John Mucciolo

Handicapper and journalist John Mucciolo has been a contributor to Brisnet and TwinSpires since 2004. Mucciolo's work has included efforts in the 'Notebook' series of The Handicapper's Edge in the early days of Brisnet.com and most recently on TwinSpires Edge. John has also offered selections for a varied array of Brisnet products. Outside of Mucciolo's frequent analysis on horse racing, Mucc is an acclaimed high school soccer coach who earned Times-Tribune's Coach of the Year honors in 2020.

Turfway Park Racing (Coady Photo/Turfway Park)

Pick 3 of the Week: Turfway Park Saturday

Fri Mar 21 2025John Mucciolo

The $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) highlights a major 13-race slate on Saturday at Turfway Park, and I will try to get the day started in a positive way with the Pick 3 of the Week early in the card.

Turfway Park

Fair Grounds racetrack grandstand racing scene sunset

Racing at Fair Grounds (Photo by Hodges Photography)

How to bet the Page Cortez Stakes

Fri Mar 21 2025John Mucciolo

An overflow field of 15 Cajun-bred fillies and mares will run 5 1/2 furlongs over the Fair Grounds green in Sunday’s $100,000 Page Cortez S.

Fair Grounds

Let Him Be wins the New Mexico Classic Sprint S. at Zia Park.

Let Him Be wins the New Mexico Classic Sprint S. at Zia Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

How to bet the Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap

Thu Mar 20 2025John Mucciolo

A full field of 12 New Mexico-bred runners will dash 5 1/2 panels in Friday’s $90,000 Mt. Cristo Rey H.

Wagering

Kinetic wins the General Macarthur Overnight Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Kinetic wins the General Macarthur Overnight Stakes at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media / Credit to Kurtis Coady)

Betting With, and Against, Kinetic in the Essex Handicap

Thu Mar 20 2025John Mucciolo

A total of seven will go postward in Saturday’s $500,000 Essex H. (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/8-mile contest is led by the Brad Cox-trained #5 Kinetic (8-5), who captured the General MacArthur S.

Oaklawn Park

Global Steve wins the Parx Future Stars at Parx.

Global Steve wins the Parx Future Stars at Parx. (Photo by EQUIPHOTO)

Exotics Plays for the Private Terms Stakes

Thu Mar 20 2025John Mucciolo

A total of eight sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Laurel Park main surface in Saturday’s $100,000 Private Terms S.

Laurel Park

Fair Grounds racetrack grandstand racing scene (Photo by Coady Media)
Pick 4 of the Week: Fair Grounds Saturday

Thu Mar 20 2025John Mucciolo

I fear that the latter portion of the card at Fair Grounds could be littered with short-priced winners, so I will take aim at the earliest one with the Pick 4 of the Week.

Fair Grounds

Poster winning the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct (Photo by Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta)

Poster winning the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct (Photo by Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta)

Tipsheet: 2025 Jeff Ruby Steaks

Thu Mar 20 2025John Mucciolo

A deep cast of 13 sophomores will travel nine panels over the Tapeta at Turfway Park in Saturday’s $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series tilt will reward the first five across the wire with qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 structure. 

Turfway Park

John Hancock winning the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs (Photo by SV Photography)

John Hancock winning the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs (Photo by SV Photography)

Tipsheet: 2025 Louisiana Derby

Thu Mar 20 2025John Mucciolo

A strong field of 10 will travel 1 3/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt in Saturday’s lucrative, $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2). The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest will reward the top five finishers with qualifying points on a 100–50-25-15-10 basis.

Kentucky Derby

Santa Anita (Photo by © Breeders' Cup/Todd Buchanan)

How to bet the Irish O’Brien Stakes

Fri Mar 14 2025John Mucciolo

A field of eight California-bred fillies and mares will dash 6 1/2 furlongs down the Hillside Turf course at Santa Anita in Sunday’s $100,000 Irish O’Brien S.

Wagering

Ghostly Gal wins the Tiara-Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs.

Ghostly Gal wins the Tiara-Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Pick 3 of the Week: Fair Grounds Saturday [Mar 15]

Fri Mar 14 2025John Mucciolo

An appealing three-race sequence during the middle of the Saturday card at Fair Grounds will be the focus of the Pick 3 of the Week.

Fair Grounds

Colonial Downs racing (Coady Photo)

Pick 4 of the Week: Colonial Downs Saturday

Fri Mar 14 2025John Mucciolo

A trio of Pick 4 wagers will be offered on the big card at Colonial Downs on Saturday, and it’s the four-race sequence in the middle that I will take aim at for the Pick 4 of the Week.

Wagering

Turfway Park Racing (Coady Photo/Turfway Park)

Exotics Plays for the Queen Stakes at Turfway Park

Fri Mar 14 2025John Mucciolo

The feature on the 10-race card at Turfway Park on Saturday will see 11 fillies and mares running six furlongs over the Tapeta in the $125,000 Queen S.

Turfway Park

Betting With, and Against, Booth in the Whitmore Stakes

Thu Mar 13 2025John Mucciolo

A well-balanced field of nine will jaunt six panels on the Oaklawn Park surface in Saturday’s $250,000 Whitmore S. (G3).

Wagering