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Sunday, September 13, 2026
Post Time: 12:45 PM ET
Churchill Downs Today w/Kevin, Tony & Kaitlin at 11:45 AM ET
Derby City Six starts carryover = $24,082 (races 5-10) (15% takeout)
Jackpot 8 carryover = $354,921 (race 10)

Joe Kristufek

Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Fair Grounds and Twin Spires' senior producer & racing analyst Joe Kristufek began his career in his native Chicago, climbing the ladder at the local racing venues. The 1989 rivalry between Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence and his nemesis Easy Goer got Joe hooked on the game. A self-proclaimed "horse racing ambassador", Joe's industry experience spans from Dubai to Hong Kong to roughly 40 tracks across North America.

RACE 1
RACE 2
RACE 3
RACE 4
RACE 5
RACE 6
RACE 7
RACE 8
RACE 9
RACE 10

Kevin Kilroy

Kevin Kilroy is a racing and handicapping analyst covering the racing at Churchill Downs, Colonial Downs, Ellis Park, Fair Grounds and Turfway Park.

Race 1

  • 2. BRIDE

    BEEN WAITING FOR HER TO STRETCH OUT

Selections:

2-6/4-3/7

Race 2

  • 5. CAN'T HUSH THIS

    3 OF LAST 4 RACES HAVE BEEN ON MUD; PERFECT DISTANCE

Selections:

5-6/8-3-4-2

Race 3

  • 7. CREATIVE QUALITY

    STRONG THROUGH THE WIRE AT INDY

Selections:

7-1/5/3-2

Race 4

  • 4. BULLFIGHT

    PLENTY OF PACE FOR THIS LATE KICKER WHO SHOULD LOVE THE 9FURLONGS

Selections:

4-12/1-2-8-9

Race 5

  • 2. SILENT LAW

    CLASSY FILLY HAS BEEN CATCHING MY EYE IN THE A.M. ESPECIALLY LATE IN DRILLS

Selections:

2/3-1/5-7

Race 6

  • 2. CLEVER MISS

    WELL BRED & DOING IT SO EASY DEEP IN HER DRILLS AHEAD OF DEBUT AT ONE MILE

Selections:

2-9/1-8/11-12

Race 7

  • 1. REAL MACHO

    IN TOUGH SPOTS LAST OUT; CLASS DROP & SHOULD BE FINISHING STRONG DOWN THE LANE

Selections:

1-9/12-6/7-2

Race 8

  • 3. RULOOKINGFORRAYRAY

    IMPROVING 4YO HAS TACTICAL OPTIONS FOR GROUND-SAVING TRIP

Selections:

3-5/6-2-8-13/11-1

Race 9

  • 1. JUST BLUFFING

    SHE BEAT GOODALL ON DEBUT AND RAN HUGE 2ND AGASINT OLDER

Selections:

1-2/5-9/4-6-7

Race 10

  • 12. TAPIT'S GUNNER

    WELL-BRED & PLENTY OF TIME TO IMPROVE; WORKING WELL FOR HOT BARN

Selections:

12-3-11/6-9

Tony Calo

Churchill Downs Racing Analyst as well as Turfway Park and Ellis Park Announcer.

RACE 1
RACE 2
RACE 3
RACE 4
RACE 5
RACE 6
RACE 7
RACE 8
RACE 9

JOE K'S STATS THROUGH 9-13-26

RACES                                           27
'A' COLUMN WINS 18
'A' COLUMN WIN % 66.7%
TOP PICK WINS 9
2ND 3
3RD 3
WIN % 33.3%
WPS % 55.5%
$2 ROI $2.16
$6 WPS ROI $5.41

KAITLIN'S 2025 FALL STATS

RACES                                           73
'A' COLUMN WINS 36
'A' COLUMN WIN % 49.3%
TOP PICK WINS 15
2ND 13
3RD 8
WIN % 20.5%
WPS % 49.3%
$2 ROI $1.44
$6 WPS ROI $4.98

KILROY'S 2026 SEPTEMBER STATS

RACES                                           18
'A' COLUMN WINS 11
'A' COLUMN WIN % 61%
TOP PICK WINS 6
2ND 2
3RD 2
WIN % 33%
WPS % 55%
$2 TOP PICKS ROI $2.55
$6 WPS ROI $6.11

TONY'S 2026 SPRING MEET

RACES                                           348
'A' COLUMN WINS 171
'A' COLUMN WIN % 49%
TOP PICK WINS 94
2ND 56
3RD 39
WIN % 27%
WPS % 54%
$2 ROI $1.76
$6 WPS ROI $4.99

EXPERT PICKS AND YOU

Professional handicappers analyze races and suggest top horses with insightful analysis. Additionally offering specific bets like Win, Exacta, or Trifecta tickets for consideration. These picks often include reasoning, such as a horse’s recent performance, speed figures, or trainer success. For a beginner, they are helpful because they explain why a horse is a good choice and can help add confidence instead of guessing.

For a first-time bettor, “expert picks” from TwinSpires, Churchill Downs, and Kentucky Derby are simply guidance tools to help you choose horses more confidently. Simulcast, or track analysts, tend to be laser focused with day-to-day familiarity of each horse and TwinSpires expert picks are typically the most detailed from written and data based approaches.

Churchill Downs expert picks can be found in the race program. They list horses in ranked order for each race, often without much explanation due to program succinctness. Think of these as a quick references or starting points if you don’t want to do deep research.

Kentucky Derby expert picks are broader and come from many sources, including media analysts and racing insiders. They focus on the biggest race and often highlight top contenders, favorites, and longshots. Because there are many opinions, you’ll often see differences between experts.

The key for beginners is not to follow any single pick blindly. Instead, use them together. If multiple sources agree on a horse, that can be a strong signal. Expert picks are best used to narrow your choices, not make decisions for you, helping you bet smarter while still enjoying the experience.

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