DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Wednesday, Aug. 19, 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.
2:20 SAR 3rd PINKY BRIER (#5, 6-1) never got involved while running a stakes race here during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. She wheeled back two weeks later to run poorly again and was given some time off. She an be inconsistent, but she owns a top effort that makes her a contender in here at a fair price, and she is fast enough to get forward in a race featuring a murky pace scenario. – Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
3:30 SAR 5th ENGRAVED (#2, 6-1) sold for $200k last April after a 10-flat breeze, but he showed no works after that and didn't race at 2. He has been breezing right along since the end of June for a red-hot barn, and he is bred for this – the dam went 3 for 4 on turf in her career, and her two winning foals were both turf horses (one debut winner). – Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
4:05 SAR 6th SOLO JIM's (#8, 8-1) two wins have come over wet tracks, though he ran fine over fast dirt two back when just missing to an odds-on favorite going a mile. He might have run even better than it looks in that last one, as he was continuously moving forward into a strongly run race and just kept going through the stretch. We'll find out a bit more about him here, but he will be a good price once again. – Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
5:15 SAR 8th NOT TAPPING (#4, 8-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer). | Get Past Performances for this race
6:29 LAD 4th STANDARD ISSUE (#3, 8-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). | Get Past Performances for this race