Horse Racing This Weekend: Key Races, Top Horses & Best Bets, September 12

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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.

• Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Sovereignty rebounds in Whitney - Aug. 10
• Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Sovereignty, Magnitude meet again - Aug. 3
• Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Kalpana, Moonrise qualify at Ascot - July 27
• Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Survie strikes in Christophe Clement - Aug. 17
• Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Knightsbridge crushes Pacific Classic - Aug. 24
• Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Leading Change upsets the Travers - Aug. 31
• Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Tiffany stars in Kentucky Turf Cup - Sept. 7

Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast

Jason is joined by Kellie Reilly for our weekly International Radar segment. He also talks about some industry news and the upcoming Woodbine Mile (G1).

RELATED: Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Sept. 10, 2026

Top horses and best bets for horse racing this weekend

Click to jump to each race listed!

Best Bets for the 2026 Woodbine Stakes

Read the full analysis here: Tipsheet: 2026 Woodbine Mile

A standout field will travel eight panels on the Woodbine lawn in Saturday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile (G1). 

Woodbine Mile Picks

• #3 Notable Speech
• #1 Deterministic
• #6 Silius

Woodbine Mile Wagers

• $15 exacta box 1-3
• $1 trifecta 1,3 with 1,3,6 with all

Top Horses for the 2026 Woodbine Mile

#3 NOTABLE SPEECH (1-1): Godolphin homebred is among the top milers in the world and is the defending champ in the race for excellent trainer Charlie Appleby. The Dubawi five-year-old, who is the reigning Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner, has won Group 1 races in two of his last three tries and comes in with fine form in hopes of defending his title in the tilt. William Buick comes in to retain the mount on this classy chestnut. 

#1 DETERMINISTIC (2-1): Fantastic son of Liam’s Map has won six graded races in succession coming into this one, led by four Grade 1 victories, for conditioner Miguel Clement. The streaking five-year-old has rolled home to fine scores in his last pair of tries at the one-mile distance, and he is well placed on the rail for his local debut, as well. The speedy sort will be forcing the action from the break with regular rider Kendrick Carmouche in the silks. 

#6 SILIUS (12-1):  Enters off a Group 3 tally in France and has been in very good form in 2026. The Dubawi colt loves the distance with a 10-5-1-2 mark at one mile, and the chestnut defeated a few good ones last time for Ferland. The Irish-bred will have John Velazquez in the silks. 

Best Bets for the 2026 Pocahontas Stakes

A field of nine juvenile fillies will go eight furlongs on the dirt at Churchill Downs in Saturday’s $300,000 Pocahontas (G3). 

Pocahontas Stakes Picks

• #2 Manuka Honey
• #7 Miss Anna
• #6 Scarlet Begonia
• #1 Pierette

Pocahontas Stakes Wagers

• $15 exacta 2 with 6,7
• $.50 cent superfecta 2 with 1,6,7 with 1,6,7 with all

Read the full analysis here: 

Top Horses for the 2026 Pocahontas

#2 MANUKA HONEY: Ultra-talented daughter of Upstart has romped in both lifetime runs to date and is clearly the one to beat in the heat. The Kentucky-bred from the barn of Brian Lynch blitzed stakes foes at seven furlongs in her latest effort and will be formidable with something close to her best run with regular pilot Saez in the controls. 

#7 MISS ANNA: Top danger to the leading selection was very sharp in graduating second time out and comes in with a big chance for Brendan Walsh. The $330,000 Girvin filly is bred to run long and has posted a trio of solid morning drills in advance of her stakes bow. Tyler Gaffalione will take the reins. 

#6 SCARLETT BEGONIA: Top-three threat from the barn of Brad Cox rallied to win at first asking prior to making up some ground late when third in the Adirondack (G3) at The Spa second time out. The Life is Good filly runs like a horse that will appreciate more distance, and her works have been solid this campaign, as well. Flavien Prat will ride the dangerous lass. 

#1 PIERETTE: $475,000 daughter of Girvin was a fine winner of the Debutante S. on the course two back prior to failing to fire as the favorite at Saratoga last time. The April foal should appreciate the move to one mile for the first time in this affair, and she will be saving ground from the rail, as well. Jose Ortiz retains the ride. 

TwinSpires Jury

Get ready for a huge weekend of horse racing handicapping and stakes action as the TwinSpires Jury looks ahead to Turf Champions Day at Woodbine and Churchill Downs Opening Weekend! 

On this edition of TwinSpires Jury Live!, Kali Francois, Darin Zoccali, James Scully, and Nick Tammaro break down the biggest races on the weekend schedule, including the Woodbine Mile (G1), E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1), Natalma Stakes (G1), and Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Woodbine’s Turf Champions Day features four Grade 1 races, with the Woodbine Mile, E. P. Taylor, and Natalma all part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

Best Bets for the 2026 E.P Taylor Stakes

Read the full analysis here: Exotics Plays for the E. P. Taylor Stakes

A sensational cast of eight fillies and mares will run 1 1/4 miles over the Woodbine turf in Saturday’s $750,000 E. P. Taylor (G1). The race has a huge international flair and is arguably the most exciting contest on the star-studded card. 

E. P. Taylor Exotics

• $6 exacta key box 8 with 1,4 ($24)
• $1 trifecta 4,8 with 1,3,4,6,8 with 1,3,4,6,8 ($24)
• 20-cent superfecta 4,8 with 1,4,8 with 1,3,4,6,8 with all ($12)

RELATED: International Scouting Report: 2026 E.P. Taylor

Top Horses for the E.P Taylor Stakes

#8 See The Fire (7-2) was thought of enough to be sent off at 5-1 odds in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in 2025, and while she didn’t impact the race after a slow start, it's obvious that the mare has a ton of talent. Trained by Andrew Balding, the daughter of Sea the Stars was a Group 2 victress in her second run of this season and has excuses for her last two while facing some of the better horses in Europe. Robert Hornby will be in the silks. 

#4 Diamond Rain (7-5), who finished a close second in the race last year prior to coming home third in the Filly and Mare Turf, was a stylish winner in her prep run for this affair and has to be given a huge chance for Charlie Appleby. The Shamardal five-year-old is a lightly raced mare with room to improve with just 12 starts to her credit, and her affinity for this course is a good thing, as well. She is a must-use with William Buick in for the ride. 

#1 Gimme a Nother (5-2) has been very impressive with a trio of wins in succession dating back to November, and the six-year-old also ran a huge second in her lone prior appearance on this surface, as well. The Graham Motion pupil is well placed on the fence and has a versatile running style that will make her dangerous throughout the heat. John Velazquez retains the ride. 

#3 Jancis (12-1) was outrun late in the deep Falmouth (G1) at Newmarket in July and comes in fresh for her North American debut in this spot. The William McCreery pupil split a fine duo at Royal Ascot two prior, and it’s worth noting that the five-year-old finished more than eight lengths clear of Grade 1 star Survie in her seasonal debut. Hector Berrios will be in the stirrups. 

#6 Venetian Lace (15-1), a second Godolphin homebred in the cast, is a two-time Group-1 placed sophomore who will be tackling her elders in the affair, and while this is a major class rise, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the filly challenge for a minor award at a nice price. The daughter of Masar has displayed speed in the past and figures to be forwardly placed in this endeavor, with Jamie Spencer in for the ride. 

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