Video preview of the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic.
The BC Classic will be held at Keeneland on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.
Video preview of the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic.
The BC Classic will be held at Keeneland on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.
Video analysis of the Turf Pick 3 at Santa Anita Park on Monday, October 12, 2026.
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The Monday, October 12 card at Santa Anita features a $3 Turf Pick 3 covering Races 5, 7, and 9. The sequence begins with a $25,000 claiming event for fillies and mares, continues with the $80,000 Swingtime Stakes, and concludes with an optional claiming turf sprint.
In this preview, I’ll use the Complete Digest data to evaluate the top contenders for each race.
The first leg of the Turf Pick 3 is a $25,000 claiming race for fillies and mares, restricted to non-winners of two lifetime.
Jenny’s Wine Girl has the strongest projected Digest numbers.
Looking at her last six starts, she recorded ratings of 104, 116, 114, 120, 116, and 122.
That sequence illustrates both her potential and her vulnerability. She is coming off her best effort in the series of races, but her ratings have fluctuated considerably. If she reproduces her latest 122, she could be tough to beat. A regression, however, would leave the door open for her rivals.
Jenny’s Wine Girl is adding blinkers and appears capable of securing a forward position. She fits well on the projected figures and class ratings, making her a leading contender.
Watch Over Us is particularly interesting because she has made only two career starts.
She won her six-furlong maiden claiming debut at Los Alamitos by more than three lengths, earning a 108 final-time rating. She then moved to the turf at Del Mar for a five-furlong sprint and finished third, beaten five lengths, while finishing a length behind Jenny’s Wine Girl. She earned a 113 rating in that race.
That second effort suggests she may be capable of improving with experience.
Trainer Peter Miller is effective with turf sprinters, and jockey Joel Rosario has a strong record riding for the barn. Watch Over Us needs to make up only a small amount of ground on Jenny’s Wine Girl, and further improvement could make her a serious threat.
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Video analysis of the Grade 2, $400,000 Franklin Stakes at Keeneland on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
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Video analysis of the Pick 6 sequence at Santa Anita Park on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.
This is not an easy sequence, but there are several horses worth building tickets around, including a few potential value plays.
For this analysis, I’m using the Complete Digest, which provides projected speed figures, final-time ratings, class information, and other handicapping statistics.
Let’s break down each leg of Sunday’s Pick 6.
Race conditions: $30,000 claiming, non-winners of three lifetime, fillies and mares, one mile on turf.
The Pick 6 begins with a claiming turf route. Santa Anita’s track profile at this distance shows that midpack runners have won approximately 34% of races, followed by pressers at 26%, front-runners at just under 24%, and rear runners at approximately 16%.
The speed and pace projections give With Love an advantage in the Fire Number and Comprehensive Performance Rating (CPR) categories. Motet has the best projected Fast Fig, while With Love and Eternal Reign share the top final-time rating of 125.
After looking at the numbers and pst performnces, my top choice is No. 9 Motet for trainer Peter Miller.
Motet’s final-time ratings have improved in each of his last three starts. He earned a 107 on May 31, then improved to a 113 when winning a $25,000 claiming race for non-winners of two lifetime at Del Mar.
Miller claimed the horse following that victory and moved him into a $32,000 claiming event at Del Mar. Motet finished a respectable third at one mile on turf (122 final rating), and Hector Berrios returns to ride.
Berrios has a strong record with Miller, winning nine of their 32 starts together. Miller also has encouraging statistics with horses making their second start after a claim.
Motet possesses tactical speed, and his improving numbers suggest he can deliver another quality effort. With those factors in mind, he’s my top choice and a horse I like quite a bit in this opening leg.
With Love and Eternal Reign are logical alternatives. Motet could be a possible single for players looking to keep their tickets affordable, although I prefer some coverage in this race.
Race conditions: $12,500 maiden claiming, California-bred fillies and mares, one mile on dirt.
No. 4 Unusual Craving dominates the projected speed and pace figures, posting the best Fire Number, CPR, Fast Fig, and final-time rating in the field.
The class drop makes Unusual Craving a major contender. However, I’m going with No. 3 Last Chance Darcy as my top choice.
Last Chance Darcy should show speed for trainer Aggie Ordonez, with Armando Ayuso aboard.
Last Chance Darcy earned an 87 final-time rating when dropping to the $12,500 maiden claiming level last time out. That race came at six furlongs, where she dueled for the lead before weakening to finish fourth.
The move to one mile could make a difference. If she can establish a comfortable pace, there’s a chance the horse will carry that speed farther and remain competitive through the stretch.
Unusual Craving is certainly dangerous. The horse is dropping in class and has shown competitive projected figures. The main question is how well Unusual Craving will handle the main track after previously racing on turf.
Both horses belong on Pick 6 tickets.
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With rain a possibility this weekend, bettors should pay close attention to the weather and any surface changes. Several runners have established turf credentials, while others could become more appealing if the race moves to the main track.
Usha enters the Franklin Stakes after winning a six-furlong stakes race on the Churchill Downs main track. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Flavien Prat, she brings established dirt form and a strong jockey-trainer combination.
Her past performances include a Grade 1 La Brea Stakes victory at seven furlongs, but her recent speed figures have declined. After earning a 152 final-time rating in that win, she recorded figures of 141, 138, 125, 122 and 123.
The biggest question is her lack of turf experience. Her sire, Tiz the Law, has a reported 14% first-time turf winner rate, while her dam has produced three winners from as many starters but none on turf.
Usha could show early speed from the inside post, especially with blinkers being added. However, she will need to improve her recent numbers to compete with the best in this field.
If the race moves to dirt, she becomes more interesting. She has five wins, two seconds and four thirds from 13 career starts on the main track.
Itzel is likely to be prominent early, but her finishing ability is a concern. She dueled for the lead before finishing 10 lengths behind in the Smart and Fancy Stakes on yielding turf.
Before that effort, she finished second in an Ellis Park stakes race at five and a half furlongs. She has also struggled at the distance, winning once from 11 attempts while recording three runner-up finishes and one third.
Itzel could influence the early pace, but she will need to improve considerably to remain competitive through the stretch.
Time to Dazzle is an appealing price contender who appears to be returning to form at the right time.
She won this race last year, rallying from off the pace to score by more than three lengths with a 147 final-time rating. Her form dipped afterward, with figures of 138, 137 and 134, but she has rebounded with consecutive runner-up finishes.
She earned a 147 rating in the Hendrie Stakes on all-weather footing and followed that with a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint.
Her recent Fire Numbers of 97 and 98 also suggest that she is performing well. With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for trainer Mark Casse, Time to Dazzle should be finishing strongly if the early pace sets things up for a closer.
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