Blockbuster Saturday From Coast to Coast

Feb 6th, 2026

So Far In 2026 Our Exotic Predictions Have Paid $494,882

Horseplayers, clear your calendars. After arctic temperatures froze the action across much of the eastern U.S. over the past two weeks, Mother Nature is making it up to us in a big way. Saturday delivers two Kentucky Derby qualifying preps, a Kentucky Oaks points race featuring the sport's top-ranked sophomore filly, the return of a reigning Eclipse Award champion, and last year's Arkansas Derby winner making his comeback - all spread across Oaklawn Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and Santa Anita. The 2026 Derby and Oaks pictures are about to come into real focus.

The star attraction at Oaklawn is the 2026 debut of Nitrogen (4-5) in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3). The reigning Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old filly of 2025 was a revelation last season, transforming from a turf specialist to a dirt powerhouse when she won the Alabama (G1) by a wide margin, then finished a game second in both the Spinster (G1) and the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Her connections originally planned a longer layoff, but the Medaglia d'Oro filly told trainer Mark Casse she was ready. D.J. Stable's Jon Green put it plainly: "I genuinely think she ranks atop that division right now. She has to fulfill her destiny." She'll use this as a springboard toward the Azeri (G2) and the Apple Blossom (G1) later this spring. Don't overlook stablemate Nerazurri, who is perfect at Oaklawn with two straight wins, or Quietside, who swept the Fantasy (G2) and Honeybee (G3) here last year. Also on Saturday's Oaklawn card, keep your eye on an optional claiming race (Race 4) featuring Sandman, last year's Arkansas Derby (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby/Preakness starter, making his comeback against the likes of 2024 Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Catching Freedom. An under-the-radar betting event loaded with class.

Down at Tampa Bay Downs, the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes features a head-to-head clash between two of the sport's elite trainers. Renegade (8-5, Pletcher) is the morning-line favorite despite technically still being a maiden - he crossed the wire first over top Derby contender Paladin at Aqueduct only to be disqualified, then chased that same rival home in the Remsen (G2). His class is undeniable, and with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons, Pletcher will be hunting win number eight in this race. The chief rival is Confessional (2-1, Cox), the Essential Quality colt who broke his maiden by three lengths at Keeneland and ran second to Nearly - who then came back to demolish the Holy Bull (G3) field by 5¾ lengths. That makes Confessional extremely dangerous, and the blinkers-off move by Cox (a 33% winning angle) paired with Flavien Prat adds intrigue. The Renegade–Confessional exacta box feels like a foundation play. Earlier on that Tampa card, the unbeaten and extremely talented Zany (Pletcher) headlines the $125,000 Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. She dominated her first two starts by a combined 13 lengths, including a breathtaking 9-length romp in the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct - run faster than Paladin's Remsen on the same day. Currently ranked as the top Oaks contender by multiple outlets, she makes her 3-year-old debut with Ortiz Jr. aboard. Two additional Tampa sprint stakes - the Pelican and Minaret - round out a four-stakes Festival Preview Day, with multiple Grade 2 winner and career millionaire Mystic Lake headlining the Minaret.

Out west, the $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita asks one question: can anyone stop Bob Baffert? He's won the Lewis seven consecutive years and 13 times overall, and he sends three on Saturday - Desert Gate (6-5), the Best Pal (G3) winner and American Pharoah runner-up with Juan Hernandez; Plutarch (4-1), third in the American Pharoah and coming off a dominant turf win; and $1.15 million purchase Cherokee Nation (5-1), still seeking his first win. The main threat is Grade 1 winner Intrepido (7-2, Mullins), who took the American Pharoah right here at Santa Anita before a compromised trip in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He's worked steadily all winter and has Hector Berrios back aboard. Also watch Secured Freedom (6-1, Yakteen), who destroyed a sprint field by 4½ lengths in December, and Robusta (15-1, O'Neill), a front-running maiden winner at this track and distance who could be overlooked at a price. The top three from October's American Pharoah (G1) reunite here at a shorter one-mile distance - their order of finish may not hold.

Friday Recap: In case you missed it, Friday delivered two major Derby trail shakeups. At Oaklawn, Silent Tactic upset in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3), firing a tremendous last-to-first rally under Cristian Torres to win going away at 12-1. The Mark Casse trainee, runner-up in the Smarty Jones last month, sat at the back of the pack while D'code, Buetane, and the other speed horses burned each other up through hot early fractions, then powered down the center of the course to bank 20 Kentucky Derby points and give his sire Tacitus his first graded stakes winner. Favored D'code and Buetane both faded after contesting the pace. At Aqueduct, the $200,000 Withers Stakes produced a stunner as Talk to Me Jimmy ($26.54) blew the field apart for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, seizing command early under Ruben Silvera and drawing off to an emphatic 11-length demolition. The lightly regarded Modernist colt - a $31,000 Keeneland purchase - earned 20 Derby points and will be pointed to the Wood Memorial (G2) on April 4. Pletcher's maiden Grittiness rallied from last to grab second and 10 points, while morning-line favorite Ottinho (Chad Brown) checked in third. Both results underscore the value of pace handicapping in big sophomore fields and injected fresh names onto the Derby leaderboard heading into Saturday's loaded card.

Not Your Grandpa's Game
by Ed Meyer

Bettors like it quick and rapid fire. Get more action in your allotted time for betting. Gaming sounds like a chubby kid jumping rope outside. Being called a gambler was a badge I was always proud to wear. - Long ago there were nine races and 35 minutes in between post times. Then you added a track from your state, and it was called intrastate wagering. One track inside your home state to wager and how sweet it was. Then the explosion of the entire bevy of tracks you've only read about and now have the opportunity to watch and wager. Speed is king in the world of betting. It is up to the powers that be to give the people what they want and how to serve it up.

Recent Big 'Uns

Santa Anita

Jan 30 (R 8)

$1 S5 (KEY)

$4,313.50

Tampa Bay Downs

Feb 6 (R 4)

$1 S5 (KEY)

$2,581.40

Tampa Bay Downs

Jan 31 (R 1)

$1 S5 (KEY)

$1,317.90

Parx Racing

Feb 3 (R 4-7)

50¢ Pick 4

$1,027.25

Oaklawn

Feb 6 (R 5-7)

$1 Pick 3

$902.70

Turf Paradise

Jan 28 (R 6)

50¢ Trifecta

$867.35

Turf Paradise

Jan 28 (R 6)

10¢ Super

$830.76

Charles Town

Feb 4 (R 9)

$1 Super (KEY)

$667.90

Charles Town

Feb 4 (R 6-9)

$1 Pick 4

$632.80

Upcoming Weekend Stakes Races

Saturday, Feb 7th

Gulfstream
$150,000 Louisiana Bred Premier Night Championship
$125,000 Louisiana Bred Premier Night Distaff
$125,000 Louisiana Bred Premier Night Matron
$125,000 Louisiana Bred Premier Night Prince
$125,000 Louisiana Bred Premier Night Sprint
$125,000 Louisiana Bred Premier Night Starlet
Gulfstream
$150,000 Ladies' Turf Sprint S.
Oaklawn
$250,000 Bayakoa S. (G3)
$150,000 American Beauty S.
Santa Anita
$200,000 D. Wayne Lukas S. (G2)
$100,000 Robert B. Lewis S. (G3)
$100,000 Thunder Road S. (G3)
$100,000 Sweet Life S.
Tampa Bay Downs
$250,000 Sam F. Davis S.
$125,000 Minaret S.
$125,000 Pelican S.
$125,000 Suncoast S.
Turfway
$125,000 Valdale S.

Sunday, Feb 8th

Oaklawn
$150,000 King Cotton S.
Santa Anita
$100,000 Clockers' Corner S.
$100,000 Las Virgenes S.

Testimonials

"Dear Winning Ponies,

Another bone crushing win has been delivered by your service ($25 Super paid over $87,000!).

I took your Top Horse - Maximum Security for the Florida Derby and put it on top of the next four horses and connected for a big win.

Made a mistake by not betting the exacta or the trifecta, which paid out very nice, but this will have to suffice for now :-)

I'm pretty sure we killed the payout and were paid half of the pool for all superfectas."

- Mark A., Fort Lauderdale, FL

Picks/Results For 2019 Florida Derby

"Love the winning ponies in the mud angle this time of year just hit early pic 4 as well as 20 exb in the 3rd and in the second 5 came second woulda had 20 on the 98 dad but can't win em all and I woulda took out the pic 4 pool X 2$$$$$$$ Thanks WP"

- John O., Grand Island, NY.

Picks/Results For Early Pick 4 at Finger Lakes

3370 N Hayden Rd #205

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Send Us A Message