POPULAR ARTICLES
VIDEOS
LATEST
Trainer Profile - Mark Casse
Most horseplayers know who trainer Mark Casse is. Casse dominated Woodbine Racetrack for years before saddling horses in the United States. While training horses at Woodbine, Casse won an incredible 9 Sovereign Awards, and was Woodbine's leading trai ...
Racing
Fair Grounds Pick of the Week for February 2
Saturday's seventh race at Fair Grounds is the co-featured $60,000 Lloyd Captain Maestri Memorial, an about one-mile grass test for three-year-olds.
CORRUZE (#6) (7-2) enters the race perfect in two starts on grass. The Into Mischief colt surp ...
Racing
Dick Powell’s Australian Pick of the Week Jan. 30, 2019
Race 4A at Scone is for older horses going 1 3/8 miles around right-hand turns. Australia is in the midst of record heat and drought so I expect the course to be on the firm side of good.
FREE International Past Performances every day at Brisne ...
Racing
Top 5 After City of Light's and Accelerate's Retirements
City of Light obliterated his competition in the 2019 Pegasus World Cup. But, like what often happens in horse racing, his connections have decided to retire the Quality Road sired 5-year-old. With City of Light headed to the breeding shed, the mantl ...
Racing
Top trotters and pacers highlight Yonkers Saturday night card
One night before millions of sports enthusiasts will gather round their televisions to watch Super Bowl LIII between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams, a rematch of their classic Super Bowl 36 encounter, Yonkers Raceway in New York wi ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10: Where Does Hidden Scroll Rank?
When Triple Crown winner won the 2018 Kentucky Derby, he broke the much-hyped “Apollo Curse” and became the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old.
Now that the “curse” has been broken, will ...
Racing
ADVERTISEMENT
Jockey Profile - Tyler Gaffalione
Although Tyler Gaffalione had a great first year as a jockey, finishing 30% in the money aboard 331 mounts, he didn't hit his stride until his second year aboard equines. That year, 2015, saw Tyler ride 1,419 horses. Of those over 1,400 mounts, Gaffa ...
Racing
Jockey Profile - Rajiv Maragh
In 2003, Rajiv Maragh had a single mount. The horse he rode earned $80. The very next year, though, Maragh showed that he had the makings of a great jockey. Rajiv rode 796 horses in 2004. He won 78 races and finished in the money 33%. From then on, t ...
Racing
Bellafina keeps options open with Triple Crown nomination
Kaleem Shah’s star filly Bellafina is expected to remain in her own division on the path toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1), but connections have retained the option of taking on males.
The Simon Callaghan trainee was nominated to the Triple Crow ...
Racing
Parx Racing Pick of the Week for January 29
Tuesday's fourth race at Parx, a $40,000 maiden claiming event for three-year-old fillies, includes one who faced a champion and lived to tell.
#3 AWESOME ALAINA (4-1) debuted at Parx last July in a maiden special weight going five furlongs. The ...
Racing
Handicapping Insights: Pegasus World Cup Day saw top efforts on track but not from stewards
Some things never change. Watching the races from Gulfstream Park on Saturday reinforced my impression that no matter how much we complain, there is no one looking out for us. You could take the same column that I wrote last year and just update the ...
Racing
Bricks and Mortar Crushes Rivals in Pegasus World Cup Turf
Trainer was delighted with the results. “Irad [Ortiz Jr. rode him beautiful,” he told Gulfstream Park after the race. “The horse came ready and handled the course. Everything worked out perfectly.” Commenting on an injury that kept Bricks and Morta ...
Racing
City of Light Shines Bright in Pegasus World Cup
“When Javier started moving at the half-mile pole, it didn’t appear that anybody was really pressuring him,” winning trainer Michael McCarthy told Gulfstream Park after the race. “He was able to go ahead and hold off his run for a little bit. One he ...
Racing
Blizzard Series Heats Up With $19 Winner; Top Selected Feature Scores With $20 Victor; Watch Horse Worth $24
Let’s go over our success and failure from the week of wagering.
Thursday, Jan. 24
At Woodbine/Mohawk (WoMo), we backed a great one in the first division of the second leg of the Blizzard Series, catching Shes On A Roll ($19.50, $6.70, $2.40) ...
Racing
Gulftstream Park hosts pair of Pegasus Invitationals
A modest series of storms may have left the Gulfstream Park surface sloppy on Saturday afternoon, but they could hardly dampen the enthusiasm surrounding the third edition of the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on the main track or the inau ...
Racing
Gray Attempt Successfully Stretches His Speed in Smarty Jones Stakes
Sprint to the lead. Run everyone off their feet. Hang on to secure the victory. Rinse and repeat.
That’s been the magic formula for the up-and-coming three-year-old Gray Attempt , who secured his third straight front-running triumph when forging ...
Racing
2019 Pegasus World Cup News & Notes
The third running of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is joined this year by the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), which has attracted a stellar cast of international grass competitors.
The $16 million pur ...
Racing
Horses to note on a rainy Pegasus World Cup Day
Rain has become a significant factor as we enter Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park . The main track is listed as “sloppy” and the first three races carded for the turf have been transferred to the main track, prompting a flurry of scratches ...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup thoughts and a couple of wet track horses
North America’s richest race, Saturday’s $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) features a solid field of 12 at Gulfstream Park.
Cigar Mile (G1) winner Patternrecognition will show speed from post 12 and multiple Grade 1 hero City of Light ...
Racing
How I'm playing the Pegasus World Cup Late Pick 5
As a horse player, the best feeling in the world is when you know at the quarter pole you're going to get paid and it's only a matter of how much.
Such was the case during last year's Pegasus World Cup (G1), when I was alive to both Gun Runner a ...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup highlights weekend action
During the weekend between the National Football League Conference Championship games and the upcoming Super Bowl in Atlanta, thoroughbred racing fans will have plenty to digest this Saturday afternoon as Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida, hosts ...
Racing
2019 Pegasus World Cup pedigree fun facts
The lucrative Pegasus Day purses will pad not only the participants’ bankrolls, but also their sires’ progeny earnings.
The $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf features offspring of several renowned sires.
Delta Prince boasts the gaudiest ped ...
Racing
2019 Pegasus World Cup Turf one-liners
If the $9 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) on dirt deserves the “ one-liner” treatment , so does its new $7 million companion race on turf. The international distaffers are enticing as they get a 12-pound weight break from an evenly matched domesti ...
Racing
Blamed the key to challenging Pick 4 on Pegasus World Cup Day
The $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is the obvious headliner on a huge day of racing at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, but there is plenty of fine racing and money to be made throughout the 12-race card. The Pick 4 sequence spanning ...
Racing
2019 Pegasus World Cup one-liners
After discussing the storylines and studying the past performances (free) for the Pegasus World Cup (G1), it’s time to distill them all into the quick takes we dub “one-liners.”
In post position order:
#1 BRAVAZO – Tough and genuine col ...
Racing
2019 Pegasus World Cup Day Spot Plays
The Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is certainly the marquee event on Gulfstream Park ’s Saturday afternoon card in South Florida, but there are plenty of races on the undercard that are worth wagering on as well.
Here are a few races I wil ...
Racing
A look at the opening day 12% takeout Pick 5 at Sam Houston
Sam Houston opens a 32-day Thoroughbred meet Friday night, and by far the most attractive aspect for horse players is the 12% takeout on all multi-race exotics, including Doubles, Pick 3s, Pick 4s, and Pick 5s.
Only one 50-cent minimum Pick 5 is s ...
Racing
All-Graded Stakes Pick 4 on 2019 Pegasus World Cup Day
Gulfstream Park offers horseplayers a strong 12-race card on Saturday afternoon headlined by the third running of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) .
An intriguing All-Graded Stakes Pick 4 sequence is part of the wagering menu for the Pega ...
Racing
[Video] ON POINTS: Lecomte S. & Smarty Jones S. Kentucky Derby Discussion
Fresh from The Big Easy, James Scully joins Scott Shapiro to talk all things three-year-olds, including a recap of the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds and a look at the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2QulxSdaU8
...
Racing
Another Hennessey milestone highlights Wednesday card at Pompano Park
One night before the 48th annual Eclipse Awards were announced at Gulfstream Park, host of this weekend's Grade I, $9 million Pegasus World Cup and Grade I, $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf, a full slate of trotters and one Hall of Fame driver took ...
Racing
How to bet the 2019 Pegasus World Cup Turf
The inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) attracted an eclectic group of 10 runners. Three are females, three are geldings and four are horses. Two were born in Japan, one was born in Ireland, one was born in Canada and ...
Racing
How to bet the 2019 Pegasus World Cup
The third running of the Pegasus World Cup (G1) is probably the best betting race yet. In the first year, monsters Arrogate and California Chrome faced off , then Gun Runner romped last year . This year, the vacuum created by the early retirement ...
Racing
Blizzard, Snowshoe Series Continue In Canada; Ovals On Fire In The Deep Freeze Promise Pulp Prices
Our selected features continue covering Woodbine-Mohawk (WoMo) winter pacing series with the second legs of the Blizzard (fillies and mares) and the Snowshoe (colts and horses).
More and more horses are added to the weekly H2W (horses-to-watch) li ...
Racing
Fair Grounds Pick of the Week for January 26
Saturday's feature at Fair Grounds is Race 5, a $44,000 third-level allowance for older horses on the turf with an $80,000 claiming option. Returning from a layoff approaching 11 months will be no easy task for #8 HIGH NOON RIDER (4-1) , but he appe ...
Racing
Dick Powell’s Dubai Pick of the Week Jan. 23, 2019
Race 6 at Meydan on Thursday morning is a $135,000 handicap for older horses going about 1 1/2 miles on the turf. With the wide course, they will only go around two turns as they make one lap.
The morning-line favorite is Bin Battuta (#1) , who r ...
Racing
Handicapping Insights: Andy Harrington’s National Turf Clocker’s Report comes through
Last Saturday, Santa Anita Park put up a $2 million guarantee for a single winner of their Rainbow Pick 6, which will be in effect until February 1. Figuring that there would be a lot of money chasing the jackpot, and since none of my money was in ...
Racing
Dick Powell’s Australian Pick of the Week Jan. 23, 2019
Race 3 at Tamworth is for older horses going seven furlongs around a right-hand turn. Australia is in the midst of record heat and drought so I expect the course to be on the firm side of good.
Based on the morning line for the race, the field of ...
Racing
Super Steed the Smarty Jones selection for January Road to the Derby Bonus cash
He was the even-money favorite to win the $74,000 Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds on December 22, but instead of asserting his superiority in the six-furlong dash he finished a nondescript fourth, beaten seven lengths by the victorious #8 GRAY ATTEMPT.
...
Racing
Going for Big Money in Pegasus World Cup
The Pegasus World Cup takes place this Saturday on January 26. Horseplayers have already started their handicapping. The way to play the Pegasus is to either go chalky with Accelerate and City of Light, or to go the opposite way, use one of the chal ...
Racing
How to Bet the Pegasus World Cup Turf
The inaugural running of North America’s richest turf race—the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (gr. I) —didn’t attract as deep a field as one might have hoped given the size of the purse, but you certainly can’t knock the race from a betting pers ...
Racing
How to Bet the Pegasus World Cup
Accelerate or City of Light —who’ve you got?
It seems that the majority of handicappers will be picking one of those two runners to win the $9 million Pegasus World Cup (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park , and it’s easy to understand why. They both ...
Racing
Magic Wand Offers Great Value to Win Inaugural Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational
On Tuesday, they drew for the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. The race goes off this Saturday, January 26. Not surprisingly, there's some international flare in the $7 million event. Ireland's Magic Wand and Japanese runner Aerolithe both made t ...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup Turf international scouting reports: Aerolithe and Magic Wand
Saturday’s $9 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) has one international participant in Mexico’s undefeated Kukulkan , a 30-1 shot for reasons to be mentioned below, but the new $7 million Turf (G1) features a couple of major win candidates in Japan’s ...
Racing
Parx Racing Pick of the Week for January 22
Tuesday's fourth race at Parx, a six-furlong $12,500 claimer for fillies and mares, appears as if it could be the proper class level for #4 LOU'S CHARDONNAY (5-1) .
Although she's been found wanting in her last couple of starts following nice win ...
Racing
Justify’s legacy among 2019 Pegasus World Cup storylines
Saturday’s $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) melds storylines from the sport’s biggest events, the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup , along with the prospect of untapped potential on display.
Here’s one way to explore the multifacete ...
Racing
Sorting the Contenders in the Smarty Jones Stakes
The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues on Friday with the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park , a one-mile race that strikes me as considerably easier to interpret than last week’s Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Whether that i ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10: A "Win-Win-Win" Situation
In the two weeks since my last update, two new names have joined my , including an exciting stakes winner from Tampa Bay Downs who looks like a potential beast in the making.
How do they all stack up? Let’s take a look….
Game Winner
...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup Turf: Japan’s contender Aerolithe takes to Gulfstream Park
Japanese Grade 1 heroine Aerolithe , the first international shipper to arrive for Saturday’s $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), galloped on the Gulfstream Park main track Sunday morning.
After jetting in the wee hours of January 16 , t ...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup: Imperative rounds out cast after defection of McKinzie; top players fire bullets
Loooch Racing Stables and Imaginary Stable’s Imperative has secured the 12th and final spot in the starting gate for Saturday’s $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), co-owner Ron Paolucci mentioned via Twitter. As first reported by D ...
Racing
2019 Kentucky Derby Contender Profile: War of Will
As the old saying goes, a good horse can come from anywhere, so by extension a Kentucky Derby contender must be able to come from anywhere… even if he’s a turf-bred youngster back from a foray in Europe.
That, in essence, is the journey of Wa ...
Racing
War of Will Conquers Opposition in Lecomte Stakes
Saturday’s Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds was billed as a wide-open race that just about any of the dozen starters could potentially win. But when the dust settled, it was favored War of Will who raced to a resounding victory, crus ...
Racing
Horses of all ages on display on both coasts
On the same weekend in which the National Football League conference championships would determine which two teams will face one another in Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta next month, both thoroughbred and standardbred racing fans had plenty of quality acti ...
Racing
Tote Explodes With $107 Winner At Meadows; Show Horses Add To Power Plays; Winter Storm Nixes Action
Only a few weeks ago, as 2018 ended, our TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horse of the Year emerged. It was unusually late in the season for a candidate but by a mere few dollars we had our 2018 champion.
This past week, on a slow Monday in January, ou ...
Racing
Handicapping Fair Grounds All-Stakes Pick 4
The first of three Kentucky Derby qualifiers at Fair Grounds, Saturday’s $200,000 Lecomte (G3) shapes up as a good betting race with a full field of 14 and anchors an All-Stakes Pick 4.
Here’s my thoughts on the Pick 4 sequence:
Louisiana (r ...
Racing
Fair Grounds Pick of the Week for January 20
Whether Sunday's seventh race at Fair Grounds stays on the turf or is moved to the dirt following forecasted rain earlier in the weekend, #3 NOBLE FEVER (10-1) appears an interesting candidate in the one-mile maiden event for three-year-old fillies ...
Racing
[Video] ON POINTS: Lecomte Stakes Kicks Off Fair Grounds' Road to KY Derby
The Lecomte Stakes on Saturday drew a full field of three-year-olds hopeful to launch themselves on the Kentucky Derby trail via Fair Grounds Race Course's Road to the Louisiana Derby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2amlwN2WSug
HANSON: Roil ...
Racing
Dick Powell’s Fair Grounds All-Stakes Pick 4 selections
Fair Grounds is hosting the Lecomte Stakes (G3) on Saturday, which will serve as the final leg of an All-Stakes Pick 4. With 14 runners expected to compete in the Lecomte, this will not be easy with a small ticket. Luckily for us, there is a 50-cent ...
Racing
Roiland the pick in Lecomte for January Road to the Derby Bonus Cash
A reminder to those that opted in to TwinSpires.com 's Road to the Derby Bonus Cash offer at the start of the year that Saturday's $200,000 Lecomte (G3) [ Click for FREE Brisnet past performances ] at Fair Grounds requires a $20 Win bet for b ...
Racing
Maryland-bred honors up for grabs this winter
While many horse racing enthusiasts are already looking forward to the unveiling of the Eclipse Award winners for 2018 division champions and horse of the year, those who follow thoroughbred and standardbred racing in Maryland will soon find out whic ...
Racing
Picks and Plays for Saturday Stakes Races at Fair Grounds
Fair Grounds racetrack in New Orleans certainly knows how to put together a fun day of racing!
The upcoming Saturday card features six stakes races worth a combined $700,000, and the best part is that they’re arranged in consecutive fashion wi ...
Racing
How to Bet the Lecomte Stakes
Following a two-week break, the Road to the Kentucky Derby will resume on Saturday with the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) , the first of three Kentucky Derby prep races being held at Fair Grounds this winter.
The race attracted 15 ent ...
Racing
How to bet the 2019 Sunshine Millions stakes
Four black-type stakes races top the Sunshine Millions card at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. A total of $600,000 in stakes purses is on the line and I have given some thought on each of the events.
CLASSIC
The David Fawkes-trained Noble Dra ...
Racing
Picks and Plays for Sunshine Millions Day
The annual Sunshine Millions program at Gulfstream Park might not be quite what it was a decade or so ago, when there were more races and bigger purses, but the four races scheduled for Saturday are shaping up to be competitive events with some ...
Racing
Winter Series Launch In Canada; Selected Features Present Promising Plays, Exotics Excite Across The Board
Our selected features are overnight races again, including those in our Power Plays. We are also covering Woodbine-Mohawk (WoMo) series’ first legs—the Blizzard and the Snowshoe.
More action is suggested in the weekly H2W (horses-to-watch) list, o ...
Racing
Dick Powell’s Dubai Pick of the Week Jan. 16, 2019
Race 4 at Meydan on Thursday morning is the $250,000 Cape Verdi Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares going one mile around the sweeping left-hand turn.
The even-money favorite is POETIC CHARM (#2) (1-1) . She was a developing juvenile in 2017 ...
Racing
How to bet the Fair Grounds Stakes on 2019 Road to the Derby Kickoff Day
The $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) is one of six stakes races to be held at Fair Grounds on Saturday as part of the track’s 2019 Road to the Kentucky Derby Kickoff Day. Talented runners and competitive races await us on a fine betting card at the N ...
Racing
Dick Powell’s Australian Pick of the Week Jan. 16, 2019
Race 8 at Australia A (Geelong) Wednesday night is a handicap going 5 1/2 furlongs around a left-hand turn. I'm a sucker for well-bred horses, even all the way down under, and one sticks out here.
#8 MORE SUNDAYS won a barrier trial 13 months ag ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Update: Mind Control, Gunmetal Gray, Mihos Impress
The Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fairgrounds takes place this Saturday, January 19. The Lecomte, like it does every year, should produce the favorite for the Louisiana Derby in March. Pay attention to what happens in the Lecomte. Before the race even g ...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup Update: New Shooters Take on Accelerate, City of Light
Although it's unlikely that impressive Grade 1 Malibu winner McKinzie's supplemented to the January 26 Pegasus World Cup, 4 new shooters will join. All 4 have an outside shot to win the lion's share of the world's richest horse race. 2-of-3 might be ...
Racing
Handicapping Tips for Betting in January
January. Winter racing on cold days.
You can’t get much farther removed from the glorious summer days at Saratoga and Del Mar , can you?
While some tracks in warmer climes provide some semblance of the summer sport even during the doldrums ...
Racing
Parx Racing Pick of the Week for January 15
Trainer John Servis has a powerful duo in #4 LIGHTS DOWN LOW and #6 BOURBON IN BED in Tuesday's second race at Parx, a $20,000 maiden claimer for three-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. Both fillies exit placings at this level, with Bourbon in B ...
Racing
Yonkers and Meadowlands offer solid Saturday night cards
During the weekend in which the National Football League determined its final four teams for the conference championship games next weekend, both Yonkers Raceway and the Meadowlands offered solid Saturday cards during an area spared much of the same ...
Racing
Should You Bet Deep Closers in the Pegasus World Cup?
2018 Pegasus World Cup won by Gun Runner Similar support for closers can be found by examining the results of the Florida Derby (gr. I), the other major nine-furlong dirt race held each year at Gulfstream Park. The perceived speed-favoring nature ...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup: Accelerate, City of Light on course but McKinzie unlikely
While much of the Pegasus World Cup (G1) news has involved key contender workouts, the biggest development to emerge in recent days is the increasingly questionable status of McKinzie .
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert didn’t sound overly ent ...
Racing
Double-Digit Winners Pad The Pocket; $20 Features Hit At Miami Valley Tops Selected Overnight Action
Week two of 2019 (we won’t be counting every week’s review blog, promise) was the usual attack on overnights selected by their promise for value as we predict; and the horses-to-watch list starts the season off productively.
Let’s go over our succ ...
Racing
How to Bet the Rego Park Stakes
When a lightly-raced horse fires off a huge effort, particularly over a wet track, it can be difficult to know if it’s a fair representation of their talent or a fluke that they’re unlikely to repeat.
That’s one of the challenges facing handicappe ...
Racing
Singling the ‘other’ Lynch trainee in Gulfstream Park’s Pick 4
A competitive four-race sequence closes the strong Saturday card at Gulfstream Park and I am focusing on the late Pick 4. I think there is an opportunity to get a price to kick things off which could make this a lucrative payoff.
RACE 9
Se ...
Racing
Fair Grounds Pick of the Week for January 12
The form of #6 LOUNGE ACT (6-1) has blown hot and cold through her brief five-start career, but there some things to like about her when she returns from an extended layoff Saturday in Race 7 at Fair Grounds , an about 1 1/16-mile turf allowance/o ...
Racing
Picks and Plays for Saturday Stakes at Laurel Park
The fields might be a bit on the small side, but four interesting stakes races are among the highlights of an action-packed day of racing scheduled for January 12th at Laurel Park .
The card kicks off at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, with the first stake ...
Racing
Picks and Plays for the Tropical Turf and Marshua's River Stakes
Gulfstream Park is doing their best to keep us entertained while we wait for the eagerly-anticipated Pegasus World Cup (gr. I) and Pegasus World Cup Turf (gr. I) on January 26th.
The Florida racetrack has packed their upcoming weekend stakes s ...
Racing
Picks and Plays for the Las Cienegas and La Canada Stakes
Although most of the attention at Santa Anita this time of year is focused on three-year-olds and Kentucky Derby prep races, the upcoming Saturday card is a bit different, aimed at showcasing older mares on both dirt and turf.
The 6.5-furlong ...
Racing
Winter Wins Loom Boldly In Selected Features; Power Plays, Exotics Aim At Triple-Digit Prices
In the first few months of 2019, bettors could be pumping up their TwinSpires account bankrolls with overnight races every bit as valuable as the season’s later stakes. The TwinSpires harness blog selects overnight races on various weekend programs a ...
Racing
Baffert is Loaded in Quest for Record-Equaling Sixth Kentucky Derby Win
Trainer has already swept the Triple Crown twice among 15 victories in Triple Crown races, record totals that have established Baffert as the all-time leading trainer in the spring classics.
Five of those classic wins have come in the Kentucky D ...
Racing
Accelerate Fits Profile of Past Pegasus World Cup Winners
The will be held for the third time on January 26th, and while two previous renewals isn’t much of a sample size for identifying race trends, already we’re seeing that it takes a special kind of horse to win North America’s richest horse race.
On ...
Racing
Breeders' Cup Depth Runs Deep in Third Pegasus World Cup
For the third straight year, the top two finishers from the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) are set to contest the at Gulfstream Park , but this time around the Breeders’ Cup representation will extend well beyond just the Classic.
Accelerate ...
Racing
Dick Powell's Dubai Pick of the Week Jan. 9, 2019
Race 2 at Meydan on Thursday morning is the $100,000 Dubai Trophy Stakes for three-year-olds going seven furlongs on the turf. It will be run around one wide, sweeping, left-handed turn and a field of 16 is entered.
The bulky field will make trips ...
Racing
Dick Powell's Australian Pick of the Week Jan. 9, 2019
Race 1 at Australia A (Muswellbrook) is a maiden handicap for three-year-olds going 1250 meters (just over six furlongs). Numbers 6, 12 and 17 are early scratches, and the ground is supposed to be a Good 4 for the one run around a right-hand turn. Fi ...
Racing
Gingras reaches milestone on Yonkers 2019 opener
While many sports enthusiasts might have been initially enthralled to the start of the NCAA College Football Championship game on Monday evening, serious harness racing fans were keen to watch the first card of the 2019 Yonkers Raceway season that ni ...
Racing
Trainerspeak a tip-off on beaten favorite Coliseum
About 30 years ago, a friend of mine had a horse with a very famous trainer. I talked to my friend and he told me that the horse had a chip removed from his knee arthroscopically that morning. Later in the day, I had to speak to the trainer and in a ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profile: Gunmetal Gray
West Point Thoroughbreds et al’s Gunmetal Gray picked up 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby series with his last-to-first score in Saturday’s Sham Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita. The three-year-old son of Exchange Rate picked up his first ...
Racing
Meadowlands Saturday night card proved noteworthy
During the opening weekend of the National Football League playoffs and amid the brief hiatus at nearby Yonkers Raceway across the Hudson River, the Meadowlands offered a solid Saturday night card in which driver Andy Miller and a trio of Winbak Farm ...
Racing
Analyzing the Strength of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Field
So far, eight of the thirteen Juvenile starters have come back to run again, with a mixture of success and disappointment. Let’s take a quick look at how each horse fared in their first post-Breeders’ Cup start: Knicks Go (2nd in the Juvenile) W ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10: Major Changes to Kick Off 2019
For the first time in more than a month, there’s been a major shake-up in my .
Following disappointing efforts in Saturday Derby preps from Code of Honor (previously ranked #6) and Coliseum (ranked #8), I have elected to remove both colts from ...
Racing
Using Trainer Angles in Handicapping, Part 5
You’ve probably heard the talk—the talk of how trainer has become essentially unbeatable with his two-year-olds.
Maybe “unbeatable” is a bit of a stretch, but it isn’t far from the truth either. In 2018, Baffert’s two-year-olds compiled an otherw ...
Education
Parx Racing Pick of the Week for January 8
Tuesday's feature at Parx Racing (Race 9) is a second-level allowance with a $25,000 claiming option for four-year-olds and up at seven furlongs. #2 IT'S GOOD TO BE US (6-5) makes an awaited return from a layoff of more than six months for trainer Jo ...
Racing
2019 Kentucky Derby Contender Profile: Gunmetal Gray
But then again, we already know that Gunmetal Gray is capable of running faster, and favorable setup or not, he deserves credit for picking up the first graded stakes victory of his career. Perhaps Gunmetal Gray’s greatest asset is his consistency; h ...
Racing
Pegasus World Cup Turf prospectus: Internationals add needed depth
As the field for the $9 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) crystallizes, its newly minted companion event for January 26, the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), is still in the assembly stage.
Unlike the dirt contest that offers a terrific rem ...
Racing
Gunmetal Gray Rallies to Victory in Sham Stakes
Gunmetal Gray, coming off of a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) , was the clear second choice in the wagering, though his backers must have surely been feeling antsy halfway through the race, when Gunmetal Gray was disconnect ...
Racing