Horse Racing This Weekend: Key Races, Top Horses & Best Bets [Sept 6-7]

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Weekend Windup

Top horses and best bets for horse racing this weekend

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Best Bets for the 2025 Kentucky Turf Cup

Read the full analysis here: Exotics for the Kentucky Turf Cup

An excellent field of 11 will vie in Saturday’s lucrative, $2.5 million Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational S. (G2) at Kentucky Downs. The 1 1/2-mile grassy tilt features two major contenders from the Todd Pletcher barn, including defending champ #6 Grand Sonata (4-1), but I’m also quite fond of his stablemate. 

TURF CUP WAGERS

• $8 exacta 2 with 3,5,6 ($24)
• 50-cent trifecta 2 with 3,5,6 with all ($13.50)
• 50-cent trifecta 3,5,6 with 2 with all ($13.50)

Top Horses for the 2025 Kentucky Turf Cup

#2 El Rezeen (8-1) will make his first run over the course and seems poised to become a stakes winner sooner than later. By English Channel, the four-year-old has placed in two graded races in his last four assignments and is much better than his fifth-place result in the Sword Dancer S. (G1) at Saratoga last time out suggests. The Kentucky-bred chestnut can run all day, and he has been facing some serious horses since October, as well. I’m not sure if I love the blinkers coming off for this one as he started his fine run of form with the hood on, but I’ll trust his connections, nonetheless. Irad will be in the saddle. 

#5 Mercante (5-1) will also be making his local debut at this venue and will be a formidable foe if he can see out the 12 furlongs. The Brian Knippenberg trainee had a nice prep for this at eight panels at Ellis Park most recently and should be fit for this one, second time off the short absence. The Gun Runner gelding has good gate speed and is something of a grinder, which seems ideal to handle a distance of this kind for the initial time. Kentucky-bred will be forcing the tempo from the break with regular pilot Joseph Ramos retaining the ride. 

#3 Tawny Port (10-1) was a clear third in the contest in 2024 and is a nice exotics piece in the field for Miguel Clement, who has had a fantastic summer up to this point. The six-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile was second in a race at 2 1/16 miles on the oval last week and wheels right back with a cut back in distance on Saturday. The $1.5 million earner hasn’t won in a while, but he could surely make the frame at a price under Manny Franco. 

Grand Sonata was a fine second in the Arlington Million (G1) in his latest showing, and he looms large with an obvious affinity for the course. Pletcher pupil will have Tyler Gaffalione in the irons. 

Best Bets for the 2025 Juvenile Mile Stakes

Read the full analysis here: How to Bet the Juvenile Mile Stakes

A cast of 10 juveniles will run eight grassy panels on the Kentucky Downs lawn in Sunday’s $1 million Juvenile Mile S. The value of the race is with #3 J J Grey (8-1) for Kenny McPeek, and I will center the majority of my wagers around the two-year-old. By strong turf sire Street Boss, the colt debuted at Colonial Downs on Aug. 2 and went postward as the 9-10 favorite in a big field. Breaking from the 11 hole at first asking, the $24,000 weaning purchase was forwardly placed from the start and powered home to a two-length triumph at the one-mile voyage. 

JUVENILE MILE WAGERS

• $12 win and place #3 J J Grey ($24)
• $1 superfecta 3,7 with 3,7 with 6 with all ($14)
• $1 superfecta 3,7 with 3,7 with all with 6 ($14)

Top Horses for the 2025 Juvenile Mile Stakes

#3 J J Grey (8-1) for Kenny McPeek, and I will center the majority of my wagers around the two-year-old. By strong turf sire Street Boss, the colt debuted at Colonial Downs on Aug. 2 and went postward as the 9-10 favorite in a big field. Breaking from the 11 hole at first asking, the $24,000 weaning purchase was forwardly placed from the start and powered home to a two-length triumph at the one-mile voyage. 

J J Grey runs for a conditioner who is better with horses that have experience and figures to improve going forward. I like how the youngster overcame both a wide post and some traffic in his unveiling, and he could have a bright future with consistent improvement. The March foal shows three morning drills in the interim, including a bullet four panels most recently, and he will have Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the silks. 

#7 Street Beast (8-5) broke his maiden in the allowance ranks on the course in his second career showing and is the likely one to beat today for Ben Colebrook. The talented son of Street Sense has performed well in both lifetime tries while showing good early foot on each occasion, and his pedigree suggests that going long will be right in his wheelhouse, as well. The May foal comes back on short rest with Luan Machado in the stirrups. 

#6 Duke of Suggins (10-1) rallied for a sharp debut win on the dirt at Churchill Downs prior to finishing a distant fourth in the subsequent Bashford Manor S. on the same strip. The Al Stall pupil has a catalog page that hints that the turf will be good for him, and the son of Tom’s d’Etat shows some solid morning drills in preparation for this encounter. This top barn is quite good at placing its horses. The February foal will come from off the early pace with James Graham on board. 

TwinSpires Jury

The TwinSpires Jury of Ashley Anderson, James Scully, and Darin Zoccali argue their best bets at Kentucky Downs and Colonial.

Best Bets for the 2025 Del Mar Futurity

Read the full analysis here: How to bet the 2025 Del Mar Futurity

Conditioner Bob Baffert will aim for his mind-boggling 19th win in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), which will take place on Sunday afternoon at Del Mar. The $300,000 tilt run for two-year-olds at seven-eighths on the main oval attracted a strong field of six, led by four from the powerful Baffert brigade. 

DEL MAR FUTURITY WAGERS

• $20 win #6 Litmus Test ($20)
• $10 exacta box 2-6 ($20)
• $5 trifecta 2,6 with 2,6 with 5 ($10)

Top Horses for the Del Mar Futurity

#6 Litmus Test will give him the nod at what might be a fair price at post time. The $875,000 yearling purchase debuted on the oval on Aug. 16 and had to work hard to graduate, which I feel will only help him going forward. Baffert's charge was well backed in that 5 1/2-furlong heat and delivered, and the bay shows two swift morning drills in the interim, as well. By red hot sire Nyquist, the Kentucky-bred will likely sit just off of a fast and contested pace prior to inching clear in the lane with Tyler Gaffalione inheriting the mount. 

#2 Brant brought a whopping $3 million in the spring and didn’t disappoint in his unveiling on July 26 when driving home to a visually impressive triumph. The son of standout sire Gun Runner has posted a quartet of solid morning moves in advance of his stakes bow, highlighted by a rapid six panels on the course last weekend. While he endured an ideal voyage at first asking, the good-looking gray still gave me the impression of a youngster who will thrive with more ground going forward. The colt will always be in the mix with Flavien Prat coming out to retain the ride. 

#5 Desert Gate bagged the Best Pal S. (G3) last time at 1-5 odds to move his mark to a perfect two-for-two for Baffert. The chestnut son of Omaha Beach has yet to be tested and will likely need to step forward a bit to take down this excellent cast of prospects. He’s done little wrong in advance of his biggest challenge to date and wouldn’t be a surprise. Juan Hernandez will pilot the March foal and might try to obtain the lead early on against this talented group. 

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