Saratoga Race Course Stakes Analysis (6-4-26)

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival continues at Saratoga on Thursday with a pair of graded turf stakes drawing competitive fields. Using the past performances and numbers from Today’s Racing Digest, I’ve analyzed each event and identified top contenders and live longshots.

Race 8: Grade 2 Intercontinental Stakes

$250,000 | Fillies & Mares, 4YO & Up | 5½ Furlongs (Turf)

The Grade 2 Intercontinental Stakes features a deep field of turf sprinters, with several runners possessing early speed. Horses such as Twirling Queen, Gratefully, Roja, and In Our Time are all expected to be involved in the pace, setting up what could be a contested early tempo.

Top Contenders: Shoot It True & In Our Time

Shoot It True enters the race in excellent form after finishing second in both of her starts this season. Despite receiving limited pace assistance in those races, she closed well and earned competitive speed figures.

One of the strongest angles in her favor is her affinity for Saratoga. She is undefeated in two starts over the course, winning both races impressively last summer by more than three lengths each. Her recent final time ratings of 141 and 143, combined with Fire numbers of 94 and 96, indicate she remains capable of another strong performance.

With multiple speed horses entered, the race shape could favor her late-running style. The addition of jockey Juan Hernandez is an interesting development. He is 2-for-2 with Wesley Ward recently.

In Our Time exits a Grade 2 victory in the Giant’s Causeway and owns the strongest recent speed figures in the field. Her 149 final-time rating last out is the highest among the major contenders, and her tactical speed should allow her to secure an ideal stalking trip behind the leaders.

Read more at Today's Racing Digest

Belmont Stakes 2026 Video Update (6-1-26)

Belmont Stakes 2026 video preview. Belmont Stakes field: 1 - Vitruvian Man (30-1), 2 - Powershift (12-1), 3 - Chief Wallabee (3-1), 4 - Renegade (2-1), 5 - Ottinho (20-1), 6 - Growth Equity (12-1), 7 - Commandment (6-1), 8 - Emerging Market (6-1), 9 - Golden Tempo (9-2).

The Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, June 6, 2026. 

Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.     

Saratoga Race Course Stakes Analysis (6-3-26)

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicks off Wednesday at Saratoga Race Course, and the card features three competitive New York-bred stakes races. Using the past performances and proprietary ratings from Today’s Racing Digest, I’ve analyzed each event and identified my top selections.

The races covered include the Kingston Stakes (Race 4), Mike Lee Stakes (Race 8), and Commentator Stakes (Race 9). Here is a closer look at each race and the horses that stand out.

Race 4: Kingston Stakes

$200,000 | New York-breds | 1 1/16 Miles (Inner Turf)

The Kingston Stakes brings together a mix of proven New York-bred turf performers, highlighted by multiple graded stakes winner Spirit of St. Louis and the improving George Briggs.

Key Contenders

George Briggs
Trainer Miguel Clement appears to have this horse moving in the right direction. In his first start for the barn, George Briggs stalked the pace and scored a convincing optional claiming victory at Aqueduct. His Today’s Racing Digest CPR (Comprehensive Performance Rating) figures of 127, 138, and 137 in his last three starts are the strongest recent numbers in the field.

George Briggs possesses an ideal turf-running style. He can stay within striking range of the pace while conserving energy before unleashing a strong finishing kick. That combination often proves successful in Saratoga turf races.

Read more at Today's Racing Digest

Belmont Stakes 2026 Video Update (5-30-26)

Belmont Stakes 2026 video preview. Early hopefuls: Chief Wallabee, Commandment, Emerging Market, Golden Tempo, Growth Equity, Ocelli, Ottinho, Powershift, Renegade, Vitruvian Man.

The Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, June 6, 2026. 

Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.     

Churchill Downs Stakes Analysis (5-30-26)

Saturday’s Churchill Downs card features three competitive graded stakes races on the main track, and I’ll break down each one using the pace analysis, trip notes, and figures from past performances provided by Today’s Racing Digest.

The races covered in this analysis include the Grade 2 Shawnee Stakes, Grade 3 Aristides Stakes, and Grade 3 Blame Stakes. I’ll go through the contenders, discuss the projected race shape, and identify the horses I believe offer the strongest chances based on form, pace setup, and Digest ratings.

Race 6 — Grade 2 Shawnee Stakes

Distance: 1 1/16 Miles
Purse: $300,000
Division: Fillies & Mares

Main Contenders

Splendora enters as the morning-line favorite for Bob Baffert and looks like the horse to beat if she rebounds from her disappointing effort in the Derby City Distaff. Prior to that race, she had been exceptionally sharp, posting multiple strong Digest figures including back-to-back 155 ratings. Her Grade 1 Beholder Mile victory at Santa Anita proved she can handle two turns effectively, and her Del Mar form last year was outstanding.

While the recent Churchill defeat raises questions, she has trained forwardly over the surface since that race and retains Flavien Prat. If she returns to her best form, she is clearly fast enough to win.

Immersive is the horse I believe still has upside. Brad Cox has done an excellent job managing her career, and she has never finished outside the exacta in eight starts. Her comeback effort at seven furlongs looked more like a prep than a target race, and stretching back out around two turns should help significantly.

She owns tactical speed, draws the outside post, and gets Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. Her previous Churchill performances fit well against this group, and her progression suggests another move forward is possible second off the layoff.

Majestic Oops is a hard-trying mare who consistently picks up checks at this level. She exits a respectable effort in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom and already owns a Grade 2 victory this season in the Azeri Stakes. Her consistency makes her usable underneath in exotics.

Read more at Today's Racing Digest

Penn Oaks 2026 Analysis (5-29-26)

The Penn Oaks at Penn National on Friday, May 29th features a competitive group of three-year-old fillies going one mile on the turf for a $150,000 purse. This race goes as Race 5 with a scheduled post time of 7:12 p.m. Eastern, and I think this is an intriguing betting race because there are several lightly raced fillies with upside, along with a couple of runners that could take significant money despite having legitimate questions to answer.

The past performance data for this analysis is provided by Today’s Racing Digest. If you’re playing the Penn National card, make sure to grab the Digest products to follow along with the pace ratings, Final Time Ratings, and projected race shape.

Penn Oaks Field Overview

The field includes a pair of fillies exiting the same prep race, the Sanibel Island, along with a European shipper and a few pace players that could shape how this turf mile unfolds.

Horse	Morning Line	Notes
Vekoma View	4-1	Versatile filly with improving figures and tactical speed
Somemunny to Love	30-1	Possible pace factor stretching back out in distance
Sutura	20-1	Surface switcher with early speed potential
Call On Me	5-1	Tactical runner capable of working out ideal trip
Final Accord	5-2	Talented sprinter trying to prove route ability
Bandiagara	9-5	European import making U.S. debut
Smexy	6-1	Wide-trip victim in U.S. debut

Top Contenders and Race Analysis

Vekoma View Is Trending the Right Way

Vekoma View has a good overall progression pattern. Her Final Time Rating has improved in all three career starts:

Race	Final Time Rating	Pace Rating
Career Debut	108	84
Maiden Win	117	122
Sanibel Island Stakes	126	143

That improving pattern is exactly what I want to see from a lightly raced three-year-old filly moving into a stakes event like this.

Last time in the Sanibel Island, she actually ran better than the running line might initially suggest. She saved ground early, briefly lost position because she didn’t have room, then re-rallied late once the inside opened. The key for me is that she handled a faster pace scenario and still finished well.

From the rail, Tyler Gaffalione should have options. If the pace comes up soft, she can sit close. If others go, she can save ground and stalk. That versatility gives her a possible tactical advantage in this field.

Read more at Today's Racing Digest

Belmont Stakes Video Update (5-27-26)

Belmont Stakes 2026 video preview. Early hopefuls: Chief Wallabee, Chip Honcho (out), Commandment, Emerging Market, Golden Tempo, Growth Equity, Ocelli, Ottinho, Potente (out), Powershift, Renegade, Vitruvian Man.

The Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, June 6, 2026. 

Check out horse racing free picks and more at The Runaway Horse.