Category: Race Previews

The road toward the 2027 Kentucky Derby begins at Churchill Downs on Saturday, September 12, and the first important name to watch is Salahudin.

The unbeaten colt heads a field of nine in the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes, a Grade 3 race over one mile. The Iroquois is Race 10 on an 11 race program, with post time scheduled for 5:29 p.m. Eastern.

Salahudin brings an unbeaten record

Salahudin has won both of his starts for trainer Bob Baffert. He opened his career with a two length victory, then followed with a dominant 4 1/2 length win in the Ellis Park Juvenile.

Florent Geroux will ride the son of Uncle Mo from post 7. That combination gives the favorite a useful blend of early experience and proven stakes form before his first start at Churchill Downs.

Blessed Flyer adds another unbeaten profile

Salahudin is not the only unbeaten stakes winner in the field. Blessed Flyer has won both of his starts for trainer Mike Tomlinson. He captured his debut at Keeneland, then rallied from off the pace to win the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs.

Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Blessed Flyer from post 2. His previous success over this surface makes him one of the most relevant alternatives to Salahudin.

Full Iroquois field

The field from the rail is Caribbean Life, Blessed Flyer, Bearamour, Admiral’s Order, Real Goodbar, Antivenom, Salahudin, He Is No Lie and Real Gone.

The race brings together several lightly raced juveniles who are still developing, which is one reason early Derby points races can change quickly as the season progresses.

Why the Iroquois matters

The Iroquois opens the Prep Season on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The top five finishers earn qualifying points on a 10, 5, 3, 2 and 1 scale toward the 2027 Kentucky Derby.

The race also connects to the Breeders’ Cup through the Dirt Dozen Bonus Series. The top three eligible finishers can receive partial entry credit toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

The winner also earns an automatic berth to the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on November 28, giving the Iroquois added value beyond the first Derby points of the season.

A major Saturday at Churchill Downs

The Iroquois is part of a five stakes card that also includes the Pocahontas, Locust Grove, Louisville Thoroughbred Society and Open Mind. The Pocahontas begins the Road to the Kentucky Oaks for 2 year old fillies.

OTB Bet has already covered the broader Churchill Downs September Meet kickoff. The Iroquois now provides the first confirmed field on the Derby trail and a clearer look at the juveniles who could become important later in the fall.

For more permanent race coverage, visit the OTB Bet Major Races hub.

Kentucky Downs closes its 2026 meet on Wednesday, September 9 with a deep turf card led by the Grade 3 Dueling Grounds Oaks, one of three major stakes packed into the final portion of the program.

The closing day card has 14 races with first post at 11:30 a.m. Central. The feature sequence includes the $750,000 Bowling Green Gold Cup, the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and the $2 million Dueling Grounds Oaks.

Dueling Grounds Oaks

The Dueling Grounds Oaks is scheduled as Race 12 at 5:49 p.m. Central. Eleven three year old fillies are entered for 1 5/16 miles on turf.

Kentucky Belle is the 3 to 1 morning line favorite for trainer Brad Cox with Flavien Prat aboard. She enters after winning the Saratoga Oaks. Time to Dream is listed at 9 to 2 for Todd Pletcher and Ricardo Santana Jr., while La Fogata is 4 to 1 for Donnacha O’Brien and Umberto Rispoli.

The combination of distance, purse and field depth makes this the most important race on the closing day program. Kentucky Belle brings the strongest recent graded form, but the longer trip gives several rivals a chance to change the shape of the race.

Bowling Green Gold Cup

The Bowling Green Gold Cup is Race 10 at 4:45 p.m. Central and sends eight older runners over 2 1/16 miles on turf for $750,000.

Tawny Port is the 6 to 5 morning line favorite with Flavien Prat riding for Miguel Clement. Limited Liability is 3 to 1 for Shug McGaughey and Luis Saez. Navy Seal is 9 to 2 for Wesley Ward and Jose Ortiz.

The extended distance gives the race a different tactical profile from the rest of the card and creates an important test for established turf stayers.

Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile

Race 11 is the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile for two year olds. How’s Al Today is the 7 to 2 morning line favorite, followed by Culpable at 9 to 2 and Jas at 6 to 1.

The race gives emerging juveniles an early chance to show whether they can handle a full mile on turf before the fall championship season develops.

Why closing day matters

Kentucky Downs has become one of the richest turf meetings in North America, and the final card again puts major purse money behind three different divisions. For readers following the broader season, the results can also help shape later turf plans into the fall.

OTB Bet will update confirmed results after the races are official. For broader championship coverage, visit the Major Races hub and the Breeders’ Cup guide.

Official entries and morning line information are available through Equibase. Kentucky Downs schedule changes and closing day details were also confirmed through the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

Churchill Downs returns to live racing on Thursday, September 10, with the start of its 2026 September Meet. The 14 date stand runs through September 27 and quickly turns toward the next generation of classic hopefuls.

The key early date is Saturday, September 12. Churchill Downs has designated that card as the kickoff for both the Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The Iroquois Stakes gives emerging 2 year olds their first opportunity of the season to earn qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, while the Pocahontas Stakes begins the corresponding points path toward the Kentucky Oaks.

Why the September meet matters

The September meet arrives just after the major summer meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar have closed. That timing shifts part of the national focus toward Churchill Downs and the first formal steps toward the 2027 Triple Crown season.

Saturday’s Iroquois and Pocahontas are especially useful because they offer an early look at horses that may develop into major spring contenders. Churchill Downs lists gates opening at 11:30 a.m. and the first race at 12:45 p.m. for the September 12 program.

What OTB Bet will be watching

OTB Bet will focus on confirmed entries, official morning line information, race results, and how the first qualifying points reshape the early Derby and Oaks pictures. Readers can also use the Major Races hub for broader event coverage and the Betting Guides section for wagering basics.

Image credit: Rosiemeow, Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 4.0.

Del Mar closes its 2026 summer meet Monday with one last juvenile stakes test, and the horse with the clearest local momentum is Net Par.

The $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes is a six furlong sprint for California bred 2 year olds. Seven runners are entered, with Net Par listed at 8 to 5 on the morning line and Early Encore at 9 to 5.

Why Net Par is the horse to catch

Net Par has already won twice at Del Mar this summer. He broke his maiden by 7 3/4 lengths, then showed a different dimension when he came from off the pace to win the Graduation Stakes by a nose. That versatility is the main reason he enters the I’m Smokin as the morning line favorite.

Trainer Antonio Garcia keeps Juan Hernandez aboard. The pair will break from post 6, directly inside Early Encore in post 7.

The field and the pace question

The field of seven is Little King, Prime Splash, Cupid Cowboy, Fumano’s Fire, Empire of Ash, Net Par and Early Encore. Fumano’s Fire is expected to bring speed, which could give the race a more honest early tempo and create opportunities for runners who can settle just behind the first flight.

Cupid Cowboy is another recent Del Mar maiden winner, while Little King was only a neck behind him in that race. That gives the supporting cast enough recent form to make this more than a contest between two horses on paper.

When the I’m Smokin runs

The I’m Smokin is Race 6 on Del Mar’s closing day program, with an approximate post time of 4 p.m. local time. First post for the card of 11 races is 1:30 p.m.

For the other major race on the card, see our John C. Mabee Stakes preview. You can also follow the broader championship picture in the OTB Bet Race Center.

Featured photo: Taylor Sondgeroth via Unsplash.

Thought Process heads a field of 10 fillies and mares in Monday’s Grade 2, $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes, the main turf feature on Del Mar’s Labor Day closing card.

The 1 1/8 mile race is scheduled as Race 9, with an approximate post time of 5:30 p.m. Pacific. The Mabee anchors the final day of Del Mar’s 2026 summer meet and brings together a mix of established local turf runners and mares trying to finish the season with a graded stakes win.

Thought Process is the horse to beat

Thought Process drew post 4 and was installed as the 8 to 5 morning line favorite with Hector Berrios aboard. Her position on the line reflects the strongest recent profile in the field, but a field of 10 over nine furlongs on turf still leaves room for pace, trip and positioning to matter.

Medoro is the 7 to 2 second choice with Juan Hernandez, while Whiskey Decision is listed at 6 to 1. Bojaca Blessing and Baltic Fire are each 8 to 1, giving the race several plausible alternatives if the favorite does not get the right trip.

The full John C. Mabee field

From the rail, the field is Whiskey Decision, Pura Vida Princesa, Bojaca Blessing, Thought Process, Canto Della Terra, Baltic Fire, Medoro, Fibonaccis Ride, Firenze Fire and Vincey Girl.

The race is the 69th running of the John C. Mabee and uses Del Mar’s nine furlong turf configuration out of the infield chute.

Why the race matters on closing day

The Mabee is one of the final graded opportunities of Del Mar’s summer meet and arrives just as the broader turf division begins turning toward the fall championship season. That makes Monday useful not only as a standalone stakes event but also as a form check for runners who may continue into stronger autumn company.

OTB Bet is also following the major developments among 2 year olds from the same closing weekend. Hughes won Sunday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, while Miss Monica dominated Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante.

For the championship calendar beyond Del Mar, see our 2026 Breeders’ Cup guide.

Verified from Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s official September 6 closing day preview and stable notes. Featured image: Mike Kotsch via Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License; image is illustrative and does not depict the John C. Mabee field.

Saratoga’s 2026 summer meet reaches its finale on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, with a card of 12 races highlighted by the $200,000 Funny Cide for New York bred 2 year olds and the $200,000 Gio Ponti for 3 year olds on turf.

First post is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Eastern. The Funny Cide is Race 10 and the Gio Ponti follows as Race 11, giving closing day a stakes doubleheader before the Spa shuts down its summer stand.

Funny Cide: Scramjet and Mindfield meet again

The six furlong Funny Cide brings back two colts who already faced each other at Saratoga. Scramjet won their August 15 state bred maiden by 1 1/2 lengths after setting the pace, while Mindfield finished second after making a serious inside challenge in the stretch.

Scramjet returns for Linda Rice with Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard. Mindfield, trained by Mark Casse, will try to reverse the result under Kendrick Carmouche.

The field also includes Professor Plum, Fullcup, D I Wire and Midnight Raider. Several are lightly raced, so the Funny Cide is less about established hierarchy and more about which juvenile can take the next developmental step at stakes level.

Gio Ponti: Chummers goes for four straight

The one mile turf Gio Ponti centers on Chummers, who enters on a three race winning streak for trainer Ray Handal. His Saratoga run includes victories in the Rick Violette and a division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series Cab Calloway.

Chummers has already won twice at the meet and now gets a chance to close the summer with another stakes score. Dylan Davis retains the mount from post 8.

The opposition is deeper than a story about one horse. Third Coast brings graded stakes experience after competing in the Belmont Derby and National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. Lyneham arrives from European Group 3 company, while Doubting Thomas enters off a stakes victory at Colonial Downs. Black Hornet, Glorious Boy, Glavine, Siyouincanada and Bull Shoals add further depth, with Chief Wallabee and Talk to Me Jimmy entered for the main track only.

What to watch on closing day

The Funny Cide could identify a New York bred juvenile with room to develop into the fall. The Gio Ponti offers a different test: established 3 year old turf runners, improving regional horses and international form meeting over a mile.

Closing day also brings the curtain down on an extended Saratoga summer that ran through Labor Day. For readers following the final weekend, see our Saratoga Sunday stakes guide and our recap of Mashallah’s Prioress win and Manny Franco’s riding title.

Primary verification sources: New York Racing Association stakes schedule and official race previews. Featured image: Mike Kotsch via Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License; image is illustrative and does not depict the Funny Cide or Gio Ponti entrants.

Saturday’s With Anticipation Stakes brings a compact field of five 2 year olds to Saratoga for a 1 1/16 mile Grade 3 test on the inner turf.

The race carries a $225,000 purse and is scheduled as Race 2 on the card, with a 12:38 p.m. post time. High Official drew post 3 for Todd Pletcher and is the 7 to 5 morning line favorite. Stablemates Liam’s Law and Bold Leadership give Pletcher three of the five starters.

Field and morning line odds

• Howard’s Hope 8 to 1
• Liam’s Law 5 to 2
• High Official 7 to 5
• Bold Leadership 8 to 5
• Perfect Dream 12 to 1

The race is restricted to 2 year olds, with maidens receiving a small weight allowance. NYRA also notes that the race can be transferred to the main track if weather requires it.

Race details

• Race: With Anticipation Stakes (G3)
• Track: Saratoga
• Distance: 1 1/16 miles
• Surface: Inner Turf
• Purse: $225,000
• Date: September 5, 2026
• Scheduled post: 12:38 p.m.

Because juvenile turf races can change quickly with scratches or weather, OTB Bet will keep this preview tied to official NYRA updates rather than projecting beyond the confirmed field.

Sunday’s Del Mar Futurity brings a compact but prominent field of five 2 year olds to the main track for the final major juvenile test of Del Mar’s summer meet.

The Grade 1 race is worth $300,000 and is run at seven furlongs. Hughes, trained by Bob Baffert, drew post 4 and is joined by stablemate Domus from post 5. Doug O’Neill counters with Phone Booth, High Pronto and Dang Son.

The field of five

From the rail out, the field is Phone Booth, High Pronto, Dang Son, Hughes and Domus.

Hughes enters as the key horse to beat, while Domus adds another major Baffert presence. Phone Booth gives the inside post to O’Neill’s group, with High Pronto and Dang Son completing the trio.

Race details

• Race: Del Mar Futurity (G1)
• Track: Del Mar
• Distance: 7 furlongs
• Purse: $300,000
• Date: September 6, 2026

The Futurity is part of a Sunday card with 11 races that also includes the Shared Belief Stakes and Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. OTB Bet will track official scratches and changes on race day before post time.

The Del Mar Debutante brings together 10 fillies at age 2 on Saturday for one of the defining juvenile races of the summer meet.

The Grade 1 race is scheduled for seven furlongs on dirt with a $300,000 purse. Miss Monica drew post 9 and enters as one of the key runners after an impressive debut win at Del Mar. Bob Baffert also sends out Holmby, who has already won twice at the meet.

Field at a glance

The field includes Panda Listen, Dear Diary, Avalon Rose, Crazy Hot Mess, Free Closer, For the Win, Well Versed, Holmby, Miss Monica and Fast Amy.

Miss Monica and Holmby give Baffert a strong pair, while Fast Amy and several other lightly raced fillies arrive with room to improve as they stretch out to seven furlongs.

Race details

• Race: Del Mar Debutante (G1)
• Track: Del Mar
• Distance: 7 furlongs
• Purse: $300,000
• Date: September 5, 2026

The Debutante is Race 10 on the Saturday card. As always with juvenile races, scratches and late changes can affect the final shape of the field, so OTB Bet will update coverage when official changes are posted.

The $300,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) gives Saratoga’s 2-year-old fillies a major late-summer test, and the morning line points to Summer Starlet as the one to beat.

The Steve Asmussen trainee is listed at 2-1 in an eight-horse field and enters with enough early promise to make her the clear focal point of the race. But the Spinaway is filled with lightly raced horses, which means one sharp step forward can completely reshape the division.

Summer Starlet sets the standard

Summer Starlet drew post 2 and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. Her combination of speed and early form has put her on top of the morning line, but she will have to handle a field with several credible alternatives.

Life Changing is 5-2 for trainer Todd Pletcher and gives Flavien Prat another live mount at the meet. Harper’s Corner is 5-1, while Angel of Kirk is 9-2 for Brad Cox.

A race that can change quickly

Juvenile Grade 1 races are rarely just about what a horse has already done. Development, pace and how each filly handles the pressure of a bigger field can matter just as much.

That is what makes the Spinaway especially useful to watch beyond the result itself. A strong performance can immediately elevate a young filly into the Breeders’ Cup conversation later in the fall.

Spinaway morning line

• Bandmaster: 30-1
• Summer Starlet: 2-1
• Cha Cha Baby: 15-1
• Stress Relief: 8-1
• Girvy Girl: 8-1
• Harper’s Corner: 5-1
• Angel of Kirk: 9-2
• Life Changing: 5-2

For bettors, the main question is whether Summer Starlet can confirm her favorite status or whether one of the less exposed fillies is ready to make the biggest jump of her career.