Pick 3 of the Week: Keeneland Sunday
The Pick 3 of the Week will come from Keeneland on Sunday, concluding with the ultra-competitive Giant’s Causeway S.
Wagering
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.
Pick 4 of the Week: Laurel Park Saturday
Four black-type events will headline a fine nine-race card at Laurel Park on Saturday, and a trio of the stakes tilts are a central part of the Pick 4 of the Week.
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Exotics Plays for the 2025 Jenny Wiley Stakes
A fantastic field of nine fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Keeneland grass in Saturday’s $650,000 Jenny Wiley S. (G1).
Wagering
Betting With, and Against, Thorpedo Anna in the Apple Blossom
Six brave souls will hope to upend reigning Horse of the Year #6 Thorpedo Anna (2-5) in the $1.25 million Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
Oaklawn Park
How to bet the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes
A talented group of nine will travel eight furlongs on the Keeneland green in Friday’s $650,000 Maker’s Mile S. (G1). I feel that three horses are potentially a cut above the rest of their foes in the event and will focus on the trio for the top slots in my vertical exotics plays.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2025 Lexington Stakes
A well-matched field of seven sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Keeneland dirt in Saturday’s $400,000 Lexington S. (G3). The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest will reward the top five across the wire with qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis.
Kentucky Derby
Exacta of the Week: Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland Tuesday
The Exacta of the Week will come from Keeneland on Tuesday with the focus on the wildly competitive $250,000 Commonwealth S. (G2).
Wagering
Pick 4 of the Week: Santa Anita Saturday
The $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) highlights a big Saturday of racing at The Great Race Place. A trio of Pick 4 wagers are on the menu at the Arcadia, Calif. venue, and my focus will be on the middle one that begins in race six.
Wagering
Betting with, and against, Ballerina d’Oro in the Gazelle Stakes
A total of eight three-year-old fillies with their eyes on Louisville for the first Friday in May will contest Saturday’s $200,000 Gazelle S. (G3) at Aqueduct.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2025 Blue Grass Stakes
A strong field of seven sophomores will travel nine panels over the Keeneland dirt in Saturday’s $1.25 million Blue Grass S. (G1).
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2025 Santa Anita Derby
A compact, but sensational, field of five three-year-olds will go 1 1/8 miles on the dirt in Saturday’s $500,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1).
Kentucky Derby
Tipsheet: 2025 Wood Memorial Stakes
A well-matched field of 12 sophomores will travel 1 1/8 miles over the Aqueduct dirt in Saturday’s $750,000 Wood Memorial S. (G2).
Kentucky Derby
How to bet the Southern Hospitality Stakes
A talented group of 10 sophomore fillies will speed six furlongs at Oaklawn Park in Sunday’s $145,000 Southern Hospitality Overnight S.
Oaklawn Park
Pick 4 of the Week: Turfway Park Saturday
The Pick 4 of the Week will come from Turfway Park on Saturday, and the sequence will include the feature, the $125,000 Serena’s Song S.
Turfway Park
Pick 3 of the Week: 2025 Oaklawn Park Saturday
Oaklawn Park plays host to a fantastic 14-race card on Saturday, led by the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1). I found a three-race sequence that has a lot of appeal to me prior to the feature for the Pick 3 of the Week.
Oaklawn Park
Exotics Plays for the Sand Springs Stakes
An overflow field of 13 fillies and mares is entered to travel 1 1/16 miles on the Gulfstream Park lawn in Saturday’s $165,000 Sand Springs S. The wildly competitive affair on the Florida Derby (G1) undercard boasts a bevy of win contenders in the deep and well-matched cast.
Gulfstream Park
How to bet the 2025 Temperence Hill Stakes
A big field of 11 dirt marathoners will run 1 1/2 miles on the Oaklawn Park surface in Friday’s $200,000 Temperence Hill S.
Oaklawn Park
Betting With, and Against, Simply Joking in the Fantasy Stakes
A total of 10 sophomore fillies will vie in Saturday’s $750,000 Fantasy S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
Oaklawn Park
Tipsheet: 2025 Florida Derby
An excellent field of 10 sophomores will travel 1 1/8 miles on the Gulfstream Park dirt in Saturday’s lucrative, $1 million Florida 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.
Gulfstream Park
Tipsheet: 2025 Arkansas Derby
A total of nine three-year-olds will go 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn Park in Saturday’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1). The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest will reward the top five finishers of the heat with qualifying points towards the Run for the Roses on a 100-50-25-15-10 structure.
Kentucky Derby
Pick 3 of the Week: Turfway Park Saturday
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
How to bet the Page Cortez Stakes
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
How to bet the Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap
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
Betting With, and Against, Kinetic in the Essex Handicap
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
Exotics Plays for the Private Terms Stakes
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
Pick 4 of the Week: Fair Grounds Saturday
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
Tipsheet: 2025 Jeff Ruby Steaks
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
Mucciolo’s Top 5 Horse Betting Strategies for 2025
Playing the ponies is an inexact science that is ever-evolving for me. Horse racing offers the most diversity from a gambling perspective.
Wagering
Tipsheet: 2025 Louisiana Derby
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
How to bet the Irish O’Brien Stakes
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