Laurel Park Picks & Predictions — May 29, 2026

Whenigettoheaven posts a 81.84 rating and brings a strong 21% career win rate to the table, which is among the best in a deep field. Jorge Ruiz pilots for trainer Nolan Ramsey, and with an average speed of 58 — tied for the top mark in this race — this horse has the raw speed to be a factor throughout. If Saxton does the heavy lifting up front, Whenigettoheaven could steal the place spot at 3/1.

Witty at 5/2 morning line and a 68.15 rating is the third-best number here, and the 32% career win rate is outstanding — better than nearly everyone in the field. Jeiron Barbosa rides for the respected Elizabeth M. Merryman barn, and this horse seems to almost always run competitively without always closing the deal. In a sprint where pace can shuffle the deck, Witty as a show investment at less than 3-1 is worth the ticket.

World On Fire at 4/1 carries a 66.45 rating and brings a 10% career win rate for trainer Roy M. Peacock, Jr. with Charlie Marquez in the irons. The 53 average speed figure matches several others in here, but the rating gap over the rest of the non-favorites is meaningful. If Red Spitfire is the winner, World On Fire looks like the most likely beneficiary for the place at a workable price.

Ellinger opens at 5/1 with a 64.60 rating and sports a 10% win rate — identical to World On Fire — for trainer Charles A. Frock. Taylor Kingsley has been a steady presence at Laurel and knows this track's quirks well. The 54 average speed figure is actually the second-best in the field, so don't be surprised if Ellinger outfinishes the morning line in the final sixteenth.

Go Grey at 5/1 brings a 74.57 rating and an impressive 33% career win rate, which is legitimately excellent. Mychel J. Sanchez takes the mount for Michael J. Trombetta, one of the Mid-Atlantic's most consistent conditioners. The five-point rating gap between Go Grey and Drilling for Gold suggests a clear pecking order, but the place payoff at 5/1 morning line should be generous enough to justify inclusion in exactas.

Dairago opens at 9/2 with a 57.60 rating and a 33% career win rate — the latter number is among the best in the field. Trainer W. Robert Bailes fills the card at Laurel regularly and clearly has this horse pointed for a competitive effort. Jose E. Vargas is aboard, and if the pace of an eleven-horse field gets honest, Dairago's experience could translate to a third-place check.

Spinning Class at 5/2 draws the morning-line second-choice slot with a 72.05 TrackWiz rating and a 54 average speed figure — the best in the field. Forest Boyce rides for the legendary Claude R. McGaughey III, a Hall of Fame trainer whose horses often run well first out in spots like these. She lacks experience but the breeding and connections suggest she'll be competitive from the jump.

Cross of Valor at 20/1 is our value play in the exotics with a 62.29 TrackWiz rating — third-best in the field — for a horse that opens at a huge morning-line price. Trainer A. Ferris Allen III gives Martin Chuan the mount, and a 52 average speed figure suggests this horse has at least shown some ability in the morning. At 20/1, a small show bet or a trifecta ticket anchored here makes the payout worthwhile even in a tough maiden field.

Don't Wait Up is the 9/5 morning-line favorite and carries a strong 81.73 rating with a 23% career win rate. Matilda Burnham gets the call for trainer Gina Perri, and the 55 average speed figure keeps this one in the conversation throughout. The tricky part is that our model says Talented Man is the better horse — but Don't Wait Up's profile screams runner-up, and at 9/5, the place payoff should be reasonable in an exacta.

Dewy's Beast opens at a generous 8/1 and quietly posts the second-best average speed figure in the race at 55, matching Don't Wait Up. The 12% career win rate is modest, but Raul E. Mena rides for Sarah White in what could be a sneaky spot — the morning-line price suggests the public isn't paying much attention. In a race where the top two battle each other, this horse could sneak into the show spot and pay well on a trifecta.

Crab Daddy at 9/2 is an intriguing place option with a 75.90 rating and a 15% career win rate for trainer Linda L. Albert. Jose E. Vargas is aboard, and the 54 average speed figure is right in line with the bulk of the field. If Slam Notion does the expected and wins going away, Crab Daddy's profile suggests a horse that will grind through the lane for second money — and 9/2 makes the exacta payout worth building.

Worcester at 4/1 posts a 75.77 rating — virtually identical to Crab Daddy — with an impressive 31% career win rate for trainer Jamie Ness, who also saddles Talented Man in Race 7. Mychel J. Sanchez rides, and this horse's consistency at 31% wins is the calling card. If the pace collapses in the final sixteenth and the top two come back to the field, Worcester has the profile to slide into the frame.

Regency Tale opens at 8/1 with a 73.73 rating — second-best in the field — and brings a 53 average speed figure for trainer A. Ferris Allen III. Jose E. Vargas handles the riding duties, and Allen has three horses in this race, which sometimes signals a barn that's motivated to hit the board. The price is generous for a horse this well-rated, making Regency Tale the value play in exactas beneath Chimney Sweep.

He's All Heart is part of an entry with Modranach (both from the Hugh I. McMahon barn) and carries a 72.37 rating while opening at 3/1 on the morning line. Mychel J. Sanchez takes the call, and the 53 average speed figure gives this horse a baseline worth respecting on the turf. McMahon regularly sends sharp horses to this kind of spot, and with two bites at the apple through the entry, the barn has a real shot at the exotics.