Saturday 5/30/26 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 2026-05-28T10:20:59-05:00

Race of the Week: Saturday's Mint Julep at Churchill Downs

May 27, 2026 | By Jeremy Plonk

The Lead:
Churchill Downs hosts its Stephen Foster Preview Day card with 7 stakes races crammed into an 11-race lineup. The Blame Stakes will feature Stephen Foster prospects awaiting next month's potential clash of titans on June 17 and be part of a 2 Million 1/ST Rewards Late Pick 4 Hit & Split promo. Meanwhile, the Race 7 Mint Julep caught my eye as the most attractive race of the stakes menu Saturday. The 1-1/16 miles turf test brings together a cast of 9 distaffers, including last year's 1-2 finishers PIN UP BETTY and CHARLENE'S DREAM.

Field Depth:
CHARLENE'S DREAM has won at the Grade 2 level, while Grade 3 winners here include PIN UP BETTY and MEDORO, the latter Grade 1-placed. Stakes winners include PROCTOR STREET (who is Grade 2-placed) and STYLISH SUE. That group is very well matched on class while the others will need to raise their games.

Pace:
CHARLENE'S DREAM has rail speed while STYLISH SUE on the far outside also has early interest (but she's cross-entered in Woodbine's Belle Mahone Stakes on Saturday; check updates). It doesn't look like a fast pace, but speed in the extreme posts can often turn up the tempo more than expected. A runner capable of staying in touch early in a midflight position could get a good trip in this race shape.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

1-CHARLENE'S DREAM: Nearly wired this cast a year ago at 7-1 odds and stands a chance on the return. I like the sprint-to-route move second start of the form cycle like this, and note her last 2 times going sprint-to-route produced wins in 2023 and 2024. Disappointed me in the Giant's Causeway when I picked her, thinking she'd do more fresh in that turf sprint. Expect Florent Geroux to put her on the lead.

2-FAVORITE MEMORY: British export makes first start for Cherie DeVaux while coming off a November layoff. Modest overseas form with a long series of Keeneland workouts for this. Drawn well under John Velazquez and might fit, but don't have enough feel for this one.

3-PIN UP BETTY: Churchill turf horse-for-course is 4-8 on the surface and defending champ in the Mint Julep (compared to 0-14 in all other setttings/surfaces). Decent efforts in the Jenny Wiley and Distaff Turf Mile in her last 2 starts and now gets money rider Flavien Prat for Mike Maker. Legitimate contender should be finishing from the back half of the field.

4-MEDORO: West coast transplant has shifted game successfully to midwest, holding form at Fair Grounds and Keeneland. Grade 1 Jenny Wiley wasn't up to its usual quality this year, so that third-place effort might get slightly overbet Saturday. Appreciate the consistency and another with a big chance under Jose Ortiz.

5-PROCTOR STREET: Rated the Modesty, despite being a Grade 3, a tougher field than the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley, so her recent third over this course may be better than it looks. She's relished 1-1/16 miles (4-6 lifetime) and simply ran out of steam in her last 2 over 1-1/8 miles. Times up the move better this time at a shorter trip with designated targets in front under Tyler Gaffalione. Her 104 BRIS late pace figure last time zips her past them late if near-repeated.

6-VINA ARANA: Irish export has won 2 of 6 since coming stateside to Jack Sisterson, but has not been a threat in either stakes bid to date. Some excuses last time in the Distaff Turf Mile, but that was over her best trip and this one extends her. Prefer others.

7-IN THE STARS: Regally bred Into Mischief-Stellar Wind filly posted a '26 return victory at Keeneland in allowance company and should be poised for the stakes re-rise. Graded-stakes win would do wonders for her value in the breeding shed, though she's done her best turf work on other courses than this one and has run poorly twice without Lasix.

8-SWEET TREASURE: Impressive Keeneland allowance winner while getting zero pace help and doing so from post 11 of 11 on April 15. The Brad Cox trainee couldn't match up with Medoro twice at Fair Grounds this winter but has been strong on the Kentucky lawn. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount on a live threat on a class rise.

9-STYLISH SUE: Cross-entered in Woodbine's Belle Mahone Stakes on Saturday. If here, expected to prompt the pace from the outside and should appreciate the cutback in trip from the 1-1/8 miles Modesty. Joe Sharp trainee has been a need-the-lead type over the years and benefits if Charlene's Dream is not aggressively ridden from the rail. Not impossible to hold for a share, but her last 4 losses have seen her finish off the board -- so might be an all-or-nothing candidate.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
PROCTOR STREET has been outstanding at 1-1/16 miles (5-6 in the exacta) and hasn't missed the trifecta in 3 local starts on the CD lawn.

Best Longshot Contender:
CHARLENE'S DREAM at 12-1 morning line has been on the board in this race before and the pace scenario doesn't look brutal for her front-end style.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$80 win PROCTOR STREET. $10 exacta part-wheel PROCTOR STREET over PIN UP BETTY and CHARLENE'S DREAM ($20).

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 2026-05-28T10:21:23-05:00

Jeremy Plonk: Saturday’s Remington Park Night of Champions

May 28, 2026 | By Jeremy Plonk

A dozen stakes worth north of $2.5 million overfill the marquee Saturday night at Remington Park for the American Quarter Horse season finale. The Night of Champions is one of the AQHA’s most important programs annually and is capped by the $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity. The 12-race card gets underway at a special 6 pm ET / 5 pm CT post time.

Let’s hop on the handicapping express to the track where I got my first full-time gig in racing.

Race 1: Grade 1 $20,000 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Stakes
#7 Turbulent exits a third-place finish against elder rivals, including 10-time stakes winner Livewires Turnpike, and can outrun fellow sophomores here, including #8 Cuz Eyema Cowboy Baby right next door.

Race 2: Grade 1 $224,600 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity
Nobody has blemished #6 Big Rotney so far in 5 starts and he stands a big chance at adding a third futurity final to his resume and unthinkable sixth win at a 50-day meeting.

Race 3: Grade 1 $50,000 Remington Park Distance Championship
The reigning AQHA Distance Champion #3 Handin Out Candy has run roughshod around the hook this season at Remington Park and is well-drawn for an eighth straight victory and third stakes win of the meeting.

Race 4: Restricted-Grade 3 $50,000 Jack Brooks Stakes
We’ll see the top-3 finishers from the Sooner State Stakes clash in the Grade 1 Remington Park Invitational Championship later on the card, which makes that race’s fourth-place finisher, #5 B Aj, a standout here back with state-bred sophomores.

Race 5: Restricted-Grade 3 $75,000 FL Lady Bug Stakes
They paid a mint in AQHA terms - $185,000 – for #3 She Makes It Special, and she should bounce back on a fast track from her Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity trials defeat.

Race 6: Restricted-Grade 2 $75,000 Easy Jet Stakes
Remington Park Futurity third-place finisher #4 Pyc Dollars Cowboy gets the nod in a deep cast that includes the 1-3 finishers of the Laico Bird Stakes and the Remington Park Juvenile.

Race 7: Restricted-Grade 2 $75,000 Boyd Morris Memorial Stakes
Defending champ #8 Js On Fire dropped in class to win this race a year ago and makes a similar move, but #7 Hard to Politic just to his inside is the pick to get the better of him with similar class relief.

Race 8: Grade 1 $100,000 Juno’s Request Stakes
All-or-nothing #9 Catchn Southern Rays never showed up on a sloppy track after missing the break last time but has had a tendency to bounce back after past misfires.

Race 9: Grade 2 $373,800 Heritage Place Oaks
The late pick 4 begins with standout filly #6 Toby Sis, the Grade 1 Los Alamitos 2 Million Futurity winner who is a neck shy of being 7-for-7 lifetime.

Race 10: Grade 2 $335,800 Heritage Place Derby
Fastest-qualifier #1 Luziana Man has had issues delivering in prior finals, so give a longshot look to #4 Ajs Wingman (12-1 morning line) – who has been knocking on the door all season and was an All American Futurity finalist a year ago.

Race 11: Grade 1 $250,000 Remington Park Invitational Championship
A pair of All American Futurity winners and the defending champ in this race are in the lineup, but it’s 8-year-old #10 Empressum (the 2022 AQHA World Champion) who could find the fountain of youth with a return to his favored 440-yard classic distance.

Race 12: Grade 1 $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity
#7 Curls Favorite Jet and #2 Fall Classic were fastest qualifiers in the May 7-8 trials and the former did so during a part of the card and part of the track where conditions were not in his favor, a key handicapping angle for me in stakes finals like this.

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 2026-05-28T10:21:56-05:00

Scott Shapiro: Churchill Downs Hit & Split Late Pick 4

May 28, 2026 | By Scott Shapiro

Saturday at Churchill Downs marks the first big stakes card since Kentucky Derby Day under the twin spires. “Stephen Foster Preview Day” gets started at 12:45 PM eastern and includes seven stakes races over the 11-race slate. As part of the fun on Saturday, 1/ST BET and Xpressbet are offering up a 2 Million Points Hit & Split in the late Pick 4. The sequence is comprised of all graded stakes events, including the featured Blame (G3). Remember to register for the new promotion before attempting to take your share of the rewards points.

Grade Descriptions: Grade A=Highest degree of confidence; Grade B=Solid Play. Grade C=Least preferred or pass; Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play.

Race 8: Aristides (G3)
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 1 Mad House; 2 Cornucopian
Backups: None

Forecast: The late Pick 4 gets rolling with this 6-furlong dash over the main track where the inside three runners are expected to take the lions’ share of public support. #3 Roll on Big Joe was made the 9-5-ML favorite after his runner-up finish to #1 Mad House in the Count Fleet (G3). He has won 3 of 4 over this surface, but had no real excuse when turned away in Arkansas last month. He can win, but I will use the second and third choices instead. Mad House should make the lead and proved tough to get by in the lane at Oaklawn Park last out. He comes into his first local start in the best form of his career and retains Paco Lopez. #2 Cornucopian was never overly comfortable in the Churchill Downs (G1) where he underwhelmed in his first start in Louisville. The class drop and move to Flavien Prat should help his chances. It feels like a now or never type spot for the $1.1M Keeneland September ’23 purchase.

Race 9: Regret (G3)
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 9 Tam Tam
Backups: 6 Dandona

Forecast: Four of the nine entered in this year’s Regret exit the Edgewood (G2) earlier this month. Those 3YO fillies and others try the 1 1/8-mile distance for the first time. The added ground and the race shape should benefit #9 Tam Tam. The Rigney Racing filly is a head away from being a perfect 3 for 3 since moving to the grass. She fought gamely last out losing a tight one at odds of 20-1 and should have things her way under jockey Junior Alvarado. If the pace is more contentious than it appears on paper #6 Dandona could be dangerous. The late running daughter of Tiz the Law was caught 4-wide into the first turn and remained wide throughout in the aforementioned Edgewood. She has a strong turn of foot and should get a much better trip in this spot.

Race 10: Blame (G3)
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 3 Hit Show
Backups: None

Forecast: The prep for next month’s Stephen Foster (G1) is another race where early speed appears to be at a premium. #8 Vibe is the one who should benefit most, but the $3M son of Into Mischief has yet to prove himself at two-turns. That makes him tough to endorse or get excited about at his 9-5-ML offering. I prefer the veteran #3 Hit Show. The son of Candy Ride made the trip back to Meydan in March to defend his Dubai World Cup (G1) title, but was unable to do better than a mid-pack fifth. That said, the Brad Cox trainee has thrived at the 9-furlong distance throughout his career and should find a favorable ground saving spot off a moderate early tempo. He should handle these if set for his best off the two-month freshening.

Race 11: Arlington (G3)
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 9 Quatrocento
Backups: None

Forecast: The card and sequence conclude with this 1 1/16-mile event for older runners on the grass where once again it looks like the pace should be on the moderate side. This should greatly benefit #9 Quatrocento. The son of War Front did not have an easy lead last out in the Opening Verse due to the presence of the quick Mi Bago, but should have no issues controlling the pace on the slight stretch out under regular rider Julien Leparoux. The Fausto Gutierrez trainee is winless in 3 tries over this course, but it is not as if he has run poorly in those starts. He should have no issue making the front and be tough to catch from there.

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 2026-05-28T10:22:22-05:00

Jeremy Plonk: Woodbine $3K Exacta-Thon Analysis | Saturday, 5/30

May 27, 2026 | By Jeremy Plonk

Saturday’s stakes-spangled card at Woodbine gets extra juice with a $3,000 Exacta-Thon promotion when you play with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. Take down winning exactas ($2 minimum) in 5 of the 10 races on the program to rake in your share of the bonus cash. Three stakes share the playbill Saturday in greater Toronto and I’ll lean into those for some Exacta-Thon assistance.

Race 6: Grade 3 $150,000 Belle Mahone Stakes
Seven elder fillies and mares match up over 1-1/16 miles on the Tapeta. Note that #6 Stylish Sue is cross-entered Saturday in Churchill Downs’ Mint Julep Stakes. Three of these will be making their first starts of 2026, and none of those have displayed past success off this kind of break to open the season. The horses with ’26 experience include #2 Equitas, #3 Deloraine, #4 Power of Destiny and the aforementioned #6 Stylish Sue if she makes the trip. #2 Equitas had a mistimed move on the Keeneland turf but still got a field-best, last-out 94 BRIS late pace figure that could be quite handy in a race with a fair amount of pace and horses potentially lacking foundation. Exacta key-box 2 with 4,6. Swap #5 Elysian Field for Stylish Sue in the event of a scratch.

Race 7: Grade 2 $175,000 Eclipse Stakes
The local handicap division gets its first major test of 2026 with this 1-1/16 miles test on the main track. Seven entered, including last year’s Prince of Wales Stakes classic winner #7 Runaway Again. But it’s first-time Woodbine visitor #6 Maycocks Bay who figures to be the one to catch. Godolphin’s front-running Speightstown gelding tries synthetic for the first time after plying his trade on dirt and turf at Fair Grounds, Oaklawn and Keeneland of late. He looks to be potential lone speed, which is always dangerous in a smaller field size like this. #4 Jokestar has been better on dirt than synthetic, but the Kevin Attard trainee is in good form right now after stakes bids at Laurel and Oaklawn. #1 Stanley House makes an old-school sprint-to-route move while second off the layoff and could fire an improved effort. Exacta key-box 6 with 4,1.

Race 9: Grade 3 $150,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes
I’m inclined to think #2 Western Whirl could very well wire this 6-furlong sprint. The 5-year-old comes off a November layoff but note he ran one of the fastest races of his life in victory here last June off a similar break. Trainer Stuart Simon hasn’t been off to a good start in limited tries this season, and there appears to be a missed workout May 8, so that’s where caution kicks in. Let’s back-wheel him second behind a few logical players. #4 G T Five Hundred has been in strong form throughout winter and spring, while #5 Possiblemente can say the same via Kentucky and #6 Playmea Tune should welcome the return to Woodbine from Florida. Exacta 4,5,6 over 2. At the right win price (5-1 or more), some action with Western Whirl on top wouldn’t be a bad play intra-race.

Saturday 5/30/26 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

Saturday 5/30/26 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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