Archive for the 'Horse Racing' Category
Time to Get a Clue
Yazan: Steve | 21 March 2012 | 1 Comment
Categories: Horse Racing
Last week I made an annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas for the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament. The direct flight from Reagan National was packed to the gills with 30 year old (give or take) professional males itching to plunk down hard cash at the sportsbooks on a slew of college basketball games. The [...]
A Cause Worth Celebrating – WirePlayers Derby Dozen Volume III
Yazan: Steve | 14 March 2012 | 3 Comments
Categories: Horse Racing
New and improved, this edition of the Derby Dozen has three times more Baffert. Perhaps suffering a tongue lashing from the Mrs after being shut out of Volume II, Baffert raised his game. He came back strong to sweep both divisions of the Southwest Stakes and his BODEMEISTER finished a game 2nd in the San [...]
How Great is Kitten’s Joy? Palm Beach Stakes Preview
Yazan: Steve | 10 March 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Gulfstream Park Race 7 – Grade III Palm Beach Stakes ($150K) – 1 and 1/8 miles – Post time 4:05 Though it has a small field of 6, half the entrants in Sunday’s Palm Beach Stakes are out of the exceptional turf sire Kitten’s Joy. The race may also hold the winner of Keeneland’s Blue [...]
Young Blood
Yazan: Paul | 04 March 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Horse Racing, Our Philosophy
The following post, which originially appeared on ChicagoNow , is a counter-response to an article, which appeared on Yahoo! sports and appeared on Twitter on Tuesday Feb. 27. The full article is available here. The Yahoo! Author lays out six points to explain why horse racing is experiencing a decline among those under the age [...]
Some Saturday Races to Watch (and a few worth betting)
Yazan: Steve | 02 March 2012 | 4 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
There’s plenty of racing action to be had on Saturday from New York, Kentucky, Florida, and California. The best races for 3 year old colts, and potential Derby prospects, may be at Gulfstream Park instead of Aqueduct or Turfway Park. The best betting race of the weekend figures to be the Santa Anita Handicap at, you [...]
Who Is Ponce de Leon? Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes Preview
Yazan: Dylan | 26 February 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Gulfstream Park’s $400k Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes takes the Sunday spotlight. Very few Fountain of Youth winners have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby (Thunder Gulch in 1995 was the most recent and before that, Spectacular Bid in 1979), but several have gone on to successful stud careers (notably 1997 winner Pulpit [...]
What’s New? It’s WirePlayers Derby Dozen Volume II
Yazan: Steve | 23 February 2012 | 2 Comments
Categories: Horse Racing
Boy how time flies, the Derby preps are heating up and here we are with Volume II of our Derby Dozen. After reading this list you may notice two things: 1) Bob Baffert is not very well represented (or is he?). 2) There are a couple of dudes (and I know who they are) who [...]
Presidents’ Day Feature – General George Handicap
Yazan: Dylan | 19 February 2012 | 4 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Long a Presidents’ Day tradition, the Grade II $200k General George Handicap at Laurel Park is where TOBY’s CORNER will start his four year old campaign. This will be his first race since the Wood Memorial last April where he beat then undefeated juvenile champion Uncle Mo. Seven furlongs is the distance and six opponents [...]
WirePlayers Road to the Roses League
Yazan: Dylan | 17 February 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Horse Racing
Hello Everyone, It’s that time of year again; time to navigate down the Road to the Roses. The road is long, winding, and like the game of LIFE, full of sudden twists and turns (left handed turns). Many of you may already have a stable, which is good because we have plenty of stalls. It’s [...]
Derby Winner Returns to Action
Yazan: Steve | 17 February 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
The long awaited return of 2011 Kentucky Derby winner ANIMAL KINGDOM will be tomorrow (Saturday) in Race 5 at Gulfstream Park (2:25 post time). The race is an $80K Allowance Optional Claiming (for non winners of 3) at 1 and 1/16 miles on the turf. ANIMAL KINGDOM (4/5) will face 5 seemingly overmatched challengers on [...]
Can Aristotle Make You A Better Handicapper?
Yazan: Steve | 15 February 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing, Our Philosophy
In an attempt to explain why things happen Greek philosopher Aristotle developed an analytical scheme known as the “Four Causes.” It included 1) Material 2) Formal 3) Efficient 4) Final. Aristotle believed his framework had widespread applicability and it may be a useful framework for handicapping horse races. 1) Material – meaning what an object [...]
Hawthorne Spring Preview
Yazan: Paul | 12 February 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Horse Racing
Live thoroughbred racing returns to the Chicagoland area with the opening of Hawthorne Race Course for its Spring 2012 meet. Opening day is Friday, February 17th, the first of forty-one days of action, with first post set at 1:40 PM CT every day. Hawthorne will race on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from its opening day [...]
Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap Analysis
Yazan: Derek | 11 February 2012 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Originally posted at ThoroFan. Just four weeks ago, many of the horses entered in Saturday’s co-feature at Gulfstream Park contested the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes over this same course. While that was run over a firm course and under sunny skies, the forecast is quite the opposite for Saturday, with showers expected on both Friday and [...]
Opinions on Gulfstream Park’s Saturday Card
Yazan: Steve | 09 February 2012 | 4 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
The best racing card of the weekend arguably belongs to Gulfstream Park. It includes 4 graded stakes; the Grade III Swanee River, the Grade II Hutcheson (the only graded Derby prep his weekend), the Grade I Donn Handicap, and Grade I Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. Here’s a few thoughts on the entries. Gulfstream Park Race 2 [...]
Your Guide to KY Derby Glory – WirePlayers Derby Dozen Volume I
Yazan: Steve | 01 February 2012 | 6 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Yes friends, it’s here again, Derby Road. While hopeful owners, trainers, and jockeys well . . ., jockey for a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, we’re here passing judgement with our Derby Dozen list. Sure, we offer the perfunctory 1 to 12 ranking you’ll find most anywhere, but our list offers opinions by [...]
