DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Thursday, October 26, 2023

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.

12:25 LRL 1st TAK E LADY (#1, 12-1) moves back to preferred surface after being washed off at Delaware. Ran pretty well two back at Meadowlands as she was steadied at the start, was outsprinted behind a hot pace along the rail, then stayed on nicely inside behind the chalk. Barn went 3 for the last 12 (25%, $7.87 ROI) on turf. -Dan Illman | Bet this race with DRF Bets

1:27 LRL 3rd SELASSIE's (#4, 6-1) dam won her debut going two turns on turf as a 3-year-old (79 Beyer), and she is a full sister to stakes-winning dirt router Mr. Big News (101 dirt Beyer). That dam is also a half to stakes-placed turf router Mendelssohns March (86 dirt Beyer) from the family of Grade 1-winning turf router Sligo Bay. -Dan Illman | Bet this race with DRF Bets

1:40 BAQ 3rd DUNEEN BAY (#7, 10-1) was the lone firster in that field when debuting for this tag at Saratoga, and she did not get a very good trip in that race while still looking green in the running; comes right back at the same level and can build on that experience. -Mike Beer | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:08 KEE 5th MIRARI (#5, 10-1) has pedigree and quite the encouraging work pattern, and while the trainer has lost something like 25 in a row with first-time starters in turf route MSWs, a number of those horses raced competitively. -Marcus Hersh | Bet this race with DRF Bets

4:44 KEE 8th STINGER BEE (#6, 15-1) is by a 20% debut sire and looks like a runner. From two workout videos, Aug. 4 and Aug. 13, he appears to be a physically advanced 2yo. Both those works with Knicks Storm, the first with Stinger Bee on the outside, where they worked about heads up, but the Aug. 13 drill with Stinger on the inside and seriously outworking Knicks Storm. -Marcus Hersh | Bet this race with DRF Bets

5:16 KEE 9th JEFE DE OBRA (#4, 5-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh). | Bet this race with DRF Bets

8:08 WO 8th MAMMA KATZ (#11, 12-1) has worked well from the gate since her Oct. 7 fade job vs. $15K NW2 claimers. The lightly-raced 4yo should be a speed threat if she gets away alertly under the new 10-pound bug Adams. -Ron Gierkink | Bet this race with DRF Bets

9:31 RP 4th FARM DOG (#4, 6-1) is stretching back out to two turns here and note his maiden win came at this mile trip at Lone Star Park. -Mary Rampellini | Bet this race with DRF Bets

11:23 RP 8th GUNFLASH (#5, 9-2) moves back into the overnight ranks following a start in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby, which produced a notable Remington Park winner last weekend in Ghost Hero. (He was a more than seven-length winner over older rivals in the $131K Oklahoma Classic Cup.) As for GUNFLASH, he will be back on Lasix after racing without the diuretic in stakes protocols, and he also will be removing blinkers in what is a high-percentage equipment change for Broberg, according to statistics from Daily Racing Form. -Mary Rampellini | Bet this race with DRF Bets