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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The weekend between the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Preakness (G1) brings a busy Saturday of racing at Belmont Park. Five graded stakes are on the agenda, and while the Man o' War (G1) for older turf horses is the star of the card, the Peter Pan (G3) is arguably the more intriguing ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman After a couple of frustrating misses in recent years, you might say I'm highly motivated to pick the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs. Preferably a winner who isn't the top betting choice. I was among the handicappers who selected Maximum Security to win the ...

In terms of today's methods of preparing Thoroughbreds for the spring classics, Essential Quality has gained about as much experience in his five starts before this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) as any horse could expect. With horses no longer building toward the Derby through a long series of races at 2 and 3, it's ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The Kentucky Derby is just nine days away, and the field is pretty much set. All that remains is to watch workouts, review replays, decipher data, and come up with our selections. In years past, I've taken this week before the Derby to highlight live longshots worth considering ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Get ready, everyone! Another great Saturday of racing awaits! At Oaklawn Park, a couple of million-dollar stakes are on the agenda, including a fantastic renewal of the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park. But an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita is also worth ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Our quest to pick 50% winners in 2021 took a hit last week when our plays in three major Kentucky Derby preps all fell to defeat. As a result, we enter the second weekend of April with an 11-for-26 (42%) record—not bad, but not quite our goal. Essentially, we need a 4-for-4 week to ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Get ready—another huge week of racing awaits! Three top-tier Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races are on the agenda, so we won't waste time with introductions. We'll just dive right in and start handicapping: Blue Grass (G2) I'll be the first to admit #4 Essential Quality (3-5) ...

Starting with a full allotment of Road to the Kentucky Derby points for its signature race, things are looking up for the $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and its host track, Turfway Park racing and gaming. The track, at this point, is only a track. The razed grandstand is being replaced by a new facility that Turfway broke ground on a week ago. ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Raise your hand if you're ready for an epic weekend of racing! No fewer than 39 stakes races are scheduled to take place on Saturday and Sunday in the U.S., led by the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Meanwhile, Meydan in Dubai is set to host an action-packed Dubai World Cup ...