DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, January 17, 2026
Since 1894, Daily Racing Form has been the most trusted source of horse racing news and information, making horseplayers better bettors by cashing more tickets. DRF Past Performances (PPs) can be accessed at DRF.com.
DRF handicappers share their plays for the day, including best bets, for racing at Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Tampa Bay Downs, and Fair Grounds.
Post Time: 12:20 ET
Track: Gulfstream (1st Race)
Horse: DIRTY DIANA (#1, 5-1)
DIRTY DIANA never had much of a chance in debut when rider lost iron right after the start. Did recover it quickly enough but hard to make much impact over the speed favoring turf. Gets significant class relief for second outing and more important held own in the a.m. working on grass with multiple winner Itza Lock. – Mike Welsch | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 12:28 ET
Track: Laurel (2nd Race)
Horse: BELLE'S BABY (#8, 9-2)
BELLE'S BABY is one of two firsters in this field for Corrales, but unlike her stablemate, this one has been training without a break since late November; sire Midnight Lute wins with 10% of debuting runners and the lone sibling through the dam was a three-time winner in 11 starts on the Hawthorne/Fair Grounds circuit; key here will be where Hazlewood ends up, as the talented apprentice is listed on three horses in this field early in the week. – Patrick Moquin | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 12:49 ET
Track: Gulfstream (2nd Race)
Horse: SO GRAND (#4, 8-1)
SO GRAND might get a bit over-looked coming in from Tampa and before that PResque Isle but ran career best over the synthetic at latter venue during the fall going six panels and looks loose on the lead with this group turning back to 5 1/2. May not look back. – Mike Welsch | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 1:10 ET
Track: Aqueduct (3rd Race)
Horse: CAPITAL GAL (#1, 6-1)
CAPITAL GAL has been racing competitively in this condition since joining this barn, including a pair of starts over this distance where she showed speed; was stuck contesting the pace from the outside, while the 1-2-3 finishers all rode the rail, before giving way last time; threat if she can bounce back. – Mike Beer | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 1:40 ET
Track: Aqueduct (4th Race)
Horse: BEARY FUNNY (#2, 4-1)
BEARY FUNNY is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer).
Post Time: 3:00 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (5th Race)
Horse: LOVE AND TRUST (#12, 7-2)
LOVE AND TRUST is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh). | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 4:00 ET
Track: Fair Grounds (7th Race)
Horse: BEAR RIVER (#3, 8-1)
Not sure how one gets to 8-1 on BEAR RIVER. He's 2-2 on the FG lawn, won two important turf sprint stakes last summer while racing against much stronger competition than this, didn't handle dirt in his last race, and two back ran in the -- Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Seems like he could be favored. He only really found himself about a year ago and can at least maintain the level he hit last year if not exceed it. There's other speed, sure, but he doesn't require the lead to run well. – Marcus Hersh | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 4:26 ET
Track: Laurel (10th Race)
Horse: STRATEGIST (#8, 5-1)
STRATEGIST made his first start off the claim for Sanchez-Salomon and immediately improved for a $12,500 tag, finishing second with a 68 Beyer; the 2-for-18 runner earned both of his career victories in September last year and has since finished second in 3 of 6 subsequent starts; if he runs back to his last race, he will be hard to discount. – Patrick Moquin | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 6:28 ET
Track: Santa Anita (7th Race)
Horse: CEE DREW (#3, 4-1)
Creditable eighth-place finish in a G3 turf mile gives CEE DREW a license to upset G2 dirt runner-up CASHED in the $175k California Cup Oaks. The race is one mile on turf, perfect for CEE DREW. She scored an impressive debut victory over Cal-breds in a turf sprint, then took on open company in the Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile on DMR turf. She ran well. 'DREW saved ground, hit traffic into the lane, finished evenly and missed by slightly more than four lengths. Solid try second out, first time route. She drops in to face Cal-breds, and can reel in the speed. – Brad Free | Get Past Performances for this race
Post Time: 6:58 ET
Track: Santa Anita (8th Race)
Horse: JOHN METCALFE (#7, 12-1)
Cal-bred 3yos go a mile and a sixteenth on dirt in the $175k California Chrome Cal Cup Derby. The maiden JOHN METCALFE can reverse the order of finish with SMOOVIN SATURDAY, who beat him last out in the King Glorious Stakes at LRC. Each start by JOHN METCALFE has been better than the start before, including a career-best effort last out. He rationed his speed and relaxed for the first time this season, made an early move to the lead, then got collared late by SMOOVIN SATURDAY. It was another forward move by 'METCALFE, a Clubhouse Ride colt who benefits by the additional half-furlong. Tab for a minor upset over SMOOVE SATURDAY, who is two-for-two, both routes, after winning his debut and King Glorious. – Brad Free | Get Past Performances for this race
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