DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, January 25, 2025

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.

12:40 AQU 1st Both halves of the Kantarmaci entry are mildly interesting for different reasons, but OLYMPIC DREAMS (#1, 5-1) is the one with the proven form over this distance; it's pretty easy to make excuses for his recent starts, since he's never loved a wet track, and ran into some tough rivals in the Empire Classic two back; has a right to rebound here stretching back out. David Aragona

1:33 GP 6th EMMANUEL (#2, 8-1) has been working extremely well without the blinkers on dirt in preparation for making his debut over the synthetic strip. Gets a bit of a class relief after keeping steady diet of graded stakes company since switching to Maker barn late this summer. As good as any in this spot if able to handle the new surface from off what figures to be a very honest pace. – Mike Welsch

2:12 AQU 4th COLLECT DATTT (#7, 8-1) doesn't appear to be in the same form that she was when she upset a starter allowance field on this circuit last March; however, she has faced tougher competition over the majority of her starts since then; caught a deceptively strong group last time at Finger Lakes, and has at least retained her early speed; draws well outside here with an aggressive rider. – David Aragona

3:45 GP 10th BE YOUR BEST (#3, 6-1) has been at her best in last two starts winning a pair of Grade 3 including local bow in the Suwannee River. Gets shaky nod in yet another wide open spot. – Mike Welsch

4:07 AQU 7th PIRATE (#2, 8-1) is a DRF Best (David Aragona).

4:34 SA 4th SAN SABA (#6, 3-1) is a DRF Best (Brad Free).

5:04 SA 5th If the kamikaze speedsters in posts 4 and 9 both start, this turf sprint may unfold perfectly for off-the-pace comebacker SANTO DIOS (#5, 30-1). He has not raced since April, but he has worked super for his return and he runs well fresh. He won an allowance in Argentina off a 10-month layoff; he finished second in his U.S. debut off a similar layoff. And though most of his races have been routes, the truth is his best races are seven furlongs or less. This race is six. 'DIOS can sit, wait and run them over late. – Brad Free

7:38 SA 10th Front-runner IMA JOKER (#7, 15-1) and potential favorite STRUTTING top this N1X turf route. The call is the speed. IMA JOKER won this condition three back with a front-running trip, then was overmatched twice against tougher. She returns to her winning level, is entered for the optional $50k claim tag, and figures to set the pace. 'JOKER can lead gate to wire. – Brad Free