VIDEOS
LATEST
Shapiro: Handicapping Double Pick 6 Carryover at the Spa
By SCOTT SHAPIRO
After an exciting first four days that included Monomoy Girl all but solidifying the three-year-old filly championship with a dominant win in the Grade 1 Coaching Club Oaks, horseplayers get a great wagering opportunity to kick ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Week One Wrap-Up
By DICK POWELL
Four days of racing.
Three at Fast/Firm; one at Sloppy (sealed)/Soft.
Chad Brown had seven winners. Four were favored and three were not. Four were ridden by Javier Castellano.
Todd Pletcher had four winners. Three were f ...
Racing
Out Cap Da Shap at Del Mar on July 25
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
The second week of the “Out Cap Da Shap” promo at TwinSpires.com is upon us after eight customers were able to piece together a challenging late Pick 4 that paid $888.65 for 50-cents on Opening Day. The octet each earned an ad ...
Racing
Prince of Wales Day Handicapping Blog
Prince of Wales favorite Wonder Gadot may have turned the corner with a romping 4 ¾-length victory in the Queen’s Plate.
A multiple stakes winner at age 2, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro had arguably shown an aversion to the winner’s circle in h ...
Racing
Governor's Day set for Thursday evening
With the Meadowlands Pace card and the Hambletonian Day card at the Meadowlands taking center stage this summer, harness racing enthusiasts throughout the Mid-Atlantic region typically look forward to the upcoming, lucrative Governor's Day card this ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Rainy Monday
by DICK POWELL
So much for dodging raindrops.
The rains came overnight and continued into this morning. There was a small possibility that some of the turf races could stay on but a couple of deluges later in the morning took care o ...
Racing
ADVERTISEMENT
Keeler Johnson's Breeders' Cup Sprint Top 10 – 7/27/18
As part of my ongoing “” series, I decided this week to rank my Top 10 contenders for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.
Given the large number of talented sprinters in North America, this was not an easy list to compile ...
Racing
Time to Revisit Handicap Division After Catalina Cruiser’s Win
Accelerate was supposed to blow out his competition in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap this past Saturday at Del Mar. That didn't happen. Not because Accelerate didn't perform to his best. It didn't happen because Accelerate didn't perform at all. Li ...
Racing
Monday’s Late Pick 4 at Saratoga
The Caress Stakes for fillies and mares sprinting on the lawn highlights a nine-race card on the first Monday of the Saratoga meeting.
I think this could be a really good sequence to take a swing at with the potential for square prices in every le ...
Racing
Ocean Downs and Pocono Downs offer Sunday night cards
During a weekend in which heavy rains wreaked havoc with numerous outdoor activities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, Ocean Downs and Pocono Downs offered full cards on Sunday evening amid completely opposite conditions. Just prior to the midway ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Monomoy Girl clinches a championship, get in 'Stride' on Monday
by DICK POWELL
If you saw the radar last evening here, it was odds-on that today would be a washout. There was a huge “Nor’Easter” coming up the coast and it looked like no area would be spared. These are the storms we usually get in the winter a ...
Racing
Frosh-Frolic Price Best Of All At $59; Hambo-Trail Colt Pays $20; Adios Pace Field Set
The Freshman Frolic section exploded with prices across the board in only fifteen races. A DQ resulted in the top win price, $59.00 and all percentages were astounding. We hit a 20-percent win average and an across-the-board average of 67 p ...
Racing
Meadows and Saratoga offer solid Saturday cards
Harness racing enthusiasts are accustomed to seeing the best trotters and pacers compete in the evening, but on Saturday they were treated to a blend of action as the Meadows hosted two eliminations for the Del Miller Adios along with a quarter of Pe ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: Fast times at the Spa
by Dick Powell
The weather yesterday was fantastic and today was even better. Expected heat and humidity held off and there was a stiff breeze blowing down the homestretch. The temperature was in the low 80s and it felt great.
With the sun and ...
Racing
Del Mar Late Pick 5 play for San Diego Handicap Day
Saturday's Late Pick 5 at Del Mar includes a pair of competitive Grade 2 stakes and several overnight events with no apparent standouts. It's a tough sequence, but one I'll take a shot at with the following ticket.
Race 6 -- Allowance
Just tw ...
Racing
Plenty of options in well-matched Sanford
The $150,000 Sanford S. (G3) for juveniles is not the main attraction at Saratoga on Saturday. That distinction belongs to the $500,000 Diana S. (G1) for the fillies and mares on turf in the following race.
But from a betting standpoint, the Sanfo ...
Racing
Saratoga Diary: July 20 recap, 'Money' the Diana play
by DICK POWELL
Racing has been conducted at Saratoga Race Course since 1864 but I can’t imagine a more glorious day than the 2018 opening. A crystal blue sky, bright sunshine and perfect temperature attracted a huge crowd that kept pouring in all ...
Racing
How to play Saturday's Late Pick 4 at Saratoga
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
The first Saturday afternoon card of the 2018 Saratoga meet is a strong one and as usual includes a Pick 4 over the final four races. The sequence includes the Sanford (G3) and the Diana (G1) and kicks off with a 5 1/2-furlong d ...
Racing
Hambletonian Future-Bet #2 Presents Choices, Adds Filly To Classic Mix
Round two for wagering on the 93rd Hambletonian winner is open today through Sunday at 10 p.m. (EDT) July 22.
Bettors will get two more chances to pick the Hambletonian winner before the race is actually held Saturday, Aug. 4, at The Mea ...
Racing
How to Bet the Double
We’ll explain the terminology, introduce you to the different types of bets, and provide tips on how to effectively structure your tickets.
Education
Opening-Day Plays at Saratoga
Saratoga’s opener features a pair of stakes races and I’ll focus upon a runner from the Schuylerville (G3) for multi-race wagers, #2 Nonna Madeline . Todd Pletcher won 15 2-year-old races at the Spa last year and Nonna Madeline adds John Velazquez o ...
Racing
A Pair of Turf Stakes Races Headline Sunday Card at Del Mar
The first week of the Del Mar Summer meeting concludes with a pair of two-turn stakes races run over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
The feature is the Grade 2 Eddie Read is for three-year-olds and upward and is conducted at a mile and an eighth. ...
Racing
Del Mar 2yos Analysis for July 20-22, 2018
The Del Mar summer meet kicked off on Wednesday, which means it’s time to start watching the track’s many high-class races for two-year-olds in search of 2019 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders.
We’ve already seen one promisin ...
Racing
Itsinthepost, Hunt Square Off in Eddie Read Stakes
If you like grass racing and large, competitive fields, then you won’t want to miss the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes (gr. II) on Sunday at Del Mar .
Held at nine furlongs, the Eddie Read has attracted eleven starters that pretty much represent a ...
Racing
Powell's Saratoga Diary: Going 'Wild' for Opening Day
by DICK POWELL
It took longer than expected but I am officially excited about Friday’s Opening Day of the Saratoga Race Course. We all look forward to the start of the meet but we know how much work is involved to have a chance. I know; it’s not ...
Racing
Vettori Kin Ships In for Woodbine's Nijinsky Stakes
Although the attention of most racing fans this weekend will be focused on Del Mar and Saratoga , it could also pay to keep an eye on what transpires in Sunday’s $175,000 Nijinsky Stakes (gr. II) at Woodbine .
The 1 ½-mile turf race coul ...
Racing
Early Pick 4 the focus on Saratoga’s Opening Day
The much-anticipated meeting at Saratoga Race Course kicks off on Friday with a 10-race card, including a pair of Grade 3 affairs. I will try and get off on the right foot by tackling the early Pick-4.
I have long been a believer that many conditi ...
Racing
Saratoga 2yos Analysis
Get ready! The much-anticipated Saratoga meet opens on Friday, and with the opening of Saratoga comes another fantastic summer of top-notch two-year-old racing.
Will we see the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner in action? Or the 201 ...
Racing
Del Mar Late Pick 4 Analysis- Saturday July 21st
The first Saturday afternoon late Pick 4 of the 2018 Del Mar summer meeting is a good one.
The four-race sequence that commences in Race 7 and concludes with the finale in Race 10 gets rolling with the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap followed by an ex ...
Racing
How to Bet the Sanford Stakes
Question: Which trainer has enjoyed the most success in two-year-old races at Saratoga over the last few years?
The answer, as you might expect, is Todd Pletcher. With his annual arsenal of well-bred young runners, Pletcher has been the leadin ...
Racing
Meadows Holds Adios Elims; Saratoga Stakes-Heavy Saturday; Freshman Frolic With Full Agenda
Post-Meadowlands Pace weekend has a Saturday-heavy race menu for features. However, the action begins, as usual with this blog, on Thursday. Our TwinSpires exclusive harness feature, Freshman Frolic, begins July 19 and is jam-packed with be ...
Racing
Sires Stakes Gathers Colts and Fillies In Two States; Grand Circuit Groups At Meadowlands
With one week until final preparations for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks, hopeful colts and fillies go in several Hambletonian Trial events this weekend including fillies in two divisions of the $121,500 New York Sires Stakes (NYSS ...
Racing
The Meadows hosts Del Miller Adios elims
While the Meadowlands in New Jersey may have garnered the spotlight last weekend among harness racing enthusiasts, many standardbred fans will turn their attention slightly west this weekend when The Meadows, a five-eighths mile oval near Pittsburgh, ...
Racing
Proctor's Ledge Worth Playing in Diana Stakes
Saturday’s $500,000 Diana Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga is a race that truly deserves its Grade 1 status. Three of the seven starters have won at this level already, and three more have prevailed multiple times at the Grade 2/Grade 3 level.
Not s ...
Racing
How to Bet the Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar
The stakes action continues on Friday afternoon at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club with a competitive and challenging rendition of the $75,000 Osunitas Stakes on tap.
The mile and a sixteenth restricted event for fillies and mares is headlined by t ...
Racing
Late Pick 4 Play on Del Mar opener
Excitement surrounds Del Mar’s opener and the Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds highlights a challenging 10-race program. TwinSpires is offering an opening-day contest on the Late Pick 4, “Out Cap Da Shap,” where players will try to outperform han ...
Racing
How to Bet the Lake George Stakes
The wait is over! The much-anticipated 2018 Saratoga summer meet kicks off on Friday, with the feature race of the afternoon being the $150,000 Lake George Stakes (gr. III) for three-year-old fillies going 8.5 furlongs on the Mellon turf course. ...
Racing
Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou Clash in CCA Oaks
For the Mother Goose, my money was on Road to Victory, the only horse to have ever beaten Monomoy Girl. Obviously, I didn't cash. Midnight Bisou won the way she's supposed to, track the leaders and then blow by them. She can also close from the clo ...
Racing
Synthetic to Dirt: A Valuable, Overlooked Angle
Although the glory days of synthetic racetracks seem to be over in North America—tracks like Santa Anita, Del Mar, and Keeneland have all gone back to dirt in recent years—many synthetic racing surfaces remain installed at tracks across the continen ...
Education
Saratoga Preview
by DICK POWELL
Chad or Todd? Irad or Jose?
These are the questions facing us as the 2018 Saratoga meet begins on Friday from the historic race course in Saratoga Springs.
The past three years have seen a neck-and-neck battle for the H. Al ...
Racing
Out Cap Da Shap on Del Mar’s Opening Day
By SCOTT SHAPIRO
Wednesday is Opening Day at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and that should mean a massive late Pick 4 pool where the “Turf Meets the Surf.”
Twin Spires is bringing back 2016’s favorite contest where players get a chance to “o ...
Racing
Mucciolo’s Opening Day Plays at Del Mar
The always exciting Del Mar summer season will kick-off Wednesday with a 10-race card. The $100,000 Oceanside serves as the feature, with an overflow field of 16 competitive sophomores entered for the one-mile turf affair.
I have tabbed a handful ...
Racing
Ocean Downs offers two nights of Maryland Sire Stakes finals
Beach goers in Ocean City often find their ideal place to cool off and unveil their afternoon tans to be five miles west at Ocean Downs in Berlin and over the past two nights the half-mile oval offered a quartet of Maryland Sire Stakes finals for thr ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Breeders' Cup Classic Top 10 – 7/16/18
Suffice to say, a lot has happened since I published my first ranking of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) contenders back in June.
With the uncertainty surrounding the racing future of Triple Crown winner , I have decided to at least temp ...
Racing
How to Bet the Oceanside Stakes on Opening Day at Del Mar
The Oceanside Stakes may not be a graded event, but as usual the restricted $100,000 contest drew a strong field of three-year-old colts looking to get the summer meet started with a visit to the Del Mar winners’ circle.
The pace in this year’s ...
Racing
Attack On Meadowlands Pace Scores $107 Exacta, $260 Triple; Top-Picked ‘Sheppard’ Frosh Best; ‘Frolic’ Youngsters Sharp
The Meadowlands Pace, the sport’s big weekend feature on July 14, deserves the lead for this update-review edition of the TwinSpires harness blog—because we crushed all three positions and the strategy that led to big exotics profits.
...
Racing
Meadowlands hosts superb Saturday card
For many harness racing enthusiasts Saturday night's card at the Meadowlands was reminiscent of day of old as the track once dubbed the mecca of the sport hosted a stellar card that featured its signature event as well as numerous other stakes that i ...
Racing
Hanson: Pick 4 for Stars of Texas Day at Lone Star Park
Sunday's $50,000 Guaranteed All Stakes Pick 4 at Lone Star Park encompasses four stakes for Texas-bred or -sired horses, including a pair of contentious races for two-year-olds whose careers are just getting started. Here are thoughts on the sequence ...
Racing
Two-horse race looms in Indiana Oaks
An octet of fillies will take aim on the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) on Saturday night. I see this as a two-horse affair and will play it aggressively.
#1 MOLECULES (30-1) – Local hopeful is a nose shy of being unbeaten from three starts. Longsho ...
Racing
How to Bet the Indiana Derby
A solid field of nine will go 1 1/16 miles in the lucrative $500,000 Indiana Derby (G2) on Saturday evening.
Here is a look at the field:
#1 TRIGGER WARNING (8-1) – Multiple stakes winner by Candy Ride was a close third in the Ohio Derby (G3) ...
Racing
All-Stakes Pick 3 Plays on Del ‘Cap Day
The $750,000 Delaware H. (G2) will feature a solid favorite in Elate, who makes her first start since finishing fourth as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). A pair of competitive races, the Hockessin and Kent (G3), precede the Del ‘Cap a ...
Racing
Meadowlands offers exceptional card on Saturday night
Harness racing fans who were accustomed to seeing the spotlight focused on the Meadowlands for decades in the 20th century will once again focus their attention on the New Jersey one-mile oval on Saturday night when the track offers its signature eve ...
Racing
Indiana Derby Day Handicapping Blog
Saturday night’s 24 th running of the $500,000 Indiana Derby (G3) highlights a 10-race card including six stakes at Indiana Grand.
King Zachary is the horse to beat following his 4 ¾-length victory in the Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs. By Cur ...
Racing
How to play the early Pick 5 on Indiana Derby Day
Indiana Grand recently introduced a Pick 5 wager on its first five races, and the pool should be healthy Saturday night when the track hosts its biggest card of the year, highlighted by the $500,000 Indiana Derby (G3).
Be sure to take advantage of ...
Racing
Shapiro analyzes the Delaware Handicap
Elate winning the Beldame Invitational (G1) at Belmont Park last September (c) NYRA/Chelsea Durand/Adam Coglianese Photography
by Scott Schapiro
The $750,000 Delaware Handicap (G2) headlines a 10-race card on Saturday afternoon at beautiful ...
Racing
How to Bet the Trifecta
We’ll explain the terminology, introduce you to the different types of bets, and provide tips on how to effectively structure your tickets.
Education
Chad Brown Could Own the Travers Stakes
Soon, all eyes will be on the two biggest summer meets: Del Mar and Saratoga. Del Mar's opening day is on July 19. Only a day later, Saratoga opens its doors for yet another awesome meet. The highlight, like it is every year, is the Travers Stakes. ...
Racing
Meadowlands Pace Program Parades Star Divisions Thick With Upset Potential; Freshman Frolic Features Pricey Prospects
A big stakes night at the Meadowlands revolves around Meadowlands Pace. July 14’s program is covered thoroughly below, along with some extra facts on the iconic stakes event. The “Pace” program includes the classic Mistletoe Shalee affair, ...
Racing
Stanley Dancer And Del Miller Splits Present Major August-Classic Contenders In Flight At Meadowlands
Meadowlands Racetrack hosts the marquee preps on the Hambletonian Trail, the $262,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial and the $257,000 Del Miller Memorial, on the undercard of the Meadowlands Pace Saturday, July 14. Full fields of Hambletonian and ...
Racing
Keying King Zachary in the Indiana Derby
In the months following the conclusion of the Triple Crown, there are plenty of rich stakes races available for talented three-year-olds that might not be at the very top of the division.
One of the best is the $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. III) ...
Racing
Indiana Derby Among Six Stakes Races on Saturday at Indiana Grand
If the thought of a Saturday evening filled with quality, competitive horse racing sounds fun to you, then you’re in luck!
The upcoming July 14th card at Indiana Grand includes six stakes races, two of them graded, and the racing action will con ...
Racing
Asmussen, Pletcher Ready With Top 2yos for Saratoga Meet
Saratoga … they call it the “Graveyard of Favorites,” but it could also be considered the “Birthplace of Champions.”
After all, with its terrific program of races for two-year-olds— seven graded stakes races supported by literally dozens of ma ...
Racing
Baffert, O'Neill Loaded With 2yos for the Del Mar Meet
What’s your favorite aspect of the upcoming summer meet at Del Mar ?
There’s a lot to like about the prestigious seven-week meet, including the action-packed stakes schedule and the top-notch turf racing. But what gets me the most excited—and ...
Racing
From Grade 1 to Grade 3: A Significant Class Drop
It’s easy to understand how significant it can be when a racehorse drops from one class level to a lower class level. As we’ve discussed in the past, when a horse drops from a maiden special weight to a maiden claiming race , the easier competiti ...
Education
Ocean Downs offer two nights at Maryland Race Fund action
Beach goers who don their tans in Ocean City during the day know where to look for some evening excitement amid cooler climes each summer as they venture to Ocean Downs, a half-mile harness racing oval which had plenty of offer on Sunday and Monday e ...
Racing
Pacific Classic, 2yo Races Highlight 2018 Del Mar Meet
Summer may have officially arrived in June, but for horsemen, racing fans, and bettors, the season doesn’t truly begin until the annual summer meets at Del Mar and Saratoga open for business in mid-July.
Both meets are packed with rich stakes race ...
Racing
Top Programs for 2yos, 3yos Highlight 2018 Saratoga Stakes Schedule
Summer may have officially arrived in June, but for horsemen, racing fans, and bettors, the season doesn’t truly begin until the annual summer meets at Del Mar and Saratoga open for business in mid-July.
Both meets are packed with rich stakes race ...
Racing
Juvenile Stakes Races, All-Stakes Pick 4 Highlight Sunday Card at Lone Star Park
Who doesn’t like an all-stakes Pick 4 with a $50,000 guaranteed pool?
If that sounds appealing to you, then be sure to check out Sunday’s race card at Lone Star Park , which will culminate with four stakes races at varying distances that comprise ...
Racing
Early list of 2018 Arlington Million possibles
Although it’s premature to say that the field is coming together for the August 11 Arlington Million (G1), Sunday’s Arlington barn notes named possible candidates for the “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
Oscar Performance p ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Breeders' Cup Distaff Top 10 – 7/9/18
In recent years, we’ve been treated to some truly memorable renewals of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I) , and the 2018 edition at Churchill Downs is shaping up to be yet another terrific race.
With a prospective field that’s packed with c ...
Racing
Limousine Liberal Edges Whitmore in Thrilling Belmont Sprint Championship
Despite this rough entrance to the homestretch, all the horses stayed on their feet and Whitmore—none the worse for wear—gamely set off to reel in Eye Luv Lulu, who had inherited the lead. But Limousine Liberal had likewise shrugged off the bumping a ...
Racing
We Win Both Meadowlands Pace Elims And Graduate Pace; 118-1 Frosh Plus Favorite Pays $132 Exacta; Hambo Preps Productive
This week’s features faired well enough and there was enough freshman fire to kick a few exactas well into the black. It was a slow weekend for the H2W list in the winners department.
Here is how it all went down:
Friday, July ...
Racing
Meadowlands offers solid Saturday night card
While Belmont Park was the main focus for thoroughbred racing fans on Saturday afternoon, standardbred racing fans turned their attention slightly south later that evening as The Meadowlands presented two, $250,000 Graduate Series finals as well as a ...
Racing
Belmont and Delaware Park offer numerous stakes
Following a week of hot, humid conditions throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, drier, cooler climes arrivedon Saturday afternoon at Belmont Park and Delaware Park both offered solid cards with stakes on the back end of the program and Laurel Park also ...
Racing
2018 Saratoga Meet Predictions
in New York and transfer from Belmont Park to Saratoga. One of those horses, Mendelssohn, might emerge as the 3-year-old to take on Justify. The other horses could end up Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf favorites. ...
Racing
How to Play the Belmont Oaks-Suburban-Belmont Derby Pick 3
Chad Brown has won five of the last six editions of the Belmont Oaks (G1), and will saddle two of the 10 candidates on Saturday. The pair includes 7-2 morning line favorite Significant Form, a nice filly but one whose credentials aren't quite as stro ...
Racing
International scouting reports for 2018 Belmont Oaks: Athena, Capla Temptress, Chipolata
Mirroring the Belmont Derby (G1), Saturday’s $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) pits a European raiding party against a strong home defense. Team Valor’s Capla Temptress is the most accomplished of the invading trio, but Aidan O’Brien’s Athe ...
Racing
Extra ground can help Whitmore in Belmont Sprint Championship
Saturday's $350,000 Belmont Sprint Championship (G3) is a "Win & You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge race for the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), to be held at Churchill Downs in November.
A field of six will line up for the seven-fu ...
Racing
How to play the Million Preview Day Pick 5 at Arlington
Million Preview Day at Arlington on Saturday features several intriguing multi-race wagers, including the 50-cent Late Pick 5 (Races 6-10) and the TwinSpires.com Late Pick 4 (Races 7-10). Here are thoughts on the Pick 5.
Race 6 -- Modesty H. (G ...
Racing
International scouting reports for 2018 Belmont Derby: Hunting Horn and Kingstar
Saturday’s $1.2 million Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) features not only a robust domestic team, but a couple of proper European shippers as well in Aidan O’Brien’s Hunting Horn and Team Valor’s Kingstar.
HUNTING HORN
Recent Royal Ascot winn ...
Racing
All-Stakes Pick 4 analysis for Belmont Derby Day
by SCOTT SHAPIRO
New York City takes center stage in the Thoroughbred racing world on Saturday afternoon as Belmont Park hosts a strong 11-race card starting at 1:30 p.m. (EDT)
An all-stakes Pick 4 that includes the $1 million Belmont Oak ...
Racing
How to Bet the Grade 2 Suburban
The New York Racing Association has put together a strong stakes laden card this Saturday afternoon that includes five-graded stakes races over the 11-race slate.
The Grade 1 and the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks attracted world class fields and will rec ...
Racing
Mendelssohn Returns to the U.S. for Dwyer Stakes
He was one of the most polarizing horses in the 2018 Kentucky Derby field, with some handicappers viewing him as a prime win candidate and others tossing him from all of their tickets.
That horse was Mendelssohn , who joined the Derby field with ...
Racing
How to bet the exacta
We’ll introduce you to the different types of bets, explain the terminology, and provide tips on how to effectively structure your tickets. Let's kick things off by taking a look at the "exacta."
Education
Breeders’ Cup Challenge series heats up
by Dick Powell
Just like the weather, the series of Breeders’ Cup Challenge races is starting to heat up and will do so until racing arrives on the first Friday and Saturday of November at Churchill Downs. The Triple Crown is over and the attenti ...
Racing
Jockey Profile: Jose Valdivia Jr.
One of the best jockeys in the United States has his tack at Arlington Park. About 20 years ago, Jose Valdivia Jr. used to throw down at Santa Anita Park. Back then, he was known as one of the best young turf riders at Santa Anita. Now, he wins aboa ...
Racing
Tackling deep Late Pick 4 on Belmont Park's Stars and Stripes Racing Festival
by JOHN MUCCIOLO
The late Pick-4 (Races 7-10) at Belmont on Saturday features two Grade 1 fields, as well as a pair of Grade 2 tilts. With no standouts that I can see in the sequence, the potential for a nice payday awaits. I’ll give it my best s ...
Racing
How to bet graded stakes on Arlington's Ride to the Million card
by JOHN MUCCIOLO
Four graded stakes races will be held on the Arlington Park lawn on Saturday as part of the “Ride to the Million” program. Each of the races serves as preps for events on Arlington Million Day, on August 11.
I will take a look ...
Racing
How to Bet the Belmont Oaks
Just how dominant has trainer been in the $1 million Belmont Oaks (gr. I) at Belmont Park ?
Well, since the Belmont Oaks took on its current name, distance, and place on the calendar, Brown has won three of the four renewals. He also won the l ...
Racing
Will Hawkish Fly to Victory in the Belmont Derby?
Chad Brown and Aidan O’Brien. Few, if any, will dispute that these two men are among the leading trainers in the world, particularly when it comes to turf horses.
Both will be represented by well-regarded runners in Saturday’s $1.2 million Belmon ...
Racing
Why I'm Betting Shaft of Light in the Belmont Sprint Championship
The field might be small, but you can’t knock the quality of Saturday’s $350,000 Belmont Sprint Championship Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park , a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I) in November at Churchill Downs.
Six ho ...
Racing
Meadowlands Pace Elims Highlight Convoy Of Stakes Conflicts; Aged Battle Royally; Freshman Frays Go For Pricy Purses
It’s another big weekend of harness wagering opportunity during the first sweeping heat wave of the season. A few divisions, including the sport’s newest opponents, are packing heat for big purses and, as usual, we have profits on our mind. Our betti ...
Racing
Hambo/Oaks-Eligible Races In Reynolds Stake And Conditioned Events At Meadowlands
Action on the Hambletonian Trail lightens this week with trotters pointing to the first Saturday in August gathering at the Meadowlands on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7 for two overnight events and exclusively the fillies in the $66,2 ...
Racing
Meadowlands offers solid Saturday night card
This coming Saturday night harness racing fans will turn their attention to the Meadowlands as the one-mile oval in New Jersey will once again resume its role as the sport's mecca when the track hosts two eliminations of its signature event, the Mead ...
Racing
Using Trainer Angles in Handicapping, Part 4
Many handicappers know the value of analyzing a trainer’s record with first-time starters. Some trainers, like Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher, are renowned for the ability to send out race-ready horses to win their debuts, and knowing this can be hel ...
Education
Thoughts on Tuesday's $16,943 Pick 5 carryover at Emerald Downs
A chance for early fireworks in advance of the Independence Day holiday occurs Tuesday evening at Emerald Downs, where a 50-cent Pick 5 carryover of $16,943 awaits bettors willing to sift through the fields in races 5-9.
Here are some thoughts on ...
Racing
Pocono Downs and Ocean Downs offer plenty of action on Sunday night
Sunday evening may mark the end of the weekend for many Americans, but for standardbred fans who enjoy seeing developing two-year-olds and durable older pacers compete turned their attention to Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania and Ocean Downs in Maryland ...
Racing
Philly Fillies Afloat In Trio Of Lucrative Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Features
Philadelphia hosts Hambletonian-Oaks contenders (and then some) on July 3 in three power-purse editions of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) as the Hambletonian Trail rolls into its final month for 2018. These splits are worth $56,000-pl ...
Racing