DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026

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.

12:00 LRL 1st MEADOWLARK DRIVE (#7, 8-1) was forced off the turf last time out and gets a pass for a terrible effort on a sloppy track; the DeMasi trainee stretched out on turf in July and ran about as well as she did going shorter, so the filly isn't being taken out of it at 5 1/2 furlongs here; this drop in class should do the trick. - Patrick Moquin | Get Past Performances for this race

12:20 GP 1st BABY MASHA (#10, 6-1) is by a 15% debut turf sire. Her dam went 4-1-0-1 on the grass and earned 30K (won turf debut). All three sibs won on the grass. This filly looks capable whether this stays on the grass or not (of late it has been more not). New barn is 23% off the claim. - Scott Ehlers | Get Past Performances for this race

1:06 LRL 3rd ORATOR (#7, 10-1) has improved in two straight races while stretching out in distance, running a strong second with a 78 Beyer at 1 1/8 miles; Neilson will cut him back to 1 1/16 miles, a distance he handled well at Delaware when he missed by a length on Aug. 13; he broke his maiden over this course back in June and has only gotten better since. - Patrick Moquin | Get Past Performances for this race

1:16 CD 2nd DEFENDING ALBERT (#2, 8-1) was claimed for $16K two summers ago - and that's the race that got in eligible for this starter, and also the last time he ran for a claiming price. Drew rail last two starts, and in most recent almost ran down Show Time, who'll be a fourth of his price here. Layoff just means he's fresh now. Overlooked. - Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race

1:25 GP 3rd OUR PERFECT AMANDA (#7, 9-2) tried two turns for the first time last out and beat half the field home at 12-1. What is wrong with that? Now she goes second time routing while third off the layoff. Another sharp work rounds out the appeal. COPPER CREOLE just ran a Beyer top when 2nd at 9-1. Even running style might bode well for today's stretch-out. Team Yates are 7% going sprint to route. - Scott Ehlers | Get Past Performances for this race

1:29 WO 2nd CAPTIVATING NAME (#2, 6-1) won two $7.5K conditioned claimers in a row before failing to threaten most recently in a $7.5K starter allowance. He's a good fit in this open $7.5K seller where he has some speed to chase. -Ron Gierkink

1:46 CD 3rd Perhaps you have noticed that trainer J Sharp is killing it again at Churchill. Ignore the purchase price on first-timer CHARTERED (#1, 6-1) - Sharp owns him and surely acquired the horse from someone else who bought him at auction. One work video at Churchill before he was sent to Turfway - looked quite encouraging for a horse at this level. - Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race

2:00 WO 3rd CHART THE COURSE (#4, 7-2) attended a quick pace on the outside before fading to fifth when last seen in a dirt sprint for $85K maidens at Saratoga Aug. 9. She's worked quickly on the Tapeta at Belmont in the interim and is by the excellent 20% synthetic sprint sire Liam's Map. - Ron Gierkink | Get Past Performances for this race

2:08 LRL 5th ALBORZ (#3, 6-1) will make his first start for Delgado, who has been unleashing some live juveniles this year; sire Uncle Mo strikes with 14% of juvenile firsters and the dam Exotic Notion produced the versatile graded stakes winner Hill Road; Ruiz is a fascinating addition in the context of this race, as he lands on the Delgado colt over some of his favorite trainers. - Patrick Moquin | Get Past Performances for this race

2:35 GP 5th EXTRA SUGAR (#4, 6-1) is by a 9% debut sire and a 9% debut turf sire. Her dam went 6-2-1-1 and earned 102K (68K on the blades). This is her first foal. Few are better with debut runners than team Moubarak at 20% (25% first time turf). Turf and distance Tommies are just fine at 334/361. - Scott Ehlers | Get Past Performances for this race

2:49 CD 5th OREN'S FLYER (#4, 8-1) has workout videos with Modern, who won his debut at this CD meet, and with Loaded for Bear, who won his debut at this CD meet - he went at least as well as both those horses, if not better. Another firster for T Drury? - Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race

4:17 GP 8th KING COUSIN B (#4, 6-1) ran well on both the turf and synth and that might come in handy whether this stays on or not. As expected for a short, sprint, stakes there is ample pace in here so go ahead and check the box for good race flow. This colt has worked three times since his most recent and keeps regular rider. - Scott Ehlers | Get Past Performances for this race

4:49 LRL 10th GOALPOST (#8, 5-1) was a $450,000 purchase, so one poor start won't provoke Motion to consider a drop in class; the trainer will keep him on dirt and try blinkers this time, which has been a successful move in the past; this is purely a wager on the potential and the trainer's relative confidence to stay at this level. - Patrick Moquin | Get Past Performances for this race

5:06 SA 3rd A half-length separated the first four finishers of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf on Aug. 22, a cast that reunites in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile, a race with implications for the BC Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 31. This time, the order of finish is highly likely to be different. An edge is given to DETAIN (#4, 8-1), who closed with a rush to be second by a head in the Del Mar Mile in his American stakes debut. To win this, Detain needs Cabo Spirit and possibly others to set a decent pace. - Steve Andersen | Get Past Performances for this race

5:09 WO 9th HAPPY TO BE HERE (#4, 4-1) missed the break before closing from left field for fourth behind the next-out allowance winner Pepper Brooks when debuting Aug. 9. He was a sagging fifth most recently but could improve significantly with the addition of blinkers and Hernandez. - Ron Gierkink | Get Past Performances for this race

6:01 CD 11th You know, it takes S American imports a good long while - often several races - to truly acclimatize and get accustomed to American racing. CENIZA PAMPA (#8, 6-1) makes her third start since coming from Argentina, where she was a G1 winner, and I think she's ready now. Second at this level two back over CD course trying to close into a slow pace. - Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race

6:40 SA 6th RUNAROUND SUE (#5, 6-1) managed a fifth-place finish of 10 in a maiden race for statebred 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Aug. 30 in her debut, breaking slowly and steadily progressing through the final half-mile. She can improve against a similar field in her second start. Runaround Sue is trained by Andy Mathis, who has won with two of 10 second-time starters this year. The key for Runaround Sue is a better start. She drew post 5 in this field of nine which may help if she races as a stalker. - Steve Andersen | Get Past Performances for this race

7:30 RP 1st OLD BOYS CLUB (#2, 8-1) has been in search of that elusive second career win for some time but he ran well for the show in a similar spot last time, closing with interest despite racing well off mild early splits; may be able to run them all down late given a better set up. - Kenny Peck | Get Past Performances for this race

7:40 SA 8th ORIGINAL SIN (#4, 6-1), winner of the Grade 3 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs in May, has his second consecutive appearance in California in the Goodwood Stakes after a second-place finish by 6 1-4 lengths at Del Mar on Aug. 22. Original Sin had a slow start in the Pacific Classic, and rallied from last of 11. At other times in his career, he has raced as a stalker. There should be a solid pace in this field of nine. - Steve Andersen | Get Past Performances for this race

8:26 RP 3rd BRASS NUCKS (#4, 8-1) meets winners for the first time but he lands in a race that's not overrun with early speed, and that will be an edge, as he's always involved from the start; first start off the layoff and claim by trainer Dick Cappelluci, who wins at 39% with the former angle. - Kenny Peck | Get Past Performances for this race

11:42 RP 10th MISS NEIGH NEIGH (#6, 6-1) debuts for trainer Patrick Swan, who clicks at 22% with firsters, and that makes this filly a threat by default; first starter from the dam, who posted her lone win in a dirt sprint, and sire Echo Town wins at 18% with his debut runners, a solid rate (average for all sires is 10%). - Kenny Peck | Get Past Performances for this race