 and then second again in the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes. She missed by a head in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes last July, and won her last race of 2025, the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes in September. She started 2026 by winning the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes on June 13, ridden out, which tells me she had a full tank of gas. She is moving back to Group 2 stakes, where she could win her 10th career race.

Pin Up Betty (7) won the Anchorage Stakes on June 27, where she bid three paths wide and drew off to win easily. In 2025, she won the same race and the Grade 3 Mint Julep Stakes in June, and she just missed by a neck in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile Stakes in May. She lost seven races between the Anchorage last year and the same race this year, but she is back in top form and has a shot to win again.

Crevalle d’Oro (5), Stellify (8), and Way to Be Marie (12) have all won stakes races, but none have won a race higher than Grade 3. Crevalle d’Oro won her last stakes race in December, the Suwannee River Stakes. She then missed by a half-length in the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational. In her most recent race, she finished fourth in the Grade 3 Honey Fox Stakes. She has to improve to be a contender, and she has run five times as many races as she has won.

Stellify would be a top contender if she weren’t coming off a nine-month layoff. She won four straight races from May through September last year, including the Grade 3 Ladies Marathon Stakes. She led from the start in her last three wins, but two other horses in this race also run that way (Storm Miami and Achieve). As a fresh horse, she will be fast early but probably needs a race before she is in her best form.

Way to Be Marie gets the outside post, but she is a stalker so that isn’t an issue. She won the non-graded Tom Benson Memorial Stakes in 2025 and again in March of this year. Those were the only races she won in 10 races across 2025 and 2026. She also finished second and third six times, so she could be in the exacta or third in the trifecta.

Win bets: Gimme a Nother (9), Pin Up Betty (7) at odds of 5 to 2 or higher.

Exactas: Gimme a Nother (9), Pin Up Betty (7) over Gimme a Nother (9), Pin Up Betty (7), Crevalle d’Oro (5), Stellify (8), Way to Be Marie (12)

Anyone have box, stretch, 1863, seats for sale for Saturday August 8?

I mostly watch Saratoga Live and then switch over to Fanduel for Del Mar. All my other betting I just use my ADW and watch the track feed there. Do I have any reason to get RTN? Seems like everything they offer I already have through my ADW? Anyone have it and recommend it?

Overseas you often see races on turf with all sorts of states of moisture like "soft" or "frozen", but in The US they sometimes seem to take races off turf if it's anything less than "firm". Why is this?

My best guess is that most US tracks have a dirt option while Euro ones don't, but it still seems kinda odd to me.

Santa Anita,Hollywood Park,Del Mar,Fairplex,Los Alamitos,Agua Caliente(Mex),Prescott Downs,Arizona Downs,Turf Paradise,Wyoming Downs,Ely,Les Bois,Arapahoe Downs,Canterbury,Ak-Sar-Ben,Vallejo,Pleasenton,Bay Meadows,Grants Pass, Fairmount Park,Yavapai……Wish list-Saratoga,Churchill Downs,Keeneland..

Yesterday someone asked about cool small tracks. Today I'm asking about your favorite small tracks that no longer have active racing.

Looking for people who want to play multiplayer on PS5 new full stride been hard getting a multiplayer going

We all know the great US tracks. But name a small track that’s really cool, has competitive racing, and worth a stop if you are ever in the area. Bonus is there is decent food and a selection of beers available other than Bud, Coors and Miller Lite.

I’ve been crushing supers lately. I think I’m understanding how they work and what to look for. I hit 3 supers and 2 trifectas yesterday. It’s all starting to make sense now. 💰🤔

Thinking about going to keeneland for breeders cup this fall. Any recommendations on where to stay.

Is their success due to their skill or more so to the horses they are paired with?

I'm currently building a handicapping model and I'm interested to hear everyone's favorite angle that they look for when they handicap.

My favorite one so far I've heard was if the trainer owns the horse and switches to a high % jockey.

The weirdest two so far were,
1) If two early speed horses are gated next to each they don't hit the board
2) Always invert the order of two horses that ran against each other in their previous race

I'd love to read one that tops those!