Thursday, February 26, 2026

Your essential guide to the best races across the country today. All post times listed. Horses presented in projected finishing order.

Fair Grounds | New Orleans, La.

Race 4 — 5.5 Furlongs on the Turf | Allowance Optional Claiming | 2:15 pm CT

One of the most compelling turf sprints on the entire card today, and the standout play of the Fair Grounds afternoon. The top contender here is clear.

The Play: (2) Six String jumps off the page. Drawn to the rail with a strong projected advantage over the field, this mare has everything working in her favor — top connections, a comfortable distance, and numbers that dwarf the competition. Trainer A. Landry sends out the morning-line co-favorite, and jockey T. Thornton gets the call.

Right behind is (6) Rue Lala at 2/1, trained by S. Wilson and ridden by I. Castillo. She’s the obvious threat and profiles as the main speed presence. Third in the projected order is (7) Bayou Bertie, another Landry trainee at 7/2 — the barn clearly has a strong hand in this race.

(1) Bet Towinit rounds out the contenders at 3/1, but the gap between the top three and the rest of the field is significant.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win/Place: (2) Six String

• Exacta: 2 over 6, 7

• Trifecta: 2 / 6, 7 / 1, 6, 7

Race 6 — 5.5 Furlongs on the Turf | Claiming $20,000 | 3:15 pm CT

This grass sprint is loaded with intrigue. (4) Fit to Fly is projected miles clear of the field — a rare dominant standout in a wide-open race. Trained by A. Suarez and ridden by I. Castillo, this horse simply has no peer in the numbers today.

Behind him, three horses cluster tightly: (3) One True Gentleman, (6) Finster, and (8) Simplexity (IRE) — all at the same projected level. If Fit to Fly stumbles or has trouble in running, any of the three could swoop in.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win: (4) Fit to Fly (if odds allow, it’s a strong single)

• Exacta: 4 over 3, 6, 8

• Trifecta: 4 / 3, 6, 8 / 2, 11

Oaklawn Park | Hot Springs, Ark.

Race 6 — 8.5 Furlongs on Dirt | Allowance | 3:04 pm CT

Purse: $125,000 | Fillies & Mares

One of the richest races on today’s multi-track card, and a prime betting opportunity. (5) Floating Beauty leads the projected order for C.A. Torres and trainer L. Briley. She’s followed closely by (2) Adogate — a well-regarded runner for the Asmussen barn — and (8) Lolo Le Plume at 5/2 for trainer R.B. Hess, Jr.

The morning line has Lolo Le Plume as the public choice at 5/2, but the numbers favor Floating Beauty. That projected edge, combined with a slight overlay opportunity, makes her the play.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win/Place: (5) Floating Beauty

• Exacta: 5 over 2, 8

• Trifecta: 5 / 2, 8 / 6, 9

Race 8 — 8.5 Furlongs on Dirt | Allowance Optional Claiming $150,000 | 4:07 pm CT

Purse: $125,000 | 3-Year-Old Fillies

The richest race of the Oaklawn afternoon and a legitimate stakes-quality field. (5) Sticker Shock heads the projected order for trainer B.H. Cox and jockey C.A. Torres. She’s the morning-line favorite at 8/5 — one of the rare cases today where the public and the numbers agree completely.

(2) Scot’s Law is the main danger at 4/1, trained by J.A. Ortiz and ridden by L. Saez. A projected gap separates these two from the rest of the field.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win: (5) Sticker Shock

• Exacta: 5 over 2, 7

• Trifecta: 5 / 2, 7 / 4, 1

Gulfstream Park | Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Race 3 — 5 Furlongs on Synthetic | Claiming $8,000 | 1:20 pm ET

Fillies & Mares

A short, sharp sprint with a dominant projected leader. (1) Beautiful Crazy — ridden by I. Ortiz, Jr., one of the country’s top jockeys — leads the field by a wide margin. The 6/5 morning-line chalk, trained by J.F. D’Angelo, this mare’s projected edge is significant enough to make her a strong single.

(7) Maerdama sits second in the order at 5/2, followed by (2) Stubold at 3/1.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win: (1) Beautiful Crazy

• Exacta: 1 over 7, 2

• Use Beautiful Crazy underneath in multi-race wagers

Race 7 — 8.32 Furlongs on Synthetic | Starter Optional Claiming $20,000 | 3:20 pm ET

Fillies & Mares

(3) Ashima is one of the most dominant projected plays on the entire card today. The 3/5 morning-line favorite for trainer S. Santoro, ridden by I. Ortiz, Jr., she eclipses the field in projected ability. The gap between her and second-place (2) Show Off is substantial.

If you’re building multi-leg tickets, Ashima is a strong single here.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win: (3) Ashima

• Exacta: 3 over 2, 5

• Single her in Pick 3/Pick 4 sequences

Aqueduct | Jamaica, N.Y.

Race 6 — 5.5 Furlongs on Dirt | Starter Allowance | 3:45 pm ET

Purse: $60,000

The best Aqueduct race of the day. Three horses project closely at the top, making this a prime exacta and trifecta race. (4) Social Hour leads the order at 9/5 for trainer I. Kantarmaci and jockey M. Franco. Right behind at the same projected level is (3) Shoot the Nickel and (2) Spirit Dragon — both at 4/1 and 2/1 respectively.

Note that both Shoot the Nickel and Social Hour are trained by Kantarmaci — the barn could be playing for the exacta.

Betting Suggestions:

• Exacta: 4 / 3, 2 (box)

• Trifecta: 4, 3, 2 / 4, 3, 2 / 4, 3, 2 (full box)

• The 3-horse cluster at the top makes this a prime wheel race

Race 3 — 8 Furlongs on Dirt | Claiming $50,000 | 2:12 pm ET

(5) Fort Nelson leads the field for trainer L. Rice and jockey K. Carmouche, followed closely by (4) Playa Del Mar at 7/5 — the public favorite. A big gap separates these two from the rest of the field. This is a two-horse race.

Betting Suggestions:

• Exacta: 5 / 4 and 4 / 5

• Win: (5) Fort Nelson if the price is right; (4) Playa Del Mar if you want to go with the chalk

Turfway Park | Florence, Ky.

Race 9 — 8 Furlongs on Synthetic | Allowance Optional Claiming $25,000 | 9:55 pm ET

Purse: $102,000

The marquee race of the Turfway card — a full field with big money and a clear projected leader. (5) Coalmoon stands alone at the top of the projected order, with a meaningful edge over (12) De’ Medici at 4/1 and (4) Universal Sound at 7/2. Trainer P.H. Lobo and jockey L. Machado team up for the top selection.

This is a deep, competitive field with plenty of horses bunched in the middle, making trifectas and superfectas attractive.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win/Place: (5) Coalmoon

• Exacta: 5 over 12, 4, 11

• Trifecta: 5 / 12, 4, 11 / 3, 2, 8

Race 6 — 8 Furlongs on Synthetic | Starter Allowance | 8:25 pm ET

(9) I Lucked Out is the dominant projected play of the Turfway card. Ridden by R.M. Hernandez and trained by J. Esquivel, this horse has a significant edge on the field. The morning line has him at 9/5. (8) Faster is the main rival at 7/2.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win: (9) I Lucked Out

• Exacta: 9 over 8, 5, 10

Charles Town | Charles Town, W.Va.

Race 7 — 8.5 Furlongs on Dirt | Allowance Optional Claiming $15,000 | 9:49 pm ET

Purse: $30,800

The best race of the Charles Town evening. (2) Strava and (4) Deadpan are projected identically at the top of the order — both trained by A. Farrior, which is a key barn angle. When a trainer sends out two co-projected horses, the exacta between them becomes a natural play.

(3) Magic Mover sits third in the projected order at 4/1 for trainer K.J. Joy — a credible threat if the top two set each other up.

Betting Suggestions:

• Exacta: 2 / 4 and 4 / 2

• Trifecta: 2, 4 / 2, 4 / 3, 5

• The Farrior stable angle makes a key/key exacta essential

Mahoning Valley | Youngstown, Ohio

Race 6 — 8 Furlongs on Dirt | Claiming $8,000 | 2:35 pm ET

The standout Mahoning Valley race with a clear top contender. (4) Panthera’s Fate is projected well clear of the field at 3/1 for trainer J. Urieta and jockey D.L. Parker. The gap between Panthera’s Fate and second-place (3) Kadesh is notable.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win/Place: (4) Panthera’s Fate

• Exacta: 4 over 3, 5

Turf Paradise | Phoenix, Ariz.

Race 4 — 8 Furlongs on Turf | Allowance Optional Claiming $12,500 | 2:47 pm MT

A solid turf route at the desert oval. (5) Hurricane Cloud (GB) heads the projected order for trainer J. Silva, Jr., and jockey F.T. Alvarado. He’s followed by (6) The Black Strat and two co-projected horses — (3) Chief Wild Eagle and (1) Seas of Normandy — both sitting right behind.

Betting Suggestions:

• Win: (5) Hurricane Cloud (GB)

• Exacta: 5 over 6, 3, 1

• Trifecta: 5 / 6, 3, 1 / 3, 1, 7

Best Bets of the Day

A quick summary of the plays with the clearest projected edges across all tracks:

1. Gulfstream Race 7 — (3) Ashima (3/5) — Dominant projection, top jockey, single her in multi-race wagers.

2. Fair Grounds Race 6 — (4) Fit to Fly (5/2) — Projected miles clear of the field on the turf.

3. Fair Grounds Race 4 — (2) Six String (3/1) — Strong projected edge with barn depth in the race.

4. Turfway Race 6 — (9) I Lucked Out (9/5) — Biggest projected gap on the Turfway card.

5. Aqueduct Race 6 — Exacta box: Social Hour / Shoot the Nickel / Spirit Dragon — Three horses clustered at the top in a $60,000 sprint.

Good luck at the windows. Bet responsibly.

— Aces and Races Staff | February 26, 2026