Pick Pony takes pride in providing the most accurate expert picks available today. Pick Pony Expert Picks are carefully selected by our team of analysts based on analytics from our advanced Past Performance Sheets and Racing Forms. For potential longshot selections, check out Pick Pony’s AI Picks.
Note: Sometimes, a pick may appear twice; in such cases, we expect the horse to finish in one of the two predicted positions.
Race 1 – Starter Optional Claiming – 5.5 Furlongs Turf – 11:00 AM EST WIN
Win: 3-Shear Magic (29% confidence)🥇
Place: 1-New York Strong (71% confidence)
Show: 4-Dats Tap (18% confidence)
Alternative: 6 (24% confidence)
New York Strong brings tactical speed and has shown consistency with multiple placings at Laurel Park this prep. The gelding ran as favorite last start and finished close up, suggesting form is solid. Shear Magic returns from a seven-week layoff but has good class and appears ready to fire fresh based on expert consensus. Dats Tap scored a breakthrough maiden win at Laurel Park last out and could continue progressing with natural improvement. The surface switch to turf suits multiple contenders in this competitive opener where pace dynamics will be crucial.
Race 2 – Starter Optional Claiming – 1542 Yards Dirt – 11:28 AM EST
Win: 4-Preacha Meyers (44% confidence)🥈
Place: 2-Deterrent (44% confidence)
Show: 1-Brighty (33% confidence)🥉
Alternative: 7-Winning Trip (22% confidence)🥇
This shapes up as a genuine toss-up between the top two selections with identical expert support. Deterrent placed at Laurel Park last start and won previously at Colonial Downs, showing versatility across tracks. Preacha Meyers also ran second locally last time and has solid recent form with a prior victory at the track. Brighty won earlier in the prep and brings proven experience at the venue. The race distance favors horses with tactical speed who can stalk the pace, and both top selections fit that profile perfectly.
Race 3 – Starter Optional Claiming – 8F 110Y Turf – 11:58 AM EST WIN + TRIFECTA
Win: 7-Sleepwalker (44% confidence)🥇
Place: 4-I’m A Sure Thing (81% confidence)🥈
Show: 6-Tuck Check (56% confidence)🥉
Alternative: 5-Divining Smile (31% confidence)
Sleepwalker won impressively at Laurel Park last time and appears to be peaking at the right time for this distance and surface. I’m A Sure Thing returns from an eight-week break with a victory at this track and has proven turf form that makes the mare a strong place threat. Tuck Check boasts outstanding course history and can never be dismissed at this venue with multiple victories here. The marathon distance on turf rewards stamina and tactical positioning, with closer types potentially benefiting from an honest pace scenario.
Race 4 – Allowance Optional Claiming – 8F 110Y Turf – 12:27 PM EST
Win: 2-Mccullough (35% confidence)🥈
Place: 6-Forever Souper (47% confidence)🥉
Show: 4-Jack’s Legend (35% confidence)
Alternative: 5-Siege Of Boston (41% confidence)🥇
Mccullough returns from a six-week break after winning at Presque Isle Downs when resuming, showing ability fresh. Forever Souper narrowly missed as favorite last start at Laurel Park and has accumulated five placings from seven runs this prep, suggesting peak readiness for breakthrough effort. Jack’s Legend comes off a local victory and brings solid form into this competitive allowance test. The turf marathon distance should suit tractable runners, with the top selections all appearing competitive on figures and current condition.
Race 5 – Allowance Optional Claiming – 8F Dirt – 12:56 PM EST – Purse $65,000
Win: 6-In Her Glory (62% confidence)
Place: 1-Share Success (31% confidence)
Show: 7-Miss Fulton Gal (44% confidence)🥈
Alternative: 3-Law School (25% confidence)🥉
In Her Glory has been remarkably consistent, hitting the board in every start this campaign and drawing overwhelming expert support. The filly brings strong recent form and class advantage over this field after running narrowly beaten as favorite last time. Share Success won at debut this prep and draws an ideal inside post for tactical advantage. Miss Fulton Gal won at Delaware Park and placed this campaign, showing competitive ability. The one-turn mile on dirt should favor horses with natural speed who can establish good early position.
Race 6 – Starter Optional Claiming – 8F Turf – 1:25 PM EST
Win: 14-White Lilacs (31% confidence)
Place: 5-Buzzaway (44% confidence)🥉
Show: 3-Gogo Chanel (38% confidence)
Alternative: 7-Antonacci Girl (31% confidence)🥈
This appears to be the most contentious race on the card with wide-open betting implications and no clear consensus favorite. White Lilacs has strong recent form including a close second last time. Buzzaway won last start at Laurel Park and has multiple victories this campaign including three at this track. Gogo Chanel and Antonacci Girl both bring competitive form. The turf mile rewards versatile runners, and several horses including Always Laughing and Spoils Of War bring legitimate claims. This race may produce value given the significant spread of expert opinion across multiple contenders.
Race 7 – Allowance – 9F Turf – 1:54 PM EST
Win: 4-Mopo (38% confidence)
Place: 7-Mambo Queen (50% confidence)
Show: 8-Ithinkiloveyou (44% confidence)
Alternative: 9-Tap The Champagne (38% confidence)🥇
Mopo won at Pimlico and has placed six times this prep, demonstrating consistency at the allowance level. Mambo Queen won consecutive races at Laurel Park and Colonial Downs, showing excellent current form and strong place credentials. Ithinkiloveyou has won three times at Laurel Park previously and placed in all other attempts this campaign. Tap The Champagne adds intriguing element with moderate expert support. The marathon turf distance requires stamina and tactical racing, with fillies and mares often excelling in this type of endurance test.
Race 8 – Allowance – 8F 110Y Dirt – 2:23 PM EST – Purse $63,000
Win: 6-Sassafrassness (53% confidence)
Place: 3-Intrepid Mo (35% confidence)🥈
Show: 2-Synergism (35% confidence)
Alternative: 7-Atlantis Queen (35% confidence)🥇
Sassafrassness appears to be the strongest consensus selection across the card with majority expert support. The mare won three consecutive races including last start at Delaware Park and handles Laurel Park well with proven track experience. Synergism returns from a five-week break after bolting in locally in dominant fashion and brings tactical speed. Intrepid Mo also resurfaces from layoff with strong campaign numbers showing two wins from five attempts. The one-turn dirt route favors horses with early speed and tactical versatility, with the top three selections all fitting that description. Trip notes indicate Sassafrassness wired the field on a closer-biased track, while Atlantis Queen sat close but raced wide.
Race 9 – Allowance – 1214 Yards Turf – 2:53 PM EST
Win: 1-Bucaro (56% confidence)
Place: 2-Jolly Boss (75% confidence)🥇
Show: 7-Rye Diggitydog (50% confidence)🥉
Alternative: 6-Dalinar (25% confidence)🥈
Bucaro draws an ideal inside post and has shown consistency with multiple placings this prep, earning majority win support despite disappointing last synthetic effort. Jolly Boss placed third at Laurel Park last start after winning earlier at Colonial Downs and receives nearly universal place consideration. Rye Diggitydog won previously at the track but failed to finish last time, creating uncertainty about current form. Dalinar brings strong recent form with multiple campaign victories. The sprint distance on turf rewards tactical speed, with early positioning critical on the tight Laurel Park turf course. Trip notes suggest Jolly Boss sat a perfect ground-saving trip last time.
Race 10 – Claiming – 1214 Yards Dirt – 3:23 PM EST
Win: 6-Tierra Santa (62% confidence)🥉
Place: 2-Infastuation (56% confidence)🥇
Show: 5-Sweet Summer Love (56% confidence)
Alternative: 3-Map To The Moon (19% confidence)
Tierra Santa ran as favorite and placed at Charles Town last start, bringing tactical speed and five-pound weight relief with new connections claiming. The mare draws strong consensus support for the victory. Infastuation placed as favorite locally last time and has shown consistency in recent efforts. Sweet Summer Love ran back at Charles Town and stretches out in distance today, which could benefit late-race stamina after being compromised by slow break last time. The dirt sprint distance favors horses with natural early speed, though closer types may benefit if the pace becomes contentious. Trip notes indicate Tierra Santa suffered horrendous trip two back at Laurel and should improve significantly, while Sweet Summer Love was outpaced early through wind-assisted fractions last time.
Exotic Bet Recommendations and Value Plays
Best Single Play
Race 5 features In Her Glory as the strongest consensus selection at 62.5% handicapper support, tied with Race 10’s Tierra Santa. Race 8’s Sassafrassness at 53% represents the best value single given likely odds. Consider using as anchor in multi-race wagers including Daily Doubles, Pick 3s, and Pick 4 sequences.
Exacta Value Opportunities
Race 2: Box 2-Deterrent with 4-Preacha Meyers for the projected dead-heat scenario with identical expert support. Add 1-Brighty and 7-Winning Trip for insurance coverage.
Race 5: Key 6-In Her Glory over 1-Share Success and 7-Miss Fulton Gal. The strong consensus support creates a confident top selection with reasonable place options.
Race 8: Key 6-Sassafrassness over 3-Intrepid Mo and 2-Synergism. Strong consensus support combined with impressive recent form creates confidence play. Trip notes support Sassafrassness wiring the field.
Trifecta Plays
Race 3: Key 7-Sleepwalker on top with 4-I’m A Sure Thing and 6-Tuck Check underneath in all combinations. Strong expert consensus and proven course form support this approach.
Race 9: Box 1-Bucaro, 2-Jolly Boss, and 7-Rye Diggitydog. Tight handicapping margins suggest any of three could win with tactical positioning crucial.
Race 10: Key 6-Tierra Santa on top with 2-Infastuation and 5-Sweet Summer Love. Trip notes indicate Tierra Santa has significant room to improve with better racing luck.
Daily Double Opportunities
Races 4-5: Connect 2-Mccullough and 6-Forever Souper from Race 4 with 6-In Her Glory single in Race 5 for confidence play.
Races 7-8: Key 4-Mopo and 7-Mambo Queen in Race 7 with 6-Sassafrassness single in Race 8 for value.
Races 9-10: Connect 1-Bucaro and 2-Jolly Boss from Race 9 with 6-Tierra Santa and 2-Infastuation in Race 10.
Pick 3 Strategy
Races 5-6-7 (Early Pick 3)
Conservative: 6 in Race 5 with 14,5 in Race 6 with 4,7 in Race 7
Moderate: 6,1 in Race 5 with 14,5,3 in Race 6 with 4,7,8 in Race 7
Races 8-9-10 (Late Pick 3)
Conservative: 6 in Race 8 with 1,2 in Race 9 with 6,2 in Race 10
Moderate: 6,3 in Race 8 with 1,2,7 in Race 9 with 6,2,5 in Race 10
Aggressive: 6,3,2 in Race 8 with 1,2,6,7 in Race 9 with 6,2,5,3 in Race 10
Pick 4 Approach – Races 7-10
Anchor Strategy: Single 6-Sassafrassness in Race 8 as strongest consensus selection, spread other three legs
Race 7: 4,7,8,9
Race 8: 6 (single)
Race 9: 1,2,7
Race 10: 6,2,5
This creates manageable ticket cost while maintaining coverage through uncertain races and leveraging the strongest consensus selection with trip note advantages.
Longshot Value
Race 6: Consider 14-White Lilacs at 31% expert support as value overlay. Multiple respected sources including At The Races, FanDuel, Guaranteed Tip Sheet, Hitch Abernathy, and Sports From the Basement support this selection despite likely generous odds.
Race 4: Jack’s Legend and Forever Souper both offer value with split expert opinion creating overlay opportunities despite competitive form.
Race 10: Sweet Summer Love offers value based on trip notes indicating poor break and wind-assisted early fractions compromised last effort. Cutting back from Charles Town with better racing luck should produce improved performance.
Superfecta Opportunities
Race 5: Box 6-In Her Glory, 1-Share Success, 7-Miss Fulton Gal, 3-Law School. Dominant consensus favorite with logical contenders for minor awards.
Race 8: Box 6-Sassafrassness, 2-Synergism, 3-Intrepid Mo, 7-Atlantis Queen. Strong top-four consensus with trip notes supporting top selections makes this attractive play with solid return potential.
Key Race Notes
Race 2 presents unique challenge with perfect tie in expert opinion between Preacha Meyers and Deterrent, suggesting boxed exacta mandatory for value seekers.
Race 6 shows most divergent expert opinions with five different horses receiving top billing from various sources, indicating potential for generous payouts in exotic wagers.
Race 8 trip notes reveal Sassafrassness wired field on closer-biased surface while Atlantis Queen raced wide, suggesting front-runner has significant tactical advantage today.
