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: 3-5-9
R2: 3-2-7
R3: 6-2-5
R4: 5-4-1
R5: 4-7-3
R6: 10-12-6
R7: 8-7-2
R8: 10-11-3
R9: 7-5-1
R10: 6-7-2
Trip Notes – Recent performances that deserve an asterisk. All others: trust the past-performances.
| Race 1: Claiming 16k, 3YO+ (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Notes |
| #3 BALLYKEEFE | Claiming 16k, CNL, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 07/19/26 – 5th | Chased honest pace from ~4L back on the rail to the ¼ pole, then ran out of room and had to hit the brakes when on heels in upper stretch (she really needed to be rolling at this point); was shuffled back while still on a hold racing to the 1/8 pole, then found room but was unable to recover. | Her two-back effort and last going 5 1/2F (which her latest start over a flat 5F appears her preferred trip):
She endured a troubled trip in this race, and the result/speed fig should not be taken as an accurate reflection of her ability. |
| Other notes:
– #1 LADY LENA ran on well late going a flat 5F at Colonial last time and should be better suited by today’s 5 1/2F trip with the long stretch to help. – #8 BELLE OF LIBERTY was bumped at the start and away slowly last time, although it’s tough to say that that was the reason she barely lifted a hoof; still, her effort was too bad to be true, and we may be best served to just draw a line through it, assuming something was amiss. – Despite racing a little wide on the far turn, #10 YAMMY YAMMY BELLA managed to close very strongly into just an even pace for 3rd when cut back to sprinting last time; with a stronger pace to run at, she may be capable of improving on that run again; contender. – #11 REGAL MISS LILY found herself in an awkward spot (chasing the lone leader while tight in between foes) and had to briefly take back ~1/4 pole at Penn last time; while this wasn’t major interference, it was enough to make one believe that, with today’s distance likely to suit better, she can step forward from that run. |
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| Race 2: OC12k/SAL8k, 3YO+ (F), 1 Mile, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– The even, uncontested pace she was able to set combined with the speed favoring nature of the bullring track at Timonium really seemed to help #6 GINGER GIRL last time – possible downgrade. – In her last four consecutive starts (including last out on the turf when she did not receive a good pace setup), #7 GILDA’S GIRL has finished like she’d appreciate and benefit from today’s step up to a mile. |
| Race 3: OC62k/N1X Allowance, 2YO, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #6 METALLICAN | Allowance, LRL, 5 1/2F, Good Turf, 09/20/26 – 1st | Bumped start, away slowly in last; chased even pace from ~5L back into turn; made smooth progress while 2W racing to 5/16; angled off heels upper stretch, straightened for the drive ~4L off leader, then flew home down the center to get up on the line. | This wasn’t a bad trip, but it was a visually very impressive win; given he’d been a bothered at the break and was therefore left racing against the ‘flow’ (2nd – 5th place finishers were positioned 1st – 4th until the final 1/8th; speed held), we may expect more from him with a better break and/or fast(er) pace forecast; player. |
| #8 JAVA PRINCE (MTO) | Maiden Claiming 40k, TIM, 4F, Fast Dirt, 09/05/26 – 1st | Away a touch slow from inside gate; rushed up on the rail to draw level with the leading duo, then found himself in tight entering the far turn and was forced to check hard; dropped back 2-3L rounding the far turn, regrouped, then re-rallied again through a very tight rail gap in the lane, getting back up to win in the nick of time. | What an effort this was to win having lost significant ground at a crucial stage and then been prevented from truly leveling off properly in the stretch due to the very tight gap he was asked to run through; UPGRADE this effort and expect far more second out at a distance which should suit better. |
| #9 MONTOUR | MSW, CNL, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 08/23/26 – 1st | Broke with field but was then put in tight shortly after and shuffled back to 6th; raced greenly into the turn, then made a steady 3W advance under pressure racing to the top of the lane; loomed with a threatening run upper stretch, then took some time to switch leads in the stretch but eventually did so and surged late for a comfortable score. | He suffered a troubled beginning to this race and then showed many signs of greenness; although sent off at 2/5 and expected to win this race, he still did well to do so under the circumstances and there is seemingly plenty more to come.
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| Other notes:
– #2 JOKE TELLER arguably hit the front a fraction too soon last out (rider might have waited a little longer before resorting to the crop as the pair kicked well clear mid-stretch, then were nailed); still, a big effort in defeat, he’s a leading player today. – #7 MR GERSON was visually impressive two-back (his last start on turf) when breaking his maiden at Horseshoe Indy: he set fractions of 20.86, 43.64 and never saw another rival, winning with ease in visually appealing style; left the impression he might have more to offer; contender getting back on grass with blinkers on today. |
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| Race 4: OC62k/N1X Allowance, 2YO, 7 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– #1 GOOD LOOKERNESS ran well enough at 41/1 last out considering he did not receive a brilliant setup for a deep closer; today’s 7F distance and a fast(er) pace might be more to his liking. – When beating two rivals to break his maiden at Timonium last time, #4 CHASING CHAD showed signs that he’d be suited and possibly improve for the return to a conventional track. – #7 DAY MADE made a nice impression when breaking his maiden in an off-turf MSW two weeks ago; he won with good energy and seems capable of more. |
| Race 5: Allowance ®, 3YO+, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf |
| Other notes:
– #1 BIG BOLTON shaped like he possibly needed the run when returning off a lengthy layoff last time; eligible to step forward second back. – #2 SINTEC didn’t do enough to earn an upgrade last out; however, he was squeezed out of position mid-turn, which didn’t help his chances; lasix off today. – #3 RYE DIGGITYDOG didn’t quite do enough to earn an upgrade last time; however, he was bumped hard at the start and (save for the much-the-best 7/5 winner), nobody did any running from the back, so he was also against the ‘flow’; wouldn’t surprise if he offered a little more today. – #5 CHIMNEY SWEEP benefited from being allowed to set a slow, uncontested pace early before just holding on to finally break his maiden last time – possible downgrade. – #7 ENZO (3rd) and #9 START TAPPIN (1st) both received excellent pace setups at Colonial on 08/20/26, closing into fractions of 21.35, 43.67). |
| Race 6: Ratings Optional Claiming (65-1), 3YO+, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #10 NOAH CHANCE | ROC, LRL, 5 1/2F, Good Turf, 09/13/26 – 5th | Worked across from wide post to track the even pace from ~3L back in the 2P racing to the 5/16; found himself bottled up in behind horses and steadied off heels continuously racing into the lane; spied a gap inside shortly after straightening and tried to go for it but the gap shut faster that one could say “gap” and he was forced to check hard and steady between 3/16 and 1/8; found room again late and switched out before regrouping and trying to make one last bid but it was too late. | A truly awful trip; it’s very easy to argue he should have won this race and much, much more can be expected of him today; big player. |
| Other notes:
– Having run so well the time prior, you have wonder whether the wide trip combined with the yielding turf prevented #2 KISS THEM DEADLY from offering his best when last seen on the grass two-back? – #3 BLAME THE TUX’s last effort is borderline upgradable because he could have seemingly won if good enough, yet at the same time things didn’t go completely his way: he clipped a heel racing into the first turn, then found himself bottled up on the rail stalking the slow pace (25.79, 49.97) all the way into the stretch; from there, he then stayed on well but crucially lacked the late pace to score (a different, stronger setup could have seen him to better effect); cuts back today. – Although #5 KALAHARI NOT SORRY has had two troubled trips in a row, we can’t fully put his non-threatening efforts down to the trips; he needs more today. Note: he appeared to be lugging out a little on the turn in his last sprint, two-back. – The chart comment notes how #6 CACTUS steadied at the ½ last time but, while true, it was negligible interference and cost him nothing; player back on turf today. – #7 INCINERATOR could arguably have done with more pace to run over the speedy track at Colonial last time; he ran well under the circumstances and deserves a second look today. – There was a very heavy speed bias present at Timonium when #11 TENEBRIS was last seen finishing 2nd courtesy of a forward trip; the track possibly aided him that day. |
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| Race 7: Maiden Claiming 35k, 2YO, 5 ½ Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other Notes:
– #2 MOJOHNNYMOJOHNNY was bumped entering the turn while setting a pressured pace going 4F at Timonium on debut, but this bump wasn’t very significant and did not impact the finishing result; still, it was a likable debut. – Having dueled in the 2P with #7 ENGAGED IS BETTER into the lane last time, #8 ARUBA ARIBA then found himself in tight quarters ~1/8 pole as the winner blew by on the outside, forcing him back a little (he didn’t check, but was squeezed/intimidated out of the position); he then ran on well again late but couldn’t get the better of ‘EIB’ for 2nd; feel that with a clean trip second out, he has an excellent chance of reversing the form with that foe’ today; player. |
| Race 8: OC12k/SAL8k, 3YO+ (F), 1 1/16 Miles, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #11 CHA CHA CHUKKA | Claiming 10k, DEL, 1M 70Y, Firm Turf, 09/16/26 – 1st | Allowed to settle early; crossed to the rail and chased honest pace from last racing into and down the back stretch; took slightly closer order approaching far turn, then waited in traffic while 5L back and full of run rounding far turn, allowing the eventual runner up to skip into a healthy lead upon straightening; switched out from behind horses ~1/8 pole when 5L down, garnered momentum, then flew late and got up on the line. | Although the posted 22.28, 46.49 fractions would make it look like she took advantage of a pace collapse, she didn’t: those fractions were set by a lone runaway 16/1 shot while the rest of the field posted sensible fractions 6L behind (runner-up sat 2nd for most of the contest; we should view this pace an being just even); ‘CHA CHA’ therefore deserves extra credit for grabbing the W here considering she was prevented from building any momentum at all on the far turn (exactly when she needed to be doing just that), and she closed from last into just an even pace; player. |
| Other notes:
– Not sure what happened with #3 CAN’T FOOL ME last time, but he just never lifted a hoof in an effort that was too bad to be true; needs to bounce back making debut for Geralis today. – Having kicked clear on the far turn and opened up in upper stretch, #10 AMERICANDREAMMAKER flopped leads and drifted in at the rail gap, then failed to correct her leads and paddled late before ultimately getting caught last time; seems that if she’d have run more professionally, she could have made it two wins in a row. |
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| Race 9: Allowance ®, 3YO+, 7 Furlongs, Dirt | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #7 INTOGAGE | Allowance, LRL, 6F, Fast Dirt, 09/18/26 – 4th | Sent from inside post; dueled for the lead opening furlong, then dropped back to stalk on rail racing to ½; steadied back as rivals came across entering the bend, then found himself getting shuffled further back while also possibly resenting the kickback (which he’d never faced before); went from sharing the lead to chasing in last almost 6L back ~5/16; swung 5-6W into the lane, then tried to rally and offered a willing effort but could not reach the place or show finishers (winner was a mile clear). | He met trouble in this race which completely lost him his position and likely cost him a place or show finish; he’s better than this and more can be expected of him today; player. |
| Other notes:
– Having broken a step slow from the inside post and failed to adopt his usual front-running/forward tactics, #1 OVERSPENT took a lot of muddy kickback at Delaware last time which very possibly explains his below par effort; eligible to bounce back. – Both #5 BILL OF RIGHTS and #6 ROLL ON JESSE put forth efforts at two-turns last time that suggest that they’ll handle today’s cut back just fine; both respected. |
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| Race 10: Claiming 12.5k, 3YO+ (F), 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– The saddle completely slipped up the neck of #6 PINKY SWEAR last time; the rider had little control, and we can legitimately toss the race; her three- and four-back efforts might be the best gauge of her true ability; not discounted. – #7 OVER MY CENTS lost plenty of ground racing 5-7W on the turf last time; switches riders and moves back to dirt today. |
Horses to Follow
R1: BALLYKEEFE (6/1 ML)
Having shown plenty of promise as a 2yo last year, BALLYKEEFE’s 2026 efforts have, on the face of it, been disappointing. However, connections removed the lasix two-back and, although the PPs wouldn’t say as much, she has actually rediscovered some of the better form she displayed last year when, again, she was not running with lasix. A troubled trip at Colonial in July and an inadequate flat 5-furlongs over a speedy Penn National turf course last time hide that improvement on paper, but she now gets back to her preferred 5 1/2-furlongs, which should help her improve on both those starts and make her very live in today’s opener.
R6: NOAH CHANCE (4/1 ML)
Having made a solid return to action behind JUNGLE GLOW at Colonial last month, NOAH CHANCE wheeled back on just 8-days rest and somehow managed to match his Colonial speed figure last out despite enduring a truly brutal trip, as highlighted in the above trip notes; he really could have won that race. Now making his third start back, a clean trip should allow him to take a further step forward allow him to go very close at 4/1 on the morning-line.
