Saturday's Grade 2 Fayette Stakes has a field of eight set to travel 9 furlongs over the Keeneland dirt. Although it is somewhat difficult to buy into some of the bigger prices on the ML, this does seem like the kind of race where looking for alternatives to the favorites is an advisable strategy. ...
Read More
The Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby Parx Pacing / September 20 / Race 12 / 6:13 EDT by TimeformUS Analyst Justin Finch Get started with FREE TimeformUS PPs for the Pennsylvania Derby Nominally a Grade 2, the $1,000,000 Pennsylvania Derby has a Grade 1 feel this year, as well as a Grade 1 purse, and that, of course, is due to the presence of 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome. California...
Read More
The Grade 1 Alabama Saratoga / August 16 / Race 10 / 6:20 EDT by TimeformUS Analyst Mike Beer Get started with FREE TimeformUS PPs for the Alabama With Untapable once again absent for a major race in the division she so clearly dominates right now, Stopchargingmaria (#8, 2-1) , an under-appreciated performer, will get a chance to take down a second Grade 1 prize at this Saratoga meet. Stopchargingmaria...
Read More
The Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes by TimeformUS Analyst Justin Finch Saratoga / August 2 / Race 8 / 5:30 PDT: Get started on FREE TimeformUS PPs for the Clement Hirsch The Grade 1, $300,000 Clement Hirsch has seven fillies and mares entered to run a mile and 1/16 on Polytrack. However, at time of writing, trainer John Sadler is sounding as if he will scratch Legacy, and he is leaving open the possibility...
Read More
Saturday Belmont Park The Bed o' Roses Handicap, Race 9 By Mike Beer A Special Offer on Unlimited TimeformUS PPs for Bloodhorse Readers Get Free PPs for the Bed o Roses The Grade 3 Bed o' Roses drew a competitive field of 11 fillies and mares and, lacking a standout favorite in the field, may well be determined by who gets the seven furlongs most effectively (only four of the entrants have posted a...
Read More
The Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile has a field of seven older horses running one mile on the turf course for a purse of $400,000....
Read More
However you feel about California Chrome (and let's face it, emotions are running hot right about now), in handicapping this race, you must move beyond whatever rooting interest you have and stick to the basics....
Read More
Check back Saturday for Sunday stakes previews from Belmont Saturday Belmont, Race 9 G2 Peter Pan Stakes By Mike Beer A field of seven is set to enter the gate for the Grade 2 Peter Pan. They will go nine furlongs over Belmont's main track, and when all is said and done, one of these three-year-olds will be a newly minted graded stakes winner. Depending upon who that winner is and, perhaps, how impressive...
Read More
For Kentucky Oaks Day Analysis, scroll to the second half of this blog post Saturday, Churchill Downs Race 11 The G1 Kentucky Derby By Robert Finnegan Handicapping the Kentucky Derby tends to be nasty, brutish, and long, and handicapping the 2014 edition was certainly no exception for us. There are so many approaches one can take, so many angles one can embrace, so many rumors one can listen to...there...
Read More
The G3 Coolmore Lexington Stakes Keeneland, Race 9 By Robert Finnegan 11 horses are entered in the Grade 3 Coolmore Lexington, to be run at a mile and 1/16 on Polytrack, and what the race lacks in Kentucky Derby implications, it makes up for in chaos. More than half the field (including the two favorites on the morning line) has never raced on synthetic. Several horses enter off terrible efforts. Several...
Read More
Friday The G1 Maker's 46 Mike Keeneland, Race 9 By Jason Perlmutter The Maker's Mile features the return of a true equine hero in two-time defending Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who is making his first start of 2014. As a fan of this giant-hearted gelding, it will be tough to oppose him. Beyond fandom is the fact that Wise Dan is 11-for-12 lifetime on the turf, and he sustained his only loss over two...
Read More
The G1 Wood Memorial Aqueduct, Race 10 By Robert Finnegan The long and winding road to the Kentucky Derby makes its way back to Aqueduct today, with 11 three-year-old colts running nine furlongs. 100 Derby points go to the winner, 40 to the second-place finisher, 20 to the third-place finisher, and 10 to the fourth-place finisher. In other words, this race has a distinct do-or-die quality to it for...
Read More
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, Race 11, Local Post Time 5:31pm ET The G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes, 1 and 1/16 miles, Dirt, 3YO By Alan Mann The Grade 2 Fountain of Youth is the final prep for the Florida Derby, an actual prep (finally) for the Kentucky Derby. It will be run at a mile and a sixteenth with a short run to the first turn and a shortened stretch, both of which figure to be significant factors...
Read More
Sunday, Santa Anita, Race 5, Local Post Time 2:30pm PT The G2 San Vicente Stakes , 7 Furlongs, Dirt, 3YO By Jason Perlmutter The Grade 2 San Vicente at Santa Anita features a field of six colts who have raced a combined 15 times in their burgeoning careers. This is the time of year when three-year-old thoroughbreds explode with regularity to career-top performances. In light of that, we will look for...
Read More
Saturday, Santa Anita, Race 7, Local Post Time 3:30pm PT The G1 Las Virgenes Stakes , 1 mile, Dirt, 3YOF By Jason Perlmutter The G1 Las Virgenes represents the first significant Kentucky Oaks prep of the year for Southern California's new generation of three-year-old fillies. That said, a mile at Santa Anita is a far cry from nine furlongs at Churchill Downs and we will put a premium on the fillies...
Read More
Saturday, Gulfstream, Race 10, Local Post Time 5:03pm ET The G2 Holy Bull Stakes , 1 and 1/16 Miles, Dirt, 3YO By Douglas Salvatore The Holy Bull is without question the deepest Kentucky Derby prep race to date. It includes a fascinating field of eleven led by 3/1 morning line favorite Cairo Prince. • FREE TimeformUS PPs for the Holy Bull Stakes • A Special Offer on Unlimited PPs for Bloodhorse Readers...
Read More
Monday, Oaklawn, Race 8, Local Post Time 4:38pm CT The Smarty Jones Stakes , 1 mile, Dirt, 3YO By Douglas Salvatore The TimeformUS Pace Projector indicates this year’s edition of the Smarty Jones Stakes will be run at a fast and contested pace. • TimeformUS PPs for the Smarty Jones Stakes • A Special Offer on Unlimited PPs for Bloodhorse Readers That makes #2 Whyruawesome (12/1 Morning Line) the horse...
Read More
Saturday Betfair Hollywood Park, Race 6, Local Post Time 3:04pm PT The G1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes , 1 and 1/16 Miles, Fillies, 2YO, Synth By Justin Finch The Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet has eight two-year-old fillies and almost as many question marks. There have been stronger editions of this race, to be sure, but this edition, the final one, stands tall in the puzzle department, and that provides some...
Read More
Sunday Betfair Hollywood Park, Race 8, Local Post Time 4:07pm PT The G1 Matriarch Stakes , 1 Mile, Fillies and Mares, 3+, Turf By Justin Finch The final Matriarch, like so many before it, will be a good one. The nine-horse field contains four Grade 1 winners and is loaded with accomplished fillies and mares. At time of writing, the forecast is that the rain that has been falling on Hollywood Park will...
Read More
Saturday Delta Downs, Race 7, Local Post Time 4:15 pm CST The G3 Delta Downs Jackpot , 1 and 1/16 Miles, 2YO, Dirt By Douglas Salvatore After many years of disappointing editions, everything finally clicked for the Delta Jackpot last year. The 2012 edition of this race was won in brilliant front-running fashion by Goldencents. He defeated a very respectable field that included Itsmyluckyday and Mylute...
Read More
Saturday Aqueduct, Race 6, Local Post Time 2:45 pm ET The Summer Secretary S ., 1 and 1/16 Miles, 3YO Fillies, Turf By Douglas Salvatore The $100,000 Summer Secretary has attracted a strong field of 13 three-year-old fillies, and the TimeformUS Pace Projector indicates that it will be run at a fast and contested early pace. • TimeformUS PPs for the Summer Secretary • A Special Offer on Unlimited PPs...
Read More
