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: 8-4-7
R2: 3-5-2
R3: 3-7-5
R4: 4-8-6
R5: 4-1A-7
R6: 1-9-5
R7: 6-3-4
R8: 2-9-7
R9: 2-5-3
Trip Notes – Recent performances that deserve an asterisk. All others: trust the past-performances.
| Race 1: Claiming 16k, 3YO+, 1 1/16 Miles, Turf |
| Other notes:
– #2 QUAIN was undeniably aided by setting glacial fractions of 25.81, 51.40 on his way to wiring a group of maiden claimers last out – downgrade. – #5 BAD BOY BLAZE overcame a slightly wider than ideal trip when running well (3rd) at Colonial last time. – While accepting that he had a favorable pace to run at and the bug weight off his back, it should be noted that #7 KEEN TALENT lost more ground with his wide trip than the neck margin he was beaten in his most recent try on turf; he then made up an impressive amount of ground in just an evenly paced affair on the slop at CT last out; respected. – Although #8 GREY BIGGSY was a little wide on the home turn at Delaware last time, the move was actually beneficial to him considering his one-run grinding style that means building uninterrupted momentum is the key (which he wouldn’t have been able to do sitting and waiting for a run inside); player. – #11 T V CHANNEL (AE) seemingly benefited from being allowed to set a slow, uncontested pace (24.85, 50.49) when breaking his maiden at Ellis two back – possible downgrade. |
| Race 2: Claiming 7.5k, 3YO+, 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– #2 RUNNINGONHIGHLEVEL became very upset in the gate prior to his last speed-and-fade job over a mile at Thistledown (possible excuse); cutting back in trip with lasix and blinkers added could help as he makes his debut for Cox today. – There was a strong speed bias present at Colonial when #3 YES CHEF broke his maiden in wire fashion in June (his last start on dirt) – possible downgrade. |
| Race 3: Maiden Claiming 35k, 2YO (F), 5 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– All debutants. |
| Race 4: Maiden Claiming 16k, 3-6YO, 5 ½ Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #4 DANNER | Maiden Claiming 16k, CNL, 5 1/2F, 09/04/26 – 5th | Pinched, steadied shortly after start; settled ~6-7L off even pace, then took up slightly entering turn; regrouped and traveled powerfully under patient handling to 5/16; waited on heels in 2P rounding into the lane, then advanced a little under a hold; attempted to make a run through the stretch thereafter but could never find room and largely remained unasked until it was far, far too late; beaten just 2L. | Surprised the chart caller didn’t pick up on this BRUTAL trip off the layoff; it’s easy to envisage him winning this return effort with a clean trip and he’s a major player right back. |
| Other notes:
– None. |
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| Race 5: OC25k/SAL20k, 3YO+, 1 1/16 Miles, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– There were no visible reasons as to why either #2 MARCAN LOVE nor #4 FIDDLING FELIX performed below par in their respective last starts; both need to bounce back. – #3 MAJESTIC BLUE, who has clearly improved for the application of blinkers, was not persevered with when clearly going to finish 2nd at Delaware last out; a more aggressive stretch ride might see him step forward a little off that run. – #8 NO MORE CALLS did not have an adequate pace setup (24.98, 50.45) to suit his running style at Delaware last time and more can be expected of him if the pace is hotter today. |
| Race 6: The Sensible Lady Turf Dash, 3YO+ (F), 6 Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #5 GERRARDS CROSS | Galway Stakes, SAR, 5 1/2F, Yielding Turf, 08/15/26 – 3rd | Hustled from rail; set fast fractions on a clear 1L lead into the lane; set down for drive 3/16, responded but was headed ~1/8 pole; continued fighting inside but lost 2nd final jump. | This effort is deserving of a small PACE UPGRADE: she set fast fractions of 21.93, 45.89 over a YIELDING turf course, setting things up nicely for closers to fill three of the first four positions; she did well to hold 3rd and may be capable of more if rationing out her speed more efficiently back on a firm turf course. |
| #7 SECURE’S HOPE | 100k Handicap, CNL, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 08/29/26 – 3rd | Touch slow; tracked modest pace on rail early; in a little tight entering turn; came under pressure on rail as pace lifted rounding the far turn; responded, then stayed on very nicely through the lane but could not catch front pair; strong gallop out. | The modest opening ¼ in this race led to the speed holding well in this race (top two finishers including the 17/1 pacesetter ran 1-2 throughout); she therefore did very well to finish a staying on 3rd; given a stronger pace today, plus an extra 1/16, she can step forward off this effort. |
| Other notes:
– Not for the first time this year #1 SOMNIUM finished well enough going 5 1/2F at Colonial last time to suggest today’s 6F trip could be her optimum; player. – Although no sectionals were officially recorded, it seemed as though speed held well in the Incredible Revenge Stakes at Monmouth on August 01, aiding #3 OBSTREPEROUS while negatively impacting #8 LES REYS (FR) and #10 MOPO. (Horses struggled to make runs from the rear, 6/1 winner wired the field). – Not that it made a difference to the result, but #10 MOPO did have a slightly rough go of things on the home turn before going onto score at Delaware last time; a case can be made that she was a fraction better in victory than the winning margin/speed fig would suggest; player. – The strong pace and soft ground meant that closers dominated this year’s Smart and Fancy Stakes at Saratoga – possible downgrade for #9 LE AMAZONIA? |
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| Race 7: Allowance, 3YO+ (F) ®, 6 Furlongs, Dirt |
| Other Notes:
– #4 HEY ALEXA received favorable pace setups two and three back, but that was not the case last time: the pace was even and speed held relatively well, yet ‘HA’ still managed to level off very nicely in the stretch and run the leader down, making it three in a row; she’s continuing to progress and left the impression she mightn’t have peaked quite yet. – Although ridden out, the crop was never lifted on #6 RERUN TABLE when she scored by 6L last time; she could have more to offer again and demands huge respect off a brief freshening. |
| Race 8: The Laurel Dash, 3YO+, 6 Furlongs, Turf | |||
| Horse | Race | Trip | Note |
| #8 CREED’S VISION | Allowance, CNL, 6F, Firm Turf, 08/09/26 – 2nd | Clean break; settled under a tight hold inside ~3L off even pace racing into the turn; under a tight hold on heels in traffic passing ¼ and rounding into the lane; still didn’t have any running room in upper stretch, so sacrificed ground and momentum by sharply angling off heels into the center of the track; 6L off the lead and seemingly with no chance ~1/8 pole, then finished like a man possessed down the center, full of run, but missed. | His two back effort:
A BRUTAL stretch run, he should have won this race by a street, and his effort can be upgraded notably; capable of much more. |
| Other notes:
– #2 WITTY did well to finish as close as he did at Colonial last time considering the pace was even (not rapid, as he’d have liked); he could be very dangerous back at 6F today with the long stretch to help, especially if the pace is hot. – #6 FIERCE AND STRONG didn’t do enough to earn an upgrade last out, but he was pinched and shuffled back while wide ~3/8 pole, which didn’t help his chances. |
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| Race 9: Maiden Claiming 35k, 3-6YO, 1 1/16 Miles, Dirt |
| Other notes:
– Not sure that #5 PEA RIDGE was entirely in love with the kickback after breaking from the rail in his comeback at Timonium last time; still, he ran with credit over the heavily SPEED BIASED track and shouldn’t be entirely discounted stepping up in trip this afternoon. |
Horses to Follow
R4: DANNER
Having shown strong signs of potential last year, DANNER’s return effort off the layoff when dropped in for 16k at Colonial last time would, on the face of it, appear disappointing. However, the replay shows that he suffered a torrid trip in that race, hardly coming off the bridle, and it’s not crazy to argue that he could have scored with a smoother passage. Second back today with a trouble-free run, he could be very tough to stop in today’s fourth.
R6: SOMNIUM
A half-sister to both 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Champion CARAVEL and Mid-Atlantic legend WITTY – who will be gunning for his tenth stakes success in today’s eighth – the now 4yo SOMNIUM has stepped forward nicely this year, winning two of her five starts while also holding her own in a pair of tough stake events. She’s been finishing her races in a manner to suggest she mightn’t have peaked quite yet either, and today’s 6F trip could unlock that extra potential. She already fits with these gals and a smooth trip from the rail can see her take today’s Sensible Lady Turf Dash.
