DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Thursday, January 2, 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.

2:28 GP 5th LIGHT FOREVER (#9, 4-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Welsch).

2:40 AQU 5th SICILIANAIRE (#3, 8-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer).

3:00 GP 6th DEL ROSARIO (#5, 15-1) plunges to weakest level yet and one of the few proven commodities around two turns in the lineup. – Mike Weslch

4:02 GP 8th AUTUMN EVENING (#6, 4-1) dueled ultimate winner, succumbed late turning back to six furlongs, stepping back up to stakes company in N Y finale. Well spotted for local bow, should sit a nice stalking trip under Johnny ala his N2X win during the fall at Aqueduct. – Mike Welsch

4:08 AQU 8th BECAUSE THE NIGHT (#2, 4-1) concentrated mostly on turf at the start, but he won two of his first three starts on dirt, and just missed making it three for four on the surface when coming up short off the layoff two starts back; slight drop. – Mike Beer

4:10 TUP 4th DEBUTANTES DELIGHT (#1, 10-1) ran OK in his only two turf starts and he had trouble in both. He did little in his most recent but was shipping in from Oklahoma. We bet he shows some speed from this rail draw. His turf Tomlinson of 367 screams grass. A recent work rounds out the appeal. – Scott Ehlers

5:08 TUP 6th CAN'T WANT THAT (#5, 6-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers).