Multi-Track Special | Sunday, March 8, 2026

Featuring the best plays across eleven tracks from coast to coast.

Aqueduct | New York

Race 3 — Allowance Optional Claiming $75,000 | 8 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 2:13 PM ET 4-year-olds & up, Fillies & Mares

The top of this field is a tight three-way cluster that sets up a juicy exotic opportunity. All Class (PP 5) sits at the top of the projected order and offers solid value at 6/1 on the morning line — a horse that looks like she belongs on top against this group. Right behind her is a near-dead-heat projection between Cupid’s Heart (PP 6) at 7/2 and Collect the Data (PP 4) at 4/5. The Chad Brown-trained Collect the Data will be heavily bet, and while she’s firmly in contention, her short price makes the others far more attractive for exotics. Sweetest Princess (PP 2) and Always Angels (PP 3) — both trained by Linda Rice — round out the bottom half of the field and project well off the pace.

Best Bet: All Class (PP 5) to win Exotic Play: Trifecta box — All Class / Cupid’s Heart / Collect the Data

Race 6 — Allowance Optional Claiming $75,000 | 6.5 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 3:46 PM ET 4-year-olds & up

A sharp sprint with a clear top pair separated from the field. Toxic Gray (PP 5) and Sacrosanct (PP 3) project as a powerful 1-2, with Toxic Gray holding a narrow edge. At 8/5 and 4/1 respectively, the value sits with Sacrosanct for the exacta. Ranger Battalion (PP 1) and Garamond (PP 4) project closely together in the next tier and are logical closers to consider underneath. Awesome Native (PP 6) at 8/1 is a deep longshot worth a single ticket in the super.

Best Bet: Sacrosanct (PP 3) to place/show at 4/1 Exotic Play: Exacta — Toxic Gray over Sacrosanct; Trifecta key: Toxic Gray on top, Sacrosanct / Ranger Battalion / Garamond underneath

Oaklawn Park | Arkansas

Race 4 — Claiming $30,000 | 6 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 2:05 PM CT 4-year-olds & up

One of the strongest races of the day anywhere. Payne (PP 6) tops this field with a commanding projection lead over second-place Lundberg (PP 5), making this the race’s best single play. Payne at 3/1 is legitimate value given the edge he holds. Lundberg at 7/2 makes a logical exacta partner. The remainder of the field — Princetown, Nasty Habit, Gunflash, and Mischievous M — cluster tightly in the mid-80s projection range, making the bottom of the trifecta wide open.

Best Bet: Payne (PP 6) to win Exotic Play: Exacta — Payne / Lundberg; Trifecta — Payne / Lundberg / ALL

Race 8 — Allowance Optional Claiming $62,500 | 9 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 4:10 PM CT 4-year-olds & up — Purse $126,000

The richest race of the day on the Oaklawn card and arguably the marquee event of the entire multi-track program. Stars and Stripes (PP 8), trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Luiz Saez, towers above this field with a massive projection advantage. At 3/5 on the morning line, he’s a legitimate odds-on favorite — but the payoff opportunity lies in building a strong exacta underneath him. Classify (PP 7) and Gun Runner Charlie (PP 4) both project in the high 90s and represent the best shots at second money. Dive Bomber (PP 3) is an interesting longshot at 15/1 with a respectable projection.

Best Bet: Stars and Stripes (PP 8) to win — confident single Exotic Play: Exacta wheel — Stars and Stripes on top / Classify, Gun Runner Charlie, Dive Bomber

Santa Anita Park | California

Race 6 — Allowance Optional Claiming $50,000 | 8 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 3:39 PM PT 4-year-olds & up — Purse $70,000 + Cal-Bred bonus

A well-constructed allowance field with a clear 1-2 at the top. Voldemort (PP 5), the Bob Baffert-trained favorite at 2/1, holds the top spot in projected order with Magnify (PP 3) close behind at 4/1. The separation between these two and the rest is meaningful — Berlin Wall (PP 4) at 3/1 is the morning line second choice but projects a full six points below Voldemort, which is worth noting. Big Bet Jafinsafa (PP 1) and Mc Vay (PP 2) are legitimate trifecta threats at double-digit odds.

Best Bet: Voldemort (PP 5) to win Exotic Play: Trifecta — Voldemort / Magnify / Berlin Wall, Big Bet Jafinsafa, Mc Vay

Race 8 — Grade 3, Santa Ysabel Stakes | 8.5 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 4:39 PM PT 3-year-old Fillies — Purse $100,000

The lone graded stakes on today’s card. Super Corredora (PP 6) heads this sophomore filly field at even money, with Forced Entry (PP 5), trained by Bob Baffert, just behind at 4/1. The projection gap between the top two and the rest is meaningful. Piney Woods (PP 4) and French Blue (PP 3) — also Baffert-trained — offer mid-range value. Cee Drew (PP 1) at 5/1 is an interesting longshot with a competitive projection. The Baffert stable has multiple bullets here, which complicates single-choice betting but enriches the exotics.

Best Bet: Super Corredora (PP 6) to win Exotic Play: Exacta box — Super Corredora / Forced Entry; Add Cee Drew in the trifecta

Gulfstream Park | Florida

Race 10 — Allowance Optional Claiming $25,000 | 5 Furlongs, Turf | Post: 5:24 PM ET 4-year-olds & up — Purse $86,000

A field-closing turf sprint that makes for an outstanding late-card play. Fast Town (PP 1) sits on top with a projected advantage over the field and opens at a generous 6/1 on the morning line — one of the best value lines of the entire day across all tracks. Courtly Banker (PP 5) and Innate (PP 3) project closely in the mid-90s and are legitimate bridesmaid threats. Boat’s a Rockin (PP 6), the 7/2 morning line second choice, projects slightly below the top three, making the win price on Fast Town genuinely appealing.

Best Bet: Fast Town (PP 1) — Best Value Play of the Day at 6/1 Exotic Play: Exacta — Fast Town / Courtly Banker, Innate; Trifecta — Fast Town on top / Courtly Banker / Innate, Sam the Sham, Boat’s a Rockin

Fair Grounds | New Orleans

Race 6 — Claiming $30,000 | 8 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 3:15 PM CT 4-year-olds & up

A lively nine-horse claiming field with a well-separated top two. Bourbon Heist (PP 7) and Lammas (PP 6) project nearly 30 points clear of the bottom of the field, with Bourbon Heist holding a razor-thin edge. At 5/1, Bourbon Heist is the value play, while Curahee (PP 4) at 9/2 rounds out a logical trifecta. The bottom half of this field falls off sharply — lean heavily on the top three.

Best Bet: Bourbon Heist (PP 7) to win Exotic Play: Trifecta — Bourbon Heist / Lammas / Curahee

Laurel Park | Maryland

Race 7 — Allowance | 9 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 2:59 PM ET 4-year-olds & up — Purse $49,000

The best race on the Laurel card is a straight allowance with a clear standout. Badge of War (PP 6) projects with a comfortable margin over the field and carries the best combination of projected speed and supporting metrics of any horse in the race. Trainer Jamie Ness has the top two horses here — Badge of War at 2/1 and Chileno (PP 2) at 5/2 — giving this barn excellent leverage. Joe the Jet (PP 1) at 4/1 completes a logical top three.

Best Bet: Badge of War (PP 6) to win Exotic Play: Exacta — Badge of War / Chileno; Trifecta — Badge of War / Chileno / Joe the Jet

Sunland Park | New Mexico

Race 9 — Albert and Henry Dominguez Memorial Stakes | 8.5 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 3:58 PM MT 4-year-olds & up, Statebred — Purse $80,000

The local stakes race at Sunland is anchored by Mojica (PP 5), who tops this field convincingly and opens at a juicy 8/5. The gap between Mojica and third-place Corrina Corrina (PP 7) is significant, with Marking Canyon (PP 3) occupying the middle ground at 8/1. Corrina Corrina is the 2/1 morning line choice despite projecting below Mojica, making the top pick a genuine overlay. Holy Hank (PP 1) at 6/1 deserves a spot in the trifecta.

Best Bet: Mojica (PP 5) to win — overlay alert at 8/5 Exotic Play: Exacta — Mojica / Marking Canyon, Corrina Corrina; Trifecta — Mojica on top / Marking Canyon / Corrina Corrina, Holy Hank

Sam Houston Race Park | Texas

Race 8 — Claiming $15,000 | 8 Furlongs, Turf | Post: 4:15 PM CT 4-year-olds & up

An eleven-horse turf route to close the Houston card. Bobby Brinkley (PP 6) sits atop the projected order with a clear separation from the field and opens at 3/1 — solid value for such a decisive edge. Malibu S S (PP 11) and Prince Lancelot (PP 2) both project in the low 80s and offer excellent exacta/trifecta value, particularly Prince Lancelot at 12/1. Gabarra (PP 8) and Cinco Richie (PP 10) round out a logical trifecta spread.

Best Bet: Bobby Brinkley (PP 6) to win Exotic Play: Exacta — Bobby Brinkley / Prince Lancelot (overlay); Trifecta — Bobby Brinkley / Malibu S S, Prince Lancelot / Gabarra, Cinco Richie

Tampa Bay Downs | Florida

Race 7 — Claiming $5,000 | 8.18 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 3:41 PM ET 4-year-olds & up

An unusually competitive claiming race at this level. American Farmer (PP 13, AE) headlines the projections at 7/2, joined by Float On (PP 6) at 5/1 — both posting identical supporting metrics. Everdoit (PP 9) and Four Top (PP 4) are just behind the leaders and offer value in the trifecta at 9/2 and 4/1. The cluster of horses between PP 4 through PP 10 makes this a nice underneath-the-key race for exotic builders.

Best Bet: Float On (PP 6) — value play at 5/1 Exotic Play: Exacta box — American Farmer / Float On; Trifecta key — American Farmer, Float On on top / Everdoit, Four Top, Jades Jay

Fonner Park | Nebraska

Race 4 — Allowance | 6 Furlongs, Dirt | Post: 2:51 PM CT 3-year-olds & up

A well-graded local allowance anchored by Zohere (PP 2) at 2/1, who holds a clear top projection over trainer J. Wise’s well-placed runner. Magnet and Steel (PP 3) is a sensible second choice at 5/2, and the two project as a clean 1-2 with meaningful separation from High Prince (PP 4) and Butcher Holler (PP 1) further back. A rare case where the morning line order closely mirrors the projected order — take the top two and build around them.

Best Bet: Zohere (PP 2) to win Exotic Play: Exacta — Zohere / Magnet and Steel; Trifecta — Zohere / Magnet and Steel / High Prince, Butcher Holler

Editor’s Best Bets Summary

Best Single of the Day: Stars and Stripes (PP 8), Oaklawn Race 8 — dominant projection in a stakes-level allowance

Best Value Win: Fast Town (PP 1), Gulfstream Race 10 — 6/1 morning line against a projection that leads the turf field

Best Overlay: Mojica (PP 5), Sunland Race 9 — tops the field clearly in the local stakes, listed at 8/5 despite projecting well clear of the 2/1 morning line favorite

Best Exotic Construction Race: Oaklawn Race 4 — strong 1-2 at the top with a wide-open trifecta underneath

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