Horse Racing This Weekend: Key Races, Top Horses & Best Bets [March 13]
Colonial Downs Horse Racing Scene (Photo courtesy of Colonial Downs)
March 14th, 2026
Jump to each section below for easy access to everything you need for horse racing this weekend!
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.
Come back to find more weekly horse races and promotional offers every weekend.
2026 Kentucky Derby Corner & the 2026 Kentucky Oaks
Come here every week to discover everything you need to know about the 2026 Kentucky Derby. With many races from last week rescheduled for Friday, it'll be important to check back next week to see all the changes.
- Kentucky Oaks Roundup: Forced Entry joins top 5, Virginia Oaks provides next test
- Kentucky Derby Roundup: Potente, The Puma gain momentum
- Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: The Puma
- Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Potente
- Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Taptastic overcomes tough trip
Weekend Windup
.@AshleyAnd502 has a TwinSpires #WeekendWindup, highlighted by the Virginia Derby Day card at Colonial Downs! 🤩🌹 pic.twitter.com/WPfM6pA0uo
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 13, 2026
Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast
Jason opens the show with some betting discussions before welcoming in Kellie Reilly for International Radar. And he looks ahead to racing from Colonial and Gulfstream this weekend.
Top horses and best bets for horse racing this weekend
Click to jump to each race listed!
Best Bets for the 2026 Virginia Derby
Read the full analysis here: Tipsheet: 2026 Virginia Derby
A well-matched field of 10 sophomores will run 1 1/8 miles on the Colonial Downs main strip in Saturday’s $500,000 Virginia Derby. The 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest will reward the top five finishers with qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.
Virginia Derby Picks
- #1 Buetane
- #6 Lockstocknpharoah
- #8 Confessional
- #5 High Camp
Virginia Derby Wagers
- $15 win and place #1 Buetane
- $5 exacta key box 1 with 5,6,8
- 50-cent trifecta 1,6 with 1,5,6,8 with all
RELATED: Meet the Contenders: 2026 Virginia Derby
Top Horses for the 2026 Virginia Derby
#1 BUETANE: Baffert pupil was third in the Southwest (G3) in his route debut last time out and will make his third run off the layoff in this spot. The $1.15 million son of Tiz the Law has a fine draw on the rail with Flavien Prat coming in to ride. The expensive colt will always be close from the fence.
#6 LOCKSTOCKNPHAROAH: Wildcard in the group is perfect from two lifetime showings to date on the synthetic at Turfway Park for conditioner Tom Drury. The American Pharoah chestnut was a dominant winner in his route debut last time while not being asked, and if the gelding handles the dirt, then he will be formidable with Edgar Morales coming in to ride.
#8 CONFESSIONAL: Essential Quality colt didn’t fire in the Sam F. Davis last time out with the blinkers off and will have the hood back on for this endeavor. The three-year-old colt ran two big ones prior to that subpar showing, and the $160,000 yearling could surely reverse form and be a contender in this tilt with Irad coming in to be in the silks.
#5 HIGH CAMP: Instagrand gelding is a nice prospect who has run well in both lifetime runs at Gulfstream Park in preparation for his stakes bow. The homebred closed well going seven-eighths in his latest performance and drilled a bullet five panels last weekend for trainer William Walden. John Velazquez will ride the win threat.
Dazzling Dame wins the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo / Credit to Joe Labozzetta)
Pick 4 of the Week: Colonial Downs Saturday, March 14, 2026
There is an excellent four-race sequence to close out the big Colonial Downs card on Saturday, led by the $500,000 Virginia Derby.
Race 7 Wager
- 50-cent Pick 4: 1,4,6,7 with 1,2,3 with 1,5,6,8 with 2,8 ($48)
All Access Trackside Coverage
Watch here: All Access Trackside Coverage: 2026 Virginia Derby Weekend at Colonial Downs
Incredibolt winning the Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)
Spot Plays for Colonial Downs, Oaklawn, March 14, 2026
Although it's a relatively quiet Saturday in terms of stakes, graded and otherwise, there are still plenty of opportunities to cash around the country. Here are some horses of interest on the big cards at Colonial Downs and Oaklawn Park.
Kentucky Derby Future Wagers
Read the full analysis here: Hanson, Scully handicap Pool 5 of Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Kentucky Oaks Future Wager
Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) will be offered this weekend, along with the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (KOFW). Vance Hanson and James Scully will preview an individual and joint selection to back for both pools.
Top Horses for the 2026 Kentucky Derby Future Wagers
Kentucky Derby Future Wagers
Vance Hanson: The results of the Risen Star (G2) perhaps were a true indicator of where #16 Golden Tempo (30-1) stands (and will stand) in the three-year-old pecking order. That is, a good colt but one several lengths inferior to a top player like Paladin, for example. On the other hand, we might see a different, perhaps faster, Golden Tempo in his final prep, most likely the Louisiana Derby (G2). Trainer Cherie DeVaux said after the Risen Star that the deep-closing, stoutly bred son of Curlin would subsequently sport blinkers, with the obvious intention of keeping him in closer contact with his rivals. If that indeed comes to fruition next week, and Golden Tempo does turn in a far more effective performance from a speed rating perspective, the price available to backers in this KDFW pool will be far above what might be available on Kentucky Derby Day itself.
James Scully: Listed at 12-1 at the Caesars Sportsbook in Las Vegas, #30 Renegade (20-1) may be overlooked in Pool 5. He hasn’t been seen since a convincing win in the Sam F. Davis S. on Feb. 7, registering a 97 Brisnet Speed Rating that is among the fastest performances by a three-year-old this year, and I love the 111 Late Pace Rating he earned in the comebacker. Renegade is built/bred for classic distances and appears to be training forwardly for Todd Pletcher. No final prep has been announced, but the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland seems likely.
Consensus selection: A smart maiden winner when stretching to two turns in mid-January, #29 Reagan’s Honor (25-1) continued to progress when facing entry-level allowance foes a month later, receiving a 96 Brisnet Speed Rating for a 6 3/4-length victory. Along with favorable numbers, the Cherie DeVaux-trained colt possesses speed, leading gate to wire in the last two outings, and will look to punch his Kentucky Derby ticket with a strong showing on the front end of the Blue Grass.
Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers
Vance Hanson: Although she’s had a couple of down days in six starts to date, #6 Counting Stars (20-1) has also had several strong ones. Indeed, her winning margins in her three victories have been four, four, and six lengths. She didn’t win her latest start, the Honeybee (G3), but on the plus side, it was a much-improved effort over her no-show in the Martha Washington S. and a very strong effort versus Explora, who appears to be among the top several Oaks betting choices at this stage. Counting Stars appears to be a filly on the upswing and should offer plenty of value in this pool.
James Scully: Added ground proved beneficial, but unfortunate circumstances plagued #29 Percy’s Bar (30-1) in her final two starts last season. She was much the best when stretching to two turns in the Alcibiades (G1), finishing first by nearly three lengths, but needlessly ducked in and interfered with a tiring rival in the stretch. The bay filly got away poorly from the gate in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and was caught in tight quarters entering the stretch, bumping into the inner rail while rallying for third. Percy’s Bar has logged recent half-mile and five-furlong bullet works for Ben Colebrook. And while she figures to receive only one prep for the Kentucky Oaks, Thorpedo Anna (who was only stakes-placed as a juvenile) captured the 2024 edition after making her three-year-old opener in the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park.
Consensus selection: #22 Meaning (15-1) was aggressively spotted in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) last fall off a facile debut win going six furlongs. While she wasn’t quite good enough to make a splash, she nonetheless finished a creditable fourth against more experienced rivals. However, she took a big step forward in her season debut in the Feb. 8 Las Virgenes S. Not only did she win in fine style, but avenged her loss in the Breeders’ Cup by beating both Super Corredora and Explora. The former has not trained on, but Explora flattered Meaning with her own rebound victory in the Honeybee (G3). By Gun Runner, the Michael McCarthy-trained Meaning remains loaded with upside.
RELATED: Paladin heads KDFW Pool 5, Zany favored in Oaks Future
Disruptor breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park (Photo by Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson)
Pick 3 of the Week: Gulfstream Park Saturday, March 14
The Pick 3 of the Week will come from Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
Race 7 Wager
- $2 Pick 3: 2,3,4,8 with 6,8 with 1,7 ($32)
Best Bets for the 2026 Boston Handicap
Read the full analysis here: How to bet the Boston Handicap
A good field of seven will run seven-eighths on the dirt at Colonial Downs on Friday in the $150,000 Boston Handicap.
Boston Wagers
- $12 exacta 4 with 7 ($12)
- $6 exacta box 4-7 ($12)
- $2 trifecta key 4 with 3,6,7 ($12)
- 50-cent superfecta 4,7 with 4,7 with 3,6 with all ($8)
Top Horses for the Boston Handicap
#4 Lonesome Road (2-1), a half-brother to Grade 1 star Mindframe, has been dominant in both of his lifetime runs on the dirt following two grassy tries to begin his career, and I will give the gelding a major chance while making his stakes debut. Trained by Michael Trombetta, the four-year-old has displayed big early foot and a nice closing kick in his last two and has also trained forwardly in advance of the tilt, as well. The Maryland-bred will be forcing the pace from the opening bell with regular pilot Mychel Sanchez taking the reins once again.
#7 Illuminaire (9-2) showed little in his lone 2025 appearance at Saratoga, but the five-year-old has run some big ones in the past and has worked well in advance of his seasonal bow. A three-time winner from six career runs in advance of Friday, the tactical sort will receive a great trip while in the clear throughout with Rajiv Maragh on board. He has upset potential.
#3 Chipotle (5-2) was a strong runner-up at Laurel Park in his last endeavor while earning a lifetime best 102 Brisnet Speed rating in the process. The Michael Gorham-trained son of Mitole comes in fresh for the heat and will be sent to the front from the break. Regular rider Raul Mena will guide the gelding.
#6 Private Desire (15-1) was a distant seventh in his first run for this outfit off the long layoff and will run as a gelding for the initial time. The five-year-old son of Constitution is not consistent, but he has run some good ones in the past, and I like the aggressive placement by his connections in his second outing off the break. The Kentucky-bred gelding will rate early and make one run in the lane with Jaime Torres in the silks.
Gulfstream Park Scenic Turf Gate (Coglianese Photos)
Exotics Plays for the Captiva Island Stakes
A big cast of 11 fillies and mares will run five panels on the Gulfstream Park turf strip in Saturday’s competitive, $125,000 Captiva Island S. The finale on a good day of racing attracted an excellent group in a deep rendition of the race, and numerous contenders could have a say in the outcome of the heat.
Captiva Island Exotics
Mrs. Astor wins the Santa Barbara Stakes at Santa Anita. (Photo by Benoit Photo)
How to bet the 2026 Santa Ana Stakes
An overflow field of 11 fillies and mares has been entered for Sunday’s $100,000 Santa Ana (G3) at Santa Anita. The 1 1/4-mile trek on the grass features a good group of turf distaffers led by three-time graded stakes vixen #10 Mrs. Astor from the barn of Jonathan Thomas, but I’ll hunt for a little value in the affair.
Santa Ana Wagers
- $20 win #5 Public Assembly ($20)
- $10 exacta box 5-10 ($20)
- 10-cent superfecta 5,10 with 5,10 with all with all ($11.20)
Promotional Bonus Offers
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Opt in and receive a Bonus Bet up to $10 back on your first single horse Win wager if your horse runs 2nd or 3rd in selected races at select tracks along the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
