Drf's Horse Racing Playbook For Saturday, January 17, 2026

Since 1894, Daily Racing Form has been nan astir trusted root of equine racing news and information, making horseplayers amended bettors by cashing much tickets. DRF Past Performances (PPs) can beryllium accessed astatine DRF.com.

DRF handicappers stock their plays for nan day, including champion bets, for racing astatine 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 ne'er had overmuch of a chance successful debut erstwhile rider mislaid robust correct aft nan start. Did retrieve it quickly capable but difficult to make overmuch effect complete nan velocity favoring turf. Gets important people alleviation for 2nd outing and much important held ain successful nan a.m. moving connected writer pinch aggregate victor 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 1 of 2 firsters successful this section for Corrales, but dissimilar her stablemate, this 1 has been training without a break since precocious November; sire Midnight Lute wins pinch 10% of debuting runners and nan lone related done nan reservoir was a three-time victor successful 11 starts connected nan Hawthorne/Fair Grounds circuit; cardinal present will beryllium wherever Hazlewood ends up, arsenic nan talented apprentice is listed connected 3 horses successful this section early successful nan 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 mightiness get a spot over-looked coming successful from Tampa and earlier that PResque Isle but ran profession champion complete nan synthetic astatine second venue during nan autumn going six panels and looks loose connected nan lead pinch this group turning backmost 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 successful this information since joining this barn, including a brace of starts complete this region wherever she showed speed; was stuck contesting nan gait from nan outside, while nan 1-2-3 finishers each rode nan rail, earlier giving measurement past time; threat if she tin 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 simply 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 simply 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 judge really 1 gets to 8-1 connected BEAR RIVER. He's 2-2 connected nan FG lawn, won 2 important turf sprint stakes past summertime while racing against overmuch stronger title than this, didn't grip ungraded successful his past race, and 2 backmost ran successful nan -- Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Seems for illustration he could beryllium favored. He only really recovered himself astir a twelvemonth agone and tin astatine slightest support nan level he deed past twelvemonth if not transcend it. There's different speed, sure, but he doesn't require nan lead to tally 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 commencement disconnected nan declare for Sanchez-Salomon and instantly improved for a $12,500 tag, finishing 2nd pinch a 68 Beyer; nan 2-for-18 runner earned some of his profession victories successful September past twelvemonth and has since vanished 2nd successful 3 of 6 consequent starts; if he runs backmost to his past race, he will beryllium difficult 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 decorativeness successful a G3 turf mile gives CEE DREW a licence to upset G2 ungraded runner-up CASHED successful nan $175k California Cup Oaks. The title is 1 mile connected turf, cleanable for CEE DREW. She scored an awesome debut triumph complete Cal-breds successful a turf sprint, past took connected unfastened institution successful nan Jimmy Durante Stakes astatine a mile connected DMR turf. She ran well. 'DREW saved ground, deed postulation into nan lane, vanished evenly and missed by somewhat much than 4 lengths. Solid effort 2nd out, first clip route. She drops successful to look Cal-breds, and tin reel successful nan 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 spell a mile and a sixteenth connected ungraded successful nan $175k California Chrome Cal Cup Derby. The maiden JOHN METCALFE tin reverse nan bid of decorativeness pinch SMOOVIN SATURDAY, who hit him past retired successful nan King Glorious Stakes astatine LRC. Each commencement by JOHN METCALFE has been amended than nan commencement before, including a career-best effort past out. He rationed his velocity and relaxed for nan first clip this season, made an early move to nan lead, past sewage collared precocious by SMOOVIN SATURDAY. It was different guardant move by 'METCALFE, a Clubhouse Ride colt who benefits by nan further half-furlong. Tab for a insignificant upset complete SMOOVE SATURDAY, who is two-for-two, some routes, aft winning his debut and King Glorious. – Brad Free | Get Past Performances for this race

Looking for much action? It’s easier than ever to prime a victor pinch DRF Newbie. Access nan astir trusted accusation successful equine racing! Start beardown pinch DRF Newbie – equine racing, simplified. Try it free astatine newbie.drf.com.