Betting With, and Against, Gold Phoenix in the San Marcos Stakes
The eight-year-old #9 Gold Phoenix (9-5) is the morning-line choice for Saturday’s $100,000 San Marcos (G3) at Santa Anita.
Wagering
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 Sunland Park Oaks
A very good cast of sophomore fillies will battle in Sunday’s $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks at Sunland Park.
Wagering
How to bet the 2026 Damon Runyon Stakes
Two-time stakes winner #6 Arctic Beast (4-5) will lead a field of six New York-bred runners postward in Saturday’s $135,000 Damon Runyon S. at Aqueduct.
Wagering
How to bet the 2026 Royal Delta Stakes
An outstanding and accomplished field of eight fillies and mares will run 1 1/16 miles over the Gulfstream Park dirt in Saturday’s $175,000 Royal Delta (G3).
Wagering
Sprint Stakes Double at Laurel Park on Saturday
Laurel Park will host a total of four black-type tilts on Saturday, and my focus will be on the pair of one-turn stakes events on the big day of racing.
Wagering
Exotics Plays for the 2026 Dust Commander Stakes
A solid cast of 10 will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Tapeta surface in the Saturday feature at Turfway Park, the $125,000 Dust Commander S.
Wagering
How to bet the 2026 Forego Stakes
A total of 10 will go postward on the Tapeta at Turfway Park on Friday night in the $125,000 Forego S.
Wagering
Pick 3 of the Week: Oaklawn Park Saturday, Feb. 14
The Pick 3 of the Week will come from Oaklawn Park on Saturday with a good sequence later in the card.
Wagering
Pick 4 of the Week: Fair Grounds Saturday, Feb. 14
The quartet of graded stakes races on the robust Saturday card will comprise the Pick 4 of the Week at Fair Grounds.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2026 Sunland Park Derby
A well-matched field of seven sophomores will run 1 1/16 miles on the Sunland Park strip in Sunday’s $500,000 Sunland Park Derby.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2026 Risen Star Stakes
A strong field of eight sophomores will travel 1 1/8 miles over the Fair Grounds main oval in Saturday’s $500,000 Risen Star (G2).
Kentucky Derby
How to bet the 2026 Clocker’s Corner Stakes
A very well-matched and talented field of seven will vie in Sunday’s $100,000 Clocker’s Corner S. at Santa Anita.
Wagering
How to bet the 2026 Bayakoa Stakes
Eclipse Award winner #7 Nitrogen (4-5) will commence her four-year-old campaign in Saturday’s $250,000 Bayakoa (G3) at Oaklawn Park.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2026 Sam F. Davis Stakes
A nice field of nine three-year-old colts will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Tampa Bay Downs main oval in Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis S.
Kentucky Derby
Pick 3 of the Week: Santa Anita Saturday, Feb. 7
Two of the three graded stakes races on the card at Santa Anita on Saturday will be a part of the Pick 3 of the Week, and I feel that at least two of the favorites in the sequence can be upended.
Wagering
Betting With, and Against, Splendora in the D. Wayne Lukas Stakes
Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) star #5 Splendora (4-5) will lead a cast of seven postward in Saturday’s $200,000 D. Wayne Lukas (G2) at Santa Anita.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2026 Robert B. Lewis
A talented cast of seven sophomores will run one mile on the main course at Santa Anita in Saturday’s $100,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3).
Kentucky Derby
Exotics Plays for the Valdale Stakes
A total of six three-year-old fillies will jaunt 6 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta at Turfway Park in Saturday’s $125,000 Valdale S.
Wagering
Pick 4 of the Week: Delta Downs Saturday, Feb. 7
Cajun-bred runners will take center stage at Delta Downs on Saturday evening with a bevy of stakes races to be contested for local standouts on Premier Night.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2026 Withers Stakes
A cast of seven sophomores will run nine panels on the Aqueduct main surface in Friday’s $200,000 Withers S.
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2026 Southwest Stakes
A massive cast of 13 sophomores (with the expected scratch of morning-line choice #5 Litmus Test) will run 1 1/16 miles on the Oaklawn Park surface in Friday's lucrative, $1 million Southwest (G3).
Kentucky Derby
Betting With, and Against, Pony Express in the San Pasqual Stakes
The John Sadler-trained #5 Pony Express (9-5) has been installed as the morning-line choice for the $200,000 San Pasqual (G2) at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Analysis
Exotics Plays for the Endeavour Stakes
A deep and well-matched field of 11 fillies and mares will vie in Saturday’s $175,000 Endeavour (G3), one of two graded stakes tilts on the strong Tampa Bay Downs card.
Wagering
Pick 4 of the Week: Gulfstream Park Saturday, Jan. 31
The Pick 4 of the Week will come from Gulfstream on Saturday, and my focus will be on the early four-race sequence.
Wagering
Pick 3 of the Week: Laurel Park Saturday, Jan. 31
A pair of black-type races for three-year-olds are on the Saturday card at Laurel, and the co-features will both be included in the Pick 3 of the Week.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2026 Withers Stakes
A cast of eight sophomores will run nine panels on the Aqueduct main surface in Saturday’s $200,000 Withers S.
Kentucky Derby
How to bet the La Coneja Stakes
A total of eight fillies and mares will contest Sunday’s $80,000 La Coneja S. at Sunland Park.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2026 Holy Bull Stakes
A strong field of seven sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Gulfstream Park main oval in Saturday’s $275,000 Holy Bull (G3).
Kentucky Derby
Pick 3 of the Week: Sam Houston Saturday, Jan. 24
Sam Houston will host a handful of black-type races on Saturday, and I will make an all-stakes Pick 3 play on the big card.
Wagering
How to bet the Baffle Stakes
A very good field of seven three-year-olds will go 6 1/2 panels down the Hillside Turf Course at Santa Anita in Sunday’s $100,000 Baffle S.
Wagering