The Bottom Line
- Edy’s Flame (8:02pm ET, 8/5) — two straight wins, took this allowance grade last time and the Farrior barn is red-hot.
- Logstradamus (8:32pm ET, 2/1) — course-and-distance winner in June, sharp second last out.
- No Direction (10:02pm ET, 6/1) — back-to-back wins including over course and distance; big value at the morning line.
- Culminate (10:32pm ET, 9/5) — won this exact race setup last time and gets a similar field.
Saturday night under the lights at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races brings an eight-race all-dirt card, first post 7:00pm ET. If you are hunting Charles Town picks today, the theme is a familiar one: the Anthony Farrior barn holds live chances all over the card, and the bull-ring specialists who have won over the tight 4½ furlongs keep doing it.
Meeting Context
The forecast for Jefferson County is dry and warm — partly cloudy, light winds and an overnight low around 69F — so expect a fast main track all evening.
Charles Town’s six-furlong bull ring puts a premium on early speed and a low post. Horses with proven form around these turns hold a real edge over shippers, and course-and-distance winners are always dangerous here.
Perennial leading trainer Anthony Farrior fires four bullets tonight, mostly with go-to rider Jeiron Barbosa, while long-time track kingpin Arnaldo Bocachica picks up three fancied mounts. It is a busy night of American racing: our team also has previews for Saratoga, Monmouth Park and Delaware Park.
All odds quoted are the morning line, correct at time of writing.
Race 1, 7:00pm ET — $5,000 Claiming, 4½ Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palm Island | Jeiron Barbosa | Anthony Farrior | 2152 | 2/1 |
| 2 | Buckin’ Dreamer | Jahnxander Raspaldo | Timothy Shanley | 1634 | 9/2 |
| 3 | Pops Harper | Jose Y. Diaz | David Walters | 1178 | 12/1 |
| 4 | Turbulent Force | Moises Santaella | Ronney W. Brown | 9979 | 6/1 |
| 5 | Ravin’s Town | Alexis Rios-Conde Jr | Michael E. Jones Jr | 3484 | 10/1 |
| 6 | Shea D World | Angel Cruz | Jean L. Adorno | 5921 | 9/5 |
| 7 | Win No Joke | Tais Lyapustina | Somraj Singh | 5531 | 10/1 |
The Favorites: Shea D World (9/5) won over this course and distance last time and Angel Cruz sticks around. Palm Island (2/1) is the Farrior-Barbosa runner and was a course winner three back.
The Value: Win No Joke (10/1) comes in off a win and seven-year-olds with recent form are rarely this big at Charles Town.
The Verdict: Shea D World to follow up despite the nominal class hike.
Race 2, 7:32pm ET — $5,000 Claiming, 6½ Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bigtonten | Jahnxander Raspaldo | Phillip Capuano | 2645 | 8/5 |
| 2 | Motskari | Nomar Arroyo Bueno | Ronney W. Brown | 4713 | 3/1 |
| 3 | Bold Advance | Walter Cullum | Michael E. Jones Jr | 1563 | 5/1 |
| 4 | Socially Awkward | Jacqueline A. Davis | Osborne Smith | 6156 | 8/1 |
| 5 | Solomons Gold | Jeiron Barbosa | Anthony Farrior | 1843 | 7/2 |
| 6 | Nay’s Only One | Moises Santaella | Busanda C. Armstrong | 2953 | 15/1 |
| 7 | Zio Lorenzo | Fredy Peltroche | Vanessa Peltroche | 3613 | 15/1 |
The Favorites: Bigtonten (8/5) owns the best recent speed numbers but has not won in four starts this cycle. Motskari (3/1) scored over the track two back and ran third last time.
The Value: Zio Lorenzo (15/1) exits a win and is overpriced on the line; Solomons Gold (7/2) gets Barbosa for Farrior.
The Verdict: Motskari, who handles this trip and track better than the favorite.
Race 3, 8:02pm ET — Allowance, Fillies & Mares, 7 Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wynsome Cat | Angel Cruz | Stacey R. Viands | 2242 | 5/1 |
| 2 | Edy’s Flame | Christian Hiraldo | Anthony Farrior | 2211 | 8/5 |
| 3 | Forever Hustlin | Arnaldo Bocachica | Angelo G. Jackson | 4314 | 12/1 |
| 4 | Just Do Believe | Jeiron Barbosa | Anthony Farrior | 211 | 9/2 |
| 5 | Savor It | Sunday Diaz Jr | Uriah St. Lewis | 197 | 10/1 |
| 6 | Slow No Mo | Wesley Ho | Christopher M. Keller | 5463 | 20/1 |
| 7 | Yes to Love | Maximo Chilo | Anthony Lucas | 3317 | 5/1 |
| 8 | Princess Blame | Moises Santaella | Ronney W. Brown | 2113 | 6/1 |
The Favorites: Farrior saddles both ends of the market. Edy’s Flame (8/5) has reeled off back-to-back wins, the latest over this course and distance, while stablemate Just Do Believe (9/2) is two-for-three lifetime.
The Value: Wynsome Cat (5/1) has hit the frame in four straight and only needs a mild step forward at the longer trip.
The Verdict: Edy’s Flame — the improving three-year-old filly is the banker on the card.
Race 4, 8:32pm ET — $10,000 Starter Optional Claiming, 6½ Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocket Appeal | Denis Vicente Araujo | Adam King | 1226 | 12/1 |
| 2 | Love Is Wicked | Sunday Diaz Jr | Dewayne C. Johnson | 3482 | 15/1 |
| 3 | Sharpasadiamond | Reshawn Latchman | Anthony M. Rideoutt II | 1113 | 9/2 |
| 4 | Lord of Cork | Jahnxander Raspaldo | Ernest M. Haynes | 4433 | 3/1 |
| 5 | Fortunate Son | Fredy Peltroche | Vanessa Peltroche | 3125 | 12/1 |
| 6 | Logstradamus | Alexis Rios-Conde Jr | Elizabeth E. Meehan | 5412 | 2/1 |
| 7 | Road Minister | Antonio Lopez | Shane Meyers | 1246 | 5/2 |
The Favorites: Logstradamus (2/1) won over this course and distance in June and chased home a nice one last time. Road Minister (5/2) brings the strongest overall figures but is winless in three since his last score.
The Value: Sharpasadiamond (9/2) has won three of his last four and keeps improving for the Rideoutt barn.
The Verdict: Logstradamus, with Sharpasadiamond the exacta partner.
Race 5, 9:02pm ET — Allowance, 4½ Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gunner Glacken | Sara Hess | Mario Roberto Lopez | 619 | 10/1 |
| 2 | Mayorofgreencounty | Moises Santaella | Anthony Farrior | 2118 | 10/1 |
| 3 | Pleasenthanku | Sunday Diaz Jr | Javier Contreras | 6127 | 9/5 |
| 4 | Silver Saber | Arnaldo Bocachica | Busanda C. Armstrong | 9411 | 10/1 |
| 5 | The Big Lep | Jeiron Barbosa | Anthony Farrior | 1121 | 3/1 |
| 6 | Battalion Leader | Denis Vicente Araujo | Tyler S. Shanley | 1765 | 20/1 |
| 7 | Dorado | Wesley Ho | Javier Contreras | 4363 | 8/1 |
| 8 | Wall Art | Nomar Arroyo Bueno | Ronney W. Brown | 4214 | 7/2 |
| 9 | Miss Fortunate | Jacqueline A. Davis | Ryan A. Gillespie | 3212 | 30/1 |
The Favorites: Pleasenthanku (9/5) is a five-time winner over this course and distance and was a game second here last time. The Big Lep (3/1) has won three of his last four for Farrior and Barbosa.
The Value: Wall Art (7/2) rates the fastest horse in the field on the numbers, and Silver Saber (10/1) enters on a double.
The Verdict: The Big Lep — the progressive three-year-old can outbreak the older specialist in a dash like this.
Race 6, 9:32pm ET — Allowance, 6½ Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cat Fast | Jeiron Barbosa | Anthony Farrior | 5122 | 5/2 |
| 2 | No Brake Needed | Denis Vicente Araujo | Christopher M. Keller | 5253 | 6/1 |
| 3 | Golden Sand | Angel Cruz | Kieron Magee | 752 | 5/1 |
| 4 | Finny | Jahnxander Raspaldo | Ernest M. Haynes | 4212 | 2/1 |
| 5 | Flirty Bajan | Carlos Eduardo Lopez | Henry Walters | 5604 | 8/1 |
| 6 | Call Sign | Grant Whitacre | John R. Shuler | 3814 | 9/2 |
| 7 | My Yoke | Fredy Peltroche | Ernesto Perez | 837 | 20/1 |
The Favorites: Finny (2/1) is the class of the race on ratings and has finished first or second in three of his last four. Cat Fast (5/2) ran a strong second last time for the Farrior-Barbosa combination.
The Value: Call Sign (9/2) won two back and the Shuler barn does well with lightly raced sophomores.
The Verdict: Finny, who gets a clean setup with apprentice Raspaldo taking weight off.
Race 7, 10:02pm ET — Allowance, Fillies & Mares, 6½ Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Direction | Arnaldo Bocachica | Angelo G. Jackson | 2311 | 6/1 |
| 2 | Summon the Glam | Antonio Lopez | Kristy Petty | 226 | 6/1 |
| 3 | Our Street Angel | Maximo Chilo | Timothy C. Grams | 4234 | 10/1 |
| 4 | God’s Pride | Moises Santaella | Timothy M. Collins | 4132 | 4/1 |
| 5 | Stars Over Juba | Reshawn Latchman | Adam King | 1624 | 12/1 |
| 6 | Cappuccino Crunch | Juan Mauricio Nunez | Javier Contreras | 5621 | 5/1 |
| 7 | Lil Knockout | Victor Rodriguez | Linda Dollinger-Stehr | 2216 | 15/1 |
| 8 | Grand Intentions | Larry C. Reynolds | Timothy C. Grams | 2224 | 7/2 |
| 9 | Truth and Justice | Sunday Diaz Jr | Cynthia E. McKee | 1322 | 9/2 |
The Favorites: Grand Intentions (7/2) is honest but has hit the board without winning in four straight. God’s Pride (4/1) owns the top figures and ran second last time.
The Value: No Direction (6/1) has won two on the bounce, including over this course and distance in similar company, and Bocachica rides. That is a gift on the morning line.
The Verdict: No Direction — the value play of the night.
Race 8, 10:32pm ET — $5,000 Claiming, 4½ Furlongs
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culminate | Nomar Arroyo Bueno | Michelle R. Wilson | 3251 | 9/5 |
| 2 | Gabriel Seven | James L. Adams | Keturah E. Obed-Letts | 9096 | 20/1 |
| 3 | Transactional Guy | Jeiron Barbosa | Michael E. Jones Jr | 1085 | 2/1 |
| 4 | Backnthewoods | Charlie Munoz | Jose Corrales | 6542 | 5/1 |
| 5 | Gold Fiber | Javier Rivera | Miguel Ramos Agosto | 5336 | 10/1 |
| 6 | King Kontie | Maximo Chilo | Jaime Cruz | 724 | 6/1 |
| 7 | Smooth Rico | Sunday Diaz Jr | Dewayne C. Johnson | 4734 | 10/1 |
| 8 | Mon Gateau | Jacqueline A. Davis | Michael G. Atkins | 5307 | 20/1 |
The Favorites: Culminate (9/5) won over this course and distance last time and the form is working out. Transactional Guy (2/1) drops in class after winning at Gulfstream earlier in the cycle.
The Value: King Kontie (6/1) was a good second here recently and loves the bull ring.
The Verdict: Culminate to sign off the card with a repeat.
Accumulator
Our four-leg parlay for the night: Edy’s Flame (8:02pm), Logstradamus (8:32pm), Finny (9:32pm) and Culminate (10:32pm). At the morning line that multiplies out to roughly 65/1 — a $2 play returns around $130 if the night goes to script.
For a bigger swing, add value pick No Direction (10:02pm, 6/1) and you are into three figures.
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