EXPERT PICKS

Get daily Expert Picks for all of Churchill Downs Racing and wager with TwinSpires.

EXPERT PICKS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2025 — 11 RACES, 1 PM ET

Pick Five (races 1, 4, & 7), Derby City Six Jackpot CARRYOVER = $116,723 (race 6) & $3 Late Pick 3 (race 9) all with a LOW 15% TAKEOUT.

Churchill Downs Today with Joe, Tony & Kevin at 11:45 am ET

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

  • 5. CE LA VI CHARLI

    BIG MIDDLE MOVE GOING LONGER TRANSFERS WELL HERE

  • 2. BEACH BUNNY

  • 7. DARK FURY

Selections:

5-2/7-4-3-6-1

RACE 2

  • 1. SIRIUS LIGHT

    HOPING TURF FORM CONVERTS TO DIRT

  • 6. STREAKING

  • 4. BRIDGIE BOP

Selections:

1-6-4/5-3

RACE 3

  • 2. CAN'T HUSH THIS

    SHARP WIN AT THE DISTANCE; SILENCES HIS RIVALS

  • 4. THOUGHTTHATCOUNTS

  • 3. VIKING

Selections:

2-4/3-1-6-5

RACE 4

  • 7. DEBBIE DOLL

    SOLID 2ND BEHIND SHARP WINNER ON DEBUT; FITS LIKE A GLOVE

  • 3. GRAZOE PREGO

  • 5. TIZMATIC

Selections:

7-3-5-4/8

RACE 5

  • 6. GRADE A

    PROBABLY RAN THE BEST IN COMMON RACE LAST OUT

  • 5. ANAKARINA

  • CIVETTA

Selections:

6-5/9-2-10-4

RACE 6

  • 9. TAGERMEEN

    CHASED MONSTER IN LAST; FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

  • 4. COMMANDMEN

  • 1. ONE REWARD

Selections:

9/4/1-8/7-2

RACE 7

  • 6. DURANTE

    GETS THE TRIP; LAYS IT DOWN LATE

  • 3. SURVEILLANCE

  • 4. CHAMPLIN

Selections:

6-3/4-5/2-7-1

RACE 8

  • 1. HEAR THE QUEEN

    TOSSES BLINKERS ASIDE OFF SOLID COMEBACK RACE; RAIL DRAW

  • 9. CAVIAR BREAKFAST

  • 5. ANNELLE

Selections:

1-9/5-4/6-11

RACE 9

  • 5. TRAJECT

    INTRIGUING DEBUTER IN ABSOLUTE DART THROW OF A RACE

  • 4. HONORISIA

  • 10. G ROCKS

Selections:

5-4-10/11-2-8-9-7-6-3-12

RACE 10

  • 6. CABOURG

    ATTACKED THE GROUND IN WINNING DEBUT; CAN REPEAT

  • 7. OSCAR'S HOPE

  • 4. NINE BALL

Selections:

6-7/4-5-3

RACE 11

  • 3. THEODORE GEORGE

    HIS DAM WAS G2 PLACED ON TURF; READY OFF THE WORKS

  • 9. WESTERN RUN

  • 2. RAPOPORT

Selections:

3-9-2/7-6-13

Kaitlin Benson

Kaitlin Benson is currently a reporter and analyst at Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, and Colonial Downs. Kaitlin is also well versed in international races including stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in Europe and Asia.

RACE 1

  • 3. OAKS STREET

    FOLLOWING HOT HAND OF AXEL CONCEPCION + JOE SHARP

  • 6. BECTIVE ABBEY

  • 4. WANNA GO HOME

Selections:

3-6-4-5

RACE 2

  • 1. CONSEQUENTIAL

    TWO STARTS BACK FORM IN CHURCHILL MSW HAS COME BACK STRONG FOR OTHERS

  • 7. SEAL BAY

  • 6. ONE TOUGH ROAD

Selections:

1-7-6-4

RACE 3

  • 3. YOU BELONG HERE

    BARN IS ON A ROLL SO FAR THIS MEET

  • 1. IL CAVALLINO

  • 5. ATTERSEE

Selections:

3-1-5-4

RACE 4

  • 2. MIDNIGHT VENGEANCE

    HAS FIGURES TO WIN THIS RACE & DROPS TO HIS LOWEST LEVEL YET

  • 3. WARTANK

  • 11. ANDO

Selections:

2-3-11-7

RACE 5

  • 4. MCKINZIE'S GLORY

    SHOULD APPRECIATE THE STEP UP TO 1 1/8 MILES

  • 8. WEIGHTED AVERAGE

  • 1. YOU'RE SO VAIN

Selections:

4-8-1-10

RACE 6

  • 8. WIND RIDER

    BACK ON THE SURFACE & DISTANCE WHERE HE FOUND SUCCESS PREVIOUSLY

  • 1. ATLANTIC DANCER

  • 3. FARM TEAM

Selections:

8-3-1-5

RACE 7

  • 7. AGUA FRESCA

    LONE CLOSER IN THE FIELD

  • 5. ASHKENAZI

  • 4. DOS AMORES

Selections:

7-5-4-9

RACE 8

  • 3. MONTADOR

    HAS REALLY FOUND A HOME ON GRASS, SHOULD RELISH THE EXTRA DISTANCE

  • 7. BLAST FURNACE

  • 12. JOHNY'S RENDEZVOUS

Selections:

3-7-12-11

RACE 9

  • 7. THIRTEEN G'S

    DIRT NUMBERS PLENTY GOOD ENOUGH, GETS CLASS RELIEF ON THE RETURN

  • 4. WHITE WHALE

  • 1. GLOBALIST

Selections:

7-4-1-3

Tony Calo

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

RACE 1

  • 2. BEACH BUNNY

    SHARP AS A TACK, EXITS LONGER RACES AND GETS AMPLE PACE TO CHASE

Selections:

2-7-4/1/3-5-6

Race 2

  • 6. STREAKING

    OUTSIDE SPEED AND HAS RUN WELL IN THE PAST HERE AT CD

Selections:

6-4/3-9-2-8-1

Race 3

  • 1. TWO EAGLE RIVER

    EXITS A SALTY AFFAIR AND RETURNS TO A FAST TRACK

Selections:

1/2-4-5

Race 4

  • 5. TIZMATIC

    VERY PROMISING FIRST START BUT WAS UNFORTUNATELY DISQUALIFIED

Selections:

5-8/2-3-7-4-10

Race 5

  • 9. CIVETTA

    SUPER TURN OF FOOT IN RECENT COMEBACK AFFAIR

Selections:

9/2-4-6-7-11

Race 6

  • 1. ONE REWARD

    WALDEN EXCELLENT SECOND START AND ADDING BLINKERS

Selections:

1-4-9/3-7/286

Race 7

  • 4. CHAMPLIN

    SUPER TALENTED HORSE WHO IS LONG OVERDUE FOR A STAKES VICTORY

Selections:

4-5/6-3-2/1-7

Race 8

  • 11. CELTIC CHARM

    FLASHED TONS OF TALENT ONCE UPON A TIME, GREAT SPACING AND WORKS FOR TODAY

Selections:

11-1/4-9-10

Race 9

  • 7. ZEN YOGA

    ROMANS IS SO GOOD SECOND START AND DROPPING INTO MAIDEN CLAIMER

Selections:

7-12-9/10/2-1-5-6

Race 10

  • 7. OSCAR'S HOPE

    SUPER NICE HORSE WHO RAN WELL AGAINST A BEAST

Selections:

7/6/5-4-3-2

Race 11

  • 7. MR BOBO

    SOLID DEBUT BUT THEN REGRESSED A TAD IN NEXT TWO, FRESHENED AND REGROUPED

Selections:

7-6/13-2/1-4-9

JOE K'S 2025 FALL STATS THROUGH 10-26

RACES                                           11
'A' COLUMN WINS 5
'A' COLUMN WIN % 45.5%
TOP PICK WINS 4
2ND 2
3RD 1
WIN % 36.4%
WPS % 63.6%
$2 ROI $1.58
$6 WPS ROI $3.77

KAITLIN'S STATS FOR THE 2025 SEPTEMBER MEET

RACES                                           72
'A' COLUMN WINS 34
'A' COLUMN WIN % 47.2%
TOP PICK WINS 14
2ND 11
3RD 13
WIN % 19.4%
WPS % 52.8%
$2 ROI $2.01
$6 WPS ROI $5.42

KILROY'S 2025 FALL STATS THROUGH 10-26

RACES                                           11
'A' COLUMN WINS 6
'A' COLUMN WIN % 56%
TOP PICK WINS 3
2ND 1
3RD 0
WIN % 27%
WPS % 36%
$2 TOP PICKS ROI $1.60
$6 WPS ROI $3.80

TONY'S FALL STATS 2025

RACES                                          
'A' COLUMN WINS
'A' COLUMN WIN %
TOP PICK WINS
2ND
3RD
WIN %
WPS %
$2 ROI
$6 WPS ROI

FOLLOW FOR UPDATES AND EXCLUSIVES

Missed something? Catch up on past Churchill Downs news