Top pick selections for all races at Laurel Park today, plus select trip notes and three horses to follow. Good luck!
Make sure to check out the fantastic daily handicapping guide put together by the MJC Team via THIS LINK.
Race Selections
R1: 4-6-7
R2: 2-1-7
R3: 4-5-3
R4: 4-3-6
R5: 5-8-4
R6: 10-8-12
R7: 4-1-3
R8: 6-3-4
R9: 7-8-2
Trip Notes – Recent performances that deserve an asterisk. All others: trust the past-performances.
Race 1: Claiming 12k, 3YO+, 6 Furlongs, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| #6 CHASE A DREAM | Claiming 12k, LRL, 5 1/2F, Fast Dirt, 11/14/25 – 9th | Took an age to get into stride having taken a hefty bump at the break and trailed throughout. | Same pattern we saw in his early starts: if he breaks and gets daylight, he runs; if he doesn’t, he shuts down. Here he missed the break, had horses/kickback in his face, and basically refused to travel. The jock looked down early, found no issue, and then kept riding, so this wasn’t a physical or tack problem — just him being him. TOSS the race — he’s better than this, but he absolutely needs to break. |
| Other notes:
– Although the pace was hot and the track was playing fair, speed held very well in the race that #1 ELLINGER, #2 WORLD ON FIRE, #4 OLEG and #6 CHASE A DREAM exit. – The chart comment regarding #5 YERCAN MARO’s last starts suggests he had a troubled trip but that was not the case. He lacked speed, then closed into a fast pace while 3W. A good trip. – Speed held very well in #7 NOT SO HOLY’s last race. |
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Race 2: Claiming 12k, 3YO+, 1 Mile, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| #1 REPEATINGOFCOURSE | Claiming 12k, LRL, 1 1/16M, Fast Dirt, 10/18/25 – 2nd | Showed great athleticism to recover from a bad stumble at the break, quickly gathering stride and shooting through along the rail to take the early lead; traveled well setting honest fractions with ~1.5L lead to ~1/4 pole, then received challenges from three rivals at the top of the lane; responded well to pressure and gamely turned all but one of them back through the lane. | Did well to hold 2nd having set a fast pace that slightly favored closers (small) PACE UPGRADE. The bad stumble at the break didn’t hinder him greatly in hindsight, but it likely didn’t help him either. Could be very dangerous (capable of more) if able to set softer fractions in front today. |
| Other notes:
– #7 REAL TALENTED was able to set a modest pace on an uncontested lead while riding a significant speed bias to victory last time. DOWNGRADE that effort. |
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Race 3: OC20K/SAL12K, 3YO+F, 1 1/16 Mile, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| #1 GIRVINIZED | Allowance, PEN, 1M, Fast Dirt, 11/13/25 – 6th | Broke very awkwardly, causing the rider to loose the stirrups, and gave the field a large head start; she then trailed throughout. | Her chance was significantly dented at the start and provided she breaks better today, we should see more from her. |
| #6 SOLVING PROGRESS | Starter Alw, LRL, 1 1/16M, Firm Turf, 10/26/25 – 5th | She was restrained leaving the inside gate and held up in a detached last, ~12L+ off the slow pace racing to the 1/2m pole; began to creep closer in hand on the outside of horses racing into and around the turn; straightened for the drive ~6L back in the 4-5P, then angled further out into the center and rallied well but missed. | No idea why a speed horse was taken in hand early and dropped to a detached last — not the jock’s best ride. Still closed into a slow pace while wide on the far turn. UPGRADE this effort. |
| #7 VODKATINI | Starter Alw, LRL, 1M, Firm Turf, 11/15/25 – 5th | Having broken cleanly from gate 8, she was caught 4-5W and without cover racing in mid-pack to the far turn; came under pressure while 3W on the far turn but failed to respond and dropped back racing to the ¼ pole, then steadied slightly when in tight at the top of the lane; from there, she had no more to offer. | Never looked like a winner, but she did have a rough turf trip — 3–5 wide without cover to the top of the lane, then a slight steady. A rebound in her figure back on dirt wouldn’t surprise. |
| Other notes:
– #2 PAM PAM benefited from a speed bias two-back, then raced against the closer bias last time (not sure it made much difference/explained her speed figure drop, though; she looked flat throughout). |
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Race 4: MD-Bred Allowance, 3YO+, 6 Furlongs, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| #3 CHANGE MY WORLD | Allowance, LRL, 6F, Fast Dirt, 11/14/25 – 3rd | Chased the modest pace from ~1L back between horses in the 2P racing to ~3/8 pole, then dropped back slightly, was shaken up, jumped back on the bridle but had nowhere to go; waited in behind tiring foes in the 2-3P from the ¼ pole to 3/16 pole and was shuffled back slightly, then found room and finished willingly for 3rd but had far too much to do. | Seems he’d almost certainly have finished closer if he hadn’t had to wait under a hold behind tiring rivals at the top of the lane. Slightly UPGRADE this effort. |
| Other notes:
– #1 WICKEDDIVINE sat a notably wide trip last time – #4 GREAT HEAVENS had a tough trip when finishing 2nd to the re-opposing CHANGE MY WORLD on 10/10/25. |
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Race 5: Maiden Claiming 16k, 2YO, 5 ½ Furlongs, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| #5 HOPPETOSSE | Maiden Claiming 16k, LRL, 5 1/2F, Fast Dirt, 10/25/25 – 6th | Having broken from the outside gate (11), he chased the even pace from ~3L back in the clear ~4-5 wide racing to ~1/4 pole; floated out ~6W+ at the top of the lane, then finished willingly (with a game attitude) to ~1/16th pole before tiring and losing a few positions late on. | Sat a very wide trip – UPGRADE this effort. |
| Other notes:
– #6 EL PAPACITO bobbled at the break last time, but it made no difference to his trip/the result. |
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Race 6: Maiden Claiming 12k, 3-6YO+, 6 Furlongs, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| Other notes:
– Although the pace was hot, speed held very well in #7 FINAL OFFER’s last race. – The chart comment notes how #11 MOONLIT FROST ‘steadied along ¾ to 5/8’; while this did happen to an extent as he raced very awkwardly (looked to be keen and lugging out a little), he never had to check or loose position and it made little difference to the result or trip. – Other runners’ recent rips have been clean, and their results/figures seem fair reflections of their current abilities. |
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Race 7: OC 40K, 3YO+, 1 1/16 Miles, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| #1 LES GRIS | Starter Alw, BAQ, 1 1/16M, Firm Turf, 10/18/25 – 8th | He was bumped on both sides leaving the gate, then pulled hard while 4W heading into the first turn; eventually settled ~3L off the honest pace and held this position to the far turn, then came under pressure but lacked a turn of foot and dropped back; hit the top of the stretch ~5L down in the 3P, then finished evenly inside before steadying very late. | Pulled early and never really quickened late, but stayed on — probably would’ve been better closer to the pace. Also had to steady near the wire, costing a length and a couple spots. Not a terrible turf trip, but not one that let him show his best. A figure bump back on dirt wouldn’t surprise. |
| #4 MAGICAL WAYS | Allowance, BAQ, 1M, Firm Turf, 09/27/25 – 8th | Settled on the rail ~6L off the even pace racing to the far turn; the rider then nudged on him to keep the revs up while waiting behind horses on the run to the top of the stretch; found a nice rail opening at the top of the lane, cut the corner and came under a ride when still ~6L back, then finished well along the inside but had too much to do. | Speed was gold on the turf course this day and the top three finishers in this race (at odds of 12/1, 5/1 and 20/1) ran 1-2-3 throughout. He did best of the closers despite being unable to build momentum on the far turn which deserves an UPGRADE. (Slow pace compromised his chances two-back as well). Back on dirt today. |
| Other notes:
– #5 PIRATE sat close to a slow pace that held up well last time – DOWNGRADE that effort. – #7 CROSSLAND found himself in a little tight between horses in deep stretch last time which might have cost him 2nd (he was only a neck behind the runner up at the wire). It did not cost him more than a length though, and he was never beating the re-opposing #3 HAGRID’S FLAME. |
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Race 8: OC 55K/C, 3YO+F, 6 Furlongs, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE | |||
| #2 GOODNIGHTNGODBLESS | Allowance, LRL, 6F, Fast Dirt, 09/26/25 – 4th | Chased the modest pace from ~6L back into the turn, then dropped further back under a ride as the pace lifted in front; passed the ¼ pole ~10L behind, then cut the corner into the stretch and rallied late but had far too much to do. | Was never really involved, but he did make up ground late and close into a slow pace that held well (top three finishers ran 1-2-3 throughout) on a heavily speed favoring track – UPGRADE this effort. | |||
| #6 PASSAGE EAST | Starter Alw, BAQ, 6 1/2F, Fast Dirt, 10/18/25 – 3rd | Four runner race. Was unhurried from the gate; tracked the modest pace from ~2L back in the 2-3P to ~5/16 pole; eased out into the clear ~5W and came under a ride but failed to advance with any significance; straightened for the drive still ~2L back, then finished evenly for 3rd, lacking the pace to truly threaten. | Was slightly pace compromised (slow pace held well; produced an even finish but lacked the gears to truly threaten late) while wide throughout (UPGRADE). Expect more if the predicted fast pace materializes this afternoon. | |||
| Other notes: None | ||||||
Race 9: Claiming 40k, 3YO+F, 6 Furlongs, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP | NOTE |
| #5 ROSE GOLD CANDY | Claiming 25k, DEL, 6F, Fast Dirt, 09/18/25 – 1st | She was unhurried, lacked speed and dropped to rear early; chased the modest pace from 5L back into the turn, then began a smooth advance around horses in the 5P+ racing to the top of the lane; straightened for the drive ~4L back 5W, then shifted further out into the 7P and rallied strongly to win comfortably going away. | Closed into a slow pace that held well while wide (UPGRADE) and won easily going away in the end (had more to offer). Wouldn’t be a surprise if she improved again off this career best effort. |
| #7 OBLIGING | Allowance, LRL, 5 1/2F, Firm Turf, 10/05/25 – 5th | She was shuffled back from between horses a little racing into the turn, chased the pace from ~5L back on the rail to the ¼ pole, shifted out into the 3P at the top of the stretch, then tried to advance between horses (when seemingly full of run) but was shut off and forced to steady; dropped back, recovered, then offered a late rally but had far too much to do. | Ended up farther back than the rider seemed to want, then had to steady at a key moment before finishing with some late interest. Not a perfect trip, and speed held — the top two ran 1-2 all the way at 5/1 and 7/1. This effort didn’t let her show her best. |
| Other notes:
– #8 NANCY MARY sat a slightly wide trip last time. |
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Horses to Follow
R5: HOPPETOSSE (2/1 ML)
HOPPETOSSE couldn’t build on his career-best effort from two starts ago when beaten as the 2/1 favorite in his first start as a gelding last time, but he was parked so wide throughout that it’s hard to take the result — or the resulting 23 Beyer — at face value. With John “Jerry” Robb’s barn continuing to fire on all cylinders (5-for-last-13, 38%, $5.03 ROI), another chance can be given to this gelding off that compromised run as he now finds himself in another winnable-looking spot going 5 1/2 furlongs.
R7: MAGICAL WAYS (2/1 ML)
MAGICAL WAYS is equally capable on turf or dirt and has been holding his own in some tough New York spots this year. He’s been forced to race against the flow in both of his recent turf starts yet far from disgraced, most recently closing from the rear to finish just 1 1/4 lengths fourth in a race where the top three ran 1-2-3 throughout — and those rivals returned to fire Beyers of 91, 87, and 90 next time. Dropping into a softer spot today with what should be a more honest pace to run at, he’s better than he’s been able to show recently, and if he can transfer either of those upgradable efforts back to the dirt, he should go very close in the seventh.
R9: OBLIGING (6/1 ML)
OBLIGING has run two solid races sprinting on dirt since Claudio Gonzalez claimed her in May, finishing second and first with Beyers of 56 and 66. She then ran a better-than-looks race on turf last time, ending up farther back than her rider seemed to want before having to steady at a key moment, yet still finishing with late interest in a race where speed held and the top two ran 1-2 all the way at 5/1 and 7/1. Now switching back to dirt and dropping into claiming company, she draws a good outside post in a race without much pace, giving her the chance to get forward early. With apprentice rider Jose Vargas taking 7lbs off, she looks well spotted to run a big race.
