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Keying Commute in the Elusive Quality Stakes
After a long winter at Aqueduct , handicappers are in for a change of pace this week when racing in New York returns to Belmont Park for the annual spring meet.
The feature race on the first Saturday card is the $125,000 Elusive Quality St ...
Racing
Shapiro's Fair Odds Line for the Kentucky Derby as of April 25th
We are just 10 days away from one of the more fascinating Kentucky Derby’s in recent memory. This year’s group of colts is as top heavy and strong as I can recall.
I am unlikely to be involved in the Win pool unless my opinion on a top choice bec ...
Racing
Using Trainer Angles in Handicapping, Part 2
The history of horse racing is filled with rags-to-riches stories of horses rising from humble beginnings to enjoy success at the highest levels of the sport.
Legendary Hall of Fame inductees such as Lava Man and Stymie have taken the “claim-to-fa ...
Education
2018 Kentucky Derby: 5 Horses Talented Enough to Win the Triple Crown
Each year, 3-year-old racehorses attempt to win the most popular, some say the most important, horse race in the United States, the Kentucky Derby. Sometimes, like in 2017, the quality of 3-year-old horse races doesn't run deep. That's not the cas ...
Racing
Poll Vault: Unlocking the Secrets of Shapiro's Derby Top 10
Racing fans tend to be some of the most opinionated folks I know and at no time is that more obvious than the days and weeks leading up to North America’s most prestigious race.
Handicappers use a number of methods to communicate those opinions, b ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 -- 4/24/18
Twelve days, folks. Just twelve days remain until twenty of the best three-year-old Thoroughbreds from North America and Europe vie for supremacy in the 2018 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Since the start of December, I’ve been compiling a , ...
Racing
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Harrington Raceway offers solid Monday card
Harrington Raceway's Monday cards have continued to be among the best in the Mid-Atlantic region and the Delaware half-mile oval offered owners, trainers, drivers and onlookers the chance to see numerous competitive events for older and younger pacer ...
Racing
Powell: 2018 Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed rating analysis
by DICK POWELL
We have already looked at how the top 20 Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders stack up based on foal dates and Dosage. Now, let's look at form patterns.
Horses rarely run their "A" game race after race. The ones that do are enshr ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby Jockey Facts and Trends
It was the most improbable of victories—an unknown longshot named Mine That Bird surging past his more heralded rivals to win the 2009 Kentucky Derby at the stunning odds of 50-1.
While Mine That Bird deserves much of the credit for his unfo ...
Racing
Rosecroft, Pompano and Pocono offer solid Sunday cards
Harness racing enthusiasts are accustomed to seeing the sport's best horses and drivers compete in lucrative events on Saturday nights and perhaps many of them needed a brief reprieve following the stellar card at Yonkers Raceway this past Saturday, ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: Todd Pletcher's Got Another Loaded Hand
Todd Pletcher took home his second Kentucky Derby last year with Always Dreaming. This year, he's got a great shot to take home his third Kentucky Derby. Pletcher has no less than 4 contenders for the Run for the Roses on May 5. Of those 4 contenders ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby workout report for April 22
The preps are done and it’s just two weeks until the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
The contenders are gearing up for the 144th Run for the Roses with works across the country, so this report changes from workou ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: How Much Does History Mean in Picking the Derby Winner?
But, maybe, the 2-year-old trend is sort of meaningless because of the nature of horse racing. The reason sports betting trends mean something is because sports teams don't often go through wholesale changes. Tom Brady has been the New England Patrio ...
Racing
Keystone Velocity repeats in Levy; Shartin N scores in Blue Chip Matchmaker
Saturday evening offered novice and serious standardbred racing fans had the chance to view the sport's first two Grade I races of the year when Yonkers Raceway hosted the $532,000 final of the George Morton Levy Series for older, Free-For-All pacers ...
Racing
Meadows $67 Bomb Tops Winners; Miami Filly Fast For $15 Win; Levy Choice Joins Favorites For Boffo $87 Triple
We had a good week with two of three contenders posting big wins from the horses-to-watch (H2W) list, while we hit at Miami Valley with a double-digit filly, before the Yonkers main events totaled two winners and two thirds.
Here are the ...
Racing
How to Bet the Charles Town Classic
Some major stakes races have a tendency to be dominated by the favorites, while others tend to be a bit more unpredictable.
Take, for example, the Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita, a race that has never been won by a horse starting at higher ...
Racing
How to play Keeneland on Saturday
Spring is (finally) beginning to creep its way into Lexington, Kentucky, on a consistent basis, and the next few days figure to be ideal ones weather-wise for locals to take in the live action at Keeneland before racing shifts to Churchill Downs next ...
Racing
Handicapping Late Pick 4 at Santa Anita Saturday
An interesting slate of races concludes Saturday’s card at Santa Anita Saturday and I’m interested in the Late Pick 4. Here are my thoughts on the sequence and how I’ll be playing it:
Race 8
$100,000 American S. (G3) looks wide-open to me and ...
Racing
Opening day plays at Woodbine
Saturday marks the opening day of the fine meeting at Woodbine Racecourse . I have tabbed a quartet of contenders who could get the meet off to a fast start:
Race 4
#4 SILENT CEREMONY (8-1) makes a first run since the fall with a class plu ...
Racing
How to Play the Kentucky Derby card
Total handle on the Kentucky Derby Day program at Churchill Downs exceeded $200 million for the first time in 2017. Already the biggest business day on the American racing calendar, the crossing of that previously unbroken threshold emphasized even m ...
Racing
Eight Belles, Edgewood could attract Kentucky Oaks nominees
With all the attention focused on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) , it’s easy to overlook the undercard races on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs.
There are five graded events scheduled besides the Kentucky Oaks on May 4, and two of them are res ...
Racing
The 2018 Kentucky Derby field by foal date and dosage index
by Dick Powell
Since the last time I looked at prospective Kentucky Derby (G1) starters, 11 of them have defected for one reason or another. So, with the Derby fast approaching and the field of 20 starting to solidify, it’s time to take another ...
Racing
Hawksmoor Among Big Names Entered Saturday at Laurel
On a quiet Saturday with relatively few graded stakes races on the agenda, racing fans are advised to turn their attention to a quality card at Laurel Park that includes five stakes races.
The day’s feature events are the $125,000 Federico T ...
Racing
How to Bet the Federico Tesio Stakes
If you’re keeping an eye out for those up-and-coming “new shooters” that so often turn up in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico, then I recommend that you take a look at Saturday’s $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park .
The ni ...
Racing
Layla Noor Returns in Weber City Miss Stakes
At this time of year, it pays to keep an eye on every significant stakes races for three-year-olds around the country, because you never know where the next up-and-coming star might come from.
That’s why handicappers should keep an eye on Saturday ...
Racing
Levy, Matchmaker Finals And Consolations, Adorn Yonkers Program; Philly Exotic Challenges; Miami Fillies A-Flying
A quick and cold five weeks since the beginning of The Grand Circuit’s older pacer series at Yonkers—the George Morton Levy and the Blue Chip Matchmaker series—is still cold in parts of North America but we are hoping to cease reporting the weather i ...
Racing
Charles Town Classic Highlights Stakes-Filled Card at Charles Town
Although there aren’t any Kentucky Derby prep races to look forward to this Saturday, handicappers are nevertheless in for a treat thanks to a terrific card at Charles Town that includes nine stakes races.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the ...
Racing
How Grass Pedigrees Can Provide Value in Turf Races
It’s easy to assume that once a horse has started its racing career and run in a few races, its pedigree is no longer an important factor to consider in handicapping.
While this might be true in some cases, there are still many instances when pedi ...
Education
2018 Kentucky Derby: Who's On the Bubble?
Who’s in and who’s out? That’s a question that be asked repeatedly during the next two weeks as the 2018 Kentucky Derby approaches.
The last two Derby prep races—the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) and the Lexington Stakes (gr. III) —were held on Sa ...
Racing
Yonkers set to host George Morton Levy and Blue Chip Matchmaker Series finals
This coming Saturday evening, Yonkers Raceway will earn the distinction of hosting harness racing's first two Grade I events of the season when the New York half-mile oval presents the $532,000 George Morton Levy Series final for Free-For-All pacers ...
Racing
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 -- 4/18/18
It’s been a long and winding road, but the final prep races for the 2018 Kentucky Derby were run last Saturday, meaning that the field for the “Run for the Roses” is more or less established.
From now until the Derby, the main focus will be on t ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: Trainer Bob Baffert and Justify
Triple Crown wore on. Mainly, he looked better because Firing Line went to the bench while Dortmund was dog tired after already having raced so much as a 2-year-old. That's the big question about Justify. American Pharoah didn't have to peak to beat ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Arkansas Derby
Magnum Moon wrapped up his Kentucky Derby preparations with a four-length victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and will likely be either the second or third choice in the wagering behind favored Justify. The Malibu Moon colt is one of four Todd Plet ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Lexington Stakes
The short stretch for 1 1/16-mile races at Keeneland proved no obstacle for dedicated closer My Boy Jack , who rallied from far back to win the Lexington Stakes (G3) by a neck. He netted only a 94 BRIS Speed rating winning his second Kentucky Derby ...
Racing
Industry Insiders Reveal Kentucky Derby Betting Opinions
Kentucky Derby Betting Tips and Expert Opinions
Thoroughbred racing industry members from around the country share their wisdom and betting experiences
We’re three weeks from the centerpiece of Thoroughbred racing in the U.S., but for man ...
Racing
Analyzing Magnum Moon's Arkansas Derby Victory
If the fabled “Apollo Curse” is ever going to be broken, 2018 could certainly be the year.
No horse since Apollo in 1882 has won the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old, but times are changing and it’s possible that the two favorites ...
Racing
My Boy Jack Earns Derby Berth in Lexington Stakes
In recent years, the $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland hasn’t been the most significant of Kentucky Derby prep races .
Although it offers 20 Derby qualification points to the winner, the Lexington hasn’t produced a K ...
Racing
Powell sizes up eight major prep races for 2018 Kentucky Derby
by DICK POWELL
The prep races for the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) are finally in the books and now it’s time to draw back and take a wide view before drilling down on the details of each race and horse.
Working bac ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Sophomore Spotlight: Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes
by JOHN MUCCIOLO
The final pair of Kentucky Derby prep races was held on Saturday.
Arkansas Derby (G1)
Robert and Lawana Low’s MAGNUM MOON moved his mark to an unblemished four-for-four with a convincing, four-length triump ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby workout report for April 15
The final two Kentucky Derby (G1) preps took place on Saturday, April 14, paving the way for the field to be set ahead of the 144th Run for the Roses on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
The final press now commences as connections attempt to keep ...
Racing
Yonkers Series Settles For Finals’ Fields; Place, Show Prices Big In A Bundle With Five Perfecta Partners
At Yonkers, the fifth and last leg of the Matchmaker and “Levy” series offered three divisions each to settle the fields for next week’s finals on Saturday, April 21. We will cover both of those races in our April 19 preview, along with som ...
Racing
Levy series concludes on Saturday, Matchmaker wrapped up Friday
Several hours after Oaklawn Park offered the final Kentucky Derby on Saturday afternoon, Yonkers Raceway hosted the last three divisions of the George Morton Levy Memorial Series for Free-For-All pacers and the last two dozen combatants were looking ...
Racing
Oaklawn offers stellar Saturday card
With the Kentucky Derby only three weeks away, many of the top sophomores have already punched their tickets to the run for the roses while several others were looking to get there via Saturday's Grade I, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, th ...
Racing
Horse-for-the-course play at Keeneland highlights Saturday’s action
Saturday’s Keeneland program features four stakes including a Kentucky Derby prep in the Lexington (G2). The lone Grade 1 offering, the $350,000 Jenny Wiley for turf distaffers, drew a deep field of 11 and I like #8 La Coronel , who is lengths bet ...
Racing
Five things to know for the 2018 Lexington Stakes
Although Saturday’s $200,000 Lexington S. (G3) at Keeneland is worth only 20 Kentucky Derby (G1) points to the winner, that could be the make-or-break amount for My Boy Jack to secure a spot in the Run for the Roses.
Hence he’s the obvious lea ...
Racing
Five things to know for 2018 Arkansas Derby
Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) is the last scoring race on the road to the 2018 Kentucky Derby (G1), with a 7:18 p.m. (EDT) post time that puts it well after the Lexington’s (G3) scheduled post of 5:34 p.m. at Keeneland.
Fittingly eno ...
Racing
Four to follow in the 2018 Grand National Steeplechase
As is my annual custom, a big April Saturday involving Triple Crown preps will be preceded with an action play in the Grand National Steeplechase, a 4 1/2-mile spectacle at Aintree in Liverpool, England, that is widely considered the most wagered on ...
Racing
Playing a late runner in Maker’s 46 Mile
The Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile (9 th race) highlights a 10-race Friday the 13 th program at Keeneland and I expect the race to set up for a late runner.
Heart to Heart has one way to go and exits a wire-to-wire tally in the Gulfstream Park Turf (G1 ...
Racing
Mucciolo: How to Bet the Arkansas Derby
Nine sophomores will hope to punch their Kentucky Derby ticket when contesting the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
#1 BEAUTIFUL SHOT – Longshot gets a nice rail draw for a second start of 2018. Keith Desormeaux trai ...
Racing
How to bet the 2018 Lexington Stakes
Hoping to find the path of least resistance to make one final push to the Kentucky Derby (G1), connections of My Boy Jack chose to roll the dice in Saturday's Lexington (G3) at Keeneland rather than in the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.
Wh ...
Racing
Betting Longshot Beautiful Shot in the Arkansas Derby
To me, Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park presents an interesting handicapping quandary.
On paper, the nine-furlong Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race looks simple enough to handicap. The favorite is the unbeaten ...
Racing
Can City of Light Stretch His Speed in the Oaklawn Handicap?
Although most of the attention on Saturday at Oaklawn Park will be focused on the Arkansas Derby (gr. I), there are three other stakes races on the card as well, and one in particular looks like a competitive event.
The race in question is the ...
Racing
Competitive Field Assembles for Lexington Stakes
Talk about a competitive race! Saturday’s $200,000 Lexington Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland offers 20 Kentucky Derby qualification points to the winner, and since the timing of the race also makes it a viable prep race for the Preakness Stake ...
Racing
Is Army Mule the most exciting horse in training?
Perhaps lost during a trio of stellar Kentucky Derby prep races over the weekend was the standout performance of ARMY MULE . Todd Pletcher trainee ran his mark to an unblemished three-for-three with an overwhelming victory in the Carter H. (G1) on S ...
Racing
Fifth Outing For Matchmakers And Levys At Yonkers Builds Broader Battlelines; Winners Await Among The Watched
No one, not even Pennsylvania’s rodent forecaster of February, predicted that going into week five of The Grand Circuit’s older pacer series at Yonkers—the George Morton Levy and the Blue Chip Matchmaker series—the eastern seaboard would begin its fi ...
Racing
How to bet the 2018 Arkansas Derby
Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), the final point-scoring prep for the Kentucky Derby (G1) , includes two horses that are safely in the Churchill Downs classic, Magnum Moon and Quip ; a trio of "bubble" horses in Solomini , Combatant ...
Racing
Yonkers set to host final preliminary rounds of Matchmaker, Levy
This Friday and Saturday evening Yonkers Raceway will host the fifth and final preliminaries for both the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series and George Morton Levy Memorial Series for Free-For-All pacers and while several horses have already secured berths ...
Racing
Keying Unique Bella in the Apple Blossom Handicap
If you want to make a profit betting Friday’s $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park , then in all likelihood you’ll have to concede that #5 Unique Bella is probably unbeatable.
The four-year-old daughter of Tapit has won sev ...
Racing
Controversies and Dilemmas
By DICK POWELL
Let’s get out the dictionary.
Today’s first word is controversial. It means giving rise to or likely to give rise to public disagreement.
Today’s second word is dilemma. It means a situation in which a choice has to be ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Sophomore Spotlight: Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial & Blue Grass
Form returned to the sophomore ranks in the trio of huge Kentucky Derby prep races over the weekend.
Santa Anita Derby (G1)
JUSTIFY cruised to the lead from the start and was never seriously challenged in running his mark to a perfect three ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby: Mendehlsson Stays on Top on My Derby Rankings
The Bluegrass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, and Wood Memorial took place this past weekend. No huge upsets means that going into the Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes on April 14, most horses have already completed their preps for the May 5 Kentucky D ...
Racing
Is Amy Up to the Challenge in Fantasy Stakes?
She might not be a standout at first glance, but I believe that it’s going to take a big effort for anyone to defeat #6 Amy’s Challenge in Friday’s $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park .
The 8.5-furlong race serves as a major pre ...
Racing
How Knowing a Horse's Family History Can Lead to Winning Bets
When handicapping horse races, it can be a subtle but significant advantage to know the history of a given horse’s close relatives and the circumstances under which they excelled on the track.
One of my favorite examples involves a broodmare named ...
Education
Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby Top 10 -- 4/10/18
With just two prep races remaining to be run, the field is pretty much set for the 2018 Kentucky Derby , leaving handicappers to debate the merits of the many impressive performances we’ve seen over the last several months.
For me, the results ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Santa Anita Derby
Justify lived up to the hype in his first stakes attempt and left no doubt about Kentucky Derby favoritism rolling to a convincing wire-to-wire win in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). His 114 BRIS Speed rating towers above any other number in the six-y ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Wood Memorial
Vino Rosso stamped his Kentucky Derby ticket and received a career-best 102 BRIS Speed rating winning the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct, rallying to score by a widening three-length margin. He became the fourth Todd Pletcher trainee to qualify fo ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report: Blue Grass Stakes
Good Magic rallied to win the Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland by a comfortable 1 ½-length margin, rebounding from an even third at 3-5 odds in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream, but he’ll need to improve upon a 98 BRIS Speed rating in the Kentu ...
Racing
Older pacers highlight Harrington Raceway opener
Monday evening marked the opening night of the Harrington Raceway spring meet and the Delaware half-mile oval offered a bevy of older pacers to showcase their abilities. The state's top sophomores will soon have their chance to shine in the quartet o ...
Racing
Good Magic Returns to the Spotlight Following Blue Grass Victory
A champion racehorse is back in the spotlight, and not a moment too soon.
The horse in question is Good Magic , the champion two-year-old male of 2017 based off a powerful win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I). Long viewed as one of the main ...
Racing
Powell on the 'Wow' moments from Justify, Army Mule, Wood Memorial
by DICK POWELL
There were a few “Wow” moments from this past weekend’s racing action but none bigger than JUSTIFY ’s win in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
When JUSTIFY broke his maiden back on February 18, Bob Baffert immediately said that he ha ...
Racing
Vino Rosso Rebounds With Wood Memorial Victory
On paper, Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial (gr. II) at Aqueduct wasn’t the strongest of the day's three Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races, but the end result was a quality event that that could have a significant impact on the Triple ...
Racing
Justify, Bolt d'Oro Impress in Santa Anita Derby
It appears that the hype is justified.
Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) at Santa Anita was billed as a showdown between the two-time Grade 1 winner and the up-and-coming sensation , with the latter less than two months into his ra ...
Racing
Unbeaten Justify favored at 3-1 in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager
The Bob Baffert-trained Justify (#12) secured not only a spot in the starting gate for the May 5 Kentucky Derby (G1) but also 3-1 favoritism in Pool 4 of the 2018 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) when romping by three lengths in Saturday’s Sa ...
Racing
Rosecroft and Pocono Downs offer solid Sunday cards
One day after many thoroughbred enthusiasts may have narrowed down their Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks hopefuls after numerous preps were contested at three different ovals, harness racing fans were treated to a bevy of solid overnight events at a ...
Racing
2018 Kentucky Derby workout report for April 8
Three major Kentucky Derby (G1) preps took place over the weekend, meaning the Leaderboard underwent some major changes.
It also means only two races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby remain, as we are less than a month away from the 144th Run for ...
Racing
Justify brings steam into final day of Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager
With an impressive win in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Justify placed a firm hold upon favoritism in the Kentucky Derby. The unbeaten Bob Baffert-trained colt closed Saturday at 3-1 in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) and his price a ...
Racing
Soft Results As Favorites Clobber Yonkers’ Series; Meadowlands’ Partner Brings $70 Exacta; Place, Show Prices Rule
The weekend’s features at Yonkers, now in their fourth week, have so far resulted, per race, unkindly to our offerings. Of course, the one huge hit in a Matchmaker division a few weeks back that culminated in a $4,101 triple still keeps ...
Racing
Yonkers hosts fourth round of Levy series elims
On a day when thoroughbred racing fans were focused on the three-year-olds of both genders, harness racing fans paid close attention to the fourth leg of the prestigious and lucrative George Morton Levy Series for Free-For-All aged pacers seeking ear ...
Racing
Derby and Oaks hopefuls on full display on Saturday
Thoroughbred racing fans who follow those sophomores heading to the Triple Crown trail next month were keenly watching races from Aqueduct, Keeneland and Santa Anita on Saturday afternoon as those tracks offered prep races for both the Kentucky Derby ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profile: Mendelssohn
Road to the Kentucky Derby UAE Derby winner Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn is a product of the old adage, “Breed the best to the best, and hope for the best.” Only in his case, those hopes are coming to fruition for the son of global sire sensation Scat ...
Racing
Hanson: How I'm playing the Blue Grass Day All-Stakes Pick 5
Now that we know the Keeneland main track is beginning to dry out after overnight rain/snow and that the turf (labeled soft) will be used for two races, here's how we'll be attacking the all-stakes Pick 5 on Blue Grass Saturday.
Race 6 -- Commonw ...
Racing
Spot plays on a stakes-packed Saturday
Aqueduct, Keeneland and Santa Anita will feature stakes-packed programs surrounding key Kentucky Derby preps on Saturday.
I won’t go out on a limb in the main events. With his natural speed, Justify appears to have a significant tactical advantage ...
Racing
Mucciolo: Wood Memorial Day graded plays
A handful of graded races, led by the Wood Memorial (G2), highlight the Saturday card at Aqueduct. I see potential value in at least a few of the events:
Wood Memorial
RESTORING HOPE is just a maiden winner who has yet to “run out of his sk ...
Racing
Five things to know for 2018 Wood Memorial
The first of Saturday’s “big three” points races for the Kentucky Derby (G1), the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) may be viewed as lacking the intrigue of the other two. But the Aqueduct feature has more going for it than the obvious points w ...
Racing
Five things to know for 2018 Blue Grass
As if Saturday’s $1 million Blue Grass (G2) didn’t feature enough angles and storylines as a contentious Kentucky Derby (G1) points race, there’s also the impending snowfall around the entire region. Keeneland officials have been on a car ...
Racing
Five things to know for 2018 Santa Anita Derby
With a scheduled post time of 7:12 p.m. (EDT), the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) is the last of Saturday’s three Kentucky Derby (G1) preps, creating an even greater sense of anticipation. The showdown of freakish talent, in the form o ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Future Wager International Scouting Report: Mendelssohn vs Gronkowski
With two European-based options in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager this weekend, it’s time for an international scouting report on the relative merits of Aidan O’Brien’s Mendelssohn and Jeremy Noseda’s Gronkowski.
We’ll compa ...
Racing
How to Bet the Blue Grass
Saturday’s $1 million Blue Grass (G2) is worth a total of 170 points (100-40-20-10 scale) toward a Kentucky Derby berth and with the defection of Quip to the Arkansas Derby (G1), all 14 runners need points to qualify.
Let’s preview the field:
...
Racing
Spot Plays for Wood Memorial Day at Aqueduct
The Wood Memorial is the headliner on Saturday’s card at , but there are a number of races leading up to the Grade 2 event that offer strong opportunities to build your bankroll before the big one.
Here are a few horses I will be building my afte ...
Racing
Monomoy Girl Stands Out in Ashland Stakes
She’ll be a short price, but I’m not sure there’s a more likely winner in any of the weekend stakes races than #1 Monomoy Girl in Saturday’s $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland .
On paper, the daughter of Tapizar has a s ...
Racing
Multi-race play for Keeneland's opening day
The weather at Keeneland for Friday's opener is acceptable with a fast main track and yielding turf, but is expected to turn nasty later today and into tomorrow as Old Man Winter takes a (hopefully) last belated shot at everyone.
A contentious Pic ...
Racing
Mucciolo: Keeneland Horses of Interest
A great Saturday card will take place at Keeneland during its opening weekend, led by the Blue Grass (G1) for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. While most of the attention locally and across the country will be on the big trio of Derby prep races, there is ...
Racing
Analyzing the Late Pick 4 on Santa Anita Derby Day
The big day in thoroughbred racing spans from coast to coast on Saturday and that includes a 13-race card in Southern California headlined by the Grade 1 .
The final race is an Arabian event, so the late Pick 4 commences with the Santa Anita Derb ...
Racing
How to Bet the Wood Memorial
Nine three-year-old colts will face-off in Saturday’s $750,000 Wood Memorial S. (G2) at Aqueduct. The lack of an apparent standout in the field makes it an interesting betting option.
#1 HEARTFULLOFSTARS – Dark bay son of Astrology was a game ma ...
Racing
Yonkers hosts fourth round of Matchmaker, Levy series
With the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the outset of the Major League Baseball season behind us, serious and novice harness racing fans can focus their attention on the fourth rounds of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Series fo ...
Racing
How to Bet the Wood Memorial
The massive weekend of Triple Crown prep action includes the $750,000 Grade 2 .
The mile and an eighth event run over the dirt offers 175 qualifying points on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” leaderboard with 100 going to the victor.
The feat ...
Racing
Army Mule Steps Up in Carter Handicap
For a seven-furlong Grade 1 sprint with eleven starters, there isn’t a ton of speed on paper in Saturday’s $400,000 Carter Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct .
The lack of serious front-runners could play to the strengths of #2 Army Mule and #9 ...
Racing
Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profile: Blended Citizen
Blended Citizen wins the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park (Coady Photo)
Road to the Kentucky Derby Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Blended Citizen
Blended Citizen picked up his initial stakes win with a game tally in the $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks S ...
Racing