Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf 2023 Angles
By Jarrod Horak The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf was first run in 2008 at Santa Anita Park, and the 2023 renewal will be held at the Great Race Place on Friday, Nov. 3. They will be traveling one mile on the turf course. Click here for Santa Anita Horse Racing Picks, Tips and Insider Analysis [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies 2023 Angles
By Jarrod Horak The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies dates all the way back to the first Breeders’ Cup at Hollywood Park in 1984. The 2023 renewal will be held at Santa Anita Park on Friday, Nov. 3, and they will be traveling 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Click here for Santa Anita Horse [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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BC Classic 2023 Prep: Awesome Again
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes is a BC Classic qualifier and will be run at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Sept. 30. Check out my video below, and keep coming back to the Digest website for daily Breeders’ Cup 2023 handicapping articles. Click here for Santa Anita Horse Racing Picks, Tips and [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint 2023 Angles
By Jarrod Horak This is my first in a series of articles previewing all 14 Breeders’ Cup 2023 races. This is the sixth running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and the 2023 renewal will be held at Santa Anita Park on Friday, Nov. 3. They will be dashing an abbreviated five panels on [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Breeders’ Cup 2023: 5 Horses to Bet
By Jarrod Horak We still have a bit more than five weeks to go before the 2023 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 3-4. Some horses will train up to the Cup, and others will have their final preps early next month. Let’s take an early gander at five Breeders’ Cup [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Santa Anita Park 2023 Autumn Meet Preview
By Jarrod Horak The highly anticipated 19-day Santa Anita Autumn Meet gets underway on Friday, Sept. 29. The feature race on opening day is the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes for filly and mare dirt sprinters. The Great Race Place will host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record 11th time in 2023. Click here [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby 2023 Analysis
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby will be run at Parx on Saturday, Sept. 23. Eleven sophomore males are scheduled to compete in the Grade 1, $1 million contest at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, and Reincarnate is the 3-1 morning line favorite. I will look at the Digest pace ratings [...]
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Road to Kentucky Derby 2024: Iroquois Stakes
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes will be run Churchill Downs on Saturday, Sept. 16. Nine juvenile males entered this flat mile contest, and this is the first road to Kentucky Derby 2024 points race. I will look at pace ratings and best final time ratings, rank the contenders first to last, and [...]
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Road to Kentucky Oaks 2024: Pocahontas Stakes
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes will be run at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Sept. 16. Nine juvenile fillies entered this flat mile contest and this is the first road to Kentucky Oaks 2024 points race. I will look at pace ratings and final time ratings, rank the contenders first to last, and [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2024 News: Points Race Changes
By Jarrod Horak The road to Kentucky Derby 2024 kicks off the with Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Sept. 16, and Risk It looks like the one to beat in the paper race. I will cover that event in an article and video later this week, and I will also debut [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar 2023 Stakes Recaps: Terrific Tamara
By Jarrod Horak The closing week stakes races at Del Mar featured some excellent performances, but none were better than Tamara in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, Sept. 9. She won for fun and stamped herself as the early favorite for the BC Juvenile Fillies. That does it for my Del Mar [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar Futurity 2023 Analysis & Video
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity will be run at Del Mar on Sunday, Sept. 10. Seven juveniles will line up to face the starter and Prince of Monaco is the overwhelming 2-5 morning line favorite. I will go through the projected race flow and look at the best Digest final time [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar Debutante 2023 Analysis & Video
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, Sept. 9. A full field of 14-horses will face the starter and Tamara is the tepid 7-2 morning line favorite. I will go through the projected race shape and look at the best final time ratings, and my [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar Stakes Recap From Last Week’s Racing
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club has now completed 7 weeks of their 8 week summer season with just three racing days left, i.e. this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They had five days of racing this past week and it still amazes me how full the fields are this far into the meet. Many of the [...]
By Turfdom |
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HSA, Do We Really Need Them?
When the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority became involved in racing over a year ago, I thought it was good for the sport. For over 100 years this sport in America has not been able to govern themselves and although any private business dislikes government intervention, too many states that conduct horse racing in [...]
By Turfdom |
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Beyond the 2023 Triple Crown: Updated Leaders
By Jarrod Horak I feel vindicated for keeping Arabian Knight on top of my list after he finished third in the Haskell. That effort was definitely better than appears, and he rebounded with a strong front running victory in the Grace 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Saturday, Sept. 2. Arcangelo won the Travers [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar 2023: Pacific Classic Week Stakes Recaps
By Jarrod Horak This was the biggest week at Del Mar so far. The Grade 1 Pacific Classic was the marquee race and Arabian Knight smartly wired the field in that heat, and he gets my star of the week award. Eight other stakes races were run between Sept. 2-4, and the summer meet is [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
Read MoreSaratoga News and Views: Belmont at the Spa?
By Jarrod Horak The Saratoga summer meet wrapped up earlier today and the stakes schedule ended with a shocking result. Nutella Fella stunned his rivals and paid $111 in the Grade 1 Hopeful. Irad Ortiz Jr. was the leading rider, and the trainer title came down to the final race of the meet. Linda Rice [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023: Spinaway & Hopeful Recaps
By Jarrod Horak The curtain has come down on the 2023 summer meet at Saratoga. The final two Grade 1 races of the meet were for 2-year-olds, and neither had the result that many were expecting. Brightwork was hardly a big surprise in the Spinaway, but Nutella Fella’s victory in the Hopeful was completely expected [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023: Stakes Recaps for September 2
By Jarrod Horak I did not have wagering success in the four stakes races at Saratoga on Saturday, Sept. 2, but I was pleased as a racing fan with one outcome in particular. The one performance that really stood out was Thin White Duke’s rallying win in the Harvey Pack Stakes. You cannot help but [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023 Stakes Recaps (Aug. 30-Sept. 1)
By Jarrod Horak This is my first of three stakes recaps for the final week of the 2023 Saratoga summer meet. Bill Mott won a pair of juvenile stakes to begin the week, and Chad Brown’s exciting sophomore turf star Carl Spackler (IRE) picked up his second graded stakes win of the summer in the [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga Stakes Analysis: Spinaway & Hopeful
By Jarrod Horak Juveniles take center stage in the final two Grade 1 races of the Saratoga 2023 summer meet. Ways and Means makes her much anticipated stakes debut in the Spinaway on Sunday, Sept. 3, and the closing Monday feature is the Hopeful featuring Bob Baffert’s $2 million purchase Muth. Click here for Saratoga [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar Favorites, Meet Leaders, Horses To Watch, Fatalities, and Other Musings
Week six is in the books of the eight week summer season at this seaside track with the best racing of the meet still to come. Del Mar will race five days this week with the addition of a Labor Day card on Monday and Saturday is Pacific Classic day with five graded stakes and [...]
By Turfdom |
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Pacific Classic 2023 Analysis & Video
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Pacific Classic will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, September 2. A total of eleven horses will line up in the starting gate and Geaux Rocket Ride is the 5-2 morning line favorite. This race has a good mix of improving sophomores and solid older horses. I will [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023: Stakes Analysis & Video (9-2-23)
By Jarrod Horak The three-day Labor Day weekend stakes action gets underway on Saturday with the Flower Bowl. Three other stakes are on tap including the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. Check out my video analysis of the latter event at the end of this post. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023 Closing Week Stakes Previews
By Jarrod Horak We made it to the final week of the Saratoga meet. It has been tumultuous summer at the Spa, and let’s hope that we can end the season on a high note with safe trips for all horses and riders. There are a trio of stakes races during the week including a [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar 2023 Week 6 Stakes Recaps (Aug 25-27)
By Jarrod Horak Week 6 at Del Mar was the calm before the stakes storm. We saw decent performances in the graded ranks from Anarchist and Eda, and now the stakes schedule kicks into high gear for the final two weeks of the summer meet. There are ten stakes on the docket from Sept. 2-4, [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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New York Showcase Day 2023 Stakes Recaps
By Jarrod Horak I enjoyed handicapping these New York-bred stakes races at Saratoga on Sunday, Aug. 27. I previewed the races for the Digest and ended up going 3-for-6 with a second. These six stakes races wrapped up the Travers week stakes action. There is one week and ten stakes races to go at the [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Travers 2023 Recap: Amazing Arcangelo
By Jarrod Horak Arcangelo moved to the head of the sophomore male division with a strong victory over Disarm in Saturday’s Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. In this post, I will go through each of the Travers entrants and discuss their rides and trips. Tapit Trice was the most pleasant surprise, and [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Travers Day Undercard Stakes: Shock and Sorrow
By Jarrod Horak I am still in shock over what happened at Saratoga on Saturday. The sudden breakdown of Maple Leaf Mel right before the wire a few weeks ago was extremely painful to witness, and after covering the aftermath of that harrowing turn of events on this website, I was really hoping for smooth [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023: Stakes Recaps (August 23-25)
By Jarrod Horak The Travers week stakes schedule began with the John’s Call on Aug. 23, and Tawny Port was best for Joel Rosario and Christophe Clement. The Ballston Spa was run the next day and there was a huge upset, and we saw a pair of strong winning performances in the Smart N Fancy [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023: New York Showcase Day Preview
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Travers is in the rear view mirror and now we turn our attention to New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday, August 27. The program features six New York-bred stakes races. Let’s peruse the Digest past performances and see if we can come up with some winners. [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Travers Day 2023 undercard stakes previews
By Jarrod Horak There are five Grade 1 races at Saratoga on Saturday, August 26. I posted my Travers analysis and video at the Digest earlier this week, along with my video analysis of the H. Allen Jerkens. I will provided likes to those races, and I will preview the other three stakes below. Click [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar Racing Recaps and Rider Updates
Week five is in the books for the summer season at Del Mar but it was no ordinary week where the “turf meets the surf”. For just the 2nd time in the 84 year history of this historic track they had to cancel a day of racing due to inclement weather. With Hurricane Hilary moving [...]
By Turfdom |
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Travers Stakes 2023 Analysis & Video
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Travers will be run at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 26. A total of seven horses will face the starter and Forte is the 7-5 morning line favorite. I will go through the best Today’s Racing Digest pace ratings and final time ratings, and my video analysis is [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Travers week stakes previews: Invest in Nest
By Jarrod Horak Travers week has arrived and the stakes schedule is off the hook. We have the Grade 2 Ballston Spa on Thursday, the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Friday, five Grade 1 races including the Travers on Saturday, and six New York-bred stakes on Sunday. Let’s start with the weekday stakes, and I [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023: Randomized rolls in Alabama
By Jarrod Horak Week six at Saratoga is in the books and Randomized turned in a star performance. Chad Brown’s filly hit the front early and never looked back in the Grade 1 Alabama for sophomore fillies traveling a mile and a quarter on the main track. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar week 5 stakes recaps (Aug. 18-19)
By Jarrod Horak This week’s Del Mar stakes report is very short. Three stakes races were originally scheduled, but the Sunday card was cancelled and that program was supposed to feature the Solana Beach Stakes. No word yet on a new date for that race. Anisette was the big performer of the week after an [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Racing Cancelled Del Mar Sunday, August 20 Due To Weather
Due to weather conditions, racing is cancelled for Sunday, August 20th. The facility will be open for simulcast wagering.
By jkarchessun |
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Saratoga 2023: Alabama Stakes analysis & video
The Grade 1 Alabama Stakes will be run at Saratoga on Saturday, August 19. A total of ten horses will line up in the starting gate and Wet Paint is the 2-1 morning line favorite. I will go through the projected race shape and look at the best final time ratings, and my video analysis [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga stakes previews: Alabama week
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Alabama is the feature race of the week at Saratoga, and it is the biggest event of the summer for sophomore fillies. The mile and a quarter distance will probably trip up many of the runners, but the distance probably won’t hurt morning line favorite Wet Paint. This race [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Computer Assisted Wagering Group Has Struck Again
HERE WE GO AGAIN: This situation seemed to be getting better this summer at Del Mar, but it raised its ugly head once again in the 7th race on Friday. Nine went to the post in this race of non winners twice for a claiming tag of $32,000 and my Turfdom’s top selection in this [...]
By Turfdom |
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No WOKE, Santa Anita is Getting Rid of the Rainbow
Even though Del Mar is in the midst of their 8 week summer season, 1st Racing and Santa Anita have to have their name in the news. Part of this I like and part of it I don’t. The part I like is that they will do away with the Rainbow pick six starting with [...]
By Turfdom |
Read MoreDel Mar Stakes Recaps and Rumblings
They had a mandatory payout of the pick 6 on Sunday and the patrons added over $3.1 million to the pool of $373,278. The total pool was only at $2.1 million while the horses started loading into the gates, so you can imagine how much late money was added after most of us were shut [...]
By Turfdom |
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Del Mar’s Biased Racing Surface and How To Handicap For It
Week four is in the books and we have reached the halfway mark of the 8 week summer season. And there is one thing we know for sure about where the turf meets the surf. The main track at Del Mar is a BIASED racing surface. After playing relatively fair over Thursday and Friday this [...]
By Turfdom |
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Del Mar stakes recaps: Prince of Monaco rules
By Jarrod Horak The Del Mar stakes star of the week was an easy choice. Exciting 2-year-old prospect Prince of Monaco ran a hole in the wind in the Best Pal Stakes on Sunday for trainer Bob Baffert. He might be the goods! Click here for Del Mar Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider Analysis Graduation – [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga stakes recaps: Carl Spackler sparkles
By Jarrod Horak We saw some impressive efforts in the stakes ranks at Saratoga for the week ending August 13. There were at least three performances worthy of blue-ribbon status, and I decided to go with Carl Spackler (IRE) as the star of the week. Chad Brown’s emerging stakes star made the grade in the [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Turf Paradise Days Might Be Numbered
The owners of the Phoenix, Arizona race track announced this past week that they would not be starting their 130 day winter meet in November. The track has been up for sale and is now pending to close on December 17 to a group of developers. This track, which has been in operation since 1956, [...]
By Turfdom |
Read More2023 Hall Of Fame Selections Has a Strong California Showing
This past week on a rainy Friday morning at Saratoga, they inducted into the Thoroughbred Hall of Fame, the class for 2023, and it had a very strong California flavor for the inductees. Three champion race horses, all who made their home on the Southern California circuit, were unanimous selections in their first year of [...]
By Turfdom |
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The Meet’s Leading Rider Wins the La Jolla Stakes at Del Mar
The Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes for sophomores at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf was the headliner on Sunday as 8 went to the post. They made a maiden the 3/1 favorite in this race, maybe because the meet’s leading rider had the mount, and sure enough, with his only mount of [...]
By Turfdom |
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Juan Hernandez gets a break from suspension to make the difference in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes.
They ran four stakes over the weekend at Del Mar, two each on Saturday and Sunday. The Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch was the headliner on Saturday, and though only five went to the post, it was still a good horse race. Baffert’s Adare Manor was made the solid 3 to 5 favorite in this [...]
By Turfdom |
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Saratoga stakes previews: Fourstardave weekend
By Jarrod Horak The stakes action just keeps on coming at Saratoga, and the big event this Saturday is the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap, named in honor of The Sultan of Saratoga. I was a fan of the iron horse in the 80’s and 90’s. He captured at least one race at Saratoga from 1987-1994, [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Beyond the 2023 Triple Crown: Updated Rankings
By Jarrod Horak We are well into the second half of the year and the 3-year-old male division title is still very much up for grabs. Forte, last year’s 2-year-old champ, captured his third graded race in 2023 in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, July 29. A win in the [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar week 3 stakes recaps (August 4-6)
By Jarrod Horak The third week of the Del Mar summer meet included five stakes races. Two were of the graded variety and three were restricted to California-bred horses, and the stakes star of the week award goes to Bus Buzz. The state bred sophomore sprinter put on a show in the Real Good Deal [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Inside Speed Is Back While Early Speed and Favorites Dominate at Del Mar
Del Mar is a great place to visit, no doubt about it. Cool temps to get away from the summer heat, those cool ocean breezes coming off the Pacific, and lots of pretty people taking in all of the sights, sounds, and even the smells of a race track. And yes, at Del Mar, they [...]
By Turfdom |
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Saratoga stakes recaps: Mourning Maple Leaf Mel
By Jarrod Horak We cannot begin this recap article without discussing the tragic events surrounding the Test Stakes, and that race is almost impossible to talk about given what happened just before the wire. The ending was almost too tragic to believe. Maple Leaf Mel, an extremely talented and fleet New York-bred filly, was in [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Should Racing Stay In Northern California?
1ST RACING, AKA, THE STRONACH GROUP: Since 1st Racing announced back on July 16 that they will shut down Golden Gate Fields at the end of the year, they have been pretty “mum” about what all this entails. I’m not sure they really have any plan in place for Northern California, but what they really [...]
By Turfdom |
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The Learning Curve of Hisa
As everyone knows who has anything to do with racing, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is off to an awfully rough start with their medication violations and trainer suspensions. After trainer Jonothan Wong had been suspended for four weeks and all of his 100 plus horses have been given to other trainers across the [...]
By Turfdom |
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Del Mar Stakes Recap: Eddie Read, Bing Crosby, San Diego Handicap
STAKES RECAP: BLOOD AND GUTS: They ran three graded stakes over the weekend and all three had strong fields with plenty of entries. It would be hard to top the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on Saturday as they had 12 strong sprinters go six furlongs on the main track and it was a Win and [...]
By Turfdom |
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Saratoga weekend stakes previews (August 5-6)
By Jarrod Horak Whitney weekend is almost here and all eyes are on Cody’s Wish. Bill Mott’s 5-year-old horse won his last six stakes starts including Grade 1 triumphs in the Forego, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Churchill Downs Stakes, and Met Mile. The Whitney is a Win & You’re In for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar’s Main Track Bias and Off The Pace Turf Router’s Advantage
Del Mar’s second week of racing was just as good as their first week with plenty of full fields and a number of good priced horses crossing the finish line first. With Saratoga having plenty of five horse fields in their stakes races, Del Mar is having anywhere from 9 to 14 horse fields for [...]
By Turfdom |
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Del Mar week 2 stakes recaps (July 27-30)
By Jarrod Horak The second week of the Del Mar summer meet featured five stakes races. Senor Buscador pulled off the biggest surprise at 13-1 odds in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap, and he will probably go next in the Pacific Classic (G1) on Saturday, September 2. Click here for Del Mar Racing Picks, Tips, [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga Week 4 stakes previews (August 2-4)
By Jarrod Horak One of the great things about Saratoga is all of the stakes activity during the week. Hopefully the weather holds up because the weekday stakes action is confined to the turf course as we flip the calendar to August. Horses for the turf course Technical Analysis and War Like Goddess headline the [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
Read MoreStronach Group’s Plans to Consolidate and Improve Thoroughbred Horse Racing In Southern California.
Press Release, Santa Anita (July 28, 2023) – The Stronach Group’s 1/ST RACING today announced a plan to help consolidate racing operations in Southern California, invigorate an aging business model that has plagued California racing for decades and build on the state’s recent reforms that have vastly improved safety. “We are confident that this comprehensive package [...]
By Racing Digest |
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Saratoga stakes recaps: Forte’s eventful Saturday
By Jarrod Horak What a stellar week of stakes races at Saratoga. I don’t even know where to begin. Echo Zulu, Next, and New York Thunder were tremendous during the week, and Elite Power and Forte showed us why they are champions in a pair of determined victories over the weekend. It is almost impossible [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga weekend stakes previews (July 29-30)
By Jarrod Horak This weekend’s stakes action at Saratoga features an intriguing renewal of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. The co-feature on Saturday is the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt and that race will probably be a battle between Elite Power and Gunite. Sunday’s main event is the Grade 2 Bowling Green on turf. Click [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Golden Gate’s Bombshell and the Computer Assisted Wagering Crisis
By Rod Young from Turfdom As per usual, Del Mar started their 84th season with a bang last Friday. They only had 21,000 plus on track but that was by design, as they limited the amount of patrons for opening day to accommodate those that were in attendance, without long concession and wagering lines. The [...]
By Turfdom |
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Del Mar opening week stakes recaps (July 21-23)
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Del Mar summer meet is off and running. There were five stakes races on opening week and four of those were flat mile turf events. We saw some impressive performances including Anisette’s scene-stealing performance in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes on Saturday, July 22. Click here for Del Mar Racing [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga week 3 stakes previews (July 26-28)
By Jarrod Horak We are rapidly wrapping up the month of July and the weekday stakes action at Saratoga kicks off with Echo Zulu in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss. She is 2-for-2 at the Spa and looks tough to deny on Wednesday. Next is the one to catch in the Birdstone, and Drew’s Gold [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga stakes recaps: Nest shines in Shuvee
By Jarrod Horak Saratoga’s second week of the 2023 summer meet is in the books and seven stakes races were run from July 19-23. We witnessed big performances from Scotland in the Curlin and Wet Paint in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, but the star of the week award goes to Nest after [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Geaux Rocket Ride zooms away in Haskell
By Jarrod Horak Richard Mandella means business when he ships a horse to Monmouth Park for their marquee race. He previously won the Haskell in 2000 with Dixie Union. This year, his lightly raced California invader Geaux Rocket Ride stalked the pace and spurted away from Kentucky Derby hero Mage and Bob Baffert’s highly regarded [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Kentucky Derby winner Mage returns in Haskell
By Jarrod Horak Eight sophomore males take center stage in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, July 22. Bob Baffert has won the Haskell a record 9 times and he is represented this year by undefeated colt Arabian Knight, the 5-2 morning line favorite. Click here for Haskell [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga stakes previews: Nest returns in Shuvee
By Jarrod Horak The second weekend at Saratoga features a trio of graded stakes races including the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks. Todd Pletcher has live contenders in two of the graded races including Nest in the Grade 2 Shuvee on Sunday, July 23. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider Analysis Grade [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Top 10 Del Mar Horse Racing Winning Handicapping Angles
Whether you are new to handicapping or a seasoned professional Today’s Racing Digest’s 50 plus years of rich robust analytics, artificial intelligence, data science, and boots-on-ground experience will give you the help you need to cash bigger tickets more often by uncovering overlooked value often missed by the rest of the betting public. The following [...]
By Racing Digest |
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Del Mar 2023 summer meet: 5 horses to watch
By Jarrod Horak Del Mar is definitely a horse for course track. It is truly a unique experience with ocean breezes, tidal shifts, and ever-changing salty moisture content. Some horses thrive at the seaside oval and closers seem to love the turf course, but some horses fail to rise to the occasion. Take these two [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga stakes previews: Blazing Sevens returns
There are four stakes races scheduled at Saratoga Race Course from July 19-21. The second week of the meet gets underway with a pair of New York Stallion Series events on July 19 and 20. On Friday, Blazing Sevens is using the restricted Curlin Stakes as a prep for the Grade 1 Travers. Also on [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023 week 1 stakes recaps (July 13-16)
By Jarrod Horak Opening week at Saratoga featured unsettled weather and multiple upsets in the stakes races. There were seven stakes from July 13-16 and Whitebeam (GB) was the star of the week. Chad Brown’s filly nipped her highly regarded stablemate In Italian (GB) in the Grade 1 Diana. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar 2023 summer meet trainers to watch
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Del Mar summer meet is less than a week away and the excitement is building. I covered riders to watch yesterday, and in this post I will take a look at the top trainers to keep an eye on. Click here for Del Mar Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider Analysis 2022 [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Del Mar 2023 summer meet jockeys to watch
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Del Mar thoroughbred meet kicks off on Friday, July 21 and I will be covering the action at Today’s Racing Digest this summer. Keep checking this spot for articles, videos, and more. This post features the riders to watch at Del Mar. Click here for Del Mar Racing Picks, Tips, and [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga stakes previews featuring Grade 1 Diana
By Jarrod Horak Opening weekend at Saratoga features four graded stakes races including the Grade 1 Diana. Chad Brown has owned the Diana in recent runnings and he has 80% of the field this year. The Diana, Kelso, and Sanford will be run on Saturday, July 15, and the Quick Call is on the docket [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga opening week stakes previews
By Jarrod Horak Opening week at Saratoga has arrived and it is time to analyze the first three stakes races of the meet. First up is the Grade 3 Schuylerville on opening day, July 13, and the Wilton Stakes and Coronation Cup will be run on Friday, July 14. I will be previewing and recapping [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Using the horse for course angle at Saratoga
By Jarrod Horak Saratoga, known as the The Graveyard of Champions, is one of those tracks that horses seem to love or hate. Favorites tend to get overbet in stakes races, and the horse for course angle can be a strong handicapping tool. The great Man o’ War lost just once in 21 races and [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga track profile & post position stats
By Jarrod Horak The Belmont Park spring/summer meet ended earlier today and we are in Saratoga countdown mode. The boutique summer meet starts on July 13 and I posted multiple Saratoga articles at the Digest earlier in the week. I covered jockeys, trainers, and owners to watch, and in this post I will dive into [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Big day for Kentucky Derby pace casualties
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Kentucky Derby featured a blistering pace and place finisher Two Phil’s was the only forwardly placed runner around at the end. On July 8, two pace casualties from the Derby got back on track with stakes victories. First up was Verifying in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby. He dueled from [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Saratoga 2023: Owners to watch
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Saratoga meet is right around the corner and owners love to have their picture taken at the prestigious boutique meeting in Upstate New York. Klavarich Stables seemingly has a hammerlock on the leading owner title. They had the most wins from 2015-22. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider [...]
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Los Alamitos Derby 2023 Analysis & Wagers
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles on July 8 looks like a match race on paper between Grade 3 Sham hero Reincarnate and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby show finisher Skinner. The former has the tactical edge and the latter has the most upside. Last week, I covered [...]
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Saratoga 2023: Trainers to watch
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Saratoga summer thoroughbred meet begins on Thursday, July 13. I covered the riders to watch at the Spa yesterday. Today, I will take a look at the top trainers to keep an eye on. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider Analysis 2022 Leading Trainers (wins): Chad Brown [...]
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Saratoga 2023: Jockeys to watch
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Saratoga thoroughbred meet kicks off on Thursday, July 13 and I will be covering much of the action for the Digest this summer. Keep checking this spot for articles and videos. In this post, I will cover the riders to watch at the Spa. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, [...]
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Saratoga 2023: Nest gears up for Shuvee
By Jarrod Horak I have been eagerly awaiting the reappearance of 3-year-old filly champ Nest, and it was great to hear that she is expected to make her first start of 2023 in the Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga on July 23. Click here for Saratoga Racing Picks, Tips, and Insider Analysis Todd Pletcher’s [...]
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Was the 2023 Belmont Stakes a Strong Race?
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Belmont Stakes was loaded with graded talent and Arcangelo parlayed a ground saving trip into a 7-1 upset over Forte and Tapit Trice in the final jewel of the Triple Crown at Belmont Park on Saturday, June 10. Jena Antonucci had this one primed to run a big race and [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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West Will Power Qualifies for BC Classic
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1 Stephen Foster on Saturday, July 1 at Ellis Park was a Win and You’re In for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and West Will Power stalked the pace, struck the front, and held off Rock N Roll to score by a half-length. Flavien Prat rode the winner for Brad [...]
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Was the 2023 Preakness Stakes a Strong Race?
By Jarrod Horak Only one Kentucky Derby 2023 participant competed in the Preakness and Mage was that runner. The Derby hero faced six rivals in Baltimore and Blazing Sevens was the only other graded winner. The Preakness sure did not look like a strong race on paper and it got even weaker after the defection [...]
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Watch Out for Scratched Triple Crown Runners
By Jarrod Horak Five horses defected from the 2023 Kentucky Derby and there was one Preakness scratch. Can any of those runners make an impact this summer and fall? Continuar (JPN): He would have been one of the longest shots on the board in the Derby. His trainer was not happy with his fitness level [...]
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Stephen Foster 2023 Analysis & Wagers
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 1, $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes is the 10th race at Ellis Park on Saturday, July 1, and it is a Win and You’re In event for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Eight horses will line up to face the starter and Smile Happy is the 3-1 morning line favorite. Grade [...]
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Beyond the 2023 Triple Crown: June Rankings
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Triple Crown is in the rear-view mirror and we are speeding towards the big summer targets. The 3-year-old division is wide open at this stage and it is time to catch up with the sophomore leaders. Two Phil’s appeared to reach the top of the leaderboard after an impressive score [...]
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Was the 2023 Kentucky Derby a Strong Race?
By Jarrod Horak The early pace was swift and Mage rolled home from off the pace to capture the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Five horses scratched and the Florida shipper ended up defeating 17 runners on the first Saturday in May, and the strong early pace really helped the late runners. Ten horses have run back. [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
Read MoreFixed Odds Wagering Is Off And Running At Monmouth Park plus Santa Anita Weekly Recap
Week 20 is concluded at Santa Anita Park and management is starting to have trouble with field size, as there were many short fields in last week’s three days of racing. Of course, like most tracks across the country, they are focusing on the “big” day and save many races to capitalize on handle for [...]
By Turfdom |
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Preakness 2023: National Treasure all the way
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Preakness Stakes played out in real time just the way it looked on paper. National Treasure broke smoothly from the inside post, got to the front with relative ease, and held off Blazing Sevens in the lane to win by a head. Kentucky Derby winner Mage was third. The complexion [...]
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Preakness 2023: First Mission scratch alters pace
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Preakness Stakes lost a major contender when First Mission scratched on Friday morning due to a problem with his left-hind ankle. How does that defection impact the race? Let’s find out. I wrote an article about the Preakness pace scenario earlier this week and stated that there were only three [...]
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Preakness 2023 Report: Good Magic trifecta?
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Preakness Stakes has eight entrants and sire Good Magic is responsible for three of those runners including Kentucky Derby winner Mage. He also has Perform and Blazing Sevens. Is it possible for all three of those runners to finish in the trifecta? Stranger things have happened. Good Magic was the [...]
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Preakness 2023 Report: Pace Analysis
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Preakness field is set and Mage is the 8-5 morning line favorite. His biggest hurdle might be the lack of pace in the paper race, and in this report we will take a look at the likely race shape. There are no confirmed front runners in the field so we [...]
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Preakness 2023: Confidence Game, Disarm out
By Jarrod Horak The Preakness 2023 field currently stands at eight after two defections and one addition. Confidence Game is out for trainer Keith Desormeaux. He came out of the Derby with a sore shoulder and will miss the second jewel of the Triple Crown. In late breaking news, Disarm, most recently seen running fourth [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
Read MoreThe 4 Highest Fast Figs Picks The Top 3 Finishers In the 2023 Kentucky Derby
Fast Figs continues to prove it’s consistency in being able to isolate the top contenders even at the highest levels of racing. In this year’s Kentucky Derby, the top 4 Fast Figs included the top 3 finishers. Fast Figs takes into account not only the expected speed and performance of a horse but also the [...]
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Preakness 2023 Report: Early Preview
By Jarrod Horak There are currently nine horses under consideration for Preakness 2023, and Kentucky Derby winner Mage is one of them. The lightly raced Good Magic colt came out of his victory on the first Saturday in May in good order. He was a 15-1 longshot last weekend and is expected to be the [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Recap: Mighty Mage
By Jarrod Horak Kentucky Derby 2023 was a crazy race. Five horses scratched late in the week including morning line favorite Forte on the morning of the race. That left a field of 18 and Arkansas Derby hero Angel of Empire was the post time favorite, but Florida Derby runner-up Mage stole the show with [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Recap: Pretty in pink
By Jarrod Horak Pretty Mischievous held off Gambling Girl’s late bid to capture the 2023 Kentucky Oaks by a diminishing neck. She got lost in the betting shuffle and went off at 10-1. Tyler Gaffalione rode the Into Mischief filly for Brendan Walsh, and she completed her 1 1/8 mile journey in 1:49.77. There were [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
Read MoreForte, 2023 Kentucky Derby Morning Line Favorite Is Scratched
The Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby morning line favorite Forte was scratched from the race just 10 hours before post time. The four-time Grade 1 winner, was set with a 3-1 morning line following Monday’s draw and was the one to beat in today’s Derby. Forte’s owner Mike Repole said the Kentucky Horse Racing [...]
By Today's Racing Digest |
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: A final look
By Jarrod Horak After Kentucky Derby 2023 post positions were drawn on Monday, we had a 20-horse field with a trio of also-eligibles. As I reported yesterday, Practical Move, Lord Miles, and Continuar dropped out of the race, and Cyclone Mischief, Mandarin Hero, and King Russell drew in. On Friday, word came down that Skinner [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Derby defections
By Jarrod Horak Kentucky Derby 2023 post positions were drawn on Monday, May 1. A total of 23 horses including three also-eligibles threw their hat in the ring, and in a crazy turn of events, all three alternates are now in the race. Practical Move was the first defection. He spiked a temperature and scratched [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: Top Pick
By Jarrod Horak The Kentucky Oaks 2023 field is set and there have been no changes since post positions were drawn earlier this week. Wet Paint is the deserving morning line favorite. She won the Martha Washington, Honeybee, and Fantasy Stakes from off the pace in her last three starts at Oaklawn. She is fine [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
Read MoreSanta Anita Weekly Recap Along With the Question: Is Mario Gutierrez Asleep In the Saddle?
Week 17 is in the books at Santa Anita Park and the weather continues to be good with most of any rain in the rear view mirror. Management continues to have large cards to try and make up for many of the days that have been lost in the past. Saturday had 12 races and [...]
By Turfdom |
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: It’s Derby week!
By Jarrod Horak Kentucky Derby 2023 post positions will be drawn on Monday, May 1. We are getting close now, and I will be back on Derby week with more reports. Forte is expected to be the morning line favorite. The 2-year-old champion has a strong resume with four Grade 1 wins. He has earned [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: Early Preview
By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Kentucky Oaks is just around the corner and the race is shaping up as a wide open betting affair. Wet Paint is the likely favorite after late running victories in the Martha Washington, Honeybee, and Fantasy Stakes. All of those races were at Oaklawn Park, and she is hoping for [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Final Countdown
By Jarrod Horak We have reached the end of the Kentucky Derby 2023 points race series, and Todd Pletcher still holds three aces. He has juvenile champ Forte and young upstart Kingsbarns, and Tapit Trice followed up his late running win in the Tampa Bay Derby with a smart stalking score in the Blue Grass [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: Preps are complete
By Jarrod Horak All of the Kentucky Oaks 2023 points races are in the books and there was plenty of late movement on the points list. Defining Purpose and Promiseher America seemingly came out of nowhere with upset wins in the Ashland and Gazelle, and those late qualifiers knocked some big names out of the [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Forte still on top
By Jarrod Horak As mentioned in my previous Kentucky Derby 2023 report, Todd Pletcher dominated the points races in March with Forte, Tapit Trice, and Kingsbarns. Fast forward to April, and the more things change the more they stay the same. Forte cemented his status as the Kentucky Derby favorite by winning the Florida Derby [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: Wet Paint wins again
By Jarrod Horak Affirmative Lady and Wet Paint were the big winners in the latest road to Kentucky Oaks 2023 points races. The former has been thriving at Gulfstream Park this year and is on the upswing for Graham Motion, and the latter is the queen of Oaklawn Park following stakes wins in the Martha [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Kingsbarns Rules
By Jarrod Horak Todd Pletcher trainees dominated the Kentucky Derby 2023 points races in March. First it was Forte in the Fountain of Youth on March 4, and Tapit Trice made his case in the Tampa Bay Derby a week later. On March 25, it was Kingsbarns and Flavien Prat wiring the field in the [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: Southlawn Shines
By Jarrod Horak Southlawn seemingly came out of nowhere and is suddenly prominent player on the road to Kentucky Oaks 2023. The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile was just 1-for-5 last year. She romped in her optional claiming return at Fair Grounds on Feb. 17, and stormed home from off the pace in a strong [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Tapit Trice Triumphs
By Jarrod Horak The road to Kentucky Derby 2023 is suddenly Todd Pletcher’s playground. His talented juvenile champion Forte was excellent in his seasonal bow in the Fountain of Youth, and he is the solid Derby favorite after that easy victory on March 4. Fast forward one week, and his $1.3 million Tapit colt Tapit [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: Florida shocker
By Jarrod Horak We saw the biggest shocker yet on the road to Kentucky Oaks 2023. That stunning result was in the Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park on March 4. Dorth Vader pressed the pace and kicked clear to score as a 46-1 outsider. She is probably not a top Oaks contender but that sure [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Forte is back
By Jarrod Horak The road to Kentucky Derby 2023 is picking up serious momentum. Two-year-old champion Forte made his much anticipated return in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 4, and he did not disappoint. He solidified his position as the early Kentucky Derby favorite with another strong stalk and pounce victory at 1 [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Arabian Knight Rolls
By Jarrod Horak The road to Kentucky Derby 2023 is starting to heat up. The races are getting longer and more points are on the line as we prepare to turn the calendar from February to March. Juvenile champion Forte is scheduled to make his much anticipated seasonal bow in the Fountain of Youth Stakes [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: February Surprises
By Jarrod Horak There were plenty of surprises in recent Kentucky Oaks 2023 prep races. Champion juvenile filly Wonder Wheel lost her first start of the year by a neck in the Suncoast Stakes, and Todd Pletcher’s well-bred filly Julia Shining landed the show in that same race. Highly regarded Tom Amoss trainee Hoosier Philly [...]
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Kentucky Derby 2023 Report: Leaderboard Update
By Jarrod Horak The ten juvenile points races on the road to Kentucky Derby 2023 have all been completed, and Forte is likely to be the juvenile male champ after Grade 1 victories in the Hopeful, Breeders’ Futurity, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The latter race was deep with Cave Rock landing the place and National [...]
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Kentucky Oaks 2023 Report: Leaderboard Update
By Jarrod Horak The first nine Kentucky Oaks 2023 points races are in the books. Wonder Wheel won two big Grade 1 races at Keeneland, the Alcibiades and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and she will almost certainly be named the juvenile filly champion. Honorable mention goes to sharp Golden Rod winner Hoosier Philly, and promising [...]
By Jarrod Horak |
Read MoreSanta Anita’s six week fall meet came to a close on Sunday with one of their more successful fall meets in quite some time
Santa Anita’s six week fall meet came to a close on Sunday with one of their more successful fall meets in quite some time, as field size was very good for the entire meet. And though they didn’t have any stakes races the final weekend, there were still plenty of challenging races to wager on. [...]
By Turfdom |
Read MoreNews and Notes: Santa Anita
Four weeks are in the books at Santa Anita’s fall meet with just two to go. Track management does have a good weekend forecast for this week with 7 stakes races on Saturday and hopefully, plenty of full fields. All in all, they have done quite well with field size so far for the meet. [...]
By Turfdom |
Read MoreSeven Stakes Set For Saturday at Santa Anita
SANTA ANITA READIES FOR PENULTIMATE WEEK OF AUTUMN MEET, SEVEN STAKES SET FOR SATURDAY AS BREEDERS’ CUP LOOMS NOV. 4 & 5 FROM KEENELAND ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 23, 2022)—With the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships looming on Nov. 4 & 5 at Keeneland, Santa Anita Park will enter the penultimate week of its current 18-day [...]