Picks

De Francis Dash Day Powers Up Laurel Park with Five Stakes and 12% Pick-5 Takeout

Laurel Park brings the fire this Saturday with De Francis Dash Day, a stakes-loaded card headlined by the $175,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash in Race 11. But the value doesn’t stop at the feature. With five stakes on the card, full fields, and a 12% takeout on both Pick‑5s, it’s a playground for bettors who come prepared.

And if you’re serious about spotting live plays and getting paid in the chaos? You’re going to want Today’s Racing Digest in your corner.

Race 11: The Dash for the Cash

The De Francis Dash, Laurel’s premier dirt sprint, caps the day with a pace scenario that’s likely to detonate early. The Digest pegs Celtic Contender as a class-dropper with a field-best 159 Final Time Rating and a trainer hitting 56.8% in the money on similar drops. His June 22 work shows intent.

But if the speed melts—and it might—Caramel Chip is sitting on a 24.2 stretch kick and a 147 Final Time Rating, while Petingas Twin owns a 152 fig and sneaky under-the-radar drills. With Subrogate, Dean Delivers, and Super Chow signed on to gun early, this race is a shape play—and the Digest maps it out completely.

Race 5: Juvenile Chaos—And a Clear Shot to Beat the Public

Forget any talk of older stakes horses here. Race 5 is a wide-open 2-year-old sprint at 5.5 furlongs with six first-time starters and only one horse in the field with a confirmed win.

That horse? Let’s Go Lando, who drops in class from the 110 level and returns just 14 days after a solid third. He owns the best Final Time Rating in the field (77) and a 96 Fast Fig.

But the play may be Boss Mode, whose trainer wins 27.1% with debut runners and partners with a rider who clicks at 40.5%. There’s also Naymar, dropping from the same level and exiting a race just 9 days ago, with top-25% works.

The angle? Bet trainer intent and use the Digest’s exacta/trifecta grid to identify where the debut power lies. This is a classic “board tells the story” race—and the Digest gives you all the back-end data to act with confidence.

Value Angles All Over the Undercard

This card is littered with sharp setups:

  • Race 1: Turf sprint with a 35.7% closer win rate. Island d’Lite has the fastest stretch time (16.9) in the field.
  • Race 2: Zero Blitz returns to the 145 RCL after posting a 137 fig against 160 competition. He’s 3-for-3 at Laurel.
  • Race 3: Egypt leads the figures at 129, but Nothingbutbluesky brings a serious stretch punch at 29.6 and a near wire job last time.
  • Race 6: Deep turf route with a weak pace flow. Annihilate ‘Em owns the top figure, but Christmas Spirit and Blackthorne Brusca are both live closers with the setup to pop.
  • Race 9: Mystic Lake may be the public horse, but St. Benedicts Prep is the true class dropper with a better setup.
  • Race 10: Wide-open turf route. The Digest leans on Crystal Quest and Siege of Boston as value plays with strong Final Time Ratings and trip profiles.

Why You Need the Digest

The Digest doesn’t just spit out picks—it delivers structure. In every race, you get:

  • Final Time Ratings
  • Stretch Kick Rankings
  • Class Movement Insights
  • Exacta, Trifecta, and Superfecta Grids
  • Legitimate trainer stats—no fluff, just data that points to intent

And because Laurel’s offering 12% takeout on both Pick‑5s, this is one of the few cards all year where your strategy can actually beat the pools without needing a bomb to land.

This isn’t about trying to get lucky. This is about structure. Laurel’s De Francis Dash Day gives you matchups with pace imbalance, class droppers that will be overlooked, and exotics that will pay—if you’re playing with a plan.

The Digest is that plan.

Don’t just bet—bet with purpose. And own De Francis Dash Day like you meant to.