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: 6-4-8
R2: 1-6-3
R3: 9-4-11
R4: 3-8-4
R5: 3-2-4
R6: 7-3-10
R7: 9-1A-10
R8: 3-4-1
Trip Notes – Recent performances that deserve an asterisk. All others: trust the past-performances.
| Race 1: Maiden Claiming 25k, 2YO, 1 1/16 Miles, Turf |
| Other notes:
– Unlike on debut when he was drawn wide and forwardly placed, #2 VENTROUS was in behind horses and taking kickback which he didn’t look to face too happily last time (possibly explains his regressive effort); switches to turf and stretches out today. – Although a little green and wide off the turn, #4 TO ETERNITY ran a nice race on debut, staying on and galloping out well; it wouldn’t surprise to see him take a step forward now stretching out and switching surfaces. |
| Race 2: MSW, 3-6YO, 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– #1 CARD SHARK made a nice debut at Colonial, staying on for 3rd behind a talented next out winner after forming part of a taxing early pace (22.18, 44.84); he’s entitled to step forward from that run cutting back to a flat 6F today; player. |
| Race 3: N1X Allowance, 3YO+ (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #4 QUADRA | Allowance, MED, 5F, Firm Turf, 10/02/26 – 3rd | Stumbled and pinballed start, away slowly; chased even pace from ~4L back into the turn; crept closer inside turn, then tapped on brakes briefly ~3/8; regrouped and came under a strong ride entering lane, then finished very well but ran out of real estate. | The head-on replay clearly shows that she had a rough start in this race which consequently left her much further behind than usual and racing out of her preferred position; she then tapped on the brakes and was also running over a flat 5F, which is maybe a little shorter than ideal.
Getting back to 5 1/2F today with lasix still on (hasn’t run 5 1/2F with lasix since positing a 76 Beyer last November) could see her to great effect following this troubled effort. |
| Other notes:
– #1 BLESSED CANDY (MTO) was afforded a very comfortable lead that she took full advantage of (easily set slow fractions of 23.32, 47.60) when winning an off-turf starter two weeks ago. – #2 STICKER SHOCKED has shown better early speed and aggression since blinkers went on two-back, but she’s failed to stay the two-turn distances; cutting back with blinkers on today could see her to better effect. Note: she was in a little tight at the top of the lane at Delaware last out, but she was already on the back-foot at that point; she also lugged in through the lane. – #3 BRIKELI was arguably a little better than the winning margin last time considering he’d set fast fractions in front on the ‘good’ listed turf track; feel he could have more to offer again if rationing out his speed a little more efficiently. – #6 BEST GIRL MAGIC actually stayed on with credit when returning off the bench at a flat 5F last time; she can improve with an extra 1/16 to work with second back, and with just 115 pounds on her back. – #8 MEZCAL MAMA benefited from an excellent trip and pace setup when winning last time (saved ground while closing into red-hot fractions of 21.57, 44.32) – possible downgrade. – The chart comment makes #9 BIG EARN’s most recent turf start (08/27/26) sound much worse than it was: sure, she was headstrong and a little rank in behind the modest pace early, but she then worked outside and had every opportunity to go on and score from the 5/16 pole home but instead, she failed to switch leads and faded; we shouldn’t blame the trip for her subpar effort at all; demands respect today whatever the case getting back to turf following a respectable effort on dirt last time. – With blinkers added, #10 THE MAGIC OFMOVIES benefited from an excellent trip and pace setup when winning her last turf start two-back (closed into re-hot fractions of 21.60, 44.23) – possible downgrade. – #11 WISE AND ELEGANT might simply have been below par last out, period; however, she also steadied out of position early, then lacked a setup while also widest on the turn, so things certainly didn’t go right for her either; possibly capable of bouncing back. |
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| Race 4: MSW, 2YO, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #4 DO THE RIGHT THING | Restricted Stake, CNL, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 08/29/26 – 5th | Broke sharp from outside gate; pressed honest pace while 3W to upper stretch, then was finishing evenly until put in tight ~1/8 pole and forced to check hard, ending all chance. | He was in an unideal spot early, pressing the honest pace while losing ground out wide, and then he had his race essentially ended at the 1/8 pole; he can offer much more than this with a better trip and is respected back in MSW company. |
| #9 ELITE WARRIOR | MSW, TIM, 6 1/2F, Fast Dirt, 09/07/26 – 3rd | Brushed gate, away half step slow; chased leaders until he was put into a terrible position by the rider passing the wire first time and forced to check; chased leading duo to far turn, then he was put into another terrible position by the rider who ran him straight up onto a retreating rival’s heels; steadied again far turn, then stayed on on left lead for 3rd. | Not sure the trip cost him a position in this race, but it wasn’t a good ride, and he can likely offer much more second out under Ho, now switching to the grass. |
| Other notes:
– #2 BET ME finished with good energy on debut last month; while his effort did suggest he may want further than today’s trip, he left the impression that there’s more to come from him. |
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| Race 5: Claiming 7.5k, 3YO+, 7 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– After taking a notable bump at the start and lagging in behind early, #2 PENCIL ME IN stayed on and galloped out well last time; stretching out 7F should see him to better effect. – #3 VENETO was allowed to set very controlled fractions on an uncontested lead before going on to score at a mile on the slop last time (24.75, 48.90; the running order did not change at all from the 5/8 pole to the wire); while he’s still respected today, that form line mightn’t be the most reliable. – After being fractious in the gate, #4 POOR PEANUT always seemed to be out his comfort zone when forcing a fast pace last time; a more patient ride may help him finish better and see him to better effect today. |
| Race 6: Maiden Claiming 35k, 3-6YO (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf |
| Other notes:
– #3 SOTA SUMMER broke sharp and was encouraged forward, then set an honest pace while pulling last time; although she then folded in the lane, she showed signs that today’s 5 1/2F trip with a long stretch could suit her as a potential closing sprinter; returns off freshening. – #4 MAD MISTY didn’t quite offer enough of a late punch to earn an upgrade last time; however, she was boxed in and prevented from advancing or building momentum from the 5/16 to the 1/8 pole which mightn’t have helped her chances; she has a game attitude and is entitled to respect today. – There was plenty to like about #7 DIVINE MOUSSE’s debut second last month; major player second out. – Although #8 ULTRA CAMEO did check slightly going into the far turn at Delaware last time, it’s a stretch to say that that was the reason she was beaten 40L; suspect today’s cut back in trip will be to her benefit, but she does have questions to answer. |
| Race 7: OC40k/N2X Allowance, 3YO+, 1 1/16 Miles, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #9 NEXT LEVEL | Handicap, CNL, 1 1/16M, Firm Turf, 08/22/26 – 6th | Unhurried; tracked even pace from ~7-9L back on rail racing to far turn; crept slightly closer under patient handling behind horses racing to upper stretch, then found himself in terrible traffic shortly after straightening and was forced to check hard ~1/8 pole when seemingly still full of run; got clear late but his chance was already gone. | His two-back effort preceding a nice win on the dirt last time:
A very troubled stretch run; it’s tough to say where he’d have finished with a clean trip, but he appeared to have run at the time of interference and one suspects he could have gone close to hitting the board at least; upgrade this effort; player. |
| #10 DYNACITO | Allowance, LRL, 1 1/16M, Good Turf, 09/26/26 – 6th | Broke sharp; slim lead on rail rounding first turn, then lost the lead as rival went on with things entering back stretch; pulled hard chasing fast pace to far turn; regained slim lead between foes 2W far turn, then came under a strong ride ~1/4 pole when a head in front; gamely continued to respond to his rider’s urgings through the lane and held on for a neck victory. | It was impressive that he managed to get the win here considering he wasted energy pulling while also forming part of a fast early pace (23.42, 48.10); he was very game in the lane and if settling/rationing out his speed a little more efficiently today, he may be capable of offering more again. |
| Other Notes:
– In his last start on turf (08/28/26), #2 MY IMAGINATION made an early move into a fast pace which resulted in him getting to within a length of the lead in upper stretch and then tiring again late on; a better-timed ride may see him step forward on that effort getting back to turf today. – #1A WRITE OFF JERRY exits a muddling race at Belmont that featured a strong early pace; while the pace did play to his advantage, he still ran very well to snatch 4th after weaving through traffic in the stretch, and although he may be a little pace dependent back at 1 1/16 miles today, he has to be respected. |
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| Race 8: Maiden Claiming 25k, 2YO, 1 Mile, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– #1 SPEED FOCUSED ran a much-improved race to finish second when stretched out to a mile last time and he’s not discounted today; it should be noted, however, that he’s broken from the outside post in his last two starts and not faced any kick-back, and he’s likely to face a different set of circumstances with the rail draw today. – #3 HIS FRIESAN FIRE stumbled badly at the start sprinting last time which didn’t help his chances at all; he ran evenly but failed to recover thereafter; stretches out in trip with more to offer today. – #4 JACK RABBITNESS appeared out of his comfort zone when setting a pressured early pace at Delaware last time and may be better suited by the more controlled nature of a mile distance race today; he also lugged out on the turn; blinkers on; respected. |
Horses to Follow
R7: NEXT LEVEL (8/1 ML)
Prior to producing a very stylish win over the main track here three weeks ago, G1 placed performer NEXT LEVEL had suffered a troubled trip when making his debut for McMahon on the turf at Colonial. As he’s proven in the past, he’s capable of much more on grass than that 76 Beyer suggests, and with his confidence high, he should be able to outrun his odds in today’s seventh.
