Breeders’ Cup 2012 is only 18-days away at the time of this writing. It will take place over two days at Santa Anita on November 2, and 3, 2012. I ran into a friend of mine from the track, and he asked me the million dollar question. “Where do I begin my research for the […]

Back in 2008 when the Breeders’ Cup was held at Santa Anita Park no runner went wire to wire in any of the 14 races on the main track’s Pro-Ride surface or the grass course. However, the synthetic surface was replaced with dirt after ’09 following many problems and complaints about it. Then last year the […]

As a horseplayer, it is our responsibility to keep up on trends, biases, and anything that can effect the bottom line. There is some rain in the forecast for Keeneland this week, and here are a few bullet point reminders to keep in your arsenal. Rainy day winners The track will always be fast. Next […]

Injury and sickness continue to plague top 3-year-olds this year as Haskell Invitational winner Paynter, who would have been favored in the Travers Stakes, won’t make the $1 million Grade 1. The son of Awesome Again, who spent more than a week in a New Jersey veterinary clinic after spiking a fever several days after […]

Two summer stakes races rich in history and purse money lie ahead for 3-year-olds. Each contest is worth $1 million. The 45th Haskell Invitational, scheduled on July 29, is named for the first president and chairman of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club who served for two decades until his death in 1966. The track on […]

I was reading the New York Times, and I am really thinking of giving up my Sunday crossword puzzle. Not that it would be a world-ender, but they are giving a down home ass-whupin’ to racing. I know sensational headlines sell, but there may be a little more than just what we are reading. Wasn’t it the […]

Belmont Stakes Honored Track Founder’s Old Friend Flamboyant financier Leonard W. Jerome and well-heeled friends, including banker August Belmont Sr., built a racetrack in the Bronx that opened on Sept. 25, 1866. The crowd at Jerome Park, named for its founder, included Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and members of New York’s fashionable society. It was […]

There have been many jinxes connected with the Kentucky Derby over the decades. And some memorable curses have been snapped during the 21st Century. One of the most discussed whammies ended in 2007 when Street Sense became the first 2-year-old champion to capture the Derby since Spectacular Bid in ’79. The son of Street Cry […]

The path to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks passes through South Florida on Sunday, January 29th with the back to back running of the Forward Gal (G2) and Holy Bull (G3) for 3-year-old fillies and colts respectively. Both races have compact fields of six entrants with stand out favorites.  On the girls side Broadway’s […]

Post position statistics become a more important component of handicapping when races are staged at certain distances. Naturally, the most significant aspect of the data is the ratio of victories. The general bias against outside posts is particularly strong at foremost North American ovals, especially in routes such as a mile on Aqueduct’s inner track […]