Barry Faulkner's US Racing Preview

Four Stakes races - a couple of Graded contests at Keeneland bookended by a pair of Black-Type events from each of Laurel Park and Oaklawn Park - provide the action for my Saturday preview this week.

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

The Stateside Preview - Keeneland, Laurel Park and Oaklawn Park for Saturday 18th April 2026

Laurel Park 11 (10.05pm)

Federico Tesio Stakes (Black Type) – 3-year-olds – One mile and a furlong – Dirt

This race features a local group who have been grappling with each other regularly, facing up to a once raced shipper, who has been installed as a tepid Morning Line favourite. Provided the winner is Triple Crown nominated, which seven of the 10 entrants are, he gets an automatic slot in the Preakness Stakes G1, being held here this year.

On the back of his Maiden Special Weight victory on debut, going six furlongs on Tapeta at Turfway Park, Volendam (2) heads that Morning Line list. He was 2-1 favourite to win first time up and came home 2 lengths clear of the runner up, after a stalking trip. The $600,000 yearling clearly has more on his plate here on dirt for the first time, with his ability to get the nine furlongs trip not completely a given.

At the beginning of February, in a Black-Type Stake going seven furlongs, Close The Gate (6) finished 2nd, beaten ¾-length, with Code Of Silence (9) a length back in 3rd, 1½ lengths in front of Wild Warrior (4) in 5th. Seventeen days after that, Close The Gate (6) finished 3rd in a similar contest, beaten 4 lengths by the winner Taj Mahal (10), who got home by a neck from the 11-10 favourite LET'S GO LANDO (5).

Code Of Silence (9) skipped that race but returned in another Black-Type Stake going eight and a half furlongs here four weeks ago. After stalking the pace there, he took a short lead into the final furlong before getting nabbed late by Wild Warrior (4), who rallied gamely to get up to win by a neck. That colt’s barn mate Let’s Go Lando (5), 19-10 favourite for the race, was ¾-length back in 3rd, after getting squeezed when making his bid on the rail. Wild Warrior (4) carries a 6lb penalty here for that success.

Taj Mahal (10) also carries the higher weight after his win in February and has been off for eight weeks since that victory. However, that was just his second start, and he may have more scope than some of these. Nevertheless, I think Let’s Go Lando (5) is favoured by the way the cards have landed here.

Selection: LET’S GO LANDO (5)

Keeneland 9 (10.16pm)

Ben Ali Stakes G3 – 4-year-olds and upwards – One mile, one and a half furlongs – Dirt

After winning an entry level Allowance by 7¼ lengths going nine furlongs at Saratoga in the middle of July last year, Stars And Stripes (1) was given a go in a Listed Stake over mile, when next seen in early November. Unfortunately, he was never involved and finished a well beaten last in a four-runner field. He reappeared in a second level Allowance Optional Claimer at Gulfstream Park, over 110 yards further in the middle of January, finishing 2nd, beaten 2¼ lengths but 3¼ lengths in front of Batten Down (6) in 3rd. He ran in a similar grade at Oaklawn Park on his next outing early last month. Back up to a mile and a furlong, he got the job done, grinding out a ¾-length victory. The extra yardage here should suit.

Batten Down (6) went on from that run in Florida to win a restricted Stake at Oaklawn Park at the beginning of last month. Going a mile and a half, he was never headed and went on to win that by 8¼ lengths as the 7-5 favourite. He tops the Morning Line list for this, but he would not top mine.

It is a but sad for an old timer like me to see the demise of California racing. It seems astonishing that the comfortable winner of the venerable Santa Anita Handicap G1 can arrive here to tackle a G3 and not be the jolly. But it is a real sign of the times that British Isles (4), who took that race by 4½ lengths at the beginning of last month, is only fifth on the local betting list for this, and it not difficult to agree with that assessment.

RATTLE N ROLL (8) has run eight times since the beginning of 2025 and three of those races have come in Saudi Arabia. He cut little ice in either of his tries in the $20million Saudi Cup G1 (or his attempt at the Dubai World Cup G1) but did win a G3 there in January last year. His four starts on home soil delivered a win in a Listed Stake at Oaklawn Park just before Christmas, and a length 2nd in a G3 here in late October. He has been away for nine weeks since his last jaunt in the desert but his work leading into this has been eye catching and there should be enough speed in here to bring his late kick into play.

Selection: RATTLE N ROLL (8)

Keeneland 10 (10.48pm)

VisitLEX Elkhorn Stakes G2 – 4-year-olds and upwards – One and a half miles – Turf

Utah Beach (3) won the 2025 running of this race, getting the best of a late duel to score by a head, with GRAND SONATA (4) 3¾ lengths behind in 6th place. He followed that with a victory in a G3 over the same trip at Churchill Downs four weeks later. He did not get involved in his next three races, a Listed contest at the same track, the Sword Dancer G1 at Saratoga, and Turf Cup G2 at Kentucky Downs. He was not helped by trouble at the start, in the latter race where Tawny Port (8) finished 2nd, 3¾ lengths behind the winner but 3¼ in front of Grand Sonata in 5th. However, when Utah Beach (3) returned here in October, he took the field along for most of the way in the Sycamore G2 before getting nailed late when finishing 2-lengths 3rd to Desvio (2), with Grand Sonata (4) 1½ further behind in 6th. He made his 2026 return in a G3 going nine furlongs at Turfway Park four weeks ago, where he was never involved at any stage. On his second run for a new barn, he may be a watcher for me today.

Grand Sonata (4) was off after the two runs detailed above, but came back to win the Mac Diarmida G2 going 11 furlongs at Gulfstream Park at the end of February, staying on well to get home ½-length ahead of the runner up, with Anegada (12) ¾-length further behind in 3rd, followed by Padiddle (1) the same margin back in 5th.

Tawny Port (8) has had a frustrating couple of years, finishing in the frame eight of his 14 starts, without a single trip to the Winner’s Circle. However, he has accumulated $1.2million in purses in that time, which must alleviate a bit of the disappointment. The closest he came to a win last year, was when he was beaten a nose by Silawi in the Canadian International G1 at Woodbine, with Nations Pride 1¾ lengths back in 3rd. He closed his season when finishing 9th at 70-1 locally in the Breeders’ Cup Turf G1 at the beginning of November. He returned from a similar break last year, with a below par effort.

Truly Quality (7) won the Hollywood Turf Cup G2 over this trip at Del Mar at the end of November, but then came up short on yielding turf, also over miler and a half at Sam Houston, finishing 3rd as the 4-5 favourite, 3¼ lengths behind the winner Anegada (12) and 2¼ lengths by runner-up Presider (10). He has finished 3rd then 4th in a couple of G3 races back in California since but I am not convinced they measure up to this.

I think Grand Sonata (4) can follow up here, from the confidence booster of his win last time.

Selection: GRAND SONATA (4)

Oaklawn Park 9 (11.07pm)

Valley of the Vapors Stakes (Black Type) – Fillies; 3-year-olds – One mile – Dirt

Sticker Shock (6) got off the mark on her second start, in a Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Downs at the end of November. Going eight and a half furlongs, she led all the way then hung on to score by ¾-length. She re-emerged at the end of February in an entry level Allowance Optional Claimer, over the same trip here, winning that one by a length from Scot’s Law (5), with Spitfire (1) 2 lengths further back in 3rd. That earned a Sticker Shock (6) a crack at the local Kentucky Oaks G1 prep, the Fantasy G2 just over three weeks ago. Sent off as second-favourite. She came up well short, finishing 4th in the five-runner field, 21¼ lengths behind the winner.

Spitfire (1) went on from finishing 3rd to Sticker Shock (6) to take 2nd place, 6¾ lengths behind KNICKLEANDIME (8) in the same grade, and over the same trip, towards the end of last month. At the beginning of January, Knickleandime (8) had finished a length 2nd in a Black-Type Stake behind Grace Is Free (3) going six furlongs here, and followed that a month later with a 3rd place finish in a Listed Stake, back up to an eight and a half furlongs on this strip, with Grace Is Free (3) well behind. She is my idea of the winner here.

Selection: KNICKLEANDIME (8)