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: 10-4-8
R2: 5-3-6
R3: 5-11-10
R4: 2-7-4
R5: 11-9-1
R6: 6-8-10
R7: 3-10-9
R8: 2-1-8
R9: 3-5-2
Trip Notes – Recent performances that deserve an asterisk. All others: trust the past-performances.
| Race 1: MSW, 2YO, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Notes |
| #10 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. |
| Other notes:
– #7 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; switches to turf today. – #8 BELOV became quite worked up in the inside gate on debut, then took a lot of kickback in the race which, for a first out 2yo, isn’t always ideal; he still showed a willing attitude in defeat though and now switching to the turf, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him step forward. |
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| Race 2: OC40k/SAL32K, 3YO+, 7 Furlongs, Dirt | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Notes |
| #5 KALEA BAY | Allowance, CNL, 6F, Fast Dirt, 08/28/26 – 4th | Trailed even pace from ~6-7L back inside to turn; took slightly closer order 3/8, then switched out 5/16 pole (which cost him a little momentum) and came 3W into the lane, still well behind; from there, he finished well between foes but had too much to do. | Colonial’s dirt track was favoring speed all meet, and speed certainly held well in this race; he therefore did well to finish as close as he did switching from his typical tactics to race as a deep closer; he finished like 7F could suit third back. |
| Other notes:
– Although eventually beaten at a short price, #2 VINTUR deserves credit for his most recent try at Colonial given he did best of the speed in a strongly run race over testing, yielding turf; switches to dirt and moves up to 7F (which could suit well) making debut for Richards today. – #6 J C’S BOYS actually ran a super race when facing winners for the first time last out as he was asked to press the pace while losing ground 4-5W before staying on willingly late; he left the impression that he might have more to offer still. |
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| Race 3: Claiming 16k, 3YO+ (F), 1 1/16 Miles, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #11 PRETTY LAVISH | Starter Allowance, SAR, 1 1/8M, Firm Turf, 08/02/26 – 5th | Raced awkwardly, pulled, rank while settled ~5L off the SLOW pace racing to the far turn; tipped outside far turn and made a 4-6W bid around horses, then stayed on willingly down the center but lacked the required late pace to run at. | She was compromised by the slow pace (25.82, 51.73) in this race in more ways than one (failed to settle, then lacked pace late) and also lost plenty of ground racing wide on the far turn; all things considered, she did well to finish as close as she did; big player with seemingly more to offer down in class today. |
| Other notes:
– #2 ENDLESS VOW did really well to win when last seen given how much energy he wasted fighting the rider (keen) while positioned close to the hot, closer friendly pace; the next three home were all better settled and much further back early; mark that performance up a touch; returns off freshening today. – #4 BOYS GO TO JUPITER didn’t nearly do enough to earn an upgrade last out; however, the race setup was completely against her, with a slow pace leading to a very tightly bunched field (in which she was at the rear) and a sprint to the finish, and she also had to steady very slightly in the lane; she’s capable of more than that with the right setup on the right day. – The rider on #5 DIAMOND N DRESS committed to a rail run mid-turn on the dirt at Delaware last time, but the room wasn’t really there for the pair and they were forced to wait a longer than ideal when really, they’d have been advancing with momentum; switches back to turf today; contender. – While accepting that #9 TOO LOOSE TO TREK couldn’t have asked for a better rail run through last out, she still impressed when scoring at 21/1 given she went last to first in a race that did not feature a strong pace (24.73, 49.49); she’s really putting things together and could have more to offer again with more pace to run at. |
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| Race 4: Claiming 12.5k, 3YO+ (F), 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– After setting a slow, uncontested pace (24.54, 49.10; possible downgrade), #1 SPRING TRAINING opened up at the top of the lane and was set to record an easy victory but instead, after switching leads in upper stretch, she instantly switched back and lost her balance, hitting the rail notably and losing momentum; odd as it was, she did well to then stay on again late; the main thing to note is that, without her stretch antics, she would have won by a little further and so therefore, a little more could be seen from her today. – #2 DANNI’S RHYTHM ran a super race off the bench at Timonium last time, only just getting run down late after pressing an honest pace three wide; big player second back. – The rider on #3 I’MAMATERIALGIRL lost the crop ~1/8 pole last week which very possibly cost her 2nd; a solid run nevertheless; back again down in trip on short rest. |
| Race 5: Allowance, 3YO+ (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf |
| Other notes:
– #1 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 capability of bouncing back. – #8 CHARMED HOUR (MTO) hardly came out of second gear and won with any amount in hand by 9 1/4L at Timonium last time. – The chart comment makes #9 BIG EARN’s most recent trip 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. – #11 MOONBLAZE finished really nicely at Monmouth last out; she could be suited very well suited to Laurel’s long stretch. |
| Race 6: MSW, 2YO, 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– #3 WINSLOW looked to lug in on debut. |
| Race 7: Ratings Optional Claiming (75-1), 3YO+, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #10 FIERCE AND STRONG | ROC, LRL, 5 1/2F, Good Turf, 09/13/26 – 4th | Tracked even pace from ~5L back on rail to 3/8; advanced to be racing on heels, just 3-4L back rounding into the lane; briefly had room to launch a challenge but that gap disappeared again as fast as a British Prime Minister and for a good 1/16 miles he found himself pinned to the rail under a hammerlock, trying to avoid heels; finally got clear again ~1/8 pole and switched out before having to steady off heels again 1/16 pole; surged late but had way too much to do; beaten a length, full of run. | An absolutely BRUTAL trip; he really could have won this race with a clean run through, and his effort can be UPGRADED significantly; player right back if holding this level of form. |
| #11 AMOUDI BAY | Allowance, SAR, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 08/02/26 – 4th | Hustled hard start; set fast, pressured fractions on a short lead into the lane; put away his pace rivals under a drive 3/16 but could not fend off closers; stayed on well enough late to hold 4th though. | His two-back effort prior to a try at KY Downs last time (a track he did not appear to handle):
A simple pace upgrade can be awarded here as he did best of the speed in a very fast run race (21.87, 44.72; other speed horses were legit: JEAN VALJEAN, BRINGTHEBANDHOME, NOTHING BETTER); first three finishers were 6th, 7th, 8th at first call; leading pace player today. |
| Other Notes:
– #2 CACTUS found himself in an often-unideal position last out, sandwiched between rivals in a pressured spot on the front end; he ran well considering; makes debut for Maldonado today. – Although #4 FORE HARP did have to steady when the field bunched tightly ~3/8 pole last out at Penn National, it didn’t make any real difference to his overall effort or the result; lasix on today. – #6 GREEN BEANS endured a very rough stretch run at Colonial when going two-turns last time; he wasn’t a real threat at the time and we shouldn’t use the trouble as the sole reason for his defeat; however, we also shouldn’t take that result/speed fig literally; cuts back today. – #8 ALEXIS ZORBA was a little wider-than-ideal when running a gallant 2nd at Colonial last out; player. |
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| Race 8: Ratings Optional Claiming (75-1), 3YO+, 1 1/16 Miles, Dirt | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #2 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. | A very troubled stretch run here; 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; switches back to dirt today. |
| Other notes:
– Not sure it made a great deal of difference to his finishing position, but there was a slight lean to speed at Delaware on 09/05/26 which worked against #9 BRINDANO. |
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| Race 9: Maiden Claiming 25k, 2YO, 1 Mile, Turf |
| Other notes:
– #2 NOVA KICKS stayed on well enough sprinting at Colonial on debut to suggest today’s stretch out could be to his advantage. – #3 PIG TRAIL dropped back the second he was first faced with kickback rounding into the stretch on debut at Timonium; he then galloped out nicely; that run suggested today’s conditions could be more to his liking. |
Horses to Follow
R4: DANNI’S RHYTHM (2/1 ML)
DANNI’S RHYTHM ran a very encouraging second off the layoff at Timonium last out, only getting run down late after setting an honest pace in front. She scored an eleven-point improvement between her first and second starts back off the bench last year, and with only four recent works leading into her last start, there’s a chance that she’ll do the same again and be very tough to beat in today’s fourth.
R5: MOONBLAZE (5/1 ML)
MOONBLAZE has strung together four strong efforts sprinting on the turf this year, closing strongly late on at both Penn National and Monmouth – two courses which often lend a hand to speed. Laurel’s long stretch run at 5 1/2 furlongs should really play to her strengths, and she shouldn’t be overlooked at a respectable price.
R10: PIG TRAIL (6/1 ML)
Hot trainer Justin Nixon allowed PIG TRAIL to get his feet wet at Timonium three weeks ago, sending him out in a four-furlong sprint around the bullring dirt track. Other than appearing to resent the kickback somewhat, the son of VINO ROSSO put forth a pleasing debut effort, sticking to his task well and galloping out nicely. He now switches to the turf and stretches right out to a mile which, although being quite a drastic change, is a move that Nixon seemingly thinks is the right one for this juvenile. His pedigree, being a half to multiple stakes-winning turf router SALINE RIVER and with plenty of turf form on his dam’s side, supports the move too. He shouldn’t dip much below 6/1 and could be worth including on tickets.
