Derek Simon

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Lookin' At Laurel

Fri Sep 18 2015Derek Simon

As someone who cut his racing teeth at Longacres, Playfair, Yakima Meadows and Portland Meadows, I have a deep appreciation for the “little guys” of racing — the not-yet-ready-for-prime-time tracks. To me, the Longacres Mile was and still kinda-so ...

Racing

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Recognizing Horses That Can’t Win

Fri Sep 11 2015Derek Simon

There is a quote, attributed to the great fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, which asserts: “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” Horse players should take heed, for often “handic ...

Racing

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Travers Recap

Fri Sep 04 2015Derek Simon

Host Derek Simon recaps the 2015 Travers Stakes, with commentary from American Pharoah's trainer (Bob Baffert), jockey (Victor Espinoza) and owner (Ahmed Zayat). Check Out Sports Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with TwinSpires Radio on ...

Racing

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American Pharoah Lost, Get Over It!

Fri Sep 04 2015Derek Simon

American Pharoah lost a horse race. And not since Chicken Little proclaimed that the sky was falling has there been so much ado-doo about nothing. After the Triple Crown champion was overtaken by Keen Ice in the stretch of last Saturday’s Trav ...

Racing

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The Gift Horse

Wed Aug 26 2015Derek Simon

It’s hard to win consistently at the races. Although the guy hawking “guaranteed winners” on the Internet for just $9.99 would disagree, pari-mutuel markets are generally efficient, meaning that they reflect nearly all the pertinent data available fo ...

Racing

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Analyzing Workouts

Thu Aug 20 2015Derek Simon

One of the toughest things for handicappers to assess is workouts — or so the experts tell us. “It’s not how fast they work, it’s how they work fast,” the clockers say. Well, call me stubborn, but when I see a horse work six furlongs ...

Racing

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Turning a Small Edge Into a Big One

Fri Aug 14 2015Derek Simon

Many folks believe that the only way to win wagering on horse racing or other sports is to eschew smaller edges in favor of larger ones — a twist on the Wall St. dictum to “buy low and sell high.” Such advice sounds good and, when coupled with some ...

Racing

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TwinSpires Horse Racing Podcast with Derek Simon

Fri Aug 07 2015Derek Simon

Host Derek Simon discusses American Pharoah’s devastating win in the Haskell that garnered him a 136 Timeform Rating , as well as the stellar racing debut of Rachel’s Valentina, daughter of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. In the U. o ...

Racing

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The Importance of WINNING at the Track

Fri Aug 07 2015Derek Simon

I’m asked all the time if I think it’s possible to make a living at the racetrack and whether or not I believe I can do it. My answer to both questions is “yes,” provided that “make a living” is assigned a realistic numerical value (somewhere between ...

Racing

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The Champ Returns & The Dog Days of Summer Revisited

Sat Aug 01 2015Derek Simon

The question on every racing fan’s mind is this: Will Triple Crown champ (ah, that feels good to write) American Pharoah taste defeat in the Haskell Invitational this weekend? No. Look, I hate to be a killjoy and I’m always supportive o ...

Racing

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TwinSpires Horse Racing Podcast with Derek Simon

Fri Jul 31 2015Derek Simon

TwinSpires' Derek Simon turns "Mythbuster" as he consumes a carbonated water beverage during the show in an effort to see whether it has the intoxicatiing powers claimed by jockey Kent Desormeaux. In the Racing History segment, Derek revis ...

Racing

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Saratoga Handicapping Primer

Fri Jul 24 2015Derek Simon

Last week, I profiled Del Mar; this week, I’m looking at Saratoga. Saratoga Race Course opened its gates in 1863, making it the third oldest racetrack in the United States and one of the oldest sporting venues in the country. The track's first ...

Racing

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Del Mar Preview

Sat Jul 18 2015Derek Simon

With one the summer’s marque race meetings — Del Mar — now getting underway, I did some digging and have unearthed a slew of statistical nuggets that I hope handicappers will find insightful. Next week, we’ll look at Saratoga. Del Mar ...

Racing