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Arlington Trip Notes and Horses to Watch (August 1-4)
The following are trip notes for horses who had tough trips the week of August 1-4 at Arlington Park , and/or who figure to improve in their next races. Add these runners to your horses to watch list, and bet them back next time out if they land in ...
Racing
2019 Secretariat international scouting reports: Never No More and Van Beethoven
With its distance trimmed to a flat mile, the character of the Secretariat (G1) has changed, but Aidan O’Brien ensured that the Arlington Million Day fixture is still attracting notable international representation.
The master of Ballydoyle has us ...
Racing
Exacta box of the week: Arlington Million, August 10
These four horses will be valuable against a potentially vulnerable favorite in the Arlington Million on Saturday.
Racing
Will Uni defeat males in the Fourstardave Handicap?
Don't be afraid to bet Uni just because she is taking on males at Arlington.
Racing
How to play the Arlington Million Pick 4
The all-stakes Pick 4 at Arlington, which features three grade 1 events, will be in the spotlight Saturday.
Racing
Valid Point offers value in 2019 Secretariat Stakes
Valid Point is stepping up sharply in class, but he can spring a mild surprise at a better price than his Chad Brown-trained stablemate.
Racing
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Lather Up In Dan Patch At Hoosier; Northfield’s ‘Milstein’ Hosts Bettor’s Wish; Grand Circuit Frosh Frenzy
We roll through August with many features for many divisions. This weekend there are two- and three-year-old state-bred stakes up and down the East Coast and in the Midwest the older pacers and some champion soph-colt pacers race after more six-digit ...
Racing
Bricks and Mortar stands out in 2019 Arlington Million
A leading candidate for Horse of the Year honors will take center stage in Saturday’s $1 million Arlington Million (G1) at Arlington Park.
Racing
Sistercharlie looks unstoppable in 2019 Beverly D. Stakes
The prestigious $600,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park has been contested 29 times, and while it might be hard to believe, no filly or mare has ever won the race more than once.
Racing
Halfway through Saratoga, which jockeys are riding strongest?
With four weeks down and four still to come at the 2019 Saratoga summer meet, a handful of jockeys have reaped most of the victories.
Racing
Halfway through Saratoga, which trainers are excelling?
As we enter the fifth week of racing, now seems like the perfect time to review Statsmaster’s trainer statistics for the Saratoga meet and determine which trainers are excelling in certain conditions.
Racing
2019 Beverly D. international scouting reports: Magic Wand, Fleeting, Awesometank
Aidan O’Brien, still in search of his first win in the Beverly D. (G1), could be double-handed as he tries to halt the Chad Brown winning streak. Brown has won four straight (and five overall) editions, and his defending champion Sistercharlie will ...
Racing
Hoosier Park Harness Race of the Week for August 7
The 7th Race at Hoosier Park on Wednesday is a $20,000 claiming event for three and four-year-olds. Six will vie in the pacing event at one mile which carries a $9,500 purse. While the field is small, this appears to be one of the more competitive be ...
Racing
Dick Powell's Australian Pick of the Week for August 7
Race 1 at Kempsey (Australia A) on Wednesday night is a benchmark 58 handicap going just over 1 3/16 miles. The track is expected to be "Good 4" so we will lean towards those that have some success or at least experience over firmer ground.
F ...
Racing
Ellis Park Spot Plays for Friday, August 9
Race 1
#7 New Colossus (3-1)
Loaded with talent, he somehow has only managed one win from eight career starts and we haven't seen him since February. This will be his first try on turf, but by Curling out of a More Than Ready mare, dashing on ...
Racing
2019 Arlington Million international scouting reports: Magic Wand, Hunting Horn, Intellogent, Pivoine
Four European shippers are entered in the Arlington Million (G1)
Four European shippers are entered in Saturday’s 37th running of the Arlington Million (G1) – Aidan O’Brien’s Magic Wand, who is cross-entered to the Beverly D. (G1), and st ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Friday, August 9
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past.
Chances are, in many cases, they won't get the respect they deserve. There is ...
Racing
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Top 5: A moment to shine
The summer race meets at Saratoga and Del Mar have been underway for a few weeks now, and we’ve already seen some eye-catching performances from promising 2-year-olds.
But arguably the most impressive juvenile winner so far in 2019 made hi ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky horses for Wednesday, August 7 and Thursday, August 8
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past.
Chances are, in many cases, they won't get the respect they deserve. There is ...
Racing
McKinzie surges to top of Breeders’ Cup Classic division
Watson, Weitman and Pegram’s McKinzie moved to the fore in early stretch and powered home a convincing 1 3/4-length winner of the $980,000 Whitney S. (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday. The sensational son of Street Sense earned an automatic berth to ...
Racing
Hambletonian Afterthoughts: There Is No ‘Gimp’ In Gimpanzee; Follow The Bet-Backs
It was this reporter’s 30 th year of Hambletonian-day coverage and though I did not cash a winning ticket in the event, I continue to study the final heat to extract bet-backs; they will be sprinkled in races throughout the next month or so.
All ...
Racing
Hambletonian Harangue; Stakes Frothing With Favorites At Meadowlands; Place Prices For Profits, Wins Tank
HAMBLETONIAN TRAIL
The Hambletonian elims and final results. It was an opportunistic win by a colt we kept cool about all season—Forbidden Trade. The Canadian son of the magnificent sire Kadabra, won the final at 15-1. It was the first colt by Ka ...
Racing
2019 Arlington Million, Beverly D., Secretariat pre-entries: Can O'Brien prevent a Brown sweep?
Horse of the Year candidate Bricks and Mortar remains the one to beat in next Saturday’s Arlington Million (G1). That long-range forecast was reinforced by the pre-entries submitted Friday for all three Grade 1s on Million Day.
The anchor of ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Sunday, August 4
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past.
Chances are, in many cases, they won’t get the respect they deserve. There is v ...
Racing
Saratoga Stakes Spot Plays for Sunday, August 4
Sunday rounds out a remarkable weekend of racing and wagering at Saratoga with another high-quality 11-race card. Sunday’s races at The Spa are headlined by four stakes races including two graded stakes plus another race worth $1 million. Here are ...
Racing
How to Bet the Saratoga Derby Invitational on Sunday
An excellent field of 11 three-year-olds will run 1 3/16 miles on the outer turf at Saratoga on Sunday in the inaugural $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational. The top-five finishers of the recent Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) will line up once a ...
Racing
Ellis Park Spot Plays for Late Pick 5 wager on Kentucky Downs Preview Day
The 50-cent “All-Turf Stakes” Late Pick 5 wager at Ellis Park on Sunday’s Kentucky Downs Preview Day offers a wonderful wagering opportunity. Based on the forecast, the turf should be super firm, and thus forward, particularly in the sprint races.
...
Racing
Thoughts on the 20-cent, multi-day, all-stakes Pick 6 at Saratoga
A multi-day, all-stakes Pick 6, a concept spawned on Kentucky Derby weekend this past spring, makes another appearance on Saturday and Sunday at Saratoga. With a 15% takeout, 20-cent minimum, and a mandatory payout, it's one of the more attractive ...
Racing
How to Bet Saturday’s Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar
Saturday’s secondary feature race at Del Mar is the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes (G2) for two-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the main track. The six-horse field is led by morning-line favorite Amalfi Princess (#3) (8-5) , a fast and impressive ...
Racing
How to bet the 2019 Saratoga Derby
According to data from Trakus, ground loss on the turns caused Social Paranoia to run five lengths farther than Henley’s Joy and a length farther than Rockemperor. Taking all of these facts together, I believe Social Paranoia ran clearly the best rac ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Saturday, August 3
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past.
Chances are, in many cases, they won’t get the respect they deserve. There is v ...
Racing
Exacta Bet of the Day for Saturday, August 3 at Saratoga
Four-horse Exacta Bet of the Day at Saratoga for Saturday, August 3
This Saturday at Saratoga is a loaded card headlined by five stakes races, including the $500,000 Test Stakes (G1) and featured $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1). With so much goi ...
Racing
Saratoga Stakes Spot Plays for Saturday, August 3
This Saturday, August 3, is the first of the traditional truly headline Saturdays of the Spa meet. This weekend’s Saratoga stakes action will headlined by the Grade 1 co-featured runnings of the $500,000 Test and $1 million Whitney.
But that’s n ...
Racing
Hambletonian Day on tap this Saturday at the Meadowlands
This Saturday afternoon novice and serious harness racing enthusiasts alike will focus their attention on the Meadowlands as the famed one-mile oval in northern New Jersey hosts the Grade I, $1 million Hambletonian on a stakes-filled card that has at ...
Racing
Looking for an early score on the Whitney Stakes undercard at Saratoga
The historic $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) headlines a massive day of racing at Saratoga on Saturday. A total of four additional stakes races are on tap, with two of those coming in the graded form and led by the $500,000 Test Stakes (G1) for sop ...
Racing
Arlington Trip Notes and Horses to Watch (July 25-28)
The following are trip notes for horses who had tough trips the week of July 25-28 at Arlington Park , and/or who figure to improve in their next races. Add these runners to your horses to watch list, and bet them back next time out if they land in ...
Racing
Ellis Park Spot Plays for Friday, August 2
Race 5 – GREELEY AND BEN (#3) (6-1 ML)
A sneaky good performer on dirt his entire career, he tried two turns on turf against a formidable field last out and didn’t disgrace himself. Off four lengths slow, he was hung in a stalking position three- ...
Racing
Saratoga Stakes Spot Plays for Friday, August 2
Friday’s 10-race card at Saratoga features three stakes features worth a total of over $1 million capped off by the new $750,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational. All three races – races 7 thru 9 – are bettable events individually, and they can also be ...
Racing
How to Bet the 2019 Whitney Stakes
Five millionaires will lead a superb field of eight postward in the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday. The 1 1/8-mile test is the early race of the year for handicap runners, and the winner gets a free pass to the $6 million B ...
Racing
A longshot to consider in the West Virginia Derby
I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Grumps Little Tots. In a field packed with late runners, I think he has enough speed to secure a more forwardly placed position than usual. A ground-saving trip from post 2 should be in the offing, and outside of ...
Racing
Looking for a longshot in the Test Stakes
There are plenty of accomplished fillies to choose from in Saturday’s $500,000 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga . The only problem? They all share similar running styles.
There’s the frontrunning #1 Serengeti Empress , winner of the 1 1/8-mile K ...
Racing
Why I'm betting Preservationist in the Whitney Stakes
Preservationist’s tactical speed should be a major asset in the Whitney, a race that has been won by the pacesetter in five of the last six years. Few of his rivals have shown any serious interest in racing on the lead, so Preservationist should sit ...
Racing
Grand Circuit Stakes—Divisions’ Star-Studded Dynamos Assemble At The Meadowlands
The Meadowlands’ closing program on the first weekend of August is, definitively an august event. Saturday, Aug. 3 presents a parade of star pacers and trotters creating traffic on two turns—and doing so for lots of money. TwinSpires’ bettors are off ...
Racing
Hambletonian And Hambletonian Oaks Present Exceptional Engagements In The Ultimate Roundups At The Meadowlands
THE 2019 HAMBLETONIAN OAKS
The fillies have been cast for the Hambletonian Oaks Final on Aug. 3 at the Meadowlands. Our suggested contenders follow our analysis, per filly (in alphabetic order; check your program for post positions).
Asiago
T ...
Racing
Sprinters flaunt their speed in weekend dashes
We witnessed trio of ultra-impressive performances over the past weekend by horses who are sure to have a major impact in November’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) .
Defending champ Imperial Hint was one of six who contested the Alfred ...
Racing
Hoosier Park Harness Race of the Week July 31
Eight pacing fillies will travel one mile at Hoosier Park on Wednesday in Leg 2 of the $36,000 Indiana Sires Stakes.
Don’t forget to get your GAIT INSURANCE before the Race of the Week! Your $5 WIN BET will be refunded if your horse breaks str ...
Racing
Dick Powell's Australian Pick of the Week for July 31
Race 7 at Hawkesbury (Australia A) on Wednesday night is a class 1 handicap going 5 1/2 furlongs. The track is expected to be "Good 4" so we will lean towards those that have some success or at least experience over firmer ground.
FREE Intern ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Friday, August 2
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past. Chances are, in many cases, they won't get the respect they deserve. There is val ...
Racing
Step-by-step: Building an exacta ticket
As one of the oldest exotic wagers in horse racing, the exacta is practically as recognizable as the traditional win/place/show wagers the sport has long been known for.
The exacta requires bettors to select the top two finishers of a race ...
Education
Thoughts on the $75,727 Pick 6 Carryover at Saratoga
The good news is that there's a $75,727 carryover in the $2 Pick 6 when racing resumes Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga . The bad news is that forecasted rain could wreak havoc on the sequence with four of the six races scheduled for the turf.
The ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Wednesday, July 31 and Thursday, August 1
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past. Chances are, in many cases, they won't get the respect they deserve. There is val ...
Racing
Handicapping Insights: Racetracks, not horses, often set the records
Both horses were brilliant and even with the rock-hard main track I can't take anything away from them. But the final times were dramatically affected...
Racing
Step-by-Step: Building a Pick 3 ticket
Constructing a Pick 3 ticket should be an easy task. The wager is straightforward and simple—pick the winners of three straight races and reap a nice reward.
But to play the Pick 3 effectively involves a little more forethought and strategy. W ...
Education
How to bet the 2019 Saratoga Oaks
It’s unclear whether Coral Beach or Olendon have the ability to challenge Concrete Rose with clean runs, but they didn’t get a chance to show their best in the Belmont Oaks. Olendon in particular might be capable of a much better run, since her previ ...
Racing
Breeders' Cup Classic Top 10: Maximum Security moves up
Slowly but surely the top contenders for the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita are sorting themselves out.
The Haskell Invitational (G1) and the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) served to clarify aspects of the 3-year-old division, whi ...
Racing
Thoughts on Wednesday's card at the Goodwood Festival
A nationwide American television audience will be treated to another premier English racing fixture this week when NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), which has given prominent coverage to Royal Ascot in recent years, broadcasts two hours of action from Da ...
Racing
Ellis Park Spot Plays for Monday, July 29
Race 2 – ETERNAL FORCE (#6) (10-1)
Ran better than he has in months last out, finishing second at 23-1. Hung three-wide while pressing into a fast pace, he was pushed out six-wide on the turn. He tried the leader but could not get by late. The wi ...
Racing
Public Pounces Perfectly In Adios; Fit Frosh Trotters Short On Prices; Hambo Sets Up Challenges For Fillies And Colts; $25 Top Winner For Week
Thursday, July 25
Hoosier’s Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) for soph-colt trotters came in two divisions. An 11-1 shot took the first half, with our contender, Smooth Aceleration ($4.80) picking up the third spot.
The second half of the INSS duo wa ...
Racing
Ellis Park Spot Plays for Sunday, July 28
Race 2 – DARK ARDEN (#7) (4-1)
Hasn’t won since 2017 and he’s had more downs than ups, but he did show signs of life two starts back when finishing a determined second in the slop. He failed to threaten in the follow-up start but that field was m ...
Racing
How to Bet the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes
Seven distaffers will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Del Mar dirt on Saturday in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1). A trio of Grade 1 vixens lead the way in the Sunday feature, in what looks like a very competitive affair.
Here is the cast:
L ...
Racing
How to Bet Sunday’s Nijinsky at Woodbine
Sunday’s featured race at Woodbine is the Nijinsky (G2), a $175,000 turf affair going 1 1/2 miles with a field of eight. The favorite is the speedy multiple graded stakes-winning front-runner Tiz a Slam and whether or not he’s beatable seems like it ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Sunday, July 28
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past. Chances are, in many cases, they won't get the respect they deserve. There is val ...
Racing
Ellis Park Spot Plays for Saturday, July 27
Race 2
#6 Hitch (5-1)
After knocking on the door against legitimate competition at both Keeneland and Churchill this sophomore son of Tapit broke through with a maiden breaker last time out under the Twin Spires. With a perfect, pressing trip ...
Racing
Why I'm betting Shancelot in the Amsterdam Stakes
“The best horse I’ve ever trained.”
Those were the words trainer Jorge Navarro used to describe #12 Shancelot after the son of Shanghai Bobby dominated a June 23 six-furlong optional-claiming race at Monmouth Park by 6 1/4 lengths. Now Navarro’s ...
Racing
A longshot to consider in the Bowling Green Stakes
New York turf races are known for their lack of pace, but the minimal speed entered in Saturday’s $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2) at Saratoga is truly extraordinary.
Just check out the Brisnet past performances for this 1 3/8-mile race. A ...
Racing
Powell's Handicapping Insights: It's Hot All Over
Horse racing is an outdoor, entertainment business. Like the Saratoga County Fair, located a few mile away from Saratoga Race Course, its success often comes down to the weather. For three straight years, Saratoga benefited from sunny, dry weather. I ...
Racing
How to bet the Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga
Race 10 on Saratoga 's loaded Saturday card will be the $250,000 Bowling Green (G2) over 1 3/8 miles on the inner turf course. The race drew a wide-open and evenly-matched 13-horse field, and any number of logical contenders could emerge with the v ...
Racing
How to bet the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot
Saturday's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (G1) at Ascot, a Breeders' Cup challenge race for the Turf (G1), is the great summer highlight of English racing, and it lives up to its historic standards this year with an outstanding field that inclu ...
Racing
Harrington offers Governor's Day card
One week after a heat wave impacted numerous outdoor activity, Harrington Raceway in Delaware hosted its annual, lucrative $600,000 Governor's Day card highlighted by a quartet of $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund finals for three-year-old ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Saturday, July 27
by Joe Kristufek
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past. Chances are, in many cases, they won’t get the respect they d ...
Racing
How to Bet the Jim Dandy Stakes
The Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga is a Grade 2, $600,000 prize for three-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles that has often been an enigma for handicappers.
On one hand, it is a rich and important race on the three-year-old stakes calendar, but on the ot ...
Racing
How to Bet the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap
The 2019 running of the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at Saratoga is one of the great showdown type of races that makes racing at Saratoga so special. The race should turn into a battle royale between two of the giants in the national sprint div ...
Racing
How to Bet the Bing Crosby Stakes
Eight horses will go postward in Saturday’s $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar in hopes of gaining their first Grade 1 trophy. The six-furlong dash attracted a well-matched field as jockey Flavien Prat will aim to bring home the winner of ...
Racing
Exacta box of the week: Saratoga race 12 for Saturday, July 27
Exacta Box of the day for Saratoga
This Saturday at Saratoga is a loaded card headlined by three graded races – the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) and Bowling Green Stakes (G2). If you make it through the card with s ...
Racing
How to bet the 2019 Jim Dandy Stakes
Talent, durability, consistency, the ability to win big races—these are the traits that define great racehorses.
You’ll find all of these traits spread among the six runners entered in Saturday’s $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga . The ...
Racing
Is Mitole unstoppable in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap?
What makes Mitole so tough to beat is his brilliant tactical speed. He doesn’t need to rely on other runners to set him up for victory, and he’s perfectly comfortable sprinting to the lead or pressing the pace if necessary. And with seven consecutive ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Friday, July 26
by Joe Kristufek
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past. Chances are, in many cases, they won’t get the respect they d ...
Racing
Enable, Crystal Ocean clash in King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
This is hardly a creative opinion, but barring an unforeseen reversal of form, Enable should have little difficulty emerging victorious in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. And Crystal Ocean, in turn, should prove clearly best of the res ...
Racing
Adios Arguments For Final; Big Delaware Dollars For Sophs; Young Trotters In Trials For Peter Haughton, Jim Doherty Stakes At Meadowlands
The 2019 Adios Final is the penultimate feature on the Grand Circuit (GC) stop before the Meadowlands and the orbiting stakes of the Hambletonian. This week, the Hambletonian Oaks elims are covered on our Hambletonian Trail blog, while GC action at t ...
Racing
Hambletonian Oaks Elims Chart Fillies’ Fates At Meadowlands; Colts Still Wrestling At Yonkers, Meadows
All fields feature Hambletonian-eligible horses = (e).
Eliminations for the Hambletonian Oaks are on the July 27 program at the Meadowlands. Each of two races is worth $50,000.
Nine fillies go to post for elim one, a few of them surprises, bei ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Thursday, July 25
by Joe Kristufek
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past. Chances are, in many cases, they won’t get the respect they d ...
Racing
Dick Powell's Australia Pick of the Week for July 24
Race 8 at Echuca (Australia A) on Wednesday night is a benchmark 64 handicap going a mile for two-year-olds and upwards. The track is expected to be "Soft 7" so we will lean towards those that have some success or at least experience over it.
...
Racing
Distaff division update: Midnight Bisou, Point of Honor impress
Which fillies and mares do you view as the top contenders for the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Distaff? ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint top 10
With the recent confirmation that the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita will be conducted over five furlongs in distance, we can finally start formulating opinions on the top contenders for this prestigious year-end race.
...
Racing
Saratoga: Notes and horses to watch from Week 2
Juveniles catch the eye Sunday
Basin , the narrow runner-up behind eventual Sanford Stakes (G3) winner By Your Side in a maiden race at Churchill Downs, was the speedy winner of a six-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga on Sunday. From th ...
Racing
Maximum Security returns to form as compelling Travers awaits
With Saturday’s victory in the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) , Maximum Security showed who’s boss in the three-year-old division. He rebounded smartly from a second in the June 16 Pegasus at Monmouth Park, the only time the front-running co ...
Racing
Ellis Park Spot Plays for Friday, July 26
By Joe Kristufek
Race 4 – DIXIE ZAPPER (#3) (5-1)
Off slowly in the debut losing four lengths, he was covered at the rail most of the journey, but ran into major traffic trouble and had to be checked hard, losing ground and valuable momentum ...
Racing
Why I'm betting Endorsed in the Curlin Stakes
The $100,000 Curlin Stakes on July 26 at Saratoga offers an unusual entry condition that makes the race an appealing target for up-and-coming 3-year-olds.
The 1 1/8-mile race is restricted to runners “which have not won a graded sweepstakes ov ...
Racing
Arlington Trip Notes and Horses to Watch (July 18-21)
The following are trip notes for horses who had tough trips the week of July 18-21 at Arlington , and/or who figure to improve in their next races. Add these runners to your horses to watch list, and bet them back next time out if they land in a re ...
Racing
Golden Award joins the Breeders' Cup Distaff party
The division for the top fillies and mares leading up to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) has been a busy one in recent weeks. The superb Elate started things off two weeks ago with a sublime tally in the Delaware Handicap (G2) at 1 1/4 miles for c ...
Racing
Harness racing: Talent on display at East Coast tracks
While many residents along the East Coast were overwhelmed by the oppressive heat and humidity that enveloped the region and caused several thoroughbred racetracks to cancel live cards, standardbred racing fans had plenty of quality action to view at ...
Racing
Upset candidates to consider in the Prince of Wales Stakes
Fortunately there are a couple of viable alternatives to consider. #3 Tone Broke finished third in the Queen’s Plate after he raced racing wide and tried to rally into One Bad Boy’s slow pace. That was a solid effort, but Tone Broke’s best performa ...
Racing
Saratoga Scouting Report: Kentucky Horses for Wednesday, July 24
by Joe Kristufek
With Churchill Downs coming off perhaps their strongest spring meet in history, the horses based in Kentucky should perform even better than they have in years past. Chances are, in many cases, they won't get the respect they ...
Racing
Adios Elims Chalk Out; Nadia Lobell Exotics Surge With Our Longshot Choice; Cold Hambletonian Finishes; Big Balloon Place, Show Prices
Thursday, July 18
Scioto’s Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) frosh-filly trotters quartet produced only three third-place finishes on our choice list. We were third to the second favorite with Delaware Ave ($3.00) and defeated by a 9-2 shot in another with ...
Racing
Woodbine Feature Race Spot Plays for Sunday, July 21
Sunday’s 11-race card at Woodbine features a graded turf sprint and an expensive allowance around two turns on the main track as its two highly-playable featured races. Both races have big wide open fields filled with several contenders.
If you ...
Racing
Marylou Whitney: The driving force behind Saratoga
There’s an old joke and it goes like this: A horseplayer from New York City gets up early every August morning, catches a bus and takes the three-hour ride to Saratoga. After the races, he comes home. The next day, and the next day, and the next day, ...
Racing
Scully’s Saturday Spot Plays
Here are some horses of interest today at Monmouth Park and Del Mar:
Monmouth Park
9 th Race, Wolf Hill : Regal Image (#1) (8-1 m/l) has found his niche in turf sprints and possesses the speed to dictate the action if he breaks from the i ...
Racing
How to Bet Saturday’s San Clemente at Del Mar
The $200,000 San Clemente (G2) will be the headline race on Saturday’s loaded card at Del Mar . The feature is a one-mile grass race for three-year-old fillies that has drawn a wide-open 10-horse field. The large field and lack of a single standout ...
Racing