#Maiden Special Weight

Sunland Park Saturday features the LaSenora Stakes. Hannah's Highlife was installed as the morning line favorite, but appears to have some vulnerabilities. The small New Mexico track has is home to the Sunland Derby which has become a popular prep for some of the west coast's best horses looking to get to the Kentucky Derby. Post: 12:25 PM MT;…

Stonewall Star after her victory in the Key Cents (NYRA/Coglianese) NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Barry Schwartz's New York homebred Stonewall Star will look to regain winning form for trainer Horacio De Paz in the $100000 Franklin Square, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for state-bred sophomore fillies, on January 22 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The bay…

Even if a race does not carry qualifying points, if there are 3-year-olds running, it could end up being a prep for Kentucky Derby 2023. In addition to the Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, there are six other races Saturday that include 15 horses who already are in the Derby futures market in Las Vegas or are on the verge of being there. Maiden…

In this biweekly series, racing analyst J. Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future. New to the Watch List Gun Pilot You know Saturday's fourth race at Oaklawn, an $80000 allowance optional claimer (post…

The Saturday card from Tampa Bay Downs features 3 stakes races. The Pasco, the Wayward Lass, and the Gasparilla stakes are all carded for the weekend. Post: 12:32 PM ET; $13.5k Claiming going 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 10 #10 SHOO SHINE (6-1) gets the top selection. He comes into the race in really good form. This one has races good enough to…

January is always a good time of year to search maiden special weight entries for promising 3-year-olds making their debuts. Often there are well-bred youngsters to be found. Such is the case this week. A half-sister to Dortmund and a colt produced by Dame Dorothy are two of the half-dozen notable names we're highlighting in Prospect…

It can be mind-blowing to watch experienced jockeys and their powerful horses race around the course with such intensity and vigor. And the sport creates more excitement when money is on the line. Horse race betting is one of the most popular and oldest forms of gambling in the world. Although many people would like to place their bets on a horse,…

This is trainer Bob Baffert's really fun time of the year, running his stable full of talented 3-year-olds and learning which ones are ready for the big time and which are maybe a cut below. Cave Rock, Arabian Knight and Faustin might be at the head of the class right now, but Baffert unveiled three others Sunday at Santa Anita that he hopes could…

Each week, this important article will provide the standings, power rankings, and recent transactions for every league member. Not only will you see the latest claims in the league (which will show you what horses might be up-and-coming), but you will also get updates on the runners as they prepare for their next starts along the Kentucky Derby…

Finally out from under And Tell Me Nolies's (Arrogate) shadow, ICE DANCING (Frosted) broke through for her first graded-stakes win in two prior tries and earned 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks with a 3 1/4-length closing performance in the rescheduled GIII Santa Ynez S. Third behind the daughter of Arrogate when debuted at Del Mar Aug.…

According to numberFire Racing's projections, these are the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today. Winter Pool won on debut for Linda Rice last time and is of interest again with class relief. He's been claimed numerous times lately, but he can make it two from two for this barn. Forever Wicked was behind the selection last time but can't be…

Horses break from the starting gate during the first race of Oaklawn's live race meet on December 3, 2021. Oaklawn's racing season begins once again Friday. - File photo by The Sentinel-Record FRIDAY'S RESULTS 3-9 (33.3%) MEET 23-93 (24.7%) LEE'S LOCK Andy Cant in the third BEST BET Keystone Field in the eighth LONG SHOT Thorn Crown in the…

Carmelita's Man. (Benoit Photo) Stable Notes By Victor Ryan / ARCADIA, Calif.-The 10th and final race on Saturday's California Cup program is the $200000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic for older state-breds going 1 ⅛ miles on turf. While a field of nine was entered, led by 2-1 morning-line favorite Carmelita's Man, only eight will go postward as The…

The Fair Grounds hasn't had the easiest time of it thus far this season, what with its turf course having been shut down for repairs, but the New Orleans oval got back on track the day after Christmas with a 13-race extravaganza chock full of stakes races. James Graham and Brendan Walsh took their fair share of the spoils. Graham brought in the…

The Road to the Kentucky Derby series opened in late September, but the prep season doesn't get into full swing until the New Year. And the first qualifier of 2023 took place at Oaklawn Park on New Year's Day, the Smarty Jones. Twenty-six additional point races will be offered for the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1) over the next 3 1/2 months. Let's…

For bettors who think the expected favorite Arctic Arrogance can lose the $150000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday, there are other viable options in this Kentucky Derby trail points race. Eight 3-year-olds are entered and set to travel the one-turn mile. Here is a Daily Double linking an alternative choice in the Jerome to two deep closers in…

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Turf racing for 2-year-old fillies and a stakes race for horses that are novices over the jumps headline the Saratoga card on Thursday. The $150000 P.G. Johnson has drawn eight entries to run 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon Turf Course, plus one who will run only if the race is moved from the turf to the main track. Be Your Best, who…

The Saturday card from Santa Anita Park features the California Cup Sprint. Giver Not a Taker was installed as the morning line favorite. Post: 12:00 PM PT; $150k Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint S. going 6 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 6 #2 BIG CITY LIGHTS (8-5) gets the top selection. He shouldn't have trouble with the 6 furlong distance. This one…

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Thursday, Jan. 5 at Fair Grounds and Turfway Park, along with horses to play in Aqueduct's $189198 Pick 5 carryover and Turfway's $4843 Super High 5 carryover. Fair Grounds $1000 Late Pick 5 Hit It and Split It: Hit the Late Pick 5 at Fair Grounds on any day of live racing from Jan. 5-31…

Each week, this important article will provide the standings, power rankings, and recent transactions for every league member. Not only will you see the latest claims in the league (which will show you what horses might be up-and-coming), but you will also get updates on the runners as they prepare for their next starts along the Kentucky Derby…

Starting at 4:00 p.m. EST, we have 10 races at Santa Anita. Using numberFire's projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets on FanDuel Racing. As always, check the program for racing information and scratches and changes. Also, watch the weather and track conditions. (I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells…

In the Untapable, Pretty Mischievous settled nicely in the pocket then split foes to take over and win the $100000 event by 3 1/4 lengths and earn 10 points towards qualifying for the Longines Kentucky Oaks. Pretty Mischievous, a Godolphin homebred, clocked 1 mile 70 yards over a fast track in 1:41.98 under Brian Hernandez Jr., who rode the winner…

The first day of 2023 kicks off with a bang on the horse racing front. The $250000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park serves as a Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve qualifier, awarding points for entry to the 2023 Derby on a 10-4-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers. Held over one mile on dirt, the Smarty Jones has yet to…

As we close the curtain on another year, let's take a look back at the top five horse racing stories of 2022: Simply put, he's a generational horse. It's a shame we didn't have the opportunity to watch him race at 5, but there's really no words to describe what he accomplished during the time he did race. Consider: 6 for 6, four Grade I victories,…

Assessing The Early Favourites For The Kentucky Derby The whole world's eyes will be on Churchill Downs in May, as the 2022 Kentucky Derby is staged on the second Saturday in the month. Once again, the leading three-year-olds in the United States will be on show, as the Triple Crown season gets underway. Much like taking advantage of the Bet365…

Notes & Quotes From Gun Runner Stakes & Untappable Stakes: Jace's Road & Pretty Mischievous (Jace's Road / Hughes Photo & Courtesy of the Fairgrounds) From the Fairgrounds Media Team: Trainers have a lot of customary language to go to when describing their horses on a regular basis. One line that is thrown around a lot is - "the horse will tell us…

Moon Swag with Corie Lanerie aboard pulls away to win the Joseph E. "Spanky" Broussard Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. (Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir) Fair Grounds Press Release NEW ORLEANS, La.- Farfellow Farms' Moon Swag relaxed off a sharp early pace and came charging late to win Monday's $100000 Joseph E. "Spanky" Broussard at Fair…

Each week, this important article will provide the standings, power rankings, and recent transactions for every league member. Not only will you see the latest claims in the league (which will show you what horses might be up-and-coming), but you will also get updates on the runners as they prepare for their next starts along the Kentucky Derby…

The Saratoga Race Course meet has a deeply ingrained reputation as one of North America's major proving grounds for the mettle of a freshman sire, offering some of the deepest 2-year-old competition for both maidens and graded stakes horses. As one of the meets on the calendar that has the full attention of breeders and stallion operations alike,…

The final chance for three-year-old dirt males to vie for Grade 1 glory before turning four and having to face older horses comes Monday, December 26, at Santa Anita. The race covers seven furlongs on the Santa Anita main track, and drew a field of nine horses. As usual for such a late-season three-year-old race, it drew a mix of classy locals and…

The headline for opening day of the Classic Meet at Santa Anita is the return of Taiba. Undoubtedly talented, the horse seems to be rebounding off of a rough Derby. Post: 11:00 AM PT; $200k Santa Anita Mathis Mile S. going 1 mile on turf; Entries: 7 #1 BALNIKHOV (2-1) gets the top selection. He goes out for the D'Amato barn and gets Gaffalione in…

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - The 2022-2023 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park will get underway Monday, the first of 71 days of World Class Racing that will be highlighted by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1), and $400000 Fountain of Youth (G2) on the three most prestigious racing days during the…

Monday at Fair Grounds features a slew of stakes races. Perhaps none bigger than the Gun Runner and Untappable which pay homage to 2 of racing's great superstars. Post: 12:00 PM CT; $60k Allowance going 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 9 #8 BASALT STREET (3-1) gets the top selection. She has proven to be able to handle these conditions in previous…

On Dec. 26, 2021, Fair Grounds hosted the inaugural running of the $100000 Gun Runner Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile qualifier on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. The winner was Epicenter, and the fifth-place finisher was Rich Strike; the following spring, Rich Strike and Epicenter ran 1-2 in the Kentucky Derby. The second…

Fair Grounds will be an important part of the Kentucky Derby trail hosting the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby. On Friday they run the last card before the holiday break. Post: 1:15 PM CT; $16k Maiden Claiming going 6 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 6 #3 PLANTERS PUNCH (3-5) gets the top selection. He shouldn't have trouble with the 6 furlong…

When the Turkish Jockey Club announced the death of classic winner and stallion Sea Hero in mid-July, the statue of the horse that resides in the Saratoga Race Course paddock was adorned with a blanket of flowers in the colors of owner and breeder Paul Mellon's Rokeby Stables. Social media was filled with pictures of the statue, along with glowing…

The Friday card from Gulfstream Park looks to get back on the grass. The tapeta surface has proven valuable keeping fields largely in tact despite wet conditions. Post: 12:10 PM ET; $36k Claiming going 1 1/16 miles on turf; Entries: 9 #4 IT'S A GAMBLE (5-2) gets the top selection. He makes sense on speed figures. This one shouldn't have trouble…

New York Racing Association stewards ruled Sunday's seventh race at Saratoga a No Contest due to a mechanical issue with the starting gate tractor. That mechanical issue created a delay in removing the gate once the field started the race. The outriders communicated to the jockeys there was a problem. Several pulled up their mounts during the 1…

Each week, this important article will provide the standings, power rankings, and recent transactions for every league member. Not only will you see the latest claims in the league (which will show you what horses might be up-and-coming), but you will also get updates on the runners as they prepare for their next starts along the Kentucky Derby…

The history of horse racing is filled with rags-to-riches stories of jockeys, trainers, and horses that rise from humble beginnings to achieve success at the highest levels of the sport. Few such stories can compare with that of the remarkable gelding Lava Man, who went from claimer to Hall of Famer to dominate California horse racing for much of…

The Sunday card from Los Alamitos Race Course features the King Glorious. In the feature Giver Not A Taker was installed as the morning line favorite. Post: 12:30 PM PT; $15k Claiming going 5 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 7 #1 COALINGA HILLS (5-2) looks good as the favorite. She makes sense on speed figures. #5 WARREN'S QUEEN BEE (4-1) should be…

Les Bon Temps upsets the Maid of the Mist (NYRA/Coglianese) By Ryan Martin - NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- A field of 11 will assemble with aspirations to give their bankroll a massive boost in Saturday's $500000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue for eligible New York-sired 2-year-old fillies going seven furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack. Leading the charge is…

Dr. Blute wins the Empire Classic Oct. 30 (Janet Garaguso) By Ryan Martin - NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Flanagan Racing's Dr. Blute will try to wrap up the year by doubling up on stakes scores in Saturday's $100000 Alex M. Robb for New York-breds 3-year-old and upward going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack. Dr. Blute, a 4-year-old…

The Poinsettia Stakes takes place at Oaklawn Park this Saturday, and it is the seventh race on the card. This contest is due off at 4:18 p.m ET, and fillies and mares aged three and older will be involved. A total distance of 5 ½ furlongs will be covered in the race, which boasts a purse of $150000. Eight runners will line up at Oaklawn for the…

When handling a top thoroughbred racehorse in excess of 1000 pounds, Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens often remained acutely aware of a mechanical issue in the starting gate that could imperil the safety of the riders. Now, working as an analyst with Saratoga Live for the famed Saratoga Race Course summer meet, Stevens reacted with incredulity on…

Curlin is known as "The Classic Sire." A talented race horse in his own right, he has been an en vouge sire for Classic distance winners. Saratoga honors him on Friday. Curlin was born in 2004. The Chestnut horse was sired by Smart Strike and was out of a Deputy Minister Mare. The 11 time winner was Steve Asmussen who stands as the all-time…

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares horses to play in a bevy of carryovers at Aqueduct, Golden Gate Fields, and Woodbine, including a trio of mandatory-payout wagers. One of the biggest carryovers up for grabs on Sunday can be found at Aqueduct, where the $1 Pick 6 has tossed up a lucrative $38428 non-jackpot prize pool. Looking for a single to…

Gulfstream Park hosts competitive stakes action on Saturday, and the fourth race on the card is the Pulpit Stakes. This race is for horses aged two, and it will be staged over a distance of 7 ½ furlongs on the turf. A purse of $75000 has been made available for this race. This race has produced some standout horses in recent years, including 12…

There will be 20 horses lined up in the posts at Churchill Downs for Saturday's Kentucky Derby. And 1.25 miles later, one will be crowned the 2022 champion and go on to leave Louisville with the opportunity to try to capture the illustrious Triple Crown. This year's Derby field is fairly wide-open, as there's no clear-cut favorite. So The Most…

Malibu Moonshine breaking her maiden on a super sloppy track by 6 lengths at Pimlico Sept. 9. (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club) By David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club LAUREL, Md. - Happy Face Racing Stable's Malibu Moonshine, scratched as a top contender from last month's Maryland Million with a fever, returns to Laurel Park to make her Maryland and…