By Jarrod Horak The Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 20 has a purse of $500,000 and a field of ten sophomores are set to travel 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Pace Scenario Favors the Favorites One of the most important handicapping factors in this year’s Ohio Derby is the projected […]
Tag Archives: Grade 3 stakes
By Jarrod Horak Santa Anita’s closing-weekend feature is Sunday’s Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes, a $100,000 turf marathon contested at the demanding distance of 1 3/4 miles. The race attracted a field of ten older horses. The race serves as a true test of stamina, and with several entrants stepping into unfamiliar territory distance-wise, […]
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 3 Penn Mile at Penn National on Friday, May 29th features an intriguing field of talented three-year-olds going one mile on the turf for a $400,000 purse. This race drew a mix of proven graded stakes runners, improving turf specialists, and a few lightly raced runners with upside. Using the race […]
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 3 Pimlico Special headlines the Friday, May 15 card at Laurel Park as race 12, featuring a $250,000 purse for older runners going 1 3/16 miles on the main track. Scheduled post time is 5:37 p.m. Eastern, and this year’s edition brings together an interesting mix of tactical speed, proven […]
By Jarrod Horak The Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes shifts to Laurel Park this year while Pimlico undergoes construction, and this turf route drew an interesting mix of proven stakes veterans and improving runners heading into Preakness Saturday. From a handicapping perspective, this race offers a nice blend of established class, current form, and tactical […]
By Jarrod Horak I’m diving into the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland, a $350,000 event for fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles on the turf. This is a classic stamina test, and races at this distance often come down to pace dynamics, positioning, and which runners can sustain their finish over the final […]