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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman An absolutely fascinating renewal of the $1.25 million Travers (G1) is taking place at Saratoga this Saturday. The 1 1/4-mile contest for three-year-olds is stuffed with talent. Among the entrants are a champion, a classic winner, a Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner, a Grade 1 winner who ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Who will win Saturday's $600,000 Alabama (G1) at Saratoga? Eight three-year-old fillies have entered the 1 1/4-mile dirt contest, but one notable name is missing from the entries. Thorpedo Anna, the runaway division leader after winning the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn (G1), and ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Rain could impact several of the high-profile turf races taking place on the East Coast this weekend. Already the Arlington Million (G1), Beverly D. (G2), and Secretariat (G2) have been delayed by a day, while the Saratoga Derby (G1) and Fourstardave H. (G1) may soon follow ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman A fantastic week of racing is on the agenda at Saratoga. Nine stakes (six of them graded) will take place between Friday and Sunday. Two of the most interesting races are the $1 million Whitney (G1) and the $150,000 Birdstone S. The Whitney has drawn a deep 12-horse field, while ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman A pair of graded stakes at Saratoga this weekend—Saturday's $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2) and Sunday's $250,000 Bowling Green (G2)—could be strongly influenced by pace dynamics. Let's check out the fields and see what the prospective pace scenarios mean for handicapping: Jim Dandy ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman I had initially planned to handicap the $1 million Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park for this week's edition of Unlocking Winners. But with the field still in flux (key contenders Fierceness and Dornoch are possible to scratch), it's difficult to make a selection this far in ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The summer racing season is heating up on the East Coast. Saratoga and Colonial Downs are opening for business this Thursday, and both have stakes races on their Saturday agendas. The $500,000 Diana (G1) is the feature event at Saratoga, while the $125,000 Million Preview S. leads ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman They're not as rich and prestigious as the Kentucky Derby (G1), but the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis and the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows have drawn Kentucky Derby alumni and could have an impact on the second half of the 2024 racing season. Let's ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman A strong field has turned out for Saturday's $1 million Stephen Foster (G1) at Churchill Downs. Nine horses have entered the 1 1/8-mile contest, including eight graded stakes winners and another who has placed at the Grade 1 level. Don't be surprised if one or more of these runners ...