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Kylemore Looks Competitive in California Derby
Although it doesn’t offer any qualification points for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, the $100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields is still a race worth watching this Saturday.
After all, the 8.5-furlong event is a local prep race for the El Ca ...
Racing
X Y Jet, Mr. Jordan Among Stars on Sunshine Millions Day
If you’re a fan of quality state-restricted stakes races, then you won’t want to miss Sunshine Millions Day this Saturday at Gulfstream Park .
Four stakes races for Florida-breds are scheduled to be run, though interestingly the richest race of t ...
Racing
Pasco, Gasparilla Stakes Highlight Saturday Card at Tampa Bay Downs
Although they’re not official prep races for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, a pair of stakes races on January 20th at Tampa Bay Downs could potentially launch a horse or two on their way to Churchill Downs.
First up is the $125,000 Gaspari ...
Racing
Stormy Contenders Strike Back In Promising Exotics; Upsets For Yonkers To Include in ‘Pick’ Affairs
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It wasn’t as bad as the week before but much of our content on Jan. 11 was affected by cancellations due to weather. That was then, this is now, so let’s dig into the possible plays for major profit with selected features t ...
Racing
Using Speed Figures to Identify Standout Contenders
A couple weeks ago, I described how using the “all” button in exactas can lead to impressive payoffs if you have a strong opinion of one horse in a given race.
One of the examples I used was California Chrome in the 2014 Kentucky Derby—on pa ...
Education
Ferrozzo wins 2017 National Handicapping Championship Tour
Mike Ferrozzo of Eagan, Minnesota, racked up 18,825 points to win the 2017 National Handicapping Championship (NHC) Tour, which ended Saturday.
Ferrozzo’s winning score awarded him $100,000, a trophy and the chance to play for a $2 million bonus a ...
Racing
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Early thoughts on betting the Pegasus World Cup
As Kellie Reilly so ably covered earlier this week , there are a number of fascinating storylines heading into next weekend's $16 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
Last year the California Chrome vs. Arrogate rematch narrative p ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 -- 1/17/18
Following a busy week that featured three Kentucky Derby prep races and a full slate of competitive maiden and allowance events, there’s plenty to digest on the road to the Derby !
Needless to say, my Kentucky Derby Top 10 underwent some signific ...
Racing
Watching three-year-olds of interest
By Dick Powell
A lot of good horses were in action over the weekend and some have big futures. In no apparent order:
Todd Pletcher sent out MAGNUM MOON to a fast win going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Saturday in his career debut at gen ...
Racing
Mourinho, Combatant Impress in Smarty Jones Stakes
Given the way the pace of the race unfolded, Combatant’s determined run for second place was—in my opinion—just as eye-catching as Mourinho’s easy win under perfect circumstances. Although his pedigree suggests that he might wind up best as a turf mi ...
Racing
Foiled Again seeks 100th win this weekend
While many sports enthusiasts will be paying close attention to the National Football League Conference Championship games on Sunday which will determine the participants in Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis, standardbred racing fans will be watching Yonk ...
Racing
Instilled Regard Demonstrates California's Strength in Lecomte Stakes
In recent years, California-based three-year-olds have proven dominant in the Triple Crown races and the prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby .
Certainly the West Coast held a clear edge in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016, when horses like I’l ...
Racing
Get Ready for Another Great Oaklwan Park Meet
One of the absolute best racing meets of the year had its opening day last week on Friday, Jan. 12. Anyone who's never wagered on races at Oaklawn Park, has missed out on some most competitive thoroughbred action anywhere in North America. Oaklawn i ...
Racing
Slow Track Affected Firenze Fire's Final Time in Jerome Stakes
So was a slow racing surface to blame for Firenze Fire’s slow time? I would argue yes, but don’t just take my word for it—check out the other race times that were recorded at Aqueduct on Saturday:
Race #
Conditions
Distance
...
Racing
Gun Runner’s finale just one of storylines for 2018 Pegasus World Cup
As the world’s richest race, the $16 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) ought to have an abundance of storylines. If last year’s inaugural running was all about the Arrogate-California Chrome rematch, the January 27 renewal at Gulfstream Park presents mu ...
Racing
Pair Of Winners, $29, $20, Top Choices Limited To Tracks Surviving Double Winter-Storm Cancellations
As Winter Storm Grayson swept into the North Atlantic, Winter Storm Hunter began to move eastward. Before it hit the Midwest, however, an uncommon blast of hot air preceded it. So, the east began to thaw before it began to freeze again. This January ...
Racing
A month's worth of Gulfstream Park turf racing, Part III
by Dick Powell
Click to read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series
Post position is an interesting handicapping angle and one that I often get wrong. There have been many winners from outside posts going two turns that I ignored since I didn’t s ...
Racing
Maryland-bred honors up for grabs
While many thoroughbred racing enthusiasts are awaiting the results of the Eclipse Award balloting, although most of the division winners and horse of the year seem indisputable, those who determine the Maryland-bred division champs and horse of the ...
Racing
Post times for Road to the Kentucky Derby/Oaks races over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend
2018 is upon us and the Roads to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks are in full swing.
This holiday weekend features multiple opportunities for the boys and girls to accrue points toward starting berths in either the Kentucky Derby (G1) or Kentucky Oaks ...
Racing
Shapiro’s Late Pick 4 analysis for La Canada Day at Santa Anita
by Scott Shapiro
The Saturday afternoon card at Santa Anita Park is headlined by the La Canada Stakes (G1) run at one mile over the main track. The featured event is the 8TH race on the day, meaning it is included in the late Pick 4 sequenc ...
Racing
Fair Grounds Pick 4 hinges on Lecomte favorites
A big day of racing will be held at Fair Grounds on Saturday, with a six-pack of stakes races comprising the 13-race card. Races 7-through-10 make up a Pick 4 sequence of interest to me, and I will give out my tickets.
Race 7
The Silverbullet ...
Racing
Seven things to know for Lecomte, first Kentucky Derby points race at Fair Grounds
Fair Grounds’ Road to the Derby begins with an exceptionally intriguing renewal of the $200,000 Lecomte (G3) on Saturday. Aside from the Kentucky Derby (G1) points on offer, on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the top four finishers, the mile-and-70-yard contes ...
Racing
Looking for 'Fire to be doused in the Jerome
Champagne (G1) winner FIRENZE FIRE will kick start his 2018 campaign at Aqueduct on Saturday when leading an eight-horse field in the $150,000 Jerome. The Florida-bred son of Posiedon's Warrior easily has the best resume in this cast, and when viewin ...
Racing
Shapiro: California shippers to Lecomte, Smarty Jones face tall task
by Scott Shapiro
The Road to the Kentucky Derby heats up this weekend as the Lecomte (G3) on Saturday at Fair Grounds and Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park on Monday each offer the winner 10 qualifying points as connections start to set their sights o ...
Racing
A month's worth of Gulfstream Park turf racing, Part II
by DICK POWELL
Click here to read Part 1 of this series
Now that I have entered the 145 turf races run at this year's Gulfstream Park Championship Meet into a spreadsheet, I can now examine if the rail placement favors any running styles o ...
Racing
Stakes picks and alternates on Fair Grounds' Road to the Derby Kickoff Day
A tremendous "Road to the Derby Kickoff" program is in store for bettors Saturday at Fair Grounds, which including six stakes on the 13-race program. For FREE Premium PPs for all Fair Grounds races, CLICK HERE .
We'll concede the first ...
Racing
Three Sires Stand Out As Having Multiple Kentucky Derby Contenders
by Alastair Bull
It may seem early, but it’s never too soon to try to find the next Kentucky Derby winner. And with 16 races in the various Road to the Kentucky Derby tables completed, it’s worth a look to see how the pedigrees of the contenders ...
Racing
Yonkers Raceway offers first full weekend of live racing in 2018
While many sports enthusiasts will be focused on the National Football League Divisional Playoff round this weekend as eight teams vie for the coveted spots in the conference championship games next Sunday, Yonkers Raceway will offer its first full w ...
Racing
Fair Grounds Stakes Race Preview for Jan. 13, 2018
3 big stakes races take place at the Fair Grounds this Saturday, Jan. 13. One of the stakes races is the Grade 3 LeComte Stakes. The LeComte is Fair Grounds' prep for the Louisiana Derby, one of the Kentucky Derby's most important prep races. Whomeve ...
Racing
A Moment in Time: November 2, 1993
The Melbourne Cup goes international
Most people in Thoroughbred racing around the world knew about the Melbourne Cup before 1993. But it was anything but international. True, horses bred or trained in one foreign country – nearby New Zealand – ...
Racing
Will Combatant Upset Mourinho in the Smarty Jones?
When playing the races, one of my favorite angles to watch for is a horse receiving a very specific type of troubled trip, a trip so subtle that many bettors miss its significance.
Normally, a ground-saving trip racing inside of horses is ideal, b ...
Racing
A month's worth of Gulfstream Park turf racing
by Dick Powell
Gulfstream Park has run an amazing 145 turf races through racing on Sunday, January 7. With this big a sample this early in the meet, I figured it would be time to go back and look at how the turf courses are playing. There will be ...
Racing
Top Turf Trainers Well Represented in Marshua's River Stakes
Some of North America’s most successful trainers of turf horses will square off this Saturday in an exciting renewal of the $150,000 Marshua’s River Stakes going 8.5 furlongs at Gulfstream Park .
The Eclipse Award-winning trainer , whose stable i ...
Racing
Cicatrix is a filly to watch
Following a superb 7 1/4-length debut win in front-running fashion, the Ian Wilkes-trained CICATRIX moved her mark to a perfect two-for-two with a measured tally in the Glitter Woman S. at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The dark bay daughter of Violenc ...
Racing
Will All Included Upset the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes?
If there’s one thing you can count on in horse racing, it’s that stakes races on the Gulfstream Park turf course will usually offer large and competitive fields with plenty of options for value-seeking bettors.
The $200,000 Ft. Lauderdale Stake ...
Racing
10 Godolphin horses to watch at 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival
Inspired by the Godolphin Fantasy Stable League for the Dubai World Cup Carnival, I’ve cobbled together a list of 10 Godolphin horses to follow. Or to be more precise, the 10 I’m most interested in watching at the Carnival.
They fall into two ca ...
Racing
Super Selections For All Pools; Power Plays With Outside Contenders For Exotics Across The Board
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This time of year it’s not unlike us to write a weather report along with our wagering advice. Still, the sweeping cancellations the weather provoked last weekend affected every one but one of our selected features. Tha ...
Racing
Coltandmississippi Might Have an Edge in Jerome Stakes
In handicapping the $150,000 Jerome Stakes (gr. III) this Saturday at Aqueduct , the key to identifying the winner might not be finding the best horse, but the fittest horse.
The one-mile Kentucky Derby prep race was originally scheduled to b ...
Racing
Shapiro's analysis of Santa Anita Park's early jockey/trainer standings
by Scott Shapiro
Eight days into the winter meeting at Santa Anita Park and familiar names sit atop the jockey standings while there is a logjam amongst the leading trainers.
Jockey Rafael Bejarano is off to a strong start in Arcadia this summ ...
Racing
Silverbulletday, Other Fair Grounds Stakes Drawn Deep Fields
If you’re planning to play the races this Saturday, you won’t want to miss the fantastic card at Fair Grounds that includes large fields and six stakes races.
Among the highlights are the Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) and the Colonel E. R. Bradley ...
Racing
Keying the Favorites in the Lecomte Stakes
Fair Grounds’ Road to the Kentucky Derby will kick off this Saturday with the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) at 8.5 furlongs, and although the race attracted fifteen entrants, narrowing down the field might be easier than it appears at first gl ...
Racing
Seven things to know for 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival
It’s time for the Dubai World Cup Carnival to roll on at Meydan! The next eight Thursdays, along with a couple of Carnival Saturday cards, will set the stage for the March 31 Dubai World Cup extravaganza.
After outlining the prospective internati ...
Racing
Looking for a Longshot in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap
If you’re looking to wager on a wide-open and competitive race this weekend, look no further than the $125,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap on Saturday at Fair Grounds .
The 8.5-furlong turf race has drawn ten starters, and it’s a race where it ...
Racing
Betting Longshots to Turn the Tables on Favorites
When Horse A beats Horse B in decisive fashion, it’s natural for bettors to assume that the result will be the same should Horse A and Horse B meet again a few weeks later.
While this is frequently the case, there are occasions when Horse B is abl ...
Education
Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profile: McKinzie
McKinzie; winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity and Sham S.
by Alastair Bull
McKinzie may be a little lucky to remain unbeaten after three starts, but there’s no doubt he’s a serious Kentucky Derby contender.
An impressive winner of his de ...
Racing
Short price on Mask a bargain in retrospect
by DICK POWELL
It's Chad Brown's world and we just live in it. Expected to win his second straight Eclipse Award as leading trainer of 2017, he is off to a solid start in 2018 with three wins in eight starts through eight days of racing.
&nbs ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 - 1/9/18
It’s not every day that you see a horse win a stakes races as easily as Mask won the Mucho Macho Man Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Chad Brown, the son of Tapit entered the one-mile race with just one run under his belt, that be ...
Racing
2018 Pegasus World Cup Updated Top 5 Contenders
With about 19 days away, the field for the 2018 Pegasus World Cup has begun to take shape. The last I heard is that 11 of the 12 spots have been sold. Gun Runner, the 2017 BC Classic winner and top-rated horse in the world, will be a heavy favorite n ...
Racing
The Pegasus World Cup: Where Are They Now?
Find out what the innagural 2017 Pegasus World Cup runners have done since their start at Gulfstream Park
by Alastair Bull
The Pegasus World Cup was a huge hit in its first running, attracting a top field including Arrogate and California C ...
Racing
McKinzie Shows Improvement in the Sham Stakes
In a move that caught everyone by surprise, trainer Bob Baffert elected to run his Grade 1 winner McKinzie in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita on January 6th, the first Kentucky Derby prep race of 2018 .
The move was unexpected ...
Racing
Storm Scourges Schedule; Cal-Expo Rules Weekend With $36 Winner Topping $73 Cold Exacta
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As we explained in our blog addendum, neither man nor beast was able to carry on with the normal tasks of racing in Winter Storm Grayson. We adapted with late reviews of Cal-Expo harness on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6 as every ra ...
Racing
The Great Jack Van Berg Passes Away at 81
Berg ever trained. Alysheba finished his career with 11 wins, 8 second place, and 2 third place finishes from 26 starts. He earned an incredible $6,679,242 during his career. That amount translates to $13,973,854 in 2017 dollars. American Pharoah e ...
Racing
Handicapping Tips for Betting in January
Many bettors look forward to and appreciate racing in January. For most it’s an opportunity to recharge and reset, to start the year fresh and leave any lack of success in the previous 12 months behind to fade in the rear view mirror.
Though weath ...
Racing
Sham Stakes first chance at January Road to the Derby Bonus Cash
The first Kentucky Derby (G1) points race of 2018 is Saturday's $100,000 Sham (G3) at Santa Anita, and TwinSpires is offering a bonus to players who bet it and the three scheduled preps next weekend: the Jerome, Lecomte (G3) and Smarty Jones.
B ...
Racing
Shapiro's analysis of the Sham Stakes
by Scott Shapiro
With the cancellation of the Jerome at Aqueduct due to weather conditions, the first 2018 race offering qualifying points for the 2018 Kentucky Derby is the $100,000 Sham. The Grade 3 event run at one mile over Santa Anita’s main ...
Racing
Shapiro's Late Pick 4 analysis for Sham Day
by Scott Shapiro
The first Saturday afternoon card of the 2018 Santa Anita winter meeting is headlined by the $100,000 Sham (G3) featuring Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) winner McKinzie and the $200,000 San Gabriel (G2) run at 1 1/8 miles over the la ...
Racing
Cal-Expo Weekend Expanded As East-Coast Tracks Climate-Cancelled
Winter Storm Grayson froze most of the Eastern Seaboard by Thursday, Jan. 4. Racetrack cancellations came quickly, as went many of our selected features for the weekend. As of this writing, we are not sure if all of our east-based tracks will cancel, ...
Racing
Early Pick 4 at Gulfstream intriguing and playable
Gulfstream Park has a fine card set for Saturday, with five stakes races among the 11-race day. While I have touched on some of the races later in the day in a previous posting, the early Pick 4 (Races 2-5) is very appealing to me with some interesti ...
Racing
Win the War Tries Dirt in Santa Ynez Stakes
Although most of the upcoming weekend racing action is focused on Saturday, racing fans won’t want to miss Sunday’s $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita .
In addition to being a good betting race, the seven-furlong sprint is an offi ...
Racing
Oaklawn Park Live Race Meet FREE Betting Guide
The Oaklawn Park live racing meet has arrived and a full, robust analysis of all betting angles are covered for helping your handicapping. The Oaklawn Betting Guide .
Contents of the Betting Guide. Click a link below to read the related article, ...
Racing
Analyzing a Competitive Renewal of the Ginger Brew Stakes
One of the most competitive races on the stakes-packed January 6th card at Gulfstream Park is the $100,000 Ginger Brew Stakes for three-year-old fillies.
The 7 ½-furlong turf race has attracted ten starters without an obvious favorite, making it ...
Racing
Mucciolo: Mucho Macho Man & Sham Analysis
A nice field of eight sophomores will go postward in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The cast for the one-mile test includes a trio of unbeaten youngsters and I think the winner will come from that group.
Chad Brow ...
Racing
Saturday maidens at Gulfstream
Gulfstream Park will play host to a fine 11-race card on Saturday, with a trio of stakes races on tap. I have always looked forward to the winter action at the Hallandale Beach, Florida venue, with a keen eye on the Saturday racing.
It’s the time ...
Racing
Portland Meadows: Stay in Grace Faces Males in Sophomore Stakes
If you want to have some fun playing the races this Sunday, consider trying something a little different and take a look at the eight-race card being offered at Portland Meadows in Oregon.
On a day that’s fairly quiet in terms of major racing ac ...
Racing
Will Mask Upset Dak Attack in the Mucho Macho Man?
Although the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park isn’t an official Kentucky Derby prep race , the one-mile race has been a productive first stop on Gulfstream’s road to the Derby.
You can usually count on trainer Dale ...
Racing
Fast Boat Could Be Too Quick for Kitten's Joy Rivals
Trained by Christophe Clement, who wins at a 22% rate with horses coming off a maiden victory, Fast Boat appears to have a ton of potential and is already proven over this course and distance. For good measure, he’ll also be carrying four pounds less ...
Racing
Deep-Freeze Features Selected; Power Plays And Other Exotics Targeted At Six Raceways As 2018 Opens For Business
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Happy New Year from the coldest place on Earth, which this past week was designated as North America. What were the odds this continent could have its temperatures dipped beneath the zero level? Actually, the odds were ...
Racing
Keying Surprise Entrant McKinzie in the Sham Stakes
Talk about a last-minute surprise! When entries were taken for Saturday’s $100,000 Sham Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita, a small but competitive field was expected for the one-mile Kentucky Derby prep race .
Then trainer Bob Baffert entered his u ...
Racing
Glitter Woman, Limehouse Stakes Showcase Promising Sprinters
While it’s difficult to say whether the $75,000 Glitter Woman Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park will have Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) implications, the six-furlong sprint for three-year-old fillies has drawn a quality field with a few promising ru ...
Racing
Gun Runner and Arrogate - Two ships passing in the night
by Dick Powell
GUN RUNNER will be a well-deserved winner of the 2017 Horse of the Year and older male Eclipse
Awards, but there is still a 500-pound elephant in the room named ARROGATE and his presence cannot be ignored.
Gun Runner was unab ...
Racing
Betting Exactas With the "All" Button
The “all” button.
Sometimes, you’ll hear handicappers refer to the “all” button when they’re betting on a particularly tough race. For example, they might be playing a Pick 4 in which the last leg looks wide-open with a chance for a longshot win ...
Education
Powell: My 2017 Eclipse Award ballot
by DICK POWELL
2017 is in the book and here is my Eclipse Award ballot:
Horse of the Year: GUN RUNNER
No real competition as he bounced back from his defeat in the Dubai World Cup (G1) and was unbeatable the rest of the year. Sho ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 - 1/2/18
Well, 2018 has arrived, the juvenile stars of last year are officially three years old, and it’s time for things to get serious on the road to the 2018 Kentucky Derby .
Actually, the road would already be underway if cold weather hadn’t led to th ...
Racing
A Look Ahead at the 2018 Triple Crown
Happy New Year! The arrival of 2018 means the arrival of a fresh year filled with opportunity and potential, and for fans of Thoroughbred horse racing, it also means a new Kentucky Derby prep season is underway with a chance at seeing a future Trip ...
Racing
Dover Downs kicks off 2018 harness racing season
On a cold winter day that hardly seemed favorably for man or beast, Dover Downs kicked off the New Year by hosting the first harness racing card of 2018 and the dozen overnight events had some noteworthy highlights for pacers and trotters alike. In ...
Racing
TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horse Of The Year Leads Long List Of ‘Profit Ponies’ For 2017
Each December the TwinSpires harness-racing department studies the 12-month archives of suggested contenders posted in the exclusive weekly harness blog. From that review, we categorize all of the winners that have paid at least two digits (4-1 and u ...
Racing
Fair Grounds: Usual Suspects at Top of Trainer Standings
Every Fair Grounds Meet, certain trainers end up at the top of the standings. The current Fair Grounds Meet is no exception. Brad H. Cox leads the pack followed by Joe Sharp, Albert Stall, Michael Stidham, and Tom Amoss. Stall, Stidham, and Amoss ar ...
Racing
Shapiro's Spot Plays for New Year's Day at Santa Anita
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
Happy New Year racing fans! 2018 is going to be a great year.
To celebrate the start of a new voyage around the sun Santa Anita Park has a nine-race card headlined by the $75,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes run over the hillside turf ...
Racing
Fair Grounds Jockey Standings: Miguel Mena Leads Top 5
5. Adam Beschizza This is Adam Beschizza's first Fair Grounds Meet. Beschizza's first mount was at Newmarket in 2010. Due to a connection with Joe Sharp , Beschizza made a mark early at the current Fair Grounds Meet. In addition to riding for Sh ...
Racing
Year-Ending Exotic Explosion With $156 Trifecta,Four For Five In Pentafecta, Exactas And Quintet Of Cal-Expo Winners
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In our final update for 2017 we celebrated with winning fireworks from our selected features through our horses-to-watch (H2W) list, which added a few more prices to our 2017 review blog, due on New Year’s Eve. Here are ...
Racing
Rosecroft offers final card of 2017
Last Saturday marked the final night of live racing for 2017 at Rosecroft Raceway and the track honored its leading horses and humans two nights before Christmas Day. In the opening race on the card, Winter Games (Jonathan Roberts) overcame a parked ...
Racing
How to Play Santa Anita Pick 5 to get ‘Back in the Black’ on New Year’s Eve
By SCOTT SHAPIRO
With just one day remaining on the 2017 calendar, handicappers in the red for the year have one more chance to make it a profitable 365 days before we head into 2018.
There are several venues running on New Years’ Eve, but of ...
Racing
Will Firenze Fire Rebound in the Jerome Stakes?
Happy New Year! Aqueduct racetrack in New York isn’t wasting any time getting underway with their winter prep races for the 2018 Kentucky Derby —their series will kick off on January 1st with the $150,000 Jerome Stakes going a mile.
The horse t ...
Racing
Layoff horse a key in tough Gulfstream Pick 5 sequence
A challenging and potentially lucrative opportunity awaits us at Gulfstream Park on Saturday in the late Pick 5 (Races 7-11). This all-grass sequence will feature a quartet of turf stakes races and looks appealing to me in hoping to conclude 2017 on ...
Racing
How to Bet the 2017 American Oaks
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
As is the case in most of the Grade 1 two-turn turf events for fillies and mares in the States, trainer Chad Brown looks to hold a strong hand in the 16th running of the $300,000 American Oaks. The main event on the first Saturda ...
Racing
Mucciolo: Pair should dominate Midnight Lute
The $400,000 American Oaks (G1) is the feature of the Saturday card at Santa Anita on, but I love a betting opportunity in the race following that one -- the $100,00 Midnight Lute (G3).
In this 6 1/2-furlong dash, a solid, but not outstandin ...
Racing
2017: The 10 best races of the year
1) T J Smith Stakes (6 furlongs, G1, April 1, Randwick, $1.9 million) Throughout his career, Chautauqua has frequently come from last in six-furlong sprints with flying late runs to win in a manner which looked impossible. Among other races it earne ...
Racing
Collected's 'sandwich game' in San Antonio, Unique Bella's favorable trip in La Brea
by Dick Powell
Santa Anita kicked off its stakes schedule on Tuesday and it led off with a shocker in the San Antonio Stakes (G2). Re-scheduled to act as a prep for the Pegasus World Cup (G1) coming up in 4 1/2 weeks, the $300,000 purse only attr ...
Racing
Promising Juveniles Face Off in Santa Anita Maiden Race
If you’re keeping an eye on the road to the Kentucky Derby this winter, then you’ll definitely want to pay attention to Saturday’s second race at Santa Anita .
Seven horses are entered in the 8.5-furlong maiden special weight for two-year-olds, ...
Racing
Chad Brown Holds Strong Hand in American Oaks
The final Grade 1 race of 2017 is the $300,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita , a 1 ¼-mile turf event for three-year-old fillies that has attracted a quality field of ten starters.
In recent years, horses shipping in from out of state have enjoyed ...
Racing
New Year Looms Boldly With Selected Features, Power Plays; Countdown On Pick 3s And Pick 5s
This is our final preview of 2017. Before we return for the 2018 season there will be our annual review for the year, featuring our TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horse of the Year and double-digit-winners recap. Because of how the calendar falls this y ...
Racing
Gendarme Stretches Out for Hopeful Stakes at Nakayama
The final Group 1 race of the year is coming up on December 28th, that being the Hopeful Stakes for two-year-olds going 2,000 meters (about 1 ¼ miles) over the turf course at .
In North America, there are no graded stakes races for juveniles held ...
Racing
Tropical Park Derby, Other Gulfstream Stakes Draw Deep Fields
Turf horses will be in the spotlight at Gulfstream Park on December 30th, a day when the Florida racetrack will host five turf stakes races featuring large and competitive fields.
First up is the $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens at two miles on tur ...
Racing
Competitive Field Comes Together for H. Allen Jerkens Stakes
If you’re a fan of marathon races held over distances rarely seen in North America, then you won’t want to miss Saturday’s $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Gulfstream Park .
Named in honor of the legendary Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens, t ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 - 12/27/17
Much has been made through the years about trainer Todd Pletcher’s perceived lack of success in the Triple Crown races, primarily the Kentucky Derby .
An oft-quoted statistic from years ago spoke of Pletcher’s early disappointments in the Derby, ...
Racing
2017: A Year in Reflection
Divisidero Rallies to Win the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic
As described above, this race was a fun one for me, and Divisidero ’s winning rally made this race one of my favorites from 2017.
Abel Tasman Wins the Coaching Club Ame ...
Racing
How Pace Makes the Race: Part 2
In an article on Bet America last week , I discussed how the 2013 Triple Crown series is a perfect example of how pace can make a race.
When Orb produced a huge late rally to win the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), he looked like a star in the making, ...
Education
Playing Santa Anita’s opener a holiday tradition
By Dick Powell
The presents were opened. Turkey dinner was finished and the kitchen cleaned up. And now it’s on to the next Holiday tradition; Opening Day of Santa Anita.
This year’s nine-race card is exquisite. I know all the attention right ...
Racing
Shapiro: How to bet the Late Pick 4 on Santa Anita’s opening day
by Scott Shapiro
Santa Anita Park has made some modifications to their wagering menu as we head into the start of the winter meeting, but the late Pick 4 will still be offered to horseplayers over the final four races of the day.
The Opening ...
Racing
Four Stakes Races Highlight Final Fair Grounds Cards of 2017
The last two days of 2017 comprise a stakes-packed weekend of coast-to-coast racing, and Fair Grounds in Louisiana is poised to celebrate the end of the year in particularly memorable fashion with a pair of stakes races on both Saturday and Sunday ...
Racing
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