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Canadians Greet Grand Circuit Events At Mohawk; The Messenger Pace Draws Enough For Elims Sans Most Stars
Our search of great betting opportunities is never ending and when it succeeds it’s as good as pari-mutuels success gets. This week we hit the North American harness tracks as we make our way to the end of this season, which is usually earm ...
Racing
Atlanta Returns For Dominant Role In Casual Breeze; Older Trotters Split In Maple Leaf Trot Elims In Canada
Here are the races for week two of the 2018 Breeders Crown Countdown, the exclusive blog that coordinates with our weekly harness blog at TwinSpires.com and the Hambletonian Society to find great wagering opportunities for "Crown" eligi ...
Racing
How to Bet the Travers Stakes
No matter how you slice it, Saturday’s $1,250,000 Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga is the best race of this coming weekend.
With its hefty purse, huge field, challenging 1 ¼-mile distance, and competitive list of entrants, the Travers Stakes ...
Racing
Why I'm Betting Elate in the Personal Ensign Stakes
On paper, it’s not hard to reach the conclusion that Saturday’s $700,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga is essentially a match race between #1 Abel Tasman and #6 Elate .
That’s certainly an exciting prospect considering the fant ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Rain continues
by Dick Powell
Rain hit the Saratoga area overnight and it was enough to force Races 3, 4 and 6 to be switched to the main track, which is listed as fast. Both turf courses are listed as good and the temporary rail has been taken down on each.
...
Racing
Riskaverse play Thursday at Saratoga
It’s Travers Week at the Spa and Thursday’s 10-race program includes the $100,000 Riskaverse, a one-mile restricted stakes on turf for three-year-old fillies.
I like Sweet Sting (#8) .
A daughter of turf champion Perfect Sting and a half-s ...
Racing
ADVERTISEMENT
Deep Field Assembles for Forego Stakes
If you’re looking for a future winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile or Breeders’ Cup Sprint , you are strongly advised to check out the field for Saturday’s $600,000 Forego Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga .
The prestigious seven-furlong even ...
Racing
Breeders Crown Top Fives
Aug. 23—Aug. 29
(NE) = Not Eligible – can Supplement
TWO-YEAR OLD COLT TROT (no change)
1. DON’T LET’EM
2. GREEN MANALISHI S
3. GREENSHOE
4. GERRY
5. SWANDRE THE GIANT
TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT (no change) ...
Racing
Classic, Distaff featured in Breeders' Cup Future Wager Pool 1
Fans of Future Wagering will have an opportunity to back their early opinions on the upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships when three separate Breeders’ Cup Future Wagers (BCFW) will be held in advance of the two-day fixture, scheduled for Novem ...
Racing
International Intrigue: An Early Look at the Breeders' Cup Mile and Turf
With ten weeks remaining until the Breeders’ Cup , the prospective fields for the championship races are starting to take shape, including the always-competitive lineups for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. I) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. I) ...
Racing
Battaash, Blue Point Face Off in Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes
The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. I) has been run on ten occasions, and thus far, no horse based in Europe has prevailed in the rich turf sprint.
Whether that changes in November at Churchill Downs remains to be seen, but on Friday we’ll get ...
Racing
Wonder Gadot Looks for Travers Stakes Glory
Saratoga drew for the Traves Stakes on Tuesday. Good Magic shows up as the morning line favorite at 2-1. Trainer Chad Brown also saddles the second choice on the morning line, Gronkowski. Gronk's been on the shelf since his second place finish in the ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Breeders' Cup Classic Top 10: Accelerate Moves to the Top
The retirement of Triple Crown winner Justify has certainly had a significant impact on the landscape for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) at Churchill Downs .
Justify was a clear early choice to win the Classic, and in his absence, com ...
Racing
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Berth Up for Grabs in Yorkshire Oaks
The major U.S.-based contenders for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. I) are already well established, with Sistercharlie leading the charge. On Thursday, we’ll get a look at possible contenders from Europe when eight fillies and ...
Racing
How to Bet the Juddmonte International
Unlike in North America, where it’s becoming increasingly rare for three-year-old males to face older horses before the Breeders’ Cup , summer showdowns between sophomores and older veterans are still common in Europe, with Wednesday’s Juddmonte ...
Racing
Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" Challenge Races highlight Travers Day undercard
With all-sources handle exceeding $45 million each of the last two years, Travers Day at Saratoga is one of the more popular betting cards of the year. Don't miss a minute of the action this Saturday, August 25.
The highlight, of course, is the ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Week Five Wrap-Up
by DICK POWELL
Two more weeks of racing to go as five weeks (28 days of racing) have been completed. Week five saw stormy weather, again, and the usual amount of races being switched to the main track. Field sizes continue to lag and betting is ...
Racing
Juveniles to Watch from Saratoga Saturday
It was a big day of racing with some powerful showings at Saratoga last Saturday, led by a romp in the featured Alabama (G1) by Eskimo Kisses. In the race prior, once-beaten Rushing Fall put in a sublime performance to dominate a fine field in the gr ...
Racing
Out Cap Da Shap at Del Mar on August 22
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
Just two Wednesday's left at the Del Mar summer meeting and I have yet to connect in the "Out Cap Da Shap" Late Pick 4 promo.
Last week, 35 Twin Spires horseplayers were able to piece together the last 4 races on th ...
Racing
Breeders' Cup Classic Top 5
Accelerate dominated his foes in the Pacific Classic. It wasn't even close. It was such a beat down that I thought it necessary to come out with my first Breeders' Cup Classic Top 5. Yes, like Mike Watchmaker at DRF , Accelerate has jumped to number ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: End of Week Five
by DICK POWELL
Monday finished up week five and it was a really nice day at the Spa. Usually, a day like today would not be noticeable but the way the weather has been this meet, it sticks out. A larger-than-normal Monday crowd showed up due to ...
Racing
Spot Plays for Saratoga on August 20
The start of the work week don't have to be a drag, especially with Saratoga running. TwinSpires.com is offering two $500 splits every Monday at the Spa. Bet $25 or more in at least three (3) races and split $500. Cash one Win wager of at least $15 o ...
Racing
Maryland-bred shine on dirt, turf and stonedust
On the weekend that Laurel Park hosted Maryland Pride Day which featured four stakes for Maryland-breds on both urf and dirt and included the latest two inductees for the Maryland-bred Hall of Fame, a trio of standardbreds the state has produced also ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Hofburg out of Travers
by Dick Powell
The big buzz going around the track today was the announcement that Curlin Stakes winner Hofburg would not contest Saturday’s Travers Stakes (G1) due to spiking a fever.
The son of Tapit, who figured to be the second betti ...
Racing
Double ‘Zweig’ Scores With $27, $17 Winners, $53 Cold Exacta; Courtly Choice Tops Division; H2Ws In Money 50 Percent
Our Hambletonian Trail scores were matched with wins at Tioga this weekend with some of the same horses that merely contributed to exotic scores on the first Saturday in August. Upsets came through with glorious prices. As well, the newest ...
Racing
Accelerate Completes Rare Triple in Pacific Classic
Accelerate’s final time of 2:01.83 might seem modest at first glance, but the Del Mar main track did not seem to be playing particularly fast on Saturday, and as a result, Accelerate was assigned impressive speed figures—a 114 BRIS and a 115 Beyer. ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Alabama Stakes Day
by Dick Powell
Torrential rain hit the Saratoga area last night after the races and turned the track into a muddy mess. The track crew worked relentlessly and the main track started out as muddy (harrowed). Four turf races were taken off but th ...
Racing
Upset pick, two-deep horizontal approach in Pacific Classic
The $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) features a probable odds-on favorite in Accelerate . The top-ranked older horse in the weekly NTRA Poll, the five-year-old employed stalk-and-pounce tactics to post impressive wins in the Gold Cup at Santa Anit ...
Racing
Derby and Oaks dreams alive at Ellis Park
by JOE KRISTUFEK
The Road to the Kentucky Derby doesn't officially launch until the horses leave the starting gate for the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs on September 15, but the dream begins long before that.
Sunday at Ellis Park ...
Racing
A look at the Pacific Classic Day Late Pick 5
Befitting its most important day of the summer meet, Del Mar 's Late Pick 5 Saturday encompasses two Grade 1s, two allowances, and an open maiden for juveniles with several promising sorts. Here are thoughts on the sequence.
Race 7 -- N2X Allowa ...
Racing
Handicapping Saturday’s Show-Place-Win Turf Split
TwinSpires is offering players a share of a $5,000 bonus today for cashing a $25 Show bet on the Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine (5:45 ET), a $25 Place bet on the Race 10 at Saratoga (6:18 ET) and a $25 Win bet on the Del Mar Handicap (7:30 ET). Select ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Three more off the turf
by Dick Powell
Everything looked good for today based on a forecast of afternoon showers getting worse into the evening. But around 10:30 a.m. (ET), a light rain began and it seems like there will be no risks taken with the turf courses these day ...
Racing
Winx returns in the Winx Stakes at Randwick tonight
The world’s highest rated horse, Winx , launches her seven-year-old campaign at Randwick tonight at 1 a.m. (EDT).
The superstar lines up as a two-time defending champion of the Warwick (G2), now dubbed the Winx (G1), and trainer Chris Waller is ...
Racing
Singling Baffert juvenile in Del Mar Pick 4
by John Mucciolo
The $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) is the marquee event at Del Mar on Saturday as the signature race of the meeting. Eight will go postward in the splendid 10-furlong event.
But the race preceding it might make or break m ...
Racing
Saturday Stakes Spot Play: The Alabama
by JOE KRISTUFEK
What makes a successful horseplayer?
It all starts with solid handicapping – separating contenders from pretenders, which is predicated on being dialed into the circuit you're following and then supplementing that k ...
Racing
How to bet the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
The $600,000 Alabama (G1) is the Saturday headliner on a 10-race card at Saratoga. The 1 1/4-mile event over the main track drew a field of eight three-year-old fillies led by 7-5-morning line favorite #3 Midnight Bisou .
...
Racing
Woodbine Friday Spot Plays
A nine-race card awaits us at Woodbine on Friday. I’ll spotlight some runners of interest who could offer good value, too.
And the picks in the races below can be bet with extra confidence as TwinSpires is offering a fourth place finish payout w ...
Racing
Del Mar Handicap Gets the Stakes Action Started on Pacific Classic Day
The first of three graded stakes races on the Pacific Classic Day card is the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap.
Trainer Phil D’Amato has won 3 of the last 4 renditions and looks to make it back-to-back wins in the event after Hunt got to the wire first i ...
Racing
Weekend harness action gets underway Friday night
Harness racing fans should right at home this weekend as the stakes action gets underway on Friday night and continues right through Monday evening at several venues of varying sizes. Friday night Vernon Downs in New York will present a pair of lucr ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Handicap horses or people?
by Dick Powell
Same conditions as yesterday. Main track fast, Mellon turf course firm with the temporary rail at 27 feet and the inner turf course firm with the temporary at 18 feet.
Race 1 was a maiden $40,000 claimer going 6 1/2 furlongs and ...
Racing
Playing the $10,000 Hoosier Pick 4
by John Mucciolo
Hoosier Park offers a $10,000 guaranteed pool in the early Pick-4 (Race 3-through-6).
And with the Winsurance promo , it’s hard not to take a swing.
Here is my analysis:
RACE 3
Ten fillies and mares will pace one m ...
Racing
Del Mar 2yos Analysis: Instagrand Wins Like a Future Superstar
Budding superstar? Beast in the making? Future Kentucky Derby winner?
Perhaps it’s too early to bestow such lofty praise upon Instagrand , but this two-year-old son of Into Mischief was nothing less than breathtaking while winning Saturday’s ...
Racing
How to Bet the Pacific Classic
If you like the chances of #5 Accelerate in Saturday’s $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar, I certainly can’t blame you—quite frankly, I like him too.
What’s not to like? The five-year-old son of Lookin at Lucky is 3-for-4 this y ...
Racing
Late Pick 4 Analysis for Pacific Classic Day at Del Mar
If Accelerate runs his race off a near three-month break he is going to be very tough to beat in Saturday’s one-million-dollar Pacific Classic (G1) at .
The five-year-old possesses tactical speed that should allow jockey Joel Rosario to have him ...
Racing
Shapiro profiles four top contenders in the Pacific Classic
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
The featured event of the Del Mar summer meeting headlines a loaded 11-race card in San Diego County on Saturday afternoon.
The $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) did not attract a champion like years past with Beholder, Califor ...
Racing
Vernon Hosts Pricey ‘Zweig’ Colt, Filly Trots; Tioga Posts Empire Classic Finals On Big Sunday Program
The glamour-boy-and-girl trotters are back in the traditional Hambletonian follow-up “Zweigs.” We have the scoops for the Vernon-based stakes.
Freshman Frolics are still cooking at tracks across the continent and more freshman bettin ...
Racing
Breeders Crown Countdown Top Fives
Aug. 16—Aug. 22
(NE) = Not Eligible – can Supplement
TWO-YEAR OLD COLT TROT
1. DON’T LET’EM
2. GREEN MANALISHI S
3. GREENSHOE
4. GERRY
5. SWANDRE THE GIANT
TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT
1. THE ICE DUTCHE ...
Racing
Filly Trotters And Pacers Highlighted From Lucrative Freshman Affairs At Red Mile And Meadows Programs
It's time to launch the 2018 Breeders Crown Countdown , the exclusive blog that will coordinate with our general weekly harness blog at TwinSpires.com and the Hambletonian Society to find great wagering opportunities for "Crown" eligible horses ...
Racing
Saratoga 2yos Analysis: Chad Brown On the Rise
The fourth weekend of the Saratoga meet featured a couple more graded stakes races for juveniles, including one that was essentially the definition of a closer-favoring race.
The action kicked off on Saturday with the $200,000 Adirondack Stakes ...
Racing
Why I'm Betting Thewayiam in the Lake Placid Stakes
Speaking strictly in terms of class and overall accomplishments to date, it’s hard to deny that #6 Rushing Fall is the best filly in Saturday’s $300,000 Lake Placid Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga .
Just look at her overall record—four wins from ...
Racing
Keying Midnight Bisou in the Alabama Stakes
It’s easy to assume that the 1 ¼-mile distance of Saturday’s $600,000 Alabama Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga could lead to surprising results.
After all, three-year-fillies rarely contest such a lengthy distance, so it makes sense that the unfamil ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Week Five Begins
by DICK POWELL
Sunny? Fast and Firm? At Saratoga?
And, no races off the turf!
Three full weeks to go and in the old days, which I seem to be living in more these days, we would only be in week two. Now week five begins, but there a ...
Racing
How to Bet the Del Mar Handicap
If you have a strong opinion on who will win Saturday’s $250,000 Del Mar Handicap (gr. II) at Del Mar , I’m impressed, because on paper the race looks like a very competitive event without any clear standouts.
Actually, let me clarify that a bi ...
Racing
2018 Mississippi State Preview - Moving On From Mullen
Unlike the NFL, where someone like Tom Brady can play for a single team his entire career, college football players often leave early, transfer, decide they don’t want to play football all together, or just don’t work out as college students. That’ ...
Racing
Stormy Liberal Headlines Strong Group in Friday's Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar
Understandably the Green Flash Handicap will not get the attention that the graded stakes races will receive on Pacific Classic Day at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, but the five-furlong event over the sod drew an extremely strong group of turf spri ...
Racing
Spot Plays for Wednesday night card at Woodbine
Modest fare awaits those tackling Wednesday evening's program at Woodbine, but the eight-race card is not without potential spot plays and the weather forecast looks ideal for those wanting to spend a nice summer evening on track in suburban Toronto. ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Week Four Wrap-Up
By DICK POWELL
The first four weeks of Saratoga racing are in the books and now we have three full weeks to finish up the meet on Labor Day.
In week four, field size was 7.16 and the average win price was $10.39. Favorites recovered their for ...
Racing
Out Cap Da Shap at Del Mar on August 15
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
Pacific Classic Week gets started on Wednesday afternoon with a solid eight-race card headlined by the $75,000 CTT and TOC Stakes. The 1 3/8-mile event over the sod is the first leg of the "Out Cap Da Shap" late Pick 4 promo tha ...
Racing
Deciphering Track Biases, Part 2
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could predict when track biases will appear and wager accordingly, yielding impressive profits while simultaneous gaining some bragging rights?
Perhaps it sounds far-fetched, but truthfully, it’s not as hard as it sounds. ...
Education
Sunday cards offer varying degrees of competition
A pair of harness racing venues that seem to have little in common offered solid cards on Sunday as Tioga Downs in New York presented a stakes-filled program while overnight events comprised the 12-race program at Ocean Downs in Maryland, five miles ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Not Much New
by DICK POWELL
The forecast today was bad weather coming in later in the day and Tuesday looks like there will be enough rain to affect Wednesday's racing. After the weekend saw nine turf races get switched to the main track and one turf race ru ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Half-way through the meet
by Dick Powell
Twenty days of racing are in the books and now we begin the second half of the meet. Like the first half, yesterday’s rain played havoc with today’s card and six races were taken off the turf. Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow ...
Racing
Harrah's Philadelphia and Yonkers offer good Sunday cards
Sunday afternoon's cards at Harrah's Philadelphia and Yonkers Raceway were both competitive and filled with quality standardbreds, although there were very few similarities between them beyond that generality. Early on the Sunday afternoon card at Y ...
Racing
Sistercharlie Wins Again in Beverly D. Stakes
With three Grade 1 wins under her belt this year, Sistercharlie may have already done enough to earn the Eclipse Award, and she’ll certainly have done enough if she can win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. I) in November at Churchill D ...
Racing
Robert Bruce Showcases Terrific Acceleration in Arlington Million
Both the winner and the runner-up are conditioned by Chad Brown, the two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer who has dominated turf racing in the U.S. over the last several years. By securing the victory, Robert Bruce earned a “Win and You’re In” bert ...
Racing
Kristufek: Sunday's Arlington Park Pick 5 Carryover Wagers
by JOE KRISTUFEK
Being a legit horseplayer means being more of an investor than a gambler. There are a lot of differentiating qualities, including hard work, patience, discipline and perhaps most importantly, taking advantage of opportunities.
...
Racing
Betting the Place Payout Carryover at Gulfstream Park Sunday
The Place Payout was not hit last Sunday at Ellis Park and TwinSpires is carrying the promotion over to Gulfstream Park on Sunday. Players who hit a $5 Place bet in every race will share a $12,000 bonus and you can share in smaller bonuses just for p ...
Racing
Sires Stakes Hat Trick From ‘Key Race’; Lather Up Gone With Gallops; Freshman Tops Win Prices With $40 Score
Our Freshman Frolics section did a bang-up job presenting some of the best prices of the week. Our coverage below explains the big wins, along with some hot places and shows. Make note that two of the Sunday, Aug. 12 features at Tioga will be covered ...
Racing
Hoosier, Yonkers and Northfield offer solid cards
One weekend after harness racing enthusiasts were perhaps overwhelmed with the stakes action at The Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day, they turned their attention to Hoosier Park, Northfield Park and Yonkers Raceway this past weekend. On Friday night ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Fast and firm…doesn’t last
by Dick Powell
Finally, we have fast and firm track and course conditions. There is a bunch of bad weather to our south so the question today is can the high pressure system to the north keep it from coming up and affecting Saratoga Springs? Righ ...
Racing
Handicapping the International Festival of Racing at Arlington
Saturday’s International Festival of Racing features a trio of Grade 1 turf stakes including the 36 th running Arlington Million . The 1 ¼-mile race awards an all-fees paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) as a “Win & You’re In” for the 20 ...
Racing
Handicapping Saturday’s Late Pick 4 at Saratoga
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
The late Pick 4 on Saturday afternoon at Saratoga features three two-turn grass races, including the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) and $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure. With a couple of chances to bust out over the four-race sequence thi ...
Racing
Betting the $300,000 Guaranteed TwinSpires.com Late Pick Four at Arlington
From a wagering perspective, Arlington Million Day is highlighted by the Pick 4s, in particular the TwinSpires.com Late Pick 4 (50-cent minimum) that includes all the graded stakes and a $300,000 Guaranteed pool. Opt in to the Arlington Pick Four A ...
Racing
Alpha Centauri Seeks "Win and You're In" Berth to Breeders' Cup Mile
First, she defeated fellow three-year-old fillies with complete authority. Then, she dismissed old rivals with equal disdain.
Now, on Sunday, the budding superstar filly #10 Alpha Centauri will attempt to defeat older males in the Prix du Haras ...
Racing
2018 Secretariat international scouting reports: Platinum Warrior, Bandua, Ming
If Hunting Horn heads the Irish contingent in the Secretariat (G1), the others have claims to be better than they’ve shown so far.
PLATINUM WARRIOR
Quick thought experiment: what comes to mind when you hear that a Group 3 winner by Galileo ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Weather holding
by Dick Powell
Day 19 of the 2018 Saratoga race meet began today with the main track listed as fast and the two turf courses listed as good. The weather looks like it will hold the rest of the day.
Mike Luzzi won his first race of the meet in ...
Racing
Arlington Million Day Undercard Spot Plays
by J OE KRISTUFEK
National attention will be focused on the trio of Grade 1 turf stakes, but there horses running in the undercard races that might be worth wagering on and utilizing for multi-race purposes.
Wagering approach
Any attack ...
Racing
2018 Secretariat international scouting reports: Hunting Horn and Lucius Tiberius
Aidan O’Brien’s Hunting Horn , as a Royal Ascot winner and third-placer in the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1), ranks as the most accomplished of the five Irish shippers in the Secretariat (G1).
By the ascendant Camelot – the same sire as stabl ...
Racing
Arlington Million Day graded stakes selections and TwinSpires.com Late Pick Four
by JOE KRISTUFEK
Before you punch your Pick Four tickets on Million Day, make sure you've opted in to the Arlington Pick Four All-Ways Bonus . Bet at least $50 into the Arlington Park's Million Day Pick Fours (race 1, 5 and 9) and get a 20% bo ...
Racing
How to Bet the Fourstardave Handicap
By SCOTT SHAPIRO
The headliner on Saturday’s 11-race card at Saratoga is the Fourstardave Handicap (G1). The $500,000 event conducted at one-mile over the inner turf is named after the New York bred that won at least one race at the Spa from 198 ...
Racing
Bankroll builders on the Arlington Millon Day undercard
by NICOLLE NEULIST
Saturday is the flagship day of the summer meet at Arlington: Arlington Million day! Though the day features five stakes, that's not all it has to offer. It's a 12-race card packed with competitive fields all day long.
&nbs ...
Racing
Juveniles to watch Saturday at Saratoga
Saratoga will host four two-year-old events on their 11-race Saturday card. I always have a keen eye on the baby races at the Spa in hopes of witnessing the stars of tomorrow and here are some first-time starters of interest to me:
Race 2
A p ...
Racing
Del Mar 2yos Analysis: Bellafina Impresses, Instagrand Steps Up
Bellafina didn’t really look like a star in the making when she finished second in her debut at Los Alamitos last month. But boy, she presented an entirely different appearance in the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes (gr. II) on Sunday at Del Mar !
T ...
Racing
How to Bet the Rancho Bernardo Stakes on Sunday at Del Mar
The final graded stakes race of the week at is the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap.
The six-and-a-half-furlong event over the main track drew a compact field of 6 led by last year’s winner #4 Skye Diamonds . The five-year-old mare put forth a ...
Racing
Mucciolo’s Graded Plays for Million Day
The biggest racing date on the Arlington calendar is Saturday. The 36th Arlington Million Stakes highlights a 12-race card, with the four of the graded kind. I will take a look at each:
Secretariat (G1)
Sophomores will go 1 ¼ miles on the tur ...
Racing
2018 Beverly D. international scouting report: Nyaleti
Once under consideration for last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), Nyaleti at last makes her American debut in the Beverly D. (G1). The Arlington feature is no afterthought, but mapped out as a possible objective since her rout of t ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Fabulous Fillies Day & New York Stallion Stakes Series
by Dick Powell
More rain, not a lot, came after the races on Wednesday and four races were taken off the turf today and the two that stayed on were raced over courses listed as yielding. The main track is fast going into the day but around here, ...
Racing
2018 Beverly D. international scouting report: Athena
Aidan O’Brien has never won the Beverly D. (G1), but he hadn’t won the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) either, until Athena ran rough-shod over the field on July 7.
Athena’s pedigree details – as a daughter of red-hot Camelot and granddaughter of b ...
Racing
Million Week Friday Late Pick 4 and Spot Plays
by JOE KRISTUFEK
With a tremendous Arlington Million Day card looming on Saturday, it only makes sense to take advantage of some Friday spot plays and the daily TwinSpires.com “15% Win or Lose” Late Pick 4 All-Ways promotion (if you haven’t al ...
Racing
Playing the Early Pick 4 Around Instagrand in the Best Pal Stakes
Saturday’s feature “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” is the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes. The six- furlong dash over the main track drew a compact group of 5 two-year-olds led by heavy favorite #1 Instagrand .
Oxo Equine spent $1.2 million dollars on I ...
Racing
How to Bet the Beverly D. Stakes
Just how dominant has trainer Chad Brown been in the $600,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. III) at Arlington Park ?
Well, for starters, he’s won the race on four occasions, including the last three renewals. For good measure, his runners earned first ...
Racing
Why I'm Betting Robert Bruce in the Arlington Million
If you’re handicapping Saturday’s $1,000,000 Arlington Million (gr. I) at Arlington Park , then you’ve probably already concluded—as have I—that there are plenty of talented horses to choose from.
The 1 ¼-mile race is a “Win and You’re In” for ...
Racing
Analyze It Faces International Challengers in Secretariat Stakes
It’s not hard to imagine that Analyze It will feel a sense of relief when he heads to the starting gate for Saturday’s $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. I) at Arlington Park and realizes that, for once, he will not be joined by Catholic Boy.
...
Racing
2018 Arlington Million international scouting report: Circus Couture
A nephew of globetrotting Group 1 star Jakkalberry, who set an Arlington course record in the 2012 American St Leger, Circus Couture was once an Italian highweight himself. A 10-furlong trip on good ground was a favorable scenario in his prime, but h ...
Racing
Lazarus N Defies U.S. Pacers At Hoosier; ‘Key Race’ Soph Fillies Ready To Romp; Northfield Hosts Top Open Pace
The unofficial beginning of the season’s second half gets rolling with a new addition to the older pacing ranks as Lazarus N debuts in the USA at Hoosier. A slew of horses coming from the Hambo program return in various events and the whole ...
Racing
Saratoga 2yos Analysis: Bill Mott Gets Hot
Two weekends ago, the juvenile races at Saratoga were dominated by trainer Steve Asmussen. Last weekend, it was Bill Mott’s turn to take the spotlight.
The Hall of Fame trainer, best known as the conditioner of two-time Horse of the Year Cigar, ...
Racing
Fast Pace Seems Likely in Fourstardave Handicap
Turf races in New York have a reputation for being very slow-paced events that are difficult to decipher beforehand. How can you handicap effectively when you have no idea who might wind up shaking loose on an easy lead?
That said, Saturday’s $50 ...
Racing
Keying Lyrical Lady in the Adirondack Stakes
Three weeks ago, on opening day at Saratoga , a promising young filly won her debut by 5 ¾ lengths, leading from the start to prevail with authority.
On Saturday, that filly— #3 Lyrical Lady —will attempt to take another big step and secure a grad ...
Racing