Last Sunday’s Grade III Springboard Mile, which was taken by Shoplifted, wrapped up the 2019 portion of the Road to the Kentucky Derby points races. The Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of 35 races from Sept. 14 this year through April 11 next year. These races award a sliding scale of points […]
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The tournament director sheepishly approached the podium, cleared his throat and adjusted the microphone, eliciting a screech of feedback in return. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my duty to inform you and the handful of competitors still out on the course that, in an unprecedented occurrence, the leader in the clubhouse, somehow, has just registered a […]
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Bob Baffert, who won five races in a single day last Saturday at Los Alamitos, graduated from the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Baffert later continued his studies at WU. “WU?” you ask? Yes, WU…Whittingham University. In the 1990s, after Baffert switched from training Quarter […]
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Thanksgiving turkey gravy had hardly congealed when a mature man’s attention turned toward spring and the first Saturday in May. If you think late November is too early to begin analyzing that race’s outcome, you probably aren’t interested in the Kentucky Derby Future wager presented by Churchill Downs and available at Xpressbet. That’s how the […]
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Even though Tiz the Law was upset as a big favorite in last Saturday’s Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, he nevertheless ended up being the 11-1 favorite among 22 individual horses in Pool One of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) that closed last Sunday. Next at 12-1 was Dennis’ Moment, […]
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Tomorrow is my favorite holiday of the year: Thanksgiving. And, by extension, the day also launches my top-ranked weekend. By stroke of pure genius, Thanksgiving always lands on Thursday. Convenient, don’t you think? Unlike other holidays, Thanksgiving doesn’t occupy different days of the week in seemingly random fashion like alien targets in a video game. […]
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Bill Lyon passed Sunday night. Perhaps, fittingly, news of his death arrived as the Eagles played the Patriots in South Philadelphia. I didn’t know him. Not personally, anyway. Never met the man. Yet, somehow, he knew me. Knew what made me tick—as a teenager to almost 60 years old–what made me smile, cheer, sigh and […]
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Is every race won by the horse whose performance was the best? Any seasoned horseplayer can tell you that certainly is not the case. There are a great many examples in which the horse who ran the best race did not win. Take, for example, the recent Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park on Nov. […]
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Now that the Breeders’ Cup has come and gone, many racing fans are looking ahead and contemplating which horses stand a good chance to be honored with a 2019 Eclipse Award. This is the 49th year of the Eclipse Awards. Voting closes on Dec. 31. The 2019 recipients will be announced at Gulfstream Park early […]
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For two magnificent days, at the foot of the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains under warm Southern California sunshine, Santa Anita Park played the perfect Breeders’ Cup host. That’s not surprising. I love Santa Anita. Spent 30 years there, even lived in a condo on Huntington Avenue directly across from the track. Will always call it […]
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VENUE: Santa Anita Park on Nov. 1-2. Main Track: dirt, fast Friday and Saturday; Turf Course: firm Friday and Saturday. $6 MILLION CLASSIC (NOV. 2) Results: (1) Vino Rosso, who paid $11.20, (2) McKinzie, (3) Higher Power. Winner: Owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; trained by Todd Pletcher; ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. […]
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Breeders’ Cup Analysis & Picks Sometimes I need to be reminded of how beautiful Santa Anita really is. Mission accomplished. Here, at the foot of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, racing has been regularly conducted, more or less, since Christmas Day 1934. It’s been a glorious run, highlighted by hosting racing’s biggest day […]
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$1 MILLION JUVENILE TURF SPRINT (FRIDAY) 1. FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (3-1 on the morning line) Ward-trained colt has won by daylight both starts 2. KIMARI (7-2) Ward-trained filly is 3 for 3 in United States 3. A’ALI (6-1) Euro youngster is 3 for 3 when ridden by Dettori Nice-price danger: CHIMNEY ROCK (10-1) Son of […]
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Pre-entries for this year’s Breeders’ Cup, which will be held Nov. 1-2 at Santa Anita Park, have been announced. This will be a record 10th time that Santa Anita is hosting the big event. The Breeders’ Cup began in 1984. Prior to this year, the Breeders’ Cup was held at Santa Anita in 1986, […]
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If you’re a racing fan, Breeders’ Cup resembles Christmas–heaps of anticipation followed by exhilaration. Stuffed stockings and presents beneath the tree become Tri’s and Superfectas accented by Pick 3s, 4s and 5s–all unwrapped with vigor in search of that special Santa delivery. Next Friday and Saturday, some of the best horses in the world […]
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