Laurel Park Picks & Predictions — September 13, 2026

Reckless is the morning line favorite at even money — and it's not hard to see why. A 37% career win rate is elite for this level, and trainer Jamie Ness is one of the sharper conditioners in the Mid-Atlantic. Our rating of 84.38 puts him right behind Promissio in a virtual dead heat at the top of the numbers, making him the natural place selection. Jaime Rodriguez gets the call and knows how to rate a horse on the turf.

Fly Now is the longshot sleeper that belongs in your exotics — a 50% career win rate is the best mark in this entire field, and trainer Keri Brion is well-respected on the turf circuit. The 8/1 morning line suggests the market underestimates her current form cycle, and Taylor Kingsley is a capable handler. With a 78.67 rating, she's a legitimate show threat and could easily outrun the odds.

Rampagius matches Gordian Knot's 28% career win rate and opens at 5/2, making him the natural foil to the favorite. Trainer Lacey Gaudet saddles him with Carlos Eduardo Lopez — a pairing that has shown up in the money consistently at Laurel. With a 71.88 rating, he's clearly second-best in our model and a logical place play if Gordian Knot gets the lead and controls the pace.

Petingas Twin draws the 7 post at 3/1 for trainer Anthony Farrior and Jeiron Barbosa, carrying a 69.74 rating and a 26% career win rate. He profiles as a closer type who can benefit if the speed duel up front softens the leaders late. In a six-furlong sprint, that late kick can be decisive, and he's worth using in the third spot of trifectas.

Love Yourself is within a fraction of Scrutinator at 88.54 — for practical purposes these two are co-leaders in our model. At 2/1, he offers slightly better value than the chalk, and Jeiron Barbosa is an experienced hand in sprint situations at Laurel. Trainer Niall Saville placing him here suggests confidence. If Scrutinator gets any trouble in a full field, Love Yourself is right there to capitalize.

Pippin the Warrior opens at 6/1 with an 82.71 TrackWiz rating — a meaningful step below the top two, but well clear of the rest of the field. Mychel J. Sanchez takes the mount for trainer Hugh I. McMahon, and a five-horse gap between Pippin and the next contender means third money looks attainable. He's a solid trifecta anchor who keeps the show bet honest.

Cactus checks in at 74.38 on our ratings with an average speed figure of 58 — matching Noah Chance for the top speed number in the field. Trainer W. Robert Bailes sends him out at 3/1 with Carlos Eduardo Lopez aboard, and his 27% career win rate signals a horse who knows how to hit the board. A short turf sprint rewards pace and positioning, and Cactus has the profile to be right there at the wire.

Nothing Better opens as the 3/2 morning line favorite, so she belongs in this field on reputation — but our 64.98 rating puts her third in the TrackWiz model. A 34% career win rate is the best in the race by some distance, and Jevian Toledo is one of the go-to riders at Laurel. She's worth including in trifectas, but at 3/2 the show bet offers minimal return — use her in exotics instead.

Engaged Is Better opens at 7/2 for trainer John E. Salzman Jr. and jockey Leandro Briceno, with a 55.83 TrackWiz rating that slots him comfortably into the second spot on our model. Salzman is a high-volume conditioner who knows how to place maiden sprinters, and Briceno's experience navigating busy fields at five furlongs is an asset. He's a natural place play who rounds out the top of the exacta.

Roll On Onyx comes in at 5/1 with a 53.33 rating for trainer Kenneth M. Cox and jockey Jeiron Barbosa — a combo that has been in the money multiple times at Laurel this meet. No published average speed figure creates some mystery, but Cox conditions horses who tend to show up ready, and Barbosa knows how to find position in sprint fields. He's a worthwhile third piece in your trifecta.

Tuff Luck is the most intriguing underneath play in this race — a 84.9 TrackWiz rating for trainer Hugh McMahon at 9/2 represents real value in an allowance field. Joseph Rocco Jr. picks up the mount and is a quality rider at this level. If Our Notion gets shuffled in traffic on an off pace, Tuff Luck is exactly the type who will be running hard to the wire.

Bill of Rights opens as the 2/1 second choice in the morning line — the market respects him more than our model does at 68.74 — but trainer Joanne Shankle has a history of delivering competitive efforts in allowance company. Jose Vargas rides, and a 16% career win rate is consistent enough to warrant show consideration. He's a useful trifecta component even if he trails our top two picks.

Far Away Eyes opens at 9/2 with a 65.29 rating — second-best in the field by a comfortable margin — and trainer James Casey sends her out from post 1, which on a turf mile at Laurel is an advantageous draw. Kevin Gomez handles the rail assignment, and the inside post on a turf mile sets up nicely for a stalker who can save ground all the way around. She's a natural place play who completes the exacta with our top pick.

Common Sense checks in at 63.1 for trainer A. Ferris Allen III and Jeiron Barbosa, opening at 6/1 — a horse who boasts the best average speed figure in the field at 56, which is a meaningful edge on a turf course where sustained pace wins races. The discrepancy between that speed figure and a third-tier rating suggests she may be a closet contender who fits best in third money. Barbosa is comfortable on the Laurel turf, and she rounds out a playable trifecta.