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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman When analyzing the field for Saturday's $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III) at Tampa Bay Downs, I'm struck by the fact that there is plenty of early speed entered in this 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race. Certainly the front-running sprinter #2 Going for Gold, making ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Sorry to disappoint you, but the title of this post is technically inaccurate. Despite going over the top in writing way, way too many words about the three Kentucky Derby prep races coming up this Saturday, I didn't quite hit 3,000 words. My preview of the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. II) ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman In what can easily be billed as the first big weekend of racing in 2019, Gulfstream Park will host a stakes-packed card led by the $9 million Pegasus World Cup (gr. I) and the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (gr. I), while on Friday, Oaklawn Park will join the action with the ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman I don't think there's any question that Saturday's $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds is shaping up to be by far the most competitive Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race so far in 2019. Even with a couple of scratches expected, a huge field will line up in the starting ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Every winter, with the Road to the Kentucky Derby drawing plenty of attention from racing fans and handicappers alike, there tends to be more talk than usual about pedigrees—who's bred for dirt, who's bred for turf, who's bred to run 1 ¼ miles on the first Saturday in May, ...

Current Standings   Riskaverse 1229 Akita Girl 993 Bill Dawson 984.5 Leigh 957.75 Eric Rickard 934.75 latenite 923 RobbieJoe25 918 Rik Est 870.75 Anglachel 870.5 smitty37 861 Kathy Weightman 836.75 ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you didn't blink, or you might have missed the first Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race of 2019—the schedule kicked off right away with the January 1st Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct, and the series will continue this Saturday with the Sham Stakes (gr. ...

Ready to test your handicapping skills in a series of informal handicapping contests? Then you've come to the right place! Every Saturday, the Unlocking Winners readers gather to share their selections for eight major race across North America and occasionally the world. Winning isn't easy, but the victor takes home the prestigious honor of ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman When handicapping major turf races in California, I am usually of the opinion that shippers from the East Coast have an advantage. With the powerful stable of trainer Chad Brown based out east, and with the majority of the richest turf races taking place across the region's numerous ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman On a very quiet weekend of racing with only one graded stakes race on the agenda, the event that Kentucky Derby-minded handicappers will want to keep an eye on is surely the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes at Fair Grounds. The six-furlong sprint for two-year-olds serves as a steppingstone ...