The Santa Anita Handicap is a race that rewards the complete package in a horse, which is why it presents an opening for Gift Box to find the winner’s circle. After vanquishing McKinzie with one of the best stretch duels of any 2019 race in last year’s edition, Gift Box […]
Sole Volante, Chance It Renew Rivalry at Tampa Bay Derby
Up until last week, the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby looked to be the sole province of Sole Volante. The Sam F. Davis Stakes winner was more than a prohibitive favorite. He was the only horse anyone was talking about in the Kentucky Derby prep. That changed last week when […]
Despite Trainer’s Caution, Ete Indien Joins Favorites on Kentucky Derby Futures Board
Ete Indien woke up in his Gulfstream Park barn Sunday morning as the new Kentucky Derby points leader. But his trainer isn’t sure he’ll even compete in this year’s Run for the Roses. Ete Indien captured 50 derby points on Saturday at the Fountain of Youth with an impressive 8½-length […]
Chance It Riding Wave of Momentum into Tampa Bay Chasing Derby Points
The chance for a better post draw brought Chance It to town for Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby. And the chance of a lifetime brought trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. to the cusp of qualifying for the Kentucky Derby — something he’s angled for since arriving in the US from Barbados in […]
Fountain of Youth Favorite Dennis’ Moment Disappoints on Derby Trail
Dale Romans was puzzled. Nothing he trained Dennis’ Moment for at Saturday’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park was supposed to play out like this. And unlike past mishaps, Dennis’ Moment’s start was good, his tactics were fine, and jockey Flavien Prat was turning in his usual solid, intelligent ride. […]
Will Cheltenham Festival Be Canceled Due to Coronavirus Threat?
The global-wide Coronavirus has infected the horse racing markets in Great Britain with news that two Gloucestershire residents have contracted the virus ahead of the annual Cheltenham Festival, scheduled to begin March 10. Betfair is now taking action on Cheltenham Festival races being canceled, with odds shortening from 5/2 to […]
Here is the Predictable Path to the Fountain of Youth’s Winner’s Circle
There are several elements you can expect from this week’s top Kentucky Derby prep race, the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The track will be fast, Hall-of-Fame jockey John Velasquez will figure in the mix, and local knowledge is golden knowledge. These factors are all givens in the […]
EPL Value Bets: Buying Crystal Palace and Going Over With the Hammers
Two weeks ago, we had our first losing week in our EPL Value Bets,. We easily won the Burnley-Southampton game. But stumbled on Liverpool-Norwich – despite predicting the Reds would score late, which they did — and by taking the under on Arsenal-Newcastle. This week, we have two games that […]
Process of Elimination Makes Maximum Security a Safe Bet in Saudi Cup
The easiest way to look at Saturday’s Saudi Cup is to go back to your old test days. Remember when your teacher told you to eliminate the wrong answers and, eventually, you’d arrive at the right one? Not only does this work for geometry and history, it also works for […]
Maximum Security Seeks Redemption in $20 Million Saudi Cup
Maximum Security had a year most owners and trainers would run with, culminating in his coronation as the year’s 3-year-old Male Eclipse Award Champion. But everyone who saw Maximum Security run knew he didn’t get the maximum out of his considerable talent. That considerable talent, more than anything he did […]
Fountain of Youth Stakes Favorite Dennis’ Moment Has Had His Moments
So which moment will we see from Dennis’ Moment at Saturday’s Fountain of Youth Stakes? Will we see the horse who broke his maiden by 19¼ lengths, then won the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs? Or will we see the horse who threw his jockey when he clipped […]
Legendary Sire, 1992 Horse of the Year AP Indy Dies at 31
AP Indy, the 1992 Horse of the Year and one of the most decorated stallions of the 1990s, died Friday at the Kentucky farm where he spent most of his life and sired horses responsible for winning hundreds of races. He was 31. The son of 1977 Triple Crown winner […]
Derby Preps: Silver Prospector Looking Golden
Two lesser Kentucky Derby prep races last weekend – the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields and the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park — both yielded 10 Derby Qualifying Points to their winners, Azul Coast and Silver Prospector, respectively. But the process leading to those results couldn’t have […]
Racing Notes: Jolie Olimpica Raising the Stakes at Santa Anita
The Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita is arguably the best Grade 2 race for fillies and mares in the United States. There’s buzz in horse racing circles that these stakes could eventually rise from Grade 2 to Grade 1 – and if that ever happens it will be because […]
A Charlatan has Joined the Kentucky Derby Futures Board
With five victories, the name “Bob Baffert†is synonymous with Kentucky Derby success. Accordingly, the Hall-of-Fame trainer rarely has a Charlatan in his endless barn of 3-year-old Derby hopefuls. Until now. Say hello to Charlatan, the newest top-10 member on the Kentucky Derby Futures Odds board. In his racing debut, […]
With European Ban, Odds Shrink On Pep Guardiola’s Future at Manchester City
Manchester City’s two-year ban from the UEFA Champions League has already sent ripples through the betting markets, starting with Pep Guardiola’s future. The Man City manager, considered one of the premier soccer bosses in the world, is now 1/5 to leave the Citizens in the summer, according to SportNation. He […]
EPL Value Bets: Playing the Top, Middle, and Bottom of the Premier League Table
Two weeks ago, we played the push game with our EPL Value Bets. We went 1-2-0, pushing on our two pick’ems: the West Ham-Brighton and Hove Albion game, and Leicester-Chelsea. This week’s EPL schedule is spread out from Friday to Wednesday, and the games we found that offer overlay value […]
El Camino Real Highlights Under-the-Radar Derby Hopefuls
We’re flying below the usual Kentucky Derby prep radar, with a race not held on one of America’s A-list tracks. Therefore, chances are you’re not going to see a horse that will win all three Triple Crown races come out of Saturday’s El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields […]
Raising Stakes at Risen Star: (More than) Double Derby Points on the Line
Now, the points get real, which mean the stakes get real, and the slope gets really slippery for horses that don’t quite measure up to the demands of the Kentucky Derby Trail. That becomes apparent at Louisiana’s Fair Grounds Saturday with the first of the big-point races – the Grade […]
Sole Volante Joins the Kentucky Derby Futures Board
Sole Volante, a proverbial dark horse, has added his name to the Kentucky Derby futures board by way of a strong stretch run at last week’s Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Downs in Florida. Who is Sole Volante and where did he come from? A strong stretch run that […]