The 14 Best Horse Races for Saturday, March 14, 2026
DRF handicappers share their plays for the day, including best bets, for racing at Gulfstream, Aqueduct, Fair Grounds, Oaklawn, Santa Anita.
Post Time: 12:50 ET
Track: Gulfstream (1st Race)
Horse: ANGELIC QUALITY (#1, 6-1)
ANGELIC QUALITY showed a little life when dropped for this tag last time. Returns to the turf, a surface over which she should excel considering she is a half to the multiple stakes placed Wally World. Expect her to be out and wining on or near pace from outset. – Mike Welsch
Post Time: 1:10 ET
Track: Aqueduct (1st Race)
Horse: SMOKIN' HOT KITTY (#3, 7-2)
SMOKIN' HOT KITTY is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer).
Post Time: 2:44 ET
Track: Aqueduct (4th Race)
Horse: BERMUDA BLITZ (#1, 4-1)
BERMUDA BLITZ jumped up with a strong win in his first start for this trainer - and first in NY - when prevailing with a 92 Beyer, and that effort has been bolstered by subsequent starts from third-place finisher Porosity, who has won twice since with figures of 87 and 92; has tried two tougher spots since, including that last one when stuck chasing outside over a track that was slanted toward the inside. – Mike Beer
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Post Time: 3:15 ET
Track: Aqueduct (5th Race)
Horse: CAITLINS THREES (#8, 5-1)
CAITLINS THREES landed in a tough race for the level in the Saratoga debut last summer, as the well-meant winner of that race returned to win a stakes race in her next start; is unlikely to be facing a rival of that quality as she returns from the layoff with Lasix on. – Mike Beer
Post Time: 4:00 ET
Track: Santa Anita (1st Race)
Horse: NIKOLINA (#2, 8-1)
A shortage of pace in this N2L starter turf sprint gives last-out maiden winner NIKOLINA a shot to score a front-running upset. She broke her maiden from second position, but she could make the lead here. Her rivals are mostly late-runners who have lost repeatedly at this class level. Listed 8-1 in the program, NIKOLINA can score at a price. She is trained by Phil D'Amato, who also entered route-to-sprint REHEARSAL. – Brad Free
Post Time: 4:07 ET
Track: Oaklawn (6th Race)
Horse: REVEL TOAST (#4, 7-2)
REVEL TOAST is a DRF Best Bet (Mary Rampellini).
Post Time: 4:45 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (2nd Race)
Horse: SMOOTHDINI (#6, 12-1)
SMOOTHDINI is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh).
Post Time: 5:05 ET
Track: Santa Anita (3rd Race)
Horse: SEAL TEAM (#5, 4-1)
A small, evenly matched field entered the G3 San Simeon, a turf sprint on the hill. Those include a pair of Richard Mandella-trained stakes winners: comebacker SEAL TEAM and program favorite SUMTER. The call is SEAL TEAM, a lightly raced 6yo making his first start since last May. He has been working super for his comeback including a fast five furlongs on the training track Feb. 27 and a solid six-furlong dirt work March 5. He has been distance specialist throughout his career including a G2 win vs. 3yos in 2023, but his sharp works indicate he can fire first start back in a sprint. SUMTER merits respect despite a recent fourth-place finish at odds-on in a restricted stakes on the main oval. – Brad Free
Post Time: 5:19 ET
Track: Aqueduct (9th Race)
Horse: ARISTIDE MAILLOL (#7, 8-1)
ARISTIDE MAILLOL debuted in an open MSW at Tampa, where she was carried in at the start to wind up far back in the field, and then tried a wide run on the turn before flattening out; likely gained valuable experience in that run; ships up to face fellow state-breds for Mott. – Mike Beer
Post Time: 5:46 ET
Track: Oaklawn (9th Race)
Horse: LIFE IS PRECIOUS (#10, 12-1)
LIFE IS PRECIOUS shortens up some in distance to six furlongs and he put up his best Beyer Speed Figure at the trip in November. – Mary Rampellini
Post Time: 5:47 ET
Track: FG (4th Race)
Horse: SPEED SKATER (#3, 8-1)
SPEED SKATER didn't get away very cleanly and was patiently handled for much of her career debut and lone start. You have to watch the replay because you can't tell from the PP line, but she went through the homestretch better than it looks on paper while facing higher-level competition than this. Didn't start the last time this race came up and instead comes into this fresh, blinkers-on, likely to improve. – Marcus Hersh
Post Time: 7:10 ET
Track: Santa Anita (7th Race)
Horse: TEMPUS VOLAT (#3, 6-1)
An evenly matched field of N2X/optional $80k claiming turf runners race one mile; the top two selections are lightly raced 4yos facing older winners for the first time: TEMPUS VOLAT and comebacker IRON MAN CALL. The call is TEMPUS VOLAT, whose runner-up finish last out in the G2 Mathis Mile for 3yos of 2025 was validated when the winner Hiding in Honduras returned to win a N2X for older. 'VOLAT has speed for a forwardly placed trip just off the speed, he'll get the jump over his main rival. – Brad Free
Post Time: 8:10 ET
Track: Santa Anita (9th Race)
Horse: BALAZA (#3, 7-2)
BALAZA is a DRF Best Bet (Brad Free).
Post Time: 8:25 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (9th Race)
Horse: CHANGING TIMES (#5, 9-2)
What stops CHANGING TIMES from breaking on top and controlling the pace? Maybe nothing. They're not exactly valuing her, the rise from the $4K Delta win to $5K here because FG has no claiming tag lower than this. Guess she always works fast, but has done so twice since the front-running score last out for the super-high percentage LA-only barn. – Marcus Hersh