$1 MILLION JUVENILE TURF SPRINT (FRIDAY) AVERLY JANE (5-2 on my official BC morning line) Undefeated filly with 4 wins by combined 22 1/4 lengths ONE TIMER (4-1) Undefeated gelding with 3 wins by combined 17 lengths TWILIGHT JET (15-1) Drew rail (morning line made before post-position draw) Nice-price danger: TIME […]
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Breeders’ Cup is the annual time to take your best shot at some deep fields of talented horses. Horseplayers don’t get chances like this very often, so we’d love to take advantage of a limited opportunity. For certain, there’s nothing easy about handicapping BC races. Horses arriving from around the world make sorting out Cup […]
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Pre-entries for all 14 of this year’s Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar on Nov. 5-6 have been announced. This will be the 38th Breeders’ Cup, which was launched at Hollywood Park in 1984. Del Mar, known as the track “where the turf meets the surf,” is playing host to the equine extravaganza for […]
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The 2021 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar is fast approaching. With that in mind, it’s interesting to examine the history of the Beyer Speed Figures for the richest of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races, the $6 million Classic. Sunday Silence and Ghostzapper share the distinction of having achieved the top Beyer Speed Figure in […]
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The 38th annual Breeders’ Cup, a 14-race extravaganza topped by the $6 million Classic, will be held at Del Mar on Nov. 5-6. I, like many others, am looking forward to seeing what happens in the $2 million BC Juvenile, a 1 1/16-mile race on the main track for 2-year-olds. No doubt many […]
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The 2021 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 5-6 is just around the corner. As Del Mar’s morning-line oddsmaker, I thought this would be a good time to come up with a list of early odds for the $6 million BC Classic. Of course, the actual field for the Grade I BC Classic […]
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Let’s be frank. There’s nothing simple about picking winners. That’s especially true during ultra-competitive Saratoga and Del Mar meetings. Saturday cards at the Spa and Where the Turf Meets the Surf are great examples of how players can find solid horses with real chances to win at great odds. But it’s not easy. Putting 5 […]
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It’s hard for me to believe that 31 years have passed since I called the official race chart for the inaugural running of the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Best Pal won the 1 1/4-mile event by one length in 1:59 4/5. The California-bred gelding not only defeated his elders that day, he broke […]
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Week 2 of Xpressbet’s entertaining and profitable Fun in the Sun competition is Saturday and it’s your chance to make hay while the sun shines on racing at Saratoga and Del Mar. The competition is limited to Xpressbet account holders only and awards cash and Final Table seats to top players each Saturday. There’s […]
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There certainly is a lot to unpack regarding last Saturday’s $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. Jockey Paco Lopez was abruptly unseated from Midnight Bourbon during the stretch drive. Hot Rod Charlie and Mandaloun then proceeded to battle furiously all the way to a head-bobbing finish. Hot Rod Charlie beat Mandaloun by a […]
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Thanksgiving. ‘Nuff said. The word alone conjures feelings of warmth and images of plates heaping with delicious food: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, apple pie ala mode (your images may vary); family and friends gathered around the table (pre COVID, of course) and football on the tube (three NFL games, although we’re […]
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Our horse racing fantasy league held its annual draft this past Monday. It’s called the Fantasy Stable League (FSL). Daily Racing Form handicapper Michael Hammersly started this league all the way back in 1986. I joined it in 1990 when I was working for the DRF. I have been the league’s commissioner since 2000. […]
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Cup Half Empty When I reflect on the 2020 Breeders’ Cup, I definitely won’t see a Cup that’s ‘half full.’ This year count me firmly in the ‘half empty’ section. Better yet, if you’ve got a ‘Cup is half empty, cracked and leaking’ division, I’m there. The only saving grace from my 2020 BC experience […]
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One Week Out, Del Mar Pick 4 Analysis We’re approximately one week out from the 2020 Breeders’ Cup. And that’s not much time. Especially when you consider the amount of preparation required to analyze 201 pre-entered worldwide runners sandwiched into 14 races. So, what’s the best way to dig into early BC data for insight […]
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Go ahead. You have permission. Feel free to create a Kentucky Derby Top 10 list. Today. With less than 20 days until the race it’s reasonably clear who’s in and who’s out. Rank them in order of preference. We’ll help: Number 1 is Tiz the Law. There, now you only need to come up with […]
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