Horse Racing This Weekend: Key Races, Top Horses & Best Bets, July 18
Racing at Monmouth Park
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Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast
Jason welcomes in Kellie Reilly for the International Radar and looks ahead to Haskell Day and Saratoga Saturday.
Top horses and best bets for horse racing this weekend
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Best Bets for the 2026 Haskell Stakes
Read the full analysis here: Tipsheet: 2026 Haskell Stakes
A fantastic field of seven three-year-olds will travel 1 1/8 miles on the dirt at Monmouth Park in Saturday’s $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1). In addition to the healthy purse that will be distributed, the winner also receives an automatic berth to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) as part of the ‘Win and You’re In’ event.
Haskell Stakes Picks
- #6 Napoleon Solo
- #2 Further Ado
- #5 Iron Honor
- #4 The Puma
Haskell Stakes Wagers
- $30 win #6 Napoleon Solo
- $5 exacta key box 6 with 2,4,5
- $1 superfecta box 2,4,5,6
Top Horses for the 2026 Haskell Stakes
#6 NAPOLEON SOLO (5-2): Two-time Grade 1 hero will make his first run for his new ownership group and gets the nod to make good in his local debut. Trained by Chad Summers, the fleet Liam’s Map colt rated early before taking command in the lane in the Preakness last time, but he will likely be the controlling pace of the race on Saturday. His running style fits perfectly in this venue with Paco Lopez on board.
#2 FURTHER ADO (2-1): Logical morning-line choice from the Brad Cox barn rebounded from a subpar finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) to romp in the Matt Winn (G3) in his last performance. The Gun Runner colt has trained swiftly in the interim and will be tough to beat with Irad returning to the silks.
#5 IRON HONOR (3-1): Preakness (G1) runner-up from the barn of Chad Brown has run big in three of his four lifetime starts to date and gives me the impression of a colt who will continue to improve. The son of Nyquist has good early speed combined with a nice turn of foot, and I expect him to be in the mix late with Flavien Prat in the silks.
#4 THE PUMA (7-2): Grade 3 winner will make his first appearance since missing by a nose in the Florida Derby (G1) for conditioner Gustavo Delgado. The chestnut son of Essential Quality drilled a bullet five panels in advance of the race, and he is surely good enough to win it off of workouts. Luis Saez will ride and bring the $150,000 juvenile purchase from off the early tempo in this spot.
Dynamic Pricing wins the Just a Game Stakes. (Photo by Coglianese Photo / Credit to Angelo Lieto)
Pick 4 of the Week: Saratoga Saturday, July 18
A fun and challenging sequence, headlined by the feature, will make up the Pick 4 of the Week at Saratoga on Saturday.
Race 4 Wager
- 50-cent Pick 4: 2,5 with 1,3,4,6 with 1,6 with 2,4,7,8 ($32)
Best Bets for the 2026 San Diego Handicap
Read the full analysis here: Tipsheet: 2026 San Diego Handicap
An excellent cast of seven will travel 1 1/16 miles on the main strip at Del Mar in Saturday’s $300,000 San Diego H. (G2).
San Diego Handicap Picks
- #6 Full Serrano
- #5 Journalism
- #7 The Goat
San Diego Handicap Wagers
Top Horses for the 2026 San Diego Handicap
#6 FULL SERRANO: First of two for trainer John Sadler won the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on the strip and has worked well leading up to his reappearance at this venue. The fleet seven-year-old has registered four swift morning moves in anticipation of Saturday, and the son of Full Mast will be seen pressing the pace to the top of the lane before taking the lead in the stretch with Joel Rosario in the stirrups.
#5 JOURNALISM: Classy multiple Grade-1 victor has put in a trio of very good runs on the course in his career and is the one to beat for trainer Michael McCarthy. The classic-winning son of Curlin had what I thought was a great prep for this in the one-turn Met Mile (G1) most recently and has worked well in advance of his local return. Umberto Rispoli gets the call and will have the four-year-old rating behind a lively early pace before asking the colt for his best in the stretch.
#7 THE GOAT: Chilean import is a two-time Group 1 hero who sprinted in his stateside debut for Sadler. The Midshipman five-year-old didn’t run poorly off the long absence in that event and has trained in fine fashion since. I expect the bay to track the pace from the second flight early before moving into contention turning for home with Emisael Jaramillo signed on.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien's Breeders' Cup contenders for 2025 at Del Mar
Pick 3 of the Week: Del Mar Saturday, July 18
The first Saturday of the Del Mar summer meeting features a strong 11-race card headlined by a pair of Grade 2 events, and my goal is to pad the bankroll before taking aim at the exciting co-features.
Race 4 Wager
- $1 Pick 3: 5,6,9,10 with 4,6,7 with 7,9 ($24)
TwinSpires Jury
The TwinSpires Jury returns with another loaded weekend preview as Nick Tammaro, Darin Zoccali, and James Scully discuss three of Saturday's biggest stakes races from Monmouth Park, Saratoga Race Course, and Del Mar, before closing the show with their Best Bets and Favorite Fades from around the country.
Best Bets for the 2026 Coronation Cup Stakes
Read the full analysis here: How to bet the 2026 Coronation Cup Stakes
A talented cast of six three-year-old fillies are entered for the grass in Saturday’s $225,000 Coronation Cup (G3) at Saratoga.
Coronation Cup Wagers
Top Horses for the Coronation Cup Stakes
#3 Sapphire Beach (5-2) has found her niche as a turf sprinter, and I will back her to pick up her first stakes trophy in the 5 1/2 furlong dash on the green. Trained by Rusty Arnold, the No Nay Never filly was a $57,000 yearling purchase who flashed potential as a two-year-old for a conditioner who is often better with experienced runners, and she has improved as a three-year-old. The Irish-bred filly went 3 1/2 lengths clear under the wire to graduate on the Gulfstream Park sod in her 2026 unveiling, and two races later she just missed behind the impressive Slay the Day at Keeneland in the Limestone (G3). She most recently dominated allowance runners on the Churchill Downs green on May 31 and has produced four productive morning moves in preparation for her Saratoga debut. The red-hot Jose Ortiz will once again pilot Sapphire Beach.
#2 Cy Fair (3-5) is the deserving favorite in the field for conditioner George Weaver. By the fantastic Not This Time, the three-year-old bay has never missed the board in her six-race career in advance of Saturday, and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint (G1) star was last seen driving home to an impressive victory in the deep Mamzelle (G3) at Churchill Downs, as well. Cy Fair was a going-away debut winner on the local green last summer, which preceded a close runner-up result in the subsequent Bolton Landing S., proving that she has an affinity for the oval. The versatile sort proved in her last outing that she can adapt to any pace scenario, and she will be very tough to upend with her best showing. John Velazquez inherits the live mount.
#4 Cadenza (8-1) is the most likely third-place finisher in the heat for conditioner Brad Cox. The Charlatan chestnut broke her maiden on the strip and comes off a clear third in the Soaring Softly (G3) here on June 7. The stalker has the tactical speed to stay close to the expected moderate tempo early on with Manny Franco on board.
Raiding Party wins at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)
Exotics Plays for the San Clemente Stakes
An especially well-matched group of 11 sophomore fillies will go postward in Saturday’s $200,000 San Clemente H. (G2) at Del Mar. The 1 1/8-mile tilt on the lawn attracted some of the top grass fillies in California, as well as some dangerous imports from the East, in what is a very intriguing affair to me.
San Clemente Exotics
- $2 exacta box 1,3,8,10 ($24)
- 50-cent trifecta 1 with 3,8,10 with all ($13.50)
- 10-cent superfecta 1,8 with 1,3,8,10 with 1,3,8,10 with all ($9.60)
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