Video analysis of the $175,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park (6-27-26).
Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.
Friday, June 26, 2026
Japan Racing Association Turf Cup Picks (6-27-26)
Video analysis of the $125,000 Japan Racing Association Turf Cup at Laurel Park (6-27-26).
Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.
Bango Stakes 2026 Analysis (6-27-26)
Race Overview
The pace should be honest from the outset with Cornucopian and Harrodsburg expected to show early speed. Built, breaking from the outside post, figures to enjoy a stalking trip under Irad Ortiz Jr., while Dr. Venkman and Extra Anejo should settle just behind the leaders.
Main Contenders
Cornucopian (#2)
Bob Baffert’s Cornucopian remains one of the most accomplished sprinters in the field. He has won three of four starts this season, including Grade 3 victories in the San Carlos Stakes and the Aristides at Churchill Downs on May 30.
His fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes on May 2 can be forgiven against tougher competition. He owns some of the strongest recent speed figures in the race and should secure a forward position throughout beneath Flavien Prat.
If he reproduces either of his graded-stakes-winning efforts from this season, he will be a major factor from start to finish.
Extra Anejo (#5)
Extra Anejo could be the value horse underneath in vertical wagers.
The Steve Asmussen trainee made his first start in almost nine months on May 21 and should move forward in his second start of the year. He owns prior graded stakes success and has proven capable of handling the Churchill Downs surface.
Read more at Today's Racing Digest
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Stephen Foster Stakes 2026 Video Preview
Grade 1, $2 million Stephen Foster Stakes video preview.
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Saturday, June 20, 2026
Bertrando Stakes 2026 Analysis (6-20-26)
The $100,000 Bertrando Stakes headlines Saturday card at Los Alamitos Race Course, going as Race 9 for California-bred horses aged three and up. The one-mile dirt contest has attracted a compact field of six.
After reviewing the pace scenario, speed figures, and track profile, Coach Cronin emerges as the horse to beat.
Pace Scenario Favors Speed
One of the most important handicapping angles in this race is the projected pace setup.
Coach Cronin appears to be the lone true front-runner in the field, a significant advantage considering one mile races at Los Alamitos have historically favored horses racing on or near the lead. Front-runners and pressers account for the vast majority of winners at this distance, making early position especially valuable.
With little apparent pressure up front, Coach Cronin could find himself controlling the tempo from the start.
Favorite: Coach Cronin
Coach Cronin enters the Bertrando Stakes in outstanding form for trainer Bob Hess Jr. The six-year-old gelding has won five of his last seven starts and arrives off back-to-back victories at the one-mile distance.
His most recent performance was particularly impressive, as he wired the field while earning one of the strongest speed figures in the race (144 FTR). Prior to that, he scored another front-running victory at Santa Anita, confirming that his current form is no fluke.
Read more at Today's Racing Digest
Chicago Stakes 2026 Analysis (6-20-26)
The Grade 2 Chicago Stakes headlines the Churchill Downs program on Saturday night, offering a $300,000 purse for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track.
Race Overview
The seven-furlong distance often favors horses that possess both sprint speed and the stamina to finish strongly, and this year’s field includes multiple runners with established credentials at the course and distance.
Leading the way is morning-line favorite Eclatant, who enters the race in career-best form after capturing the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland (161 FTR). However, she will face stiff competition from Grade 1 winner Usha and a handful of value plays capable of upsetting the favorite.
The Favorite: Eclatant
Eclatant has developed into one of the top female sprinters in training and appears to be improving with age. The Brad Cox trainee won the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes last season and made only three starts as a three-year-old. Since returning this year, she has been perfect in two starts, culminating in an impressive Grade 1 Madison victory at the same seven-furlong distance she will face in the Chicago Stakes.
What makes Eclatant particularly dangerous is her upward trajectory. Her speed figures have improved significantly this season, and she possesses the tactical speed necessary to secure a favorable trip from the start. If she reproduces either of her last two performances, she will be extremely difficult to deny.
Read more at Today's Racing Digest
Friday, June 19, 2026
Ohio Derby 2026 Analysis (6-20-26)
Pace Scenario Favors the Favorites
One of the most important handicapping factors in this year’s Ohio Derby is the projected pace.
Unlike many graded stakes events, this race lacks a confirmed front-runner. Several horses possess tactical speed, but there does not appear to be a true pace burner signed on. That could allow horses with early positioning and proven class to control the race from the outset.
Both Chip Honcho and Desert Gate fit that profile perfectly.
Desert Gate has shown improved early speed since adding blinkers earlier this season, while Chip Honcho has consistently raced near the pace against stronger competition.
With neither horse likely to face significant early pressure, both should secure ideal trips.
Desert Gate: The Deserving Favorite
Desert Gate enters as the morning-line favorite and has done little wrong throughout his career.
The Bob Baffert trainee owns four victories from seven starts and has posted some of the strongest speed figures in the field. His recent wins in the Hot Springs Stakes and Texas Derby were visually impressive, and his ratings consistently rank at or near the top in every major category.
The son of Desert Gate projects to be prominently placed from the start under Flavien Prat, a combination that makes him dangerous throughout.
Read more at Today's Racing Digest
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