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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
