Horse Racing Playbook, Picks, Predictions: Saturday July 26th

DRF handicappers share their plays for the day, including best bets, for racing at Saratoga, Del Mar, Gulfstream, Woodbine, Monmouth, and Colonial Downs

Here is a free daily playbook – something hardcore horseplayers and casual observers can reference to get informed of each day’s action. DRF Past Performances (PPs) can be accessed at DRF.com.

Post Time: 1:20 ET
Track: Monmouth (2nd Race)
Horse: GRANDE FELINO (#5, 7-2)

GRANDE FELINO is out of a dam who won her own debut as a 2-year-old and then went on to win 12 more races in her career, all dirt sprints; first foal to start, Wildcat Fire, was winless in seven starts but this colt has works that hint at some speed. – Kenny Peck

Post Time: 1:30 ET
Track: Colonial Downs (3rd Race)
Horse: ATHENIX (#8, 6-1)

ATHENIX is a DRF Best Bet (Patrick Moquin). | Get PPs for this race

Post Time: 1:50 ET
Track: Monmouth (3rd Race)
Horse: DENYING (#6, 12-1)

DENYING should be well set up in this route, as this short field is not light on early zip, and that will be an improvement over his last three starts, all of which featured speed-friendly race flows (note the bold "S" symbols in DRF past performance lines); caught an even race flow in his first start at the meet and responded with a good late run to get up in time, posting an 81 Beyer in the process. – Kenny Peck

Post: 1:53 ET
Track: Gulfstream (3rd Race)
Horse: SPICY GUACAMOLE (#5, 7-2)

SPICY GUACAMOLE is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). | Get PPs for this race

Post Time: 2:45 ET
Race: Saratoga (5th Race)
Horse: HARD PAR (#3, 6-1)

Thought HARD PAR ran better than it looked when turned back to sprint last November at Aqueduct; he was cut back again after a brief layoff in May and won that race fair and square after settling off the pace early; looked a bit hard to settle when stretched out again last time, then got in a bit tight in the stretch while trying to rally; like him cutting back again for this. – Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

Post Time: 3:25 ET
Track: Gulfstream (6th Race)
Horse: FONTINA (#2, 10-1)

The pace picture is this race is the opposite of race 5 as we count 2 front runners in here. Enter FONTINA who figures a great stalking trip. She got Beyer speed figures of 58 and 52 the last two times that she tried this distance and finished either 1st or 2nd while doing so. Her most recent was better so this is a good time to return to her favorite distance. –Scott Ehlers |

Post Time: 4:45 ET
Track: Monmouth (9th Race)
Horse: TELL ME SOME LIES (#7, 5-1)

TELL ME SOME LIES ran big in defeat in her seasonal debut for trainer Joe Orseno, as she landed in a paceless race there and that resulted in a two-speed exacta; she was rallying strongly in the late stages there and she figures to move up with that race under her belt, and given a more favorable pace scenario. – Kenny Pec

Post Time: 4:48 ET
Track: Woodbine (8th Race)
Horse: TIZ HER MONEY (#8, 6-1)

TIZ HER MONEY probably prefers the Tapeta to the grass, but she's hard to ignore in this main turf mile off a really good second in the G3 Selene, during which she got away slowly before rallying wide from off a slow pace for second, over a track that favored speed. – Ron Gierkink

Post Time: 5:54 ET
Track: Woodbine (10th Race)
Horse: SYMPATICO (#1, 12-1)

SYMPATICO is a DRF Best Bet (Ron Gierkink). | Get PPs for this race

Post Time: 6:49 ET
Track: Saratoga (12th Race)
Horse: MAJESTIC MICHAEL (#6, 8-1)

MAJESTIC MICHAEL ran well while attending a fast pace in his debut back in early 2023, then caught a sloppy track and had no chance with a blowout winner (106 Beyer) in his only other start before missing almost a full year; was first back from another extended layoff last time when caught chasing another fast pace before fading; drops as a new gelding, and he has some turf in his pedigree. – Mike Beer

Post Time: 10:01 ET
Track: Del Mar (10th Race)
Horse: SUCHET (#1, 8-1)

SUCHET, an import from France, can win this N1X turf mile in his U.S. debut. His form at Chantilly is solid, in the money both recent starts. He has worked regularly since his arrival in California; he is a two-time winner still eligible to the first allowance condition due to low purses overseas. SUCHET adds Lasix, and posted three recent works that suggest he will fire first start in the U.S. The challenge is pace. This field is loaded with speed; SUCHET was a front-runner overseas. Perhaps he can tuck into a rail trip just off the speed. – Brad Free

Meet DRFai - Your Horse Racing Personal Assistant. Got a question about a race? Need help picking a winner? DRFai delivers instant, expert-level answers to all your handicapping questions. Try it now at chat.drf.com

More Horse Racing News