Barry Faulkner's US Racing Preview

For my Thursday preview this week, I have looked at the last two races on the Saratoga card, interleaved with the first pair at Del Mar, with the feature at the Spa being the Listed Birdstone Stakes over a marathon fourteen furlongs on the main tack – Race 8: 10.14pm BST, with all the action live on Sky Sports Racing.

Hopefully, the analysis below will guide you to some profitable play but, whichever way you make your picks, good luck everyone! 

Del Mar and Saratoga races for Thursday 13th August 2026

Saratoga 7 (9.39pm)

Allowance Optional Claimer ($80,000) N2X or N3L –Fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upwards – Five and a half furlongs – Outer turf

SHOOT IT TRUE (6) won an open entry level Allowance here just under a year ago and then went on to finish a length 2^nd in a listed Stake at Del Mar at the end of October. She returned at the beginning of April, sent off at 4-9 to win one of these at Keeneland but, although she led late, she finished 1¼ lengths 2^nd.

Four weeks later, she took that finishing position again in the Unbridled Sidney G2 at Churchill Downs, running on well when ¾ of length behind the winner. Then, at the beginning of June here, she was beaten 1¼ lengths into 3^rd in the Intercontinental G2. She has been given a break of ten weeks since that run.

On her overall form, it is no surprise that she has been put in as the even money favourite on the Morning Line, with Irad Ortiz booked to ride her for the first time.

Like Shoot It True (6), Highway Harmony (3) is a New York bred but this six-year-old has taken her time to blossom. Earlier this year, she was contesting modest win restricted Claimers going two turns at Gulfstream Park. However, cut back to six furlongs at Aqueduct, she won an entry level Allowance for local produce, leading all the way to score by 4 lengths. Off for over ten weeks, she reappeared in a New York bred Stake over the same course and distance, winning that by 2½ lengths.

On her first start for close to ten months, Quiet Confidence (4) reappeared in one of these, over this trip and strip, just under five weeks ago. Shooting out of the starting gate, she established a clear lead, which she held until the last stride when going down to a nose defeat with, Abientot (1) 1¼ lengths behind her in 3^rd, the same margin in front of Shades of Jade (2) in 4^th. On the numbers it was a little behind her best run of last year, which came when she was successful in an entry level Allowance her in July.

Selection: Shoot It True (6)

Del Mar 1 (10.00pm)

Allowance Optional Claimer ($80,000) N1X or N2L – 3-year-olds and upwards – One mile and half a furlong – Turf

On debut at the end of July last year, Mr A.P. (5) was 11-10 to win a $150,000 Maiden Claimer going five and a half furlongs on dirt here. He was beaten by 5¼ lengths into 2^nd in that race but a ticket had already been put into the Claims box and off he went to new lodgings.

Two runs later, in the middle of October, he won a Maiden Special Weight when stepped up to a mile at Santa Anita and, eighteen days later, found himself in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile G1, going 110 yards further here. Sent off at over 20-1, he was the one that got closest to the winner, Ted Noffey, when beaten a length into 2^nd.

His next race came just under four weeks ago, when he lined up in a Listed Stake going a mile on turf here. He went off as favourite at just under 5-2 locally but finished 3^rd, beaten 5¾ lengths and a neck, with Iriseach (1) 1¼ lengths further back in 7^th.

Iriseach (1) and Caro Buono (6) finished 3^rd and 4^th in a Black Type Stake over mile at Santa Anita in February, then reversed those placings when they met there in a Listed contest in April, going six and a half furlongs. Iriseach (1) then finished 2^nd in another Black Type event a month later, before finishing behind Mr. A. P. (5) last time, after a couple of months off.

Meanwhile, after three months away from racing action, Caro Bueno (6) returned to finish 4^th in one of these over a mile, beaten 3¼ lengths by the winner and 1¼ by ZEUS’S ECHO (4) in 3^rd. That lad was having his first run in California after racing mainly at the Kentucky tracks. He set a strong pace there before getting picked up early in the stretch run. He ran in blinkers there but they are dispensed with today.

I think he can take this if he gets a gentler time up front, which does not look out of the question in this group. 

Selection: Zeus’s Echo (4)

Saratoga 8 (10.14pm)

Birdstone Stakes (Listed) – 3-year-olds and upwards - One mile and three quarters – Dirt

Trainer Bill Mott has the top two on the Morning Line here, PARCHMENT PARTY (1) and Stars and Stripes (3).

Parchment Party (1) won two of his seven races last year, including the 2025 running of this contest. He was shade of odds on to take that, after winning a G3 on his previous start two months earlier, also over this course and distance, after a surface switch. He closed his year with a run in the Melbourne Cup G1 but was well beaten. However, he won this first two starts this year, both Listed Stakes over a mile and a half, first at Oaklawn Park at the end of March, then Churchill Downs a month later.

He beat Jokestar (7) by ½ length into 2^nd in the first, with Interceptor (6) 1¼ lengths behind him next time. He was then overmatched in the Suburban G2 here at the beginning of last month but he should put up a bold defence here.

Stars and Stripes (3) finished just behind his barn mate in the Suburban G2, having won a G3 going nine and a half furlongs on his previous start at Keeneland in the middle of April. He is stepping up significantly in trip here and at 5-2 on the Morning Line, compared with the 8-5 assessment for Parchment Party (1), the latter would be my clear pick, with Interceptor (6) on my Exacta ticket.

Selection: Parchment Party (1)

Del Mar 2 (10.30pm)

Maiden Claimer ($50,000) – 3-year-olds and upwards – One mile – Dirt

Although Ghostwritten (1) has run in a couple of Maiden Optional Claimers, in his four races so far, this is the first time that he has actually run for sale. He took the show dough in both those races, when 3^rd, then 2^nd, but was 9 lengths behind the winner each time.

He was last seen in a Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita, just shy of twelve weeks ago, when he got closer to the winner when beaten 7½ lengths but that only bought him 5^th place in a six-runner field. However, a repeat of that run would give him a good chance here.

Yautown (3) has run in a couple of Maiden Special Weights at Santa Anita, two months apart, finishing 6^th each time. Going six furlongs at the beginning of April, he was always in the last pair after climbing in the run. Then over 110 yards further in early June, he was impeded at the start and never got involved. He has been gelded since and drops in grade here, which should help, while stepping up in trip, which may not.

GALLATIN (5) has shown fair form at this trip on turf, starting off on his second outing in $50,000 Maiden Claimer at Santa Anita in late March. Sent off as a tight second favourite in a field of six, he led for most of the way, until he was passed by the jolly inside the final furlong, finishing 1¼ lengths 2^nd but he was 4½ lengths in front of the 3^rd. He was claimed out of that, and a month later, was upped in class to run in $50,000 Starter Allowance over the same course and distance.

He went off as the favourite for that at just over 2-1 locally and, although he did not have the cleanest break, was soon in the lead. Again, he led into the last of the eight furlongs before getting collared, going down to a 1¾ lengths defeat in 2^nd. He was next seen in the middle of June there in a Maiden Special Weight going six furlongs on turf. However, he was tightened up and checked there which scuppered his chance.

On breeding there is no reason why dirt should not suit and if he does translate his turf form to the main track, he would take a lot of beating in this group.

Selection: Gallatin (5)