DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Friday, October 18, 2024

Daily Racing Form has served as the most trusted source of news and information about the sport since 1894, and moving forward we have decided to provide a free daily playbook – something that both hardcore horseplayers and casual observers can reference to get informed of each day’s action.

1:20 GP 2nd MOMZA (#4, 6-1) ran best of the group that chased home Globes on 9/21, doing so despite breaking slow and racing wide throughout. Alert start, clean run could be difference makers today. – Mike Welsch

1:40 WO 2nd LOADED JUSTICE (#7, 7-2) is a DRF Best Bet (Ron Gierkink).

2:16 BAQ 4th ACCELERINA (#5, 6-1) rallied to score a maiden win in April before switching surfaces to no avail; was wide over a track that featured a strong rail when back on dirt at Saratoga, then faced a difficult distance cutback in that last one at Finger Lakes; fits well here and will be a fair price. – Mike Beer

3:08 KEE 5th WRITE OFF JERRY (#9, 15-1) has nearly no experience racing on the main track, and if he carries his Saratoga turf form to the Keeneland main track, he can capitalize on a favorable race flow and make some noise from the 3/16 pole to the wire in this deep, tough $10K starter allowance. – Marcus Hersh

3:30 GP 6th SARATOGA FLASH (#5, 5-1) back on home grounds after maybe finding nine furlongs just a bit too far when facing a solid bunch of N Y breds in the A T Cole. Last local run a huge one when missing a head in the Appleton back in March. – Mike Welsch

3:45 WO 6th HIGHLAND SOCIETY (#3, 10-1) pressed the pace in the two-path before folding in the final sixteenth over a track that favored outside/closers in his latest. He was previously victorious in another sprint at this bottom level under a hot Aebly and should rebound with an effective performance. – Ron Gierkink

3:51 BAQ 7th RIVER TAY (#3, 15-1) broke his maiden early on last year over a mile and has only made one start routing since then, that coming right before the layoff vs a tougher field; third off the layoff for this stretching back out after sprinting twice off the bench. – Mike Beer

4:00 SA 1st HURRICANE CLOUD (#2, 7-2) is a DRF Best Bet (Brad Free).

4:12 KEE 7th One workout video for million-dollar baby SERAPHIA (#12, 5-1), the Sept. 10 5f, where she went better on the outside than fellow 2yo Pretty Tapit, who subsequently showed little in her debut. Liked the way Seraphia went in that breeze, and while she seemed to move like a route horse, this long one-turn race -- where she drew well on the outside - might work for her debut. – Marcus Hersh

4:30 SA 2nd Second-time starter ALANIS (#1, 8-1) looks like the speed of this restricted maiden sprint for 2yos. She pressed a sizzling pace before she cracked in her debut, but could make a clear lead this time. Trainer Peter Miller excels with second-start maidens: 23 percent the past five years, compared to 10 percent first time out. ALANIS could be long gone. – Brad Free

4:50 BAQ 9th WORKS FOR ME (#2, 3-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer).

5:48 KEE 10th WILL TAKE IT (#3, 10-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh).

7:00 SA 7th Maiden winner two back on dirt, I'M RIPPED (#3, 8-1) was less comfortable on turf last out; he finished eighth. He worked a sharp dirt half-mile from the gate since, returns to preferred footing, and the lightly raced 3yo meets a field light on pace. If he produces as much speed as his maiden dirt win, he can win this state-bred allowance with an up-front trip. – Brad Free