DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, January 3, 2026
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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.
Post Time: 12:20 ET
Track: Gulfstream (1st race)
Horse: MO LADIES (#7, 8-1)
MO LADIES hails from barn of trainer Brian Lynch who has been dominating these maiden turf races all meet long. Broke slow, rushed up to duel his stable mate Thousandsticks before fading late in debut but now has a race under the belt and could prove lone speed over a course favoring that style of running of late. – Mike Welsch | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 2:10 ET
Track: Aqueduct (5th Race)
Horse: JACKSON'S DIXIE (#5, 6-1)
JACKSON'S DIXIE has typically been tough throughout his career when dropped in class, as was the case last time when dominating a field of $16k claimers on this track; can do it with or without the lead; spotted to be competitive right back. – Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 2:15 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (2nd Race)
Horse: TEDDER (#2, 6-1)
Why does TEDDER go from a solid dirt debut in a good CD maiden and a mildly impressive FG dirt MSW victory into a turf allowance? Because he's bred like a grass horse - dam particularly and siblings generally better on turf (or synth). Won a sustained stretch duel last time, then held off runner-up who'd sat back watching it unfold before coming with a run. Plenty of time between starts and can build on that run. Race should flow his way, too. – Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 2:40 ET
Track: Aqueduct (6th Race)
Horse: POROSITY (#3, 4-1)
POROSITY was unlucky to land in a very fast sprint in the debut early last year, and went back to the sidelines immediately after; was ready to go in return and easily handled a field going a mile with a competitive figure, then ran well again despite a troubled start in that last one; cuts back with room to keep improving. – Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 3:27 ET
Track: Oaklawn (6th Race)
Horse: CITY OF OSCARS (#13, 9-2)
CITY OF OSCARS is on the also-eligible list, but owns the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure among those entered in this race. – Mary Rampellini | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 3:40 ET
Track: Aqueduct (8th Race)
Horse: RANGER BATTALION (#5, 5-1)
RANGER BATTALION has been in career-best form since being claimed by these connections last May. He ran better than it looks in that last start when strongly rated from the start, before gamely trying to gain ground late in a race that wasn't coming back to him; the distance is no concern, as he would have won his first attempt going the mile back in September if not for being badly impeded late. Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 3:45 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (5th Race)
Horse: KEY MAN (#7, 10-1)
Speaking in generalities, of course, Candy Ride is a much better sire of dirt horses than turf, yet it was in a grass sprint that the Candy Ride colt KEY MAN debuted. Favored at 13-10 facing six at Canterbury, he got into pace battle and faded to fourth. I'm looking at that modest effort not as an indictment but as a solid stepping-stone toward this switch to dirt racing while he's reasonably dropped in for a $30K tag. Got to FG early, and while there's a minor gap in his work pattern (and no work video) the drills suggest he is ready to make good use of his speed this time. – Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 5:18 ET
Track: Gulfstream (10th Race)
Horse: PASS THE HAT (#2, 4-1)
PASS THE HAT turned in huge effort in lone turf outing when third behind Starship Titan (90 Beyer), and Risk Tolerance who came back to win MSW at Tampa with 88 Beyer in his subsequent start. Need only repeat that performance to earn diploma in his local debut. – Mike Welsch | Get Past Performances for this race
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