Horse Racing This Weekend: Key Races, Top Horses & Best Bets, August 22
Sierra Leone wins the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)
August 22nd, 2026
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Get ready for horse racing this weekend
Discover everything you need to know about horse racing this weekend, including top horses, best bets, tournaments, key races, and many great promotional bonus offers you just can't say no to.
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Breeders' Cup 2026 Corner
Come here every week to discover everything you need to know about Breeders' Cup 2026 hosted at Keeneland this year in Lexington, KY.
Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast
Kellie Reilly joins for International Radar and Jason talks about upcoming races including Pacific Classic Day at Del Mar, the Canadian Derby, and more!
Top horses and best bets for horse racing this weekend
Click to jump to each race listed!
Best Bets for the 2026 Del Mar Oaks
Read the full analysis here: Tipsheet: 2026 Del Mar Oaks
An excellent and well-matched field of 10 sophomore fillies will travel 1 1/8 miles on the lawn at Del Mar in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1).
Del Mar Oaks Picks
- Kensington Lane
- Green Carrera
- Raiding Party
- Tam Tam
Del Mar Oaks Wagers
- $15 win and place #9 Kensington Lane
- $12 exacta 9 with 4,10
- $.50-cent superfecta 9 with 3,4,10 with 3,4,10 with all
Top Horses for the 2026 Del Mar Oaks
#9 KENSINGTON LANE: Starspangledbanner filly ran her foes off of their respective feet in the Belmont Oaks (G1) last time and gets the nod to make it two-for-two in the states. Now in the D’Amato barn, the Irish-bred chestnut made an early move to take command in that heat and was never challenged thereafter, and I like her chances right back with Rosario retaining the mount.
#4 GREEN CARRERA: Joseph O’Brien pupil will make her first stateside run since importing to the states and has been first or second in all four outings in 2026. The bay filly by leading sire Lope de Vega should handle the distance with ease and will rally from off the swift pace with Umberto Rispoli in the silks.
#10 RAIDING PARTY: Second for conditioner Walsh gets a tough post on the outside of the field, but she ran well with some trouble in the San Clemente last time and is a nice fit in the field with an expected forward move. The Sioux Nation chestnut has flashed potential in each of her four lifetime tries to date and will be in the hunt late under regular rider Ben Curtis.
#3 TAM TAM: Churchill import has been excellent since being moved to the sod for trainer Phil Bauer. The $975,000 yearling purchase decimated her foes in the Tepin S. in Louisville last time and will be tough with even minor improvement in the affair under regular pilot Junior Alvarado.
Finger delivered a powerful, front-running performance in the Tokyo Derby (Photo by Tomoya Moriuchi/Horsephotos.com)
Pacific Classic at Del Mar picks and analysis
Check out this content for Pacific Classic picks and analysis for Del Mar's upcoming race!
Saratoga: A Graveyard for Punters, or Not?
Man o’War in 1919. Gallant Fox in 1930. Secretariat in 1973. American Pharoah in 2015. All were shockingly beaten at Saratoga, earning the course the moniker of the “Graveyard of Champions.”
These defeats were indeed stunning. But do these and a few others mean Saratoga deserves that title? Is there anything inherent about Saratoga that makes it difficult for top horses?
Best Bets for the 2026 Alabama Stakes
Read the full analysis here: Tipsheet: 2026 Alabama Stakes Tipsheet
A cast of six three-year-old fillies will go 1 1/4 miles on the dirt in Saturday’s $600,000 Alabama (G1) at Saratoga.
Alabama Stakes Picks
- #6 Counting Stars
- #4 My Gun's Loaded
- #3 Measure
Alabama Stakes Wagers
Top Horses for the 2026 Alabama Stakes
#6 COUNTING STARS: Leader of the division has dominated in both the Acorn (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks in her last two and will be formidable with her best showing. The Mark Casse pupil is on a fine run of form currently and is reportedly training better than ever leading up to her third outing on the oval. The tactical miss might go right to the lead in a mostly paceless affair with Irad staying in the silks.
#4 MY GUN’S LOADED: Main danger to the favorite has been very impressive in two dominant wins on this course and gives me the impression of a filly who will thrive in her two-turn debut on Saturday. Trained by Chad Brown, the Gun Runner sophomore has been finishing full of run at shorter distances as of late and has also been training well at this venue all summer, as well. Manny Franco retains the ride atop the $650,000 yearling purchase.
#3 MEASURE: First of two from the Casse barn was a clear third in the Coaching Club American Oaks in her latest attempt and surely has top-three appeal back on this oval. The Essential Quality filly has put in a pair of good efforts locally at the meeting and will be well placed turning for home to grab a share late, with Flavien Prat inheriting the mount.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien's Breeders' Cup contenders for 2025 at Del Mar
Pick 3 of the Week: Del Mar Saturday, August 22
I will aim at a three-race sequence at Del Mar on Saturday that features a pair of exciting maiden races as the bookends and a deep turf dash in the middle.
Race 4 Wager
$2 Pick 3: 3,5,7 with 1,6 with 3,4,7 ($36)
Late Pick 5 Preview: Pacific Classic Day & Claiming Crown Preview Day Betting Preview [VIDEO]
As major racing cards heat up this summer, Nick Tammaro brings in two distinct expert handicappers across two separate preview broadcasts to break down complex Late Pick 5 sequences. Whether you are aiming for Grade 1 prestige on the West Coast or targeting lucrative qualifying berths on the Mid-Atlantic circuit, these episodes offer strategies to build a winning ticket.
Best Bets for the 2026 Del Mar Derby
Read the full analysis here: How to bet the 2026 Del Mar Derby
A cast of nine sophomores will travel 1 1/8 miles on the green in Sunday’s $300,000 Del Mar Derby (G2). Who is your best bet fo the Del Mar Derby?
Del Mar Derby Wagers
- $20 exacta 1 with 8 ($20)
- $1 trifecta 1 with 7,8 with all ($14)
- 50-cent superfecta 1 with 7,8 with 7,8 with all ($6)
Top Horses for the Del Mar Derby
#1 Proletariat, by Raging Bull and the $200,000 juvenile purchase, has won or placed in each of his six career runs to date, with the last five coming on the lawn. The Kentucky-bred gelding bagged an allowance race on the grounds two back in his local bow, and the bay was last seen crushing his foes by 5 3/4 lengths in the Oceanside S. at one mile on the local lawn.Proletariat has good speed from the gate and looks to be the one to catch after being assigned the rail for his first try in the graded ranks. He is the speed of the speed and figures to be on the front end once again with regular pilot Kyle Frey in the controls.
#8 Melismatic has improved his Brisnet Speed rating in every run since arriving in the U. S. and comes off a strong allowance tally on the green here while making his debut on the oval. The chestnut son of Space Blues is two-for-two in route races in advance of his graded bow, and he gives the impression of a colt who will thrive at 1 1/8 miles, too. The Irish-bred colt will track the pace from the second flight in the early going, with Kimura retaining the mount for Phil D’Amato.
#7 Jordi Bear, the second in the cast for D’Amato, didn’t have a smooth voyage in the Oceanside last time, but he ran well in his stateside debut and will improve on this occasion. The gelded son of St. Mark’s Basilica will make his second route run and is bred to go long, and the bay will race with blinkers on for the first time on this occasion. Antonio Fresu will be in the silks once again and will have the bay rallying from off the pace at a nice price.
Del Mar Grandstand before Breeders' Cup (Photo by Horsephotos.com)
Betting With, and Against, El Potente in the Del Mar Mile Stakes
A deep and talented cast of 12 will jaunt eight panels on the lawn on Sunday in the $300,000 Del Mar Mile (G2). Excellent turf miler #12 El Potente (7-2) has been installed as the deserving morning-line choice for trainer Dan Blacker. By Temple City, the high-quality Florida-bred who specializes at the trip with his 7-4-2-1 mark at one mile in his lifetime. The multiple graded stakes winner was a close second in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) at Santa Anita in March in his latest venture and has proven to be capable of running well off the shelf in the past.
El Potente – With
- $1 trifecta 12 with 5,6,9 with all ($30)
- $3 trifecta key 12 with 5,6,9 ($18)
El Potente – Against
- $5 exacta box 5,6,9 ($30)
- $1 trifecta 5,6,9 with 5,6,9,12 with 5,6,9,12 ($18)
Lush Lips was game to prevail at odds-on in the Mrs. Revere (G2) (Photo by Coady Media)
How to bet the 2026 Ellis Park Turf Stakes
A deep field of 11 fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles on the green in Sunday’s $175,000 Ellis Park Turf S. The race marks the return of the fantastic #6 Lush Lips (2-5) for conditioner Brendan Walsh, and while the four-year-old will be a short price in the affair, it seems too difficult to go against the Grade 1 heroine.
Ellis Park Turf Wagers
- $4 trifecta key 6 with 4,8,10 ($24)
- 10-cent superfecta 6 with 4,8,10 with all with all ($21.60)
Gimmie A Nother wins the Beverly D Stakes (G2) at Coloial Downs. (Photo by Coady Media / Credit to Brayden Cook)
Spot Plays for Claiming Crown Showcase Day
Nine starter handicaps qualifying for the 28th Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs on Nov. 14 will take place at Colonial Downs on Saturday.
Race 4 – Rapid Transit Qualifier Handicap: #6 Zero Blitz (4-5)
Race 7 – Canterbury Qualifier Handicap: #5 Paynted Warrior (4-1)
Race 8 – Glass Slipper Qualifier Handicap: #2 La Girvina (5-1)
Race 10 – Jewel Qualifier Handicap: #6 Baytown Bruiser (8-1)
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