By Jarrod Horak The Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap headlines the Saturday, April 18 card as Race 11, offering a $1.25 million purse for older horses going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. This is a fascinating matchup between elite older runners and top-class four-year-olds returning from layoffs. I’m approaching this race as a classic […]
Tag Archives: Michael McCarthy
By Jarrod Horak I’m breaking down the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, a key Kentucky Derby prep worth 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers. This $777,000 race is contested at 1 1/8 miles over the all-weather surface, and it’s a fascinating mix of proven synthetic runners, turf shippers, and developing three-year-olds […]
Four year old gelding for Michael McCarthy tried a starter allowance race for non winners of three lifetime in the finale on Friday at a mile on the turf, 3 and up. Off at even money from a morning line of 3/1 with a ton of money coming in late, he broke well under J.J. […]
Three year old filly for Mike McCarthy made her 4th career start and 2nd in this country in Saturday’s finale, a maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3 and up at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. Off at 6/1 in an 11 horse field, she was void of any early speed […]
Two year old colt for Mike McCarthy made his debut in Sunday’s opener at ¾ on the main for maiden special weights. Off at 3/1 in a field of 7 he broke slowly from the five hole and was last early on 7 lengths back of the odds on leader. He started to make up […]
Three year old filly for Mike McCarthy tried the turf for the 1st time in her four race career in Saturday’s opener and handled it just fine. Off at 2/1 in a field of just five for the 1st allowance condition at ¾ on the sod, she was away OK from the gate and sat […]
Three year old colt for Mike McCarthy made start #2 on Saturday at 9 furlongs on the grass in a maiden special weight. Off as the 5/2 choice in a field of 11, he broke well under Johnny V and laid 3rd into the clubhouse turn just 3 lengths back of the leaders. He stayed […]
By Jarrod Horak The $100,000 Las Virgenes Stakes is for 3-year-old fillies traveling one mile on the main track at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 8. It goes as the eighth race and this is a Kentucky Oaks 2026 points race. Las Virgenes Stakes field: 1 – Meaning (7-2) 2 – Explora (3-5) 3 – […]
Four year old gelding for Mike McCarthy tried a protected 32,000 Starter Allowance race on Friday for older runners at a mile on the main track. Off at 16/1 in a field of 7, he broke running under Tyler Baze and contested the early lead into the clubhouse turn. Baze got him to relax nicely […]
Three year old filly for Mike McCarthy made start #2 in Saturday’s finale, a sprint on the turf at six and a half out of the chute for 3,4, and 5 yr. olds. Off at 8/1 in a field off 11, she broke OK under Ricky Gonzalez and was five back down the back side […]