Top pick selections for all races at Laurel Park today, plus select trip notes and horses to follow. Good luck!
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Race Selections
R1: 1-14-12
R2: 3-2-5
R3: 3-7-1
R4: 2-3-6
R5: 4-5-1
R6: 6-5-1
R7: 6-4-2
R8: 6-2-5
R9: 8-7-5
Trip Notes – Recent performances that deserve an asterisk. All others: trust the past-performances.
| Race 1: Maiden Claiming 16K, 3-6YO (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf |
| Other notes:
– As highlighted in the chart comment, #1 TRULY AN HONOR was rank in her most recent start and pulled the shoulder off Michael Sanchez for most of the journey. While her overall trip was fine and the effort not worthy of an upgrade, she showed every indication that sprinting on the turf will be her preferred game and therefore, we may well be able to expect improvement from her today. Note: don’t think that the mentions of her steadying in the short comment mean that she had a bad trip – she had a fine trip, she was just very strong. – #2 BARBED WIRE BARBIE failed to switch leads in the lane when running well on debut; seems she has room to step forward second out. Note: ignore the chart comment “hung” – she tried all the way to the wire but just couldn’t get there. – One of the slowest breakers you’ll see, #14 BASHFUL BABY has consistently dwelt at the start and never beaten any of the 45 horses she’s competed against out of the gate. That could again put her at a disadvantage if drawing in today. |
| Race 2: MSW, 2YO (F), 4 ½ Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– #2 REBELKA broke on top, then lugged out a little and as a result lost the lead entering the turn on debut, conceding two places and dropping back further than ideal… she then finished evenly on her left lead to ~1/8 before finally switching leads and running back on for 2nd. Seems she has plenty of areas in which she can improve/step forward second out with blinkers on today. – #6 SWEET BOURBON TEA made a premature lead change (to her right) while still on the turn on debut. She then ran evenly through the lane before galloping out with credit. |
| Race 3: Claiming 16K, 3YO+ (F), 1 1/16 Miles, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #1 HOCKEY | Claiming 16k, LRL, 1M, Firm Turf, 05/01/26 – 3rd | Pulled very hard pressing honest pace 3W to the far turn; just about held her position while 3W to ¼; came 4W into the stretch, then stayed on very willingly to the wire despite having been put in a little tight between foes ~1/8 pole. | She did well to stay on for 3rd in this race and do best of the leading trio after over-racing early and having been caught wide on both turns – UPGRADE. An inside post could help her settle better, save more ground, and step forward today. |
| #3 CHA CHA CHUKKA | Claiming 16k, LRL, 1M, Firm Turf, 05/01/26 – 6th | Stalked honest pace between foes in the 2P to the far turn; held position under pressure racing to into the lane, then steadied shortly after entering the stretch, losing a little momentum; regrouped and came back under a ride shortly after, then tried to slip though a narrow gap between foes ~1/16 but was shut off and had to take up significantly; from there, she was essentially eased. | A truly brutal stretch run, she’d almost certainly have gone close (quite possibly beating #1 HOCKEY) with a clean trip. We can essentially toss this effort and expect much more from her given a cleaner trip today. |
| #7 BELLA ESTRELLA | Claiming 16k, LRL, 1 1/16M, Firm Turf, 04/10/26 – 4th | Tracked even pace from ~4L down on rail; crept closer under hand ride far turn, then steadied slightly when running up on heels ~1/8 pole; regathered herself quickly and then continued to fight gamely but did not have enough. | Her two-back effort before she was restless in the gate, reared and lost the jock at the break last time: She hardly lost any ground when steadying ~1/8 pole and had sat a good trip up to that point, so it’s hard to upgrade her effort too much or say that she’d have won with a clean trip. But still, she did have her momentum slightly halted at an inopportune moment and considering it was her first start off the layoff, granted a clean trip, we should see more from her today. |
| Other notes:
– None. |
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| Race 4: Maiden Claiming 12.5K, 3YO (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– #2 HYLLA simply went too fast in front for the 7F distance over a ‘good’ listed dirt track at Colonial two back, then took pressure every step of the way when forming part of a contested pace at Keeneland last time. 7F seemingly stretches her as it is, and both of those recent race scenarios certainly didn’t help her in trying to stay the distance. Feel 5 1/2F will be much more up her street as she debuts for Ness today. – #3 MODERNIS SILVER was really knocked around at the start last time, then pulled hard in behind the leaders before stopping fast on the turn going a mile. Although she’ll still need to improve, a cleaner break and cut back in trip can see her step back in the right direction today. – Not sure why the chart comment regarding #5 SHE’S A CANNY LASS’ debut says that she was in traffic first turn because she just simply wasn’t… she sat a perfectly fine trip but offered little. Returns off layoff with lasix added today. |
| Race 5: Maiden Claiming 35K, 3-6YO (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #1 LIGHT DE NIGHT | Maiden Claiming 25k, LRL, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 11/01/25 – 2nd | Bumped start, then steadied slightly shortly after; chased honest pace from ~6L back 3-4W into turn; crept closer under hold as field bunched but then found herself on heels ~3/8 and had to steady; dropped back off rivals racing to the top of the lane, then came 6W into stretch when ~7L back; stayed on evenly on left lead to ~1/8 pole, then kicked in the afterburners and flew down the outside but had too much to do. | While accepting that she had a good pace setup, this effort is still deserving of an UPGRADE owing to her troubled start and her steadying on the far turn; she finished full of run and if ready off the bench, can surely improve with lasix added. |
| Other notes:
– #6 ROCK TALK did not handle the kickback at all when making her debut sprinting on the dirt on debut as she climbed and dropped herself out of the contest. We should not judge her ability on that effort; she can surely offer more today. |
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| Race 6: Maiden Claiming 16K, 3-6YO (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #5 GOTTA BE DA SHOES | Maiden Claiming 16k, LRL, 5 1/2F, Good Turf, 11/08/25 – 5th | Chased hot pace on rail from ~8-10L back into the turn, then had a rival back very quickly into her, forcing her to take up very sharply, completely stopping her momentum and knocking her back multiple lengths; regathered stride ~5/16, then resumed her pursuit of the leaders; turned for home ~14L off the lead, then rallied very nicely through the lane, making up almost 10L to just miss 4th. | Although she had plenty of pace to run at, this effort is still deserving of big UPGRADE due to the significant trouble she encountered on the turn. She did remarkably well to finish as close as she did and if ready off the layoff today, she’ll require a close look. Note: her two-back effort was similarly as disastrous and also deserves an UPGRADE. |
| Other notes:
– The chart comment correctly highlights how #1 EMMA MERMAID had to steady a little entering the turn last time, but it really wasn’t a severe steady and she didn’t lose any momentum or ground; we should not upgrade her effort. Still, she ran well closing into a pace that did not come apart and she’s deserving of respect today. – #6 FORTY SEVEN SMOKER sat a wide trip when finishing 3rd off the layoff last time. We can slightly mark up that effort and possibly expect more second out today. |
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| Race 7: Claiming 20K, 3YO (F), 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other Notes:
– #4 LAST GIFT, #2 STAY IN TUNE, #3 PICHU and #6 PROBABLE ANGLE finished in that order when the four of them recently squared off on April 25. None of the four sat bad trips in that race and the race worked out as the betting suggested it would (LAST GIFT won as the 6/5 FAV, #2 STAY IN TUNE ran 2nd as the 2/1 second choice). However, it still might be worth placing an asterisk by that form as the race was run over a speed biased track, possibly aiding LAST GIFT as the wire winner while working against PROBABLE ANGLE and PICHU (who made a very early (too early) 3W rush from the rear entering and around the turn before flattening out). In other words, we shouldn’t just simply assume that they’re going to finish in that same order again today. – Fitted with blinkers for her turf debut, #5 MY GIRL BACK HOME stepped forward with a very determined gate to wire win last time. If carrying that form back to the dirt with the blinkers retained today (first start with blinks on dirt), she should play a major role. |
| Race 8: N1X Allowance, 3YO+, 1 1/16 Miles, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– A runner whose two best efforts have come closing into fast paces, #1 NEON BORDEAUX has not nearly had enough pace to run at in his last two starts and can seemingly offer more if things heat up in front today. – #3 MISSOURI RIVER met trouble racing into the first turn at Parx last out, steadying off heels, bumping and stumbling which knocked him back a little. While this far from ideal, we can’t completely use it as an excuse for his defeat as the 1/1 fav (off visuals anyway; maybe he knocked himself or something?) as it happened very early in the race and he recovered quickly into a nice position shortly after, from where he sat a comfortable trip. Even with a trouble-free trip today, he’ll need to bounce back. – #5 STRAIGHT TO WATER raced wider than ideal (6W) into the lane before staying on with credit last week; he might have finished a smidge closer if he’d saved more ground. Returns to two-turns – which saw him produce a career best the only time he tried it – today. – #6 PREACHA MEYERS’ last effort – a commanding win at Parx as the 3/5 fav – is borderline upgradable owing to the fact that he was forced to wait on the leaders’ heels (when he’d ideally have been gathering steam and building up an advantage) from ~3/8 pole into the lane. He quickened nicely between foes when in the clear through the stretch and may have won by further if he’d gotten out earlier. Note: there was a strong closer bias present this day, but it didn’t have much of an impact on this evenly run race that featured a tightly bunched field. |
| Race 9: Maiden Claiming 35K, 3-6YO (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #2 ITHADTOBEBLU | Maiden Claiming 16k, LRL, 1 1/16M, Firm Turf, 04/25/26 – 2nd | Pressed honest pace between foes in the 2P to far turn; dismissed of pace rivals and opened up a clear lead racing into the lane; turned for home ~2L up, then stayed on gamely despite wandering around a little to the wire but could not hold off the eventual winner who saved ground while closing. | She only just missed (to a ‘perfect trip’ winner) despite having sat close to an honest pace – between foes, which is frequently a difficult spot to be in – that set up well for closers – it’s easy to argue that she was best in here and her effort is deserving of a small PACE UPGRADE. She showed the right attributes to carry this form to 5 1/2F too. |
| #8 DARTY TIME | Maiden Claiming 35k, AQU, 6 1/2F, Fast Dirt, 03/29/26 – 2nd | Traveled well setting fast pace in front; opened up while lugging out a little turn; straightened for the drive ~4-5L in front, then ran gamely to the wire but was collared ~1/16 pole and settled grudgingly for 2nd. | Although beaten as the 8/5 fav, this was still a very commendable effort off the layoff. She set fast fractions (22.70, 45.94) for the class level/distance that set things up well for the winner and did well to hang around as long as she did. This effort is deserving of a PACE UPGRADE; if stripping fitter second off the bench back at 5 1/2F, she should play a role. |
| Other notes:
– #3 DANDY VANDY (FR) sat a slightly wider than ideal trip when last seen going two turns at Delaware. Returns off layoff and cuts right back in trip today. Note: she didn’t particularly show any indications that she’d be better sprinting. – The chart comment correctly highlights how #6 FAR AWAY EYES was in a little tight/briefly steadied ~1/2 in her last turf start which resulted in her dropping a long way off the pace early. While she ultimately ended up with too much to do and ran with credit to pick up 4th, it’s still tough to upgrade her effort because she never had to properly check or have her momentum stopped, and it was almost like the rider was intentionally restraining her well off the hot pace into the turn. More, the pace strongly favored closers, and the winner was never that far in front of her (winner was 8 3/4L off the pace at first call). Returns off layoff today. – #7 CRAB MENTALITY put herself at a disadvantage when breaking very slowly in a detached last on debut last year. A sharper break should see her offer more as she returns to action off the bench today. |
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Horses to Follow
R1: TRULY AN HONOR (5/1 ML)
TRULY AN HONOR has been giving herself little chance of staying route trips with blinkers on recently, doing too much too early and effectively pulling her own chance away in the opening stages. The cutback to 5 1/2 furlongs today could see her in a much better light now that she’s found her friends at the maiden 16k level, and any step forward should make her very competitive in the opener. Strengthening the case further, Trombetta has struck at 24% over the last year when cutting turf routers back to sprints (4-for-17; 65% ITM, $3.94 ROI).
R3: CHA CHA CHUKKA (3/1 ML)
CHA CHA CHUKKA was beaten just over three lengths last time despite enduring a brutal stretch run and not being persevered with late once her chance had effectively gone. A cleaner trip today and another 1/16 of a mile to work with should help her make amends in today’s third.
R8: PREACHA MEYERS (7/5 ML)
Bidding to make it four in a row following a better-than-looks hat-trick-securing victory at Parx last time, the ultra-consistent PREACHA MEYERS looks the controlling speed in a paceless eighth and could take plenty of pegging back under Hazlewood.
