Archive for the 'Horse Racing' Category
Preakness Thoughts & Bodie Pics
Yazan: Steve | 17 May 2012 | No Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
The 2nd leg of the Triple Crown shifts from blue grass Kentucky to blue collar Baltimore. Whereas the Kentucky Derby is Mint Juleps and fancy hats, the Preakness is beer and ‘wife beaters.’ Saturday’s crowd at Pimlico will reflect Baltimore’s intriguingly unassuming quirkiness compared to Churchill’s predictably conformist high-class posers. Neither event is better or [...]
Who’s Your Daddy? The WirePlayers Derby Dozen (Volume 5)
Yazan: Steve | 03 May 2012 | 1 Comment
Categories: Horse Racing
After four months of preps, I’m not sure we have a better handle on what will happen in the Derby than when we started. This isn’t because we haven’t been paying attention, it’s just there’s about a dozen horses in the race that look to have a chance to win. Once you consider horses that [...]
Full Card Selections for Tuesday at Atlantic City
Yazan: Dylan | 01 May 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Race 1 – Allowance– 1 1/8th Miles Well #2 LATE FOR CLASS (10-1) is something that I’ve been many times in life, but sadly I won’t be playing her in this race. Given how kindly the turf course has played toward speed you have to at least include #5 FUSAICHI PRETTY (9/2). Her daddy was [...]
Discovering Untouched Talent at Virginia’s Audley Farm
Yazan: Steve | 29 April 2012 | 2 Comments
Categories: Horse Racing
In 137 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, only four Virginia bred horses have ever won. The most recent was SEA HERO in 1993 and the most notable was Triple Crown winner SECRETARIAT in 1973, arguably the greatest horse to ever win the Derby. Arkansas Derby winner BODEMEISTER is considered by some to be a California [...]
Searching History for Clues to the 2012 Kentucky Derby
Yazan: Steve | 26 April 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Horse Racing
It’s a cliché that history repeats itself. It does, kinda, but not usually in ways that are easily recognizable or predictable. However, it’s still fun thinking about what happened in previous Derbies to see if there are any clues for what might happen next weekend The defection of Uncle Mo just prior to last year’s [...]
Eusebio “Eddie” Razo, Jr. (1966-2012)
Yazan: Paul | 24 April 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Horse Racing
The following was originally posted at ChicagoNow. In a story broken on Tuesday by Daily Racing Form and Bloodhorse, jockey Eusebio “Eddie” Razo Jr., 46, was confirmed dead at his home in north suburban Long Grove. According to the Pioneer Local, which first reported the incident, the cause of death was related to an explosion [...]
A Break From Data, A Rekindled Love For Racing
Yazan: Derek | 15 April 2012 | 7 Comments
Categories: Horse Racing, Our Philosophy
I’ve been a fan of racing since I was about eight. Many of us who fell in love with the sport have similar stories. Going to the track for the first time, seeing the brightly colored silks and getting caught up in the excitement of a stretch run. At that age, it wasn’t even about [...]
Test of a Champion – Blue Grass Stakes Preview
Yazan: Steve | 14 April 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
This preview was originally published on Thorofan Saturday’s Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Racecourse is one of the last major prep races prior to the 2012 Kentucky Derby. Despite its Grade I status, few winners of the Blue Grass have gone on to actually win the Kentucky Derby (the most recent was [...]
Secrets Out – Arkansas Derby Preview
Yazan: Dylan | 14 April 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
This preview was also published on Thorofan The Arkansas Derby once again manages to draw a talented full field of eleven. In the gate Saturday will be Southwest and Rebel Stakes winner #5 SECRET CIRCLE (5/2), San Felipe Stakes winner #11 BODEMEISTER (9/5), Delta Jackpot winner #9 SABERCAT (15-1), Rebel Stakes runner up #7 OPTIMIZER [...]
Horseplayer Paradise – WirePlayers Derby Dozen Volume IV
Yazan: Steve | 11 April 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Our Derby Dozen panel is filled with astute folks that understand the game and appreciate its complex history. But we are not of one mind when it comes to the top Derby contender (i.e., the most likely winner). No sir, 6 of the 12 horses on our list received #1 votes and none more than [...]
Hawthorne – Illinois Derby Day Preview
Yazan: Paul | 07 April 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
The most important race of the Hawthorne spring meet is upon us. It’s Illinois Derby Day, with the feature set for race 9 on a ten race card. WGN will be showing the Illinois Derby, along with the Cryptoclearance, in a program set to air from 5:00 pm CT to 6:00 PM CT. (Which airs [...]
The Transylvania – Keenland Spring Renewal
Yazan: Dylan | 05 April 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Just like the Masters Tournament in golf, or MLB Opening Day, the sight of horses in the starting gate at Keenland is a sure sign of spring, quality racing, and big time stakes action soon to follow. The opening day feature is the $100k Transylvania Stakes, a one and one sixteenths mile turf race for [...]
Union Dues – Florida Derby Preview
Yazan: Dylan | 30 March 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
This weekend marks five weeks until the Kentucky Derby and a key prep race is on tap: Saturday’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. The Florida Derby has a history of producing legitimate Kentucky Derby contenders including recent Derby winners Barbaro (2005) and Big Brown (2008) and 2010 runner-up Ice Box. This year’s edition features a [...]
Weekend Trifecta – Turf, Dirt and Synthetic Graded Stakes on the Docket
Yazan: Dylan | 24 March 2012 | 1 Comment
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
This weekend is filled with a diverse mix of graded stakes with two having potential Kentucky Derby implications. Time to find those checkmark winners! Gulfstream Park Race 10 – Grade II Pan American Stakes ($150K) – 1 ½ Miles (Turf) – 5:35 (EDT) Post Time Usually when thinking of turf racing at Gulfstream it’s about [...]
The Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (G3) – Time To Get Ill
Yazan: Derek | 24 March 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Originally posted at Thorofan Handicappers’ Corner Last year the Spiral Stakes shook loose from the bonds of irrelevance when ANIMAL KINGDOM parlayed his win into a Kentucky Derby triumph. While only a Grade 3, and run over polytrack, the winner of the $500,000 purse is virtually guaranteed a spot in the starting gate on the [...]
