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Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast Dec. 15, 2025
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Oaklawn Park: Single for the $22,375 Classix Pick 6 carryover
Mandatory-payout carryover picks at Woodbine, Charles Town
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Justify Draws Lucky Seven at Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw
Trainer Bob Baffert was late in arriving at the post position draw for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, but if he was worried about where his horses would draw, he needn’t have been.
By the time Baffert arrived, his Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Justi ...
Racing
144th Kentucky Derby Field
144TH KENTUCKY DERBY
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Racing
Jockeys in the 2018 Kentucky Derby
When trainer D. Wayne Lukas announced that jockey Luis Contreras would have the call on Bravazo in the 2018 Kentucky Derby (G1) , the final puzzle piece fell into place. Riders have now been assigned for the top 21 horses in the 144th Run for the R ...
Racing
Harrington offers solid Monday card
Much of the attention for harness racing fans on Monday evening is typically on half-mile tracks and earlier tonight Harrington Raceway in Delaware offered a solid card that gave an early indication that the lucrative Governor's Day evening program h ...
Racing
My 2018 Kentucky Derby Picks
I use Brisnet speed ratings. Audible's Brisnet speed ratings were 85, 91, and 94 in his 3 races last year. He busted out with a 105 speed rating when he won the Fountain of Youth Stakes. He ran a 107 when he won the Florida Derby. He could improve w ...
Racing
When and Where to Watch the 2018 Kentucky Derby
By now, you’re probably aware that there’s a pretty big horse race coming up on May 5th in Louisville, Kentucky.
The must-see event is the 144th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (gr. I) , a 1 ¼-mile race th ...
Racing
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Abel Tasman Looks Tough in La Troienne Stakes
One year ago, Abel Tasmen gave notice that she was a champion in the making by unleashing a powerful late rally to win the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs by 1 ¼ lengths.
That was the first of three Grade 1 wins that the Bob Baffert-tra ...
Racing
Handicap the Kentucky Derby Like Any Other Horse Race
Mendelssohn can rate. Audible can rate. Magnum Moon can rate. Good Magic can rate. So can Bolt d'Oro. That means the front runners could end up being cheap speed horses like Bravazo and Promises Fulfilled. Then again, at their fastest neither Bravaz ...
Racing
Keying the Favorites in the Kentucky Oaks
While it’s not easy to hit the trifecta in any race, let alone a Grade 1 event with fourteen horses, I get the feeling that Friday’s $1 million Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs could provide a great opportunity for bettors seeking to m ...
Racing
Kentucky Oaks Post Position Draw and Odds Analysis
Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs kicked off with a burst of excitement on Monday morning when post positions were drawn for Friday’s $1 million Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) , the prestigious race for three-year-old fillies that is held one day b ...
Racing
144th Kentucky Oaks Field
144TH KENTUCKY OAKS
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Racing
Five-eighths mile cards highlight Sunday racing
A trio of five-eighths mile harness racing ovals - two in Pennsylvania and one in Maryland - took center stage on Sunday evening as Harrah's Philadelphia, Rosecroft Raceway and Pocono Downs offered fans a chance to wager on numerous competitive event ...
Racing
When and where to watch the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Derby Week is upon us, but not everyone can make the trip to Louisville, Kentucky, to partake in the festivities.
Nobody has to feel left out, though, as multiple events will be broadcast both on online and through network television.
...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby workout report for April 29
Hopefuls for the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) have either already posted or are getting ready to post their final major moves ahead of Saturday's Run for the Roses.
This final Kentucky Derby workout report will take a look at thei ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: It’s Pletcher’s Brigade Versus Two Freaks
The 2018 Kentucky Derby is less than a week away. That means it's time to get down to specifics. One of the things I noticed is that this year's Derby comes down to four Todd Pletcher horses and a couple of freaks. A case can be made for every one o ...
Racing
Pick-4 Leg Blossoms With $20 Winner; Sharp Miami Stakes’ Choices; Exacta Partner Pays $190 With Our Help
The season is moving along well for us. This week with limited features, we collected a few sharp winners and combos. The best combo comes from our horses-to-watch list (H2W) thanks to a high-percentage-return move we endorse. Using favorites to top ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profile: Justify
Justify wins the Santa Anita Derby (G1) (c) Benoit Photo
Santa Anita Derby winner Justify
Santa Anita Derby (G1) star Justify has been sublime from three dominant wins in 2018 and will aim to buck a 136-year drought in the 2018 Kentuc ...
Racing
How to Play the Late Pick 5 on opening night at Churchill Downs
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
Tonight starts the Spring meeting at the home of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs.
A 10-race card is on tap, including a pair of Pick 5s with the new player friendly 15% takeout rate. The first sequence begins in Race ...
Racing
How to Bet the Californian Stakes
The field might be small, but I’m intrigued by the handicapping challenge offered by Saturday’s $200,000 Californian Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita .
Six horses will face the starter in this nine-furlong prep for the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr ...
Racing
How to bet Churchill Downs on Opening Night
The opening of the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs is Saturday night, which means a most highly-anticipated renewal of the Kentucky Derby (G1) is edging closer and closer.
First things first, though, and there are 10 races to take a gander at under ...
Racing
Up-and-Coming California-Breds Face Off at Golden Gate Fields
Although most of the attention this week will be focused on the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks , if you’re looking for up-and-coming three-year-olds that could have an impact on the second half of the season, you might want to keep an eye o ...
Racing
Starting the Meet With a Bang: Opening Night at Churchill Downs
On Saturday night, I will enjoy my first ever Opening Night card at the home of the world famous Kentucky Derby.
The last time I spent time during live racing at was several years ago on a cross-country trek from Asheville, North Carolina to Sou ...
Racing
Closing out the Keeneland Meet Strong- Late Pick 5 Analysis
It is Closing Day at and that means that all pools are mandatory payouts, including the late Pick 5 that commences in Race 6.
Horses that possess stamina will be on display on Friday in Lexington as all five races are conducted at least two turn ...
Racing
How to Bet the William Walker Stakes
The Kentucky Derby is still more than a week away, but the Churchill Downs spring meet is set to kick off on Saturday with a ten-race card highlighted by the $100,000 William Walker Stakes .
Although conducted on dirt in the past, the William ...
Racing
Quality Field Aligns for License Fee Stakes
The start of the annual spring meet at Belmont Park also signifies the start of top-quality turf racing to the New York circuit, a fact that is readily apparent upon glancing at the entries for Sunday’s $100,000 License Fee Stakes .
The six-f ...
Racing
Best ways to leverage the low takeout Pick 5 on Churchill Downs’ opening day
by Scott Shapiro
Opening day at Churchill Downs is just a couple days away and with the start of the meet comes fantastic news for horseplayers.
OPENING NIGHT BET BACK! Get your Win Bet back!
The Pick 5 wager that formerly carried ...
Racing
Cheval Grand Seeks Rebound in Tenno Sho (Spring)
Two-mile marathon races might be a rarity in North America, but that’s far from the case in other parts of the world.
In fact, Kyoto racecourse in is set to host the Group 1 $2,685,000 Tenno Sho (Spring) this Sunday, a 3,200-meter test of stami ...
Racing
Sophomores Volley At Miami Valley In Stakes Quartet; Philly Pick-4 Fortune A Target; Dexter Cup Elim On Tap
This week we focus on Miami Valley for some classic Ohio invitational miles, featuring colts and fillies early in their 2018 crusades as sophomores. Also, we start the week again on Thursday at Philly hunting for a big payoff in the Pick 4. ...
Racing
Trotters take center stage at Harrington on Wednesday
While rain showers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region may have turned numerous racing surfaces sloppy by post time, the Harrington Raceway half-mile oval was instantly made to feel renewed when it offered a quartet of events for trotters and had one ...
Racing
How to bet the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
While some bettors might be excited or confident enough to have their exact selections and wagering plans mapped out more than a week ahead of the Kentucky Derby, for the vast majority this is a time to take a more general outlook at the race from th ...
Racing
The 2018 Kentucky Derby Betting Guide FREE Download
2018 Kentucky Derby Betting Guide
A free handicapping tool for better Kentucky Derby bets!
A 20 horse field can be overwhelming for even the seasoned betting fan. Let us help you sift through the Derby contender information and ...
Racing
Keying Commute in the Elusive Quality Stakes
After a long winter at Aqueduct , handicappers are in for a change of pace this week when racing in New York returns to Belmont Park for the annual spring meet.
The feature race on the first Saturday card is the $125,000 Elusive Quality St ...
Racing
Shapiro's Fair Odds Line for the Kentucky Derby as of April 25th
We are just 10 days away from one of the more fascinating Kentucky Derby’s in recent memory. This year’s group of colts is as top heavy and strong as I can recall.
I am unlikely to be involved in the Win pool unless my opinion on a top choice bec ...
Racing
Using Trainer Angles in Handicapping, Part 2
The history of horse racing is filled with rags-to-riches stories of horses rising from humble beginnings to enjoy success at the highest levels of the sport.
Legendary Hall of Fame inductees such as Lava Man and Stymie have taken the “claim-to-fa ...
Education
2018 Kentucky Derby: 5 Horses Talented Enough to Win the Triple Crown
Each year, 3-year-old racehorses attempt to win the most popular, some say the most important, horse race in the United States, the Kentucky Derby. Sometimes, like in 2017, the quality of 3-year-old horse races doesn't run deep. That's not the cas ...
Racing
Poll Vault: Unlocking the Secrets of Shapiro's Derby Top 10
Racing fans tend to be some of the most opinionated folks I know and at no time is that more obvious than the days and weeks leading up to North America’s most prestigious race.
Handicappers use a number of methods to communicate those opinions, b ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 -- 4/24/18
Twelve days, folks. Just twelve days remain until twenty of the best three-year-old Thoroughbreds from North America and Europe vie for supremacy in the 2018 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Since the start of December, I’ve been compiling a , ...
Racing
Harrington Raceway offers solid Monday card
Harrington Raceway's Monday cards have continued to be among the best in the Mid-Atlantic region and the Delaware half-mile oval offered owners, trainers, drivers and onlookers the chance to see numerous competitive events for older and younger pacer ...
Racing
Powell: 2018 Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed rating analysis
by DICK POWELL
We have already looked at how the top 20 Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders stack up based on foal dates and Dosage. Now, let's look at form patterns.
Horses rarely run their "A" game race after race. The ones that do are enshr ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby Jockey Facts and Trends
It was the most improbable of victories—an unknown longshot named Mine That Bird surging past his more heralded rivals to win the 2009 Kentucky Derby at the stunning odds of 50-1.
While Mine That Bird deserves much of the credit for his unfo ...
Racing
Rosecroft, Pompano and Pocono offer solid Sunday cards
Harness racing enthusiasts are accustomed to seeing the sport's best horses and drivers compete in lucrative events on Saturday nights and perhaps many of them needed a brief reprieve following the stellar card at Yonkers Raceway this past Saturday, ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: Todd Pletcher's Got Another Loaded Hand
Todd Pletcher took home his second Kentucky Derby last year with Always Dreaming. This year, he's got a great shot to take home his third Kentucky Derby. Pletcher has no less than 4 contenders for the Run for the Roses on May 5. Of those 4 contenders ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby workout report for April 22
The preps are done and it’s just two weeks until the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
The contenders are gearing up for the 144th Run for the Roses with works across the country, so this report changes from workou ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: How Much Does History Mean in Picking the Derby Winner?
But, maybe, the 2-year-old trend is sort of meaningless because of the nature of horse racing. The reason sports betting trends mean something is because sports teams don't often go through wholesale changes. Tom Brady has been the New England Patrio ...
Racing
Keystone Velocity repeats in Levy; Shartin N scores in Blue Chip Matchmaker
Saturday evening offered novice and serious standardbred racing fans had the chance to view the sport's first two Grade I races of the year when Yonkers Raceway hosted the $532,000 final of the George Morton Levy Series for older, Free-For-All pacers ...
Racing
Meadows $67 Bomb Tops Winners; Miami Filly Fast For $15 Win; Levy Choice Joins Favorites For Boffo $87 Triple
We had a good week with two of three contenders posting big wins from the horses-to-watch (H2W) list, while we hit at Miami Valley with a double-digit filly, before the Yonkers main events totaled two winners and two thirds.
Here are the ...
Racing
How to Bet the Charles Town Classic
Some major stakes races have a tendency to be dominated by the favorites, while others tend to be a bit more unpredictable.
Take, for example, the Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita, a race that has never been won by a horse starting at higher ...
Racing
How to play Keeneland on Saturday
Spring is (finally) beginning to creep its way into Lexington, Kentucky, on a consistent basis, and the next few days figure to be ideal ones weather-wise for locals to take in the live action at Keeneland before racing shifts to Churchill Downs next ...
Racing
Handicapping Late Pick 4 at Santa Anita Saturday
An interesting slate of races concludes Saturday’s card at Santa Anita Saturday and I’m interested in the Late Pick 4. Here are my thoughts on the sequence and how I’ll be playing it:
Race 8
$100,000 American S. (G3) looks wide-open to me and ...
Racing
Opening day plays at Woodbine
Saturday marks the opening day of the fine meeting at Woodbine Racecourse . I have tabbed a quartet of contenders who could get the meet off to a fast start:
Race 4
#4 SILENT CEREMONY (8-1) makes a first run since the fall with a class plu ...
Racing
How to Play the Kentucky Derby card
Total handle on the Kentucky Derby Day program at Churchill Downs exceeded $200 million for the first time in 2017. Already the biggest business day on the American racing calendar, the crossing of that previously unbroken threshold emphasized even m ...
Racing
Eight Belles, Edgewood could attract Kentucky Oaks nominees
With all the attention focused on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) , it’s easy to overlook the undercard races on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs.
There are five graded events scheduled besides the Kentucky Oaks on May 4, and two of them are res ...
Racing
The 2018 Kentucky Derby field by foal date and dosage index
by Dick Powell
Since the last time I looked at prospective Kentucky Derby (G1) starters, 11 of them have defected for one reason or another. So, with the Derby fast approaching and the field of 20 starting to solidify, it’s time to take another ...
Racing
Hawksmoor Among Big Names Entered Saturday at Laurel
On a quiet Saturday with relatively few graded stakes races on the agenda, racing fans are advised to turn their attention to a quality card at Laurel Park that includes five stakes races.
The day’s feature events are the $125,000 Federico T ...
Racing
How to Bet the Federico Tesio Stakes
If you’re keeping an eye out for those up-and-coming “new shooters” that so often turn up in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico, then I recommend that you take a look at Saturday’s $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park .
The ni ...
Racing
Layla Noor Returns in Weber City Miss Stakes
At this time of year, it pays to keep an eye on every significant stakes races for three-year-olds around the country, because you never know where the next up-and-coming star might come from.
That’s why handicappers should keep an eye on Saturday ...
Racing
Levy, Matchmaker Finals And Consolations, Adorn Yonkers Program; Philly Exotic Challenges; Miami Fillies A-Flying
A quick and cold five weeks since the beginning of The Grand Circuit’s older pacer series at Yonkers—the George Morton Levy and the Blue Chip Matchmaker series—is still cold in parts of North America but we are hoping to cease reporting the weather i ...
Racing
Charles Town Classic Highlights Stakes-Filled Card at Charles Town
Although there aren’t any Kentucky Derby prep races to look forward to this Saturday, handicappers are nevertheless in for a treat thanks to a terrific card at Charles Town that includes nine stakes races.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the ...
Racing
How Grass Pedigrees Can Provide Value in Turf Races
It’s easy to assume that once a horse has started its racing career and run in a few races, its pedigree is no longer an important factor to consider in handicapping.
While this might be true in some cases, there are still many instances when pedi ...
Education
2018 Kentucky Derby: Who's On the Bubble?
Who’s in and who’s out? That’s a question that be asked repeatedly during the next two weeks as the 2018 Kentucky Derby approaches.
The last two Derby prep races—the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) and the Lexington Stakes (gr. III) —were held on Sa ...
Racing
Yonkers set to host George Morton Levy and Blue Chip Matchmaker Series finals
This coming Saturday evening, Yonkers Raceway will earn the distinction of hosting harness racing's first two Grade I events of the season when the New York half-mile oval presents the $532,000 George Morton Levy Series final for Free-For-All pacers ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 -- 4/18/18
It’s been a long and winding road, but the final prep races for the 2018 Kentucky Derby were run last Saturday, meaning that the field for the “Run for the Roses” is more or less established.
From now until the Derby, the main focus will be on t ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: Trainer Bob Baffert and Justify
Triple Crown wore on. Mainly, he looked better because Firing Line went to the bench while Dortmund was dog tired after already having raced so much as a 2-year-old. That's the big question about Justify. American Pharoah didn't have to peak to beat ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Arkansas Derby
Magnum Moon wrapped up his Kentucky Derby preparations with a four-length victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and will likely be either the second or third choice in the wagering behind favored Justify. The Malibu Moon colt is one of four Todd Plet ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Lexington Stakes
The short stretch for 1 1/16-mile races at Keeneland proved no obstacle for dedicated closer My Boy Jack , who rallied from far back to win the Lexington Stakes (G3) by a neck. He netted only a 94 BRIS Speed rating winning his second Kentucky Derby ...
Racing
Industry Insiders Reveal Kentucky Derby Betting Opinions
Kentucky Derby Betting Tips and Expert Opinions
Thoroughbred racing industry members from around the country share their wisdom and betting experiences
We’re three weeks from the centerpiece of Thoroughbred racing in the U.S., but for man ...
Racing
Analyzing Magnum Moon's Arkansas Derby Victory
If the fabled “Apollo Curse” is ever going to be broken, 2018 could certainly be the year.
No horse since Apollo in 1882 has won the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old, but times are changing and it’s possible that the two favorites ...
Racing
My Boy Jack Earns Derby Berth in Lexington Stakes
In recent years, the $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland hasn’t been the most significant of Kentucky Derby prep races .
Although it offers 20 Derby qualification points to the winner, the Lexington hasn’t produced a K ...
Racing
Powell sizes up eight major prep races for 2018 Kentucky Derby
by DICK POWELL
The prep races for the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) are finally in the books and now it’s time to draw back and take a wide view before drilling down on the details of each race and horse.
Working bac ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Sophomore Spotlight: Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes
by JOHN MUCCIOLO
The final pair of Kentucky Derby prep races was held on Saturday.
Arkansas Derby (G1)
Robert and Lawana Low’s MAGNUM MOON moved his mark to an unblemished four-for-four with a convincing, four-length triump ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby workout report for April 15
The final two Kentucky Derby (G1) preps took place on Saturday, April 14, paving the way for the field to be set ahead of the 144th Run for the Roses on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
The final press now commences as connections attempt to keep ...
Racing
Yonkers Series Settles For Finals’ Fields; Place, Show Prices Big In A Bundle With Five Perfecta Partners
At Yonkers, the fifth and last leg of the Matchmaker and “Levy” series offered three divisions each to settle the fields for next week’s finals on Saturday, April 21. We will cover both of those races in our April 19 preview, along with som ...
Racing
Levy series concludes on Saturday, Matchmaker wrapped up Friday
Several hours after Oaklawn Park offered the final Kentucky Derby on Saturday afternoon, Yonkers Raceway hosted the last three divisions of the George Morton Levy Memorial Series for Free-For-All pacers and the last two dozen combatants were looking ...
Racing
Oaklawn offers stellar Saturday card
With the Kentucky Derby only three weeks away, many of the top sophomores have already punched their tickets to the run for the roses while several others were looking to get there via Saturday's Grade I, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, th ...
Racing
Horse-for-the-course play at Keeneland highlights Saturday’s action
Saturday’s Keeneland program features four stakes including a Kentucky Derby prep in the Lexington (G2). The lone Grade 1 offering, the $350,000 Jenny Wiley for turf distaffers, drew a deep field of 11 and I like #8 La Coronel , who is lengths bet ...
Racing
Five things to know for the 2018 Lexington Stakes
Although Saturday’s $200,000 Lexington S. (G3) at Keeneland is worth only 20 Kentucky Derby (G1) points to the winner, that could be the make-or-break amount for My Boy Jack to secure a spot in the Run for the Roses.
Hence he’s the obvious lea ...
Racing
Five things to know for 2018 Arkansas Derby
Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) is the last scoring race on the road to the 2018 Kentucky Derby (G1), with a 7:18 p.m. (EDT) post time that puts it well after the Lexington’s (G3) scheduled post of 5:34 p.m. at Keeneland.
Fittingly eno ...
Racing
Four to follow in the 2018 Grand National Steeplechase
As is my annual custom, a big April Saturday involving Triple Crown preps will be preceded with an action play in the Grand National Steeplechase, a 4 1/2-mile spectacle at Aintree in Liverpool, England, that is widely considered the most wagered on ...
Racing
Playing a late runner in Maker’s 46 Mile
The Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile (9 th race) highlights a 10-race Friday the 13 th program at Keeneland and I expect the race to set up for a late runner.
Heart to Heart has one way to go and exits a wire-to-wire tally in the Gulfstream Park Turf (G1 ...
Racing
Mucciolo: How to Bet the Arkansas Derby
Nine sophomores will hope to punch their Kentucky Derby ticket when contesting the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
#1 BEAUTIFUL SHOT – Longshot gets a nice rail draw for a second start of 2018. Keith Desormeaux trai ...
Racing
How to bet the 2018 Lexington Stakes
Hoping to find the path of least resistance to make one final push to the Kentucky Derby (G1), connections of My Boy Jack chose to roll the dice in Saturday's Lexington (G3) at Keeneland rather than in the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.
Wh ...
Racing
Betting Longshot Beautiful Shot in the Arkansas Derby
To me, Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park presents an interesting handicapping quandary.
On paper, the nine-furlong Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race looks simple enough to handicap. The favorite is the unbeaten ...
Racing
Can City of Light Stretch His Speed in the Oaklawn Handicap?
Although most of the attention on Saturday at Oaklawn Park will be focused on the Arkansas Derby (gr. I), there are three other stakes races on the card as well, and one in particular looks like a competitive event.
The race in question is the ...
Racing
Competitive Field Assembles for Lexington Stakes
Talk about a competitive race! Saturday’s $200,000 Lexington Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland offers 20 Kentucky Derby qualification points to the winner, and since the timing of the race also makes it a viable prep race for the Preakness Stake ...
Racing
Is Army Mule the most exciting horse in training?
Perhaps lost during a trio of stellar Kentucky Derby prep races over the weekend was the standout performance of ARMY MULE . Todd Pletcher trainee ran his mark to an unblemished three-for-three with an overwhelming victory in the Carter H. (G1) on S ...
Racing
Fifth Outing For Matchmakers And Levys At Yonkers Builds Broader Battlelines; Winners Await Among The Watched
No one, not even Pennsylvania’s rodent forecaster of February, predicted that going into week five of The Grand Circuit’s older pacer series at Yonkers—the George Morton Levy and the Blue Chip Matchmaker series—the eastern seaboard would begin its fi ...
Racing
How to bet the 2018 Arkansas Derby
Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), the final point-scoring prep for the Kentucky Derby (G1) , includes two horses that are safely in the Churchill Downs classic, Magnum Moon and Quip ; a trio of "bubble" horses in Solomini , Combatant ...
Racing
Yonkers set to host final preliminary rounds of Matchmaker, Levy
This Friday and Saturday evening Yonkers Raceway will host the fifth and final preliminaries for both the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series and George Morton Levy Memorial Series for Free-For-All pacers and while several horses have already secured berths ...
Racing
Keying Unique Bella in the Apple Blossom Handicap
If you want to make a profit betting Friday’s $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park , then in all likelihood you’ll have to concede that #5 Unique Bella is probably unbeatable.
The four-year-old daughter of Tapit has won sev ...
Racing
Controversies and Dilemmas
By DICK POWELL
Let’s get out the dictionary.
Today’s first word is controversial. It means giving rise to or likely to give rise to public disagreement.
Today’s second word is dilemma. It means a situation in which a choice has to be ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Sophomore Spotlight: Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial & Blue Grass
Form returned to the sophomore ranks in the trio of huge Kentucky Derby prep races over the weekend.
Santa Anita Derby (G1)
JUSTIFY cruised to the lead from the start and was never seriously challenged in running his mark to a perfect three ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: Mendehlsson Stays on Top on My Derby Rankings
The Bluegrass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, and Wood Memorial took place this past weekend. No huge upsets means that going into the Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes on April 14, most horses have already completed their preps for the May 5 Kentucky D ...
Racing
Is Amy Up to the Challenge in Fantasy Stakes?
She might not be a standout at first glance, but I believe that it’s going to take a big effort for anyone to defeat #6 Amy’s Challenge in Friday’s $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park .
The 8.5-furlong race serves as a major pre ...
Racing
How Knowing a Horse's Family History Can Lead to Winning Bets
When handicapping horse races, it can be a subtle but significant advantage to know the history of a given horse’s close relatives and the circumstances under which they excelled on the track.
One of my favorite examples involves a broodmare named ...
Education
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 -- 4/10/18
With just two prep races remaining to be run, the field is pretty much set for the 2018 Kentucky Derby , leaving handicappers to debate the merits of the many impressive performances we’ve seen over the last several months.
For me, the results ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Santa Anita Derby
Justify lived up to the hype in his first stakes attempt and left no doubt about Kentucky Derby favoritism rolling to a convincing wire-to-wire win in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). His 114 BRIS Speed rating towers above any other number in the six-y ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Wood Memorial
Vino Rosso stamped his Kentucky Derby ticket and received a career-best 102 BRIS Speed rating winning the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct, rallying to score by a widening three-length margin. He became the fourth Todd Pletcher trainee to qualify fo ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Blue Grass Stakes
Good Magic rallied to win the Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland by a comfortable 1 ½-length margin, rebounding from an even third at 3-5 odds in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream, but he’ll need to improve upon a 98 BRIS Speed rating in the Kentu ...
Racing
Older pacers highlight Harrington Raceway opener
Monday evening marked the opening night of the Harrington Raceway spring meet and the Delaware half-mile oval offered a bevy of older pacers to showcase their abilities. The state's top sophomores will soon have their chance to shine in the quartet o ...
Racing
Good Magic Returns to the Spotlight Following Blue Grass Victory
A champion racehorse is back in the spotlight, and not a moment too soon.
The horse in question is Good Magic , the champion two-year-old male of 2017 based off a powerful win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I). Long viewed as one of the main ...
Racing
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