How to bet the Woodhaven Stakes
A good group of sophomores will vie in Saturday’s $150,000 Woodhaven S. at Aqueduct.
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John Mucciolo
Handicapper and journalist John Mucciolo has been a contributor to Brisnet and TwinSpires since 2004. Mucciolo's work has included efforts in the 'Notebook' series of The Handicapper's Edge in the early days of Brisnet.com and most recently on TwinSpires Edge. John has also offered selections for a varied array of Brisnet products. Outside of Mucciolo's frequent analysis on horse racing, Mucc is an acclaimed high school soccer coach who earned Times-Tribune's Coach of the Year honors in 2020.
How to Bet the Majestic Overnight Stakes
A compact cast of six fillies and mares will speed six panels on the Oaklawn dirt oval in Sunday’s $135,000 Majestic Overnight S.
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Mucciolo’s Top Three 2026 Kentucky Derby Prep Races
A total of 25 races took place domestically on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby. Here are the trio of qualifying races I feel were the best ones.
Kentucky Derby
Betting With, and Against, Nic’s Style in the Filly and Mare Sprint Stakes
The Bill Mott-conditioned #5 Nic’s Style (6-5) is the morning-line choice for Saturday’s $100,000 Filly and Mare Sprint S. for Florida-bred runners at Gulfstream Park.
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Pick 4 of the Week: Gulfstream Park Saturday, April 25
A total of six stakes tilts for Florida-bred runners are carded at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
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Pick 3 of the Week: Keeneland Friday, April 24
The spring meeting at Keeneland will come to an end on Friday, and I feel that tabbing the final trio of contests on the card for the Pick 3 of the Week will be a fitting conclusion to the fantastic racing in Lexington.
Wagering
Exotics Plays for the Royal Heroine Stakes
A cast of nine fillies and mares will run one mile on the Santa Anita sod in Saturday’s feature, the $100,000 Royal Heroine (G3).
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How to bet the 2026 Bewitch Stakes
The Friday feature at Keeneland is the $350,000 Bewitch (G3) for fillies and mares that will travel 1 1/2 miles on the lawn.
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How to bet the 2026 American Stakes
A well-matched field of seven grass specialists will run one mile on the Santa Anita green in Saturday’s $100,000 American (G3).
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How to bet the 2026 Palisades Stakes
An overflow field of 14 has been entered to run in Sunday’s $300,000 Palisades S. at Keeneland.
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Pick 4 of the Week: Keeneland Saturday, April 18
A challenging and attractive final four races on the Keeneland Saturday card will comprise the Pick 4 of the Week.
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Pick 3 of the Week: Laurel Park Saturday, April 18, 2026
I will focus on an all-stakes Pick 3 on a big day of action at Laurel Park on Saturday.
Wagering
Exotics Plays for the 2026 Elkhorn Stakes
A full field of turf stayers will travel 1 1/2 miles over the Keeneland lawn in Saturday’s $400,000 Elkhorn (G2).
Wagering
Betting With, and Against, Sovereignty, in the 2026 Oaklawn Handicap
A fabulous field of six will vie in Saturday’s $1.25 million Oaklawn H. (G2).
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How to bet the 2026 Doubledogdare Stakes
A well-matched group of eight fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Keeneland dirt in the Friday feature, the $400,000 Doubledogdare (G2).
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Mucciolo’s Top 5 Horse Betting Strategies for 2026
Playing the ponies is an inexact science that is ever-evolving for me. Horse racing offers the most diversity from a gambling perspective.
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How to bet the Giant’s Causeway Stakes
An over-subscribed field of 16 fillies and mares is entered for the $400,000 Giant’s Causeway (G2) at Keeneland on Sunday.
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Playing the Keeneland All-Turf Pick 3 on Saturday, April 11
The all-turf Pick 3 at Keeneland on Saturday looks pretty sensible to me and is a play that I have a good measure of confidence in.
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Pick 4 of the Week: Aqueduct Saturday, April 11
The Pick 4 of the Week will come from Aqueduct, where I will take aim at the closing four-race sequence.
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Tipsheet: 2026 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes
An overflow and powerful field of 13 turf standouts has been entered for Friday’s $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland.
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Tipsheet: The 2026 Lexington Stakes
A well-matched field of 11 three-year-olds will run 1 1/16 miles on the dirt at Keeneland in Saturday’s $400,000 Lexington (G3).
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Exotics Plays for the Jenny Wiley Stakes
An accomplished field of 10 fillies and mares will vie in Saturday’s $650,000 Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland.
Wagering
Betting With, and Against, Nitrogen in the Apple Blossom Handicap
A total of nine fillies and mares will go postward in the lucrative, $1.25 million Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
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How to bet the 2026 Shakertown Stakes
A full cast of turf dashers will speed 5 1/2 furlongs on the Keeneland green in Saturday’s $400,000 Shakertown (G2).
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How to bet the 2026 Madison Stakes
An octet of accomplished fillies and mares will run seven-eighths on the dirt at Keeneland on Saturday in the lucrative, $650,000 Madison (G1).
Wagering
Pick 3 of the Week: Santa Anita Saturday, April 4
The $500,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) is the centerpiece of a major day of racing at Santa Anita on Saturday, and I will peg the three-race sequence featuring California-bred runners before the feature as my Pick 3 of the Week.
Wagering
Exotics Plays for the 2026 Appalachian Stakes
A very good cast of 11 three-year-old fillies, six of which have previously won a stakes race, will vie in the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) at Keeneland on Saturday.
Wagering
Pick 4 of the Week: Keeneland Saturday, April 4
The Saturday action at Keeneland is loaded with star-studded runners with five graded stakes tilts to be contested on the 11-race card.
Wagering
Betting With, and Against, Zany in the Ashland Stakes
Seven three-year-old fillies will go postward in Friday’s $750,000 Ashland (G1) during the opening day at Keeneland.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2026 Blue Grass Stakes
A fine field of nine three-year-olds will run 1 1/8 miles on the dirt at Keeneland in Saturday’s $1.25 million Blue Grass (G1).
Kentucky Derby