Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Stark Contrast
Does Stark Contrast have the pedigree to handle racing on dirt in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1)?
Triple Crown
J. Keeler Johnson
J. Keeler Johnson (also known as “Keelerman”) is a writer, blogger, videographer, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast who was drawn to the sport by Curlin's quest to become North America's richest racehorse.
Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Mountaineer’s $1,550 Super High 5 carryover
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, April 20 at Thistledown, Will Rogers Downs, and Turf Paradise, along with a ticket for the $1,550 Super High 5 carryover at Mountaineer.
Best Bets
Oaklawn Park: Horses to bet in the $27,923 Pick 6 carryover
The $1 Classix Pick 6 at Oaklawn Park went unsolved on Saturday, triggering a $27,923 carryover into Sunday’s card.
Oaklawn Park
Analyzing rich Pick 6 carryovers at Aqueduct and Woodbine
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares horses to bet in a pair of lucrative Pick 6 carryovers on Saturday at Woodbine and Aqueduct.
Wagering
Friday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Durante at 8-1
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Friday, April 17 at Keeneland, along with a horse to single in Oaklawn Park’s $1,807 Pick 6 carryover.
Oaklawn Park
Thursday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Daily double at Keeneland
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Thursday, April 16 at Keeneland and Gulfstream Park, including a first-time starter at 9-2 odds.
Best Bets
Kentucky Derby Roundup: Trendsetter wins the Lexington
The 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) is 17 days away. Catch up on the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Derby unfolds:
Triple Crown
Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: 20-1 juvenile at Keeneland
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, April 15 at Keeneland and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a two-year-old listed at 20-1 morning-line odds.
Best Bets
Top 10 best racehorses of all time
Ranking the greatest racehorse of all time is an exercise fraught with challenges and subjectivity. But I'm going to give it a try.
Kentucky Derby
Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: $5,048 Super High 5 carryover
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, April 14 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Will Rogers Downs, and Turf Paradise, including a ticket for the $5,048 Super High 5 carryover at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Best Bets
Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Civil Liberty breaks through
Typically, horses that break their maidens 20 days prior to the Kentucky Derby (G1) don’t wind up in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. But Civil Liberty isn’t your typical maiden winner.
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Trendsetter
Trendsetter wrapped up the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby with a 32-1 upset victory in the 1 1/16-mile Lexington (G3) at Keeneland.
Triple Crown
Does a Recent Prep Race Win Guarantee Kentucky Derby Success?
Do horses entering the Kentucky Derby (G1) off victories outperform those exiting defeats? We’re ready to provide a data-driven answer.
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Grittiness
Runner-up finishes in the Withers S. and Virginia Derby have propelled Grittiness into the picture as a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.
Triple Crown
Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Pace favors Vulin at 5-1
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, April 13 at Will Rogers Downs and Turf Paradise, including a 5-1 shot who figures to receive a favorable pace setup.
Best Bets
The Smartest Bet in Horse Racing: 4 Strategies for Success
What is the smartest bet in horse racing? The answer is both incredibly complex and surprisingly simple.
Education
Picks: $1,000 Keeneland tournament, $18,587 Oaklawn Pick 6
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares horses to play in a $1,000 tournament at Keeneland and an $18,587 Pick 6 carryover at Oaklawn Park.
Oaklawn Park
Keeneland: $154,006 Pick 6 carryover, $3,500 tournament
A huge Pick 6 carryover and a high-profile tournament are among the betting highlights on the second Saturday of the Keeneland spring meet.
Tournaments
Friday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Four lucrative Pick 6 carryovers
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Friday, April 10 at Keeneland and Oaklawn Park, along with horses to play in a quartet of Pick 6 carryovers at Mahoning Valley, Aqueduct, Keeneland, and Oaklawn.
Oaklawn Park
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Chief Wallabee
There are no certainties in horse racing, but it seems reasonable to conclude Chief Wallabee has the pedigree to relish racing 1 1/4 miles in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1).
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Right to Party
Right to Party, a late nominee to the Triple Crown, stamped his ticket to the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) with top-three finishes in the Gotham (G3) and Wood Memorial (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Triple Crown
Thursday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Aqueduct’s $50,563 Pick 6 carryover
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Thursday, April 9, at Keeneland and Aqueduct, including horses to play in Aqueduct’s $50,563 Pick 6 carryover.
Best Bets
Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Liam in the Dust cuts back in trip
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, April 8, at Keeneland and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a 5-1 shot cutting back in distance.
Best Bets
Kentucky Derby Roundup: Further Ado crushes the Blue Grass
The 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) is 25 days away. Catch up on the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Derby unfolds:
Triple Crown
Fastest Kentucky Derby Times: What History Tells Us
The Kentucky Derby (G1) adopted its current 1 1/4-mile distance in 1896. In the ensuing decades, the fastest and average winning times have decreased significantly.
Triple Crown
Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Opening day at Horseshoe Indianapolis
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, April 7, at Horseshoe Indianapolis, along with a ticket for the $19,187 Pick 5 carryover at Mahoning Valley.
Best Bets
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: So Happy
After enjoying early success in sprints, So Happy stretched out over 1 1/8 miles to win the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Albus
Can Albus, a son of tried-and-true sprinter Yaupon, handle the testing distance of 1 1/4 miles in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1)?
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: 4 Triple Crown nominees triumph
Less than four weeks out from the Kentucky Derby (G1), the Road to the Kentucky Derby is nearly complete.
Triple Crown
Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Itsmybirthday returns to action
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, April 6, at Will Rogers Downs and Turf Paradise, including a stakes horse dropping in class.
Best Bets