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: 9-7-6
R2: 6-5-1
R3: 1-5-6
R4: 6-7-1
R5: 10-2-1
R6: 5-3-9
R7: 3-6-2
R8: 5-2-6
R9: 3-7-4
Trip Notes – Recent performances that deserve an asterisk. All others: trust the past-performances.
| Race 1: Maiden Claiming 35k, 3-6YO, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Notes |
| #2 PATUXENT | Maiden Claiming 40k, TIM, 6 1/2F, Fast Dirt, 08/29/26 – 2nd | Broke cleanly, then dropped back to chase the even pace from ~4L back on the rail racing to the 3/8; came under a ride and responded but then found himself in tight along the rail ~1/4 and was forced to steady; dropped back and lost momentum, then switched out 3W and gamely re-rallied into 2nd but had no chance of catching winner and was not persevered with late on. | His trouble and subsequent loss of momentum and ground couldn’t have come at a more inopportune moment, and he might have actually gone relatively close with a better trip and more vigorous ride in the stretch; switches to turf with more to offer. |
| Other notes:
– Although the posted fractions in #3 MANTUA MAN’s lone turf start in June 2025 were fast (21.74, 45.15), speed actually held well with the top three finishers (including MM) filling those spots throughout; returns off lengthy break today. – #5 NOTION IN MOTION and #9 REPURPOSE were both somewhat aided by being forwardly placed in a slowly run race that saw speed hold well last time (23.35, 46.28); however, REPURPOSE can also be seen as a slightly unlucky loser as he was 3W on the turn and 2 1/2L back at first call, then just failed to get by the wire winner; whatever the case, he in particular ran well and should play a significant role again today. – #6 TOTAL MISCHIEF sat a wider-than-ideal trip on debut (his lone turf start); contender getting back to grass. |
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| Race 2: Claiming 12.5k, 3YO+, 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– There was a very strong speed bias present at Timonium when #7 FAYES HEART posted his career best Beyer courtesy of a forward trip three back. |
| Race 3: MSW, 2YO, 1 1/16 Miles, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #1 THE WRATH OF DAVID | MSW, LRL, 1M, Good Turf, 09/26/26 – 3rd | Slight bobble start; recovered quickly, then raced erratically into and around the first turn, hard to control; eventually settled into a nice rhythm entering back stretch and stalked the even pace from ~2L back into far turn; came under a ride and responded racing to the top of the lane, then lacked room from ~3/16 to 1/8; lost a little momentum and had to switch out, then ran on again but was nabbed for 2nd. | He managed to earn the show honors in this race despite a slightly troubled trip and signs that he is still immature and green; seems capable of offering more today. |
| Other notes:
– With blinkers added, #5 BISHOP MOON did not settle that well last out and wasted energy pulling over the ‘yielding’ turf; he was then bumped twice in the stretch when on the retreat, slightly exacerbating the margin of defeat; there are ways in which he can step forward today. – Racing with blinkers on and his crown jewels off, #6 LOVE AFICIONADO put forth a much-improved effort sprinting on the dirt (seemingly his lesser preferred surface) last time while also shaping like today’s stretch out could suit him well; respected. – #10 ADHIRAJ lost all chance (he was lucky not to be brought down) entering the first turn on debut and we can toss his effort; it’s maybe best to treat him as a debutant. |
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| Race 4: Claiming 7.5k, 3YO+ (F), 7 Furlongs, Dirt | |||
| Race | Trip | Note | |
| #8 VALERIE STREET | Claiming 12k, LRL, 6F, Fast Dirt, 10/09/26 – 6th | Bumped start; vied between early, then dropped back chasing the even pace inside from ~2L back under pressure to the top of the lane; responded to pressure, cut the corner into the stretch, then looked to be coming with a menacing run but was put in very tight ~3/16 pole and forced to check, ending all chance. | Returning off a layoff and maybe not quite at peak fitness, she looked to be coming with a run that would have seen her hit the board here but endured a troubled stretch run; a clean trip second back could see her play a role at 7F today and she’s not discounted. |
| Other notes:
– #1 MARGARET P sat a notably wide trip on the turn last time and the ground loss arguably cost her a position or two; she ran well regardless and is respected dropping back to 7F and down in class. – Cut back to 6 ½F at Timonium, #7 IAMDEPENDINGONYOU ran a nice race last time considering she didn’t have that much pace to run at; a well run 7F today could see her to good effect. – Although #6 SHARE SUCCESS did steady at the 3/8 pole last time, she had already lost position and was very much on the back foot at the time, and we cannot put her poor effort down to the steady; she needs to bounce back. |
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| Race 5: N1X Allowance, 3YO+, 1 Mile, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #1 SE THAR BARR | Allowance, LRL, 1 1/16M, Good Turf, 09/26/26 – 4th | Lacked speed from inside post; chased honest pace on rail into first turn, then took a firm hold and pulled racing to the 5/8 pole; nudged on to get closer approaching far turn and did so; tracked in the pocket from ~2L back inside to 5/16, then was shuffled way back as a foe retreated in front of him racing to upper stretch; turned for home ~4-5L back, then switched out, came under a ride and finished willingly but had too much to do. | There was no rhythm to his trip here and the losing of momentum and position on the far turn definitely cost him; he did well to pick back up and run on again in the lane and could have gone close with a smoother, better trip; he seems capable of more and demands respect today. |
| #10 PATROL SQUAD SIX | Allowance, ELP, 1 1/16M, Firm Turf, 08/15/26 – 7th | Chased fast pace from 2-3L back on the rail to far turn; dropped back a little racing to the top of the lane, then cut the corner into the stretch and finished evenly inside until short of room and forced to steady late on. | This wasn’t a terrible trip; however, the combination of him sitting close to the taxing early pace (22.92, 46.27) and then lacking room and steadying late on, meant that his end result and margin of defeat were exacerbated; things did not play out to his favor and he’s seemingly capable of more; makes debut for Stidham today. |
| Other notes:
– #2 MERITORIOUS was ultra game to endure a good ¼ mile stretch battle and win off a 530-day layoff last time; he could play another major role today if stripping fitter for that run. – There’s no denying that #4 CONTRIBUTION ran well in his last turf start at Fair Grounds in February, but he did also benefit from a favorable pace setup that day (as was also the case in his other turf start last December); makes debut for Neilson off layoff today. – #5 PENDAR and #6 LEX’S GAME both sat a wider-than-ideal trips last time, although that was not the reason either were beaten, and both runners will need more today. – While he was probably best anyway, it should be noted that #7 VAYA JEFE took full advantage of being allowed to set an uncontested, controlled pace last time before going onto score; he’s still worthy of major respect this afternoon, though he may find things trickier if taken on for the lead. – Similarly to above, #8 D’ORO CAVALLO benefited from being allowed to set an uncontested, controlled pace last time; he’ll find things more difficult today facing winners for the first time. |
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| Race 6: Claiming 16k, 3YO+, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #3 BALTIC | Allowance, MTH, 5 1/2F, 09/12/26 – 4th | Bumped hard start, away slowly in last; worked forward to chase leading trio from 6L back racing into the turn; held position under pressure approaching the top of the lane, then finished with late interest but had way too much to do. | His two-back effort prior to a gutsy win at Delaware last week:
Speed was good on the turf all meet at Monmouth and this race was no different (top three finishers filled those positions throughout; 4-of-5 races this day were won in gate-to-wire fashion); he, therefore – while facing winners for the first time – did well to finish as close as he did after taking a very hard bump at the start and racing against the ‘flow. |
| #5 GIMME TWO SHOTS | Claiming 16k, LRL, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 09/11/26 – 5th | Dueled through solid fractions between horses in the 3P racing to the top of the lane, then battled on gamely to the wire but faded late on. | His two-back effort prior to a smooth-trip win two weeks ago:
The hot pace that he contested in this race collapsed, which, considering that he was also losing ground three wide on the turn, makes his 2 ½ length defeat very admirable; upgrade this effort. |
| Other notes:
– A horse who has been struggling to carry his good route speed to the wire at two-turns recently, #2 MISTER WOODFORD leaves the impression that he could be effective cut back in trip as a closing sprinter. – #7 WHENEVERUREMEMBER was very headstrong and essentially pulled his chance away when stretched out to a mile last time; he should benefit from returning to 5 1/2F; player getting class relief. – #8 SKYRUSH formed part of a fast pace that collapsed going 6F at Belmont last time; he can offer more if rationing out his speed more efficiently back at 5 1/2F. – #9 BLUE SUEDE HOOVES pulled while close enough to a hot pace (22.49, 46.98) around two-turns over a soft turf course last time; unsurprisingly (when you consider his previous route attempts), he failed to get home that day and more can be expected of him now cutting back to 5 1/2F. – #11 STONE COLD JONES benefited from a perfect trip and setup when posting a career best effort here two-back (his last start on turf), possibly reducing the likelihood of him reproducing that exact level of form today. – #12 ARCHIMEDES showed a very likable attitude to win last out: he vied 3W early; dropped back off duel while 3W turn; brushed with foe upper stretch, then rallied very gamely between foes to get up. Makes debut for Farrior today. |
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| Race 7: MSW, 3-6YO, 1 1/16 Miles, Dirt |
| Other Notes:
– After taking a bump at the start, #1 MO LAKE TIME was far too headstrong (and wide) to stay 1 1/16M on the turf last time; she’ll likely need to settle better to last the distance today. – Regarding the DRF chart for #5 DUTCHMAN’S MAP’s last start, it incorrectly lists her as being 17 1/2L back at first call when in actual fact she was never worse than 4-5L back. – Not sure it actually made a difference to the result, but #6 SPRESSO MAR was shuffled back a little on the far turn and then briefly lacked room in upper stretch last out, neither of which aided her chances; returns to dirt with blinkers added today. |
| Race 8: N1X Allowance, 3YO+, 1 1/16 Miles, Dirt | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #6 BRUNO | Allowance, CNL, 6F, Fast Dirt, 09/04/26 – 1st | Stalked even pace while 4-5W racing to the ¼ pole, then came under a strong ride and gradually wore shown his rivals in the lane, scoring by a comfortable 1/2L. | He sat a notably wide trip in this race and was also racing very slightly against the track bias (speed was good; the next four finishers behind him were closer to the even pace and saving more ground throughout); we shouldn’t upgrade this effort in a big way, but we should note that he was a little better than the 1/2L margin suggests; stretches right out to two-turns today. |
| Other notes:
– Having opened up at the top of the lane and then received one tap with the crop ~3/16 pole, #2 MUGATU simply cruised to he wire under a hand ride when winning last time; he seemed to win with something in reserve and may be capable of more again. – #4 FORREST CITY formed part of a slow pace (25.44, 50.04) that held well last time – possible small downgrade? – There was a speed bias present when #7 PEA RIDGE broke his maiden courtesy of a forward trip last time; view that formline cautiously. |
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| Race 9: OC35k/SAL28k, 3YO+ (F), 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #2 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 threaten. | Her two-back effort preceding an excusable non-effort on the dirt last time (didn’t handle surface):
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 she also lost plenty of ground racing wide on the far turn; all things considered, she did well to finish as close as she did; cuts back in trip today. |
| Other notes:
– #7 BALLYCURRIN ran a respectable race last time, faring second best of the speed in a fast-paced affair; she’s respected off that effort. |
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Horses to Follow
R1: REPURPOSE
Trainer Keri Brion fitted REPURPOSE (GB) with blinkers when the son of TOO DARN HOT (GB) made his debut for the barn last out and he responded kindly to them, finishing just a neck behind the gate-to-wire winner despite having been caught three-wide on the turn. Although he’s drawn out on the wing again today, a repeat of that last effort should make him tough in the opener.
R7: PATROL SQUAD SIX
PATROL SQUAD SIX has been freshened since he was last seen finishing a better-than-looks seventh at Ellis — a race in which he sat close to a sizzling early pace before steadying in the stretch — and has reportedly been training right along at Delaware in preparation for his debut for new trainer Michael Stidham. A smooth forward trip from gate ten should make him very competitive facing fractionally softer competition in today’s fifth.
