The eyes of the racing world will be on Gulfstream Park when the Pegasus World Cup Invitational is run for the first time this Saturday. Its opulence in horse racing is unprecedented. The $12 million purse makes it the richest horse race that has ever been contested on the planet (or in the universe, for […]
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Below is the late Pick 4 ticket for Pegasus World Cup Day on January 28th, 2017 at Gulfstream Park. As always, the ticket is $20 or less. Race 9: Power Alert (#11, 4-1) is one of the most honest horses in training. When he gets a firm course and a decent trip, he always runs his race. […]
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Listen to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and ex-jockey turned veteran trainer Art Sherman talk, and you’d be positive that Arrogate, conditioned by the former, and California Chrome, saddled by the latter, can’t help but finish in a dead-heat Saturday in the world’s richest horse race—the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream […]
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The 2016 Eclipse Award finalists recently were revealed. The winners in each category will be announced this Saturday at the 46th annual Eclipse Awards dinner in Florida at Gulfstream Park. The first year I made Eclipse Award predictions in this column was for racing in 2011. My Eclipse Award predictions have been correct 91.7% of […]
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Horseplayers routinely ‘review as preview.’ That is they analyze what’s happened in the past in order to predict what might happen in the future. Prognostication is so at the heart of the game–for owners, trainers and jockeys, too– that along with racing licenses they ought to hand out crystal balls. Perhaps, the game’s only contributors […]
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I just voted for the second time in 2016. Once in November—for the office of President of the United States and for assorted governmental positions and referendums. This time, I helped to determine winners of Eclipse Awards, to be presented Jan. 21 at Gulfstream Park. In November I considered myself reasonably informed about candidates, platforms […]
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Below is how I plan to fill out my official Eclipse Award ballot for 2016, with the caveat that my decisions will not be absolutely final until the entire year is over. That is why I will not be submitting my ballot before until after racing this Saturday (Dec. 31) is completed. TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE: 1. […]
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For his win in last Saturday’s $180,000 Winter Challenge at Los Alamitos, fan favorite California Chrome earned $50,000. The dominant victory in what is scheduled to be the penultimate start of his marvelous career boosted his total bankroll to $14,502,652. According to Equibase, these are the 10 leading money-winning Thoroughbreds to have made at least […]
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2016 is nearly out of gas. Needle’s on ‘E.’ Between now and January 1 we’ll run on fumes. No worries. We’ll make it. We always do. Move on. Turn the page. Gas up. Proceed. Toward what? #Whoknows Guess that’s an advantage the past has over the future. Hindshight. 20/20 vision. We know where we’ve been, […]
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This time of the season, in Thoroughbred racing, things generally are a bit slow on the racing front. Sure, Laurel, Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Fair Grounds, Los Alamitos and many more tracks are in action, but the product doesn’t compare to the quality that will be available to horseplayers in another six weeks or so. However, this […]
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Debate surrounding 2016 Horse of the Year honors likely will extend beyond Jan. 21, when California Chrome’s connections triumphantly occupy center stage at Gulfstream Park’s Sport of Kings to accept the coveted golden Eclipse statue synonymous with that distinction. How do I know California Chrome will win the Horse of the Year vote? Because […]
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“It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races.” – Mark Twain Twain probably could have added ‘presidential elections’ to his list of things affected by a difference of opinion. Heaven knows we’re in the homestretch of a doozy right now! But, […]
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The word ‘great’ often is used to describe everything from summer vacation, to last night’s dinner, to an episode of The Night Of, to any number of athletes and performances. Perhaps, the word ‘great’ is over-used? As worn-out as a pair of favorite sneakers, holey, bottom and top, but comfortable as heck. Unfortunately, the […]
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