Litfin At Large: Older Stakes Horses Spotlighted
Three-year-olds will command national attention as the Triple Crown series unfolds in the coming weeks, but older stakes horses will be spotlighted in three grade 2 stakes races April 21.
Handicapping
Tips and picks for how to bet on Thorougbred horse racing
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4.5 Million Reasons to Love the New Tax Rules
About 2,000 bettors went home happy after playing the mandatory-payout Rainbow 6 wager March 31 at Gulfstream Park. Thanks to new tax reporting and withholding rules put in place during the fall, the joy figures to spread through racing.
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Charles Town Classic Could Be Something Awesome
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Charles Town Classic (G2) at Charles Town
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NYRA, Charles Town to Offer Cross Country Pick 4
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will team up with Charles Town to host a Cross Country Pick 4 on Saturday, April 21, featuring races at Aqueduct Racetrack and Charles Town, highlighted by the Grade 2, $1.2 million Charles Town Classic.
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Seeing Some Value Going Against My Boy Jack
April 14 is the last call for those looking to earn a trip to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
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Looking for a Longshot in the Arkansas Derby
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.
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Matt Jones Brings Big Blue Nation to Blue Grass Day
Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones and friends enjoyed improving weather and elite racing at Toyota Blue Grass Stakes day, where money was won, libations were imbibed, and Bills Khakis brought high style to the party.
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Justify Favored in Final Derby Future Wager Pool
Four weeks in advance of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I), lightly raced and unbeaten Santa Anita Derby winner Justify closed as a resounding 3-1 favorite in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW).
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Litfin At Large: Weather Could Be Key Keeneland Factor
The calendar says spring, but you'd never know it from the weather at Keeneland, where the forecast for the April 7 multi-stakes card topped by the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) and the Ashland Stakes (G1) calls for possible snow showers.
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Big Gains for Wagering, Purses in First Quarter
The wagering gains racing began to see after tax rules on reporting and withholding were changed in late September have continued in the first quarter of 2018.
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Handicapping the Santa Anita Derby Showdown
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
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NYRA Teams With TAA to Support Aftercare
Starting April 7, horseplayers cashing a winning ticket through a self-service terminal will be prompted with a pop-up interface developed by AmTote International, allowing them to make a donation to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
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Litfin At Large: Reride, Holding Gold Worth a Look
The $10 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) and the $1.1 million Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) highlight a bountiful holiday weekend of action.
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Will Audible Win Again in the Florida Derby?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
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More Good Options Than a New Orleans Menu
Saturday is the biggest day of the season at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, with the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and the $400,000 Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) heading a 14-race program.
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Breeders' Cup Announces Changes for Betting Challenge
The Breeders' Cup today announced rule changes for the 2018 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge which will be held on November 2 & 3 at Churchill Downs and at participating simulcast and Advanced Deposit Wagering sites
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Will Bravazo Win Again in the Louisiana Derby?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds.
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Litfin At Large: Rebel heads up Loaded Stakes Lineup
Between the switch to Daylight Saving Time and the onset of March Madness, a lot of folks are heading into a St. Patrick's Day March 17 more than a little scattered.
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Will Magnum Moon Upset the Rebel Stakes?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
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Panel Encourages Racing to be Ready for Sports Wagering
As one tote company executive sees it, should expanded sports wagering soon become reality, horse racing needs to make sure those sports bettors place their wagers onsite at racetracks or online at advance-deposit wagering outlets.
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Justify Tops Individual Choices in Derby Future Wager
Eight weeks in advance of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI), the pari-mutuel field of "All Other 3-Year-Olds" closed as the 4-1 favorite in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW).
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Litfin At Large: San Felipe Offers Monster Showdown
For a change of pace, the epicenter of winter racing is not South Florida March 10, but it is the biggest day of the season thus far in Southern California, New York, and Florida's Gulf Coast.
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McKinzie, Bolt d'Oro Square Off in San Felipe
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.
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Paddy Power Betfair Reports Profitable Year for TVG
In its earnings report for the 2017 calendar year, Paddy Power Betfair reports a 13% increase in revenue from its United States-based advance-deposit wagering outlet TVG.
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Derby Points Can Make or Break a Stakes (or Steaks)
Welcome to March, when the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) field begins to take shape thanks to increased prep race qualifying points.
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Litfin at Large: Derby, Oaks Preps Take Center Stage
Things start to heat up March 3 in terms of qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
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Is Good Magic Vulnerable in the Fountain of Youth?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
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Litfin At Large: Which Irish War Cry Will Show Up?
The big weekend story is the return of Irish War Cry, who captured two grade 2 stakes and ran second in the Belmont Stakes Presented By NYRA Bets (G1) through a Jekyll-and-Hyde sophomore season that also included several dismal performances.
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Runaway Ghost Stands Out in Mine That Bird Derby
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park.
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Litfin At Large: Fair Grounds Ushers in 50-Point Preps
Things start to get serious for the 3-year-olds Feb. 17, when the first 85-point qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby Presented By Woodford Reserve (G1) and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) will be run at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
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Tough Field Assembles for Risen Star Stakes
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds.
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Littlemore Scores at National Handicapping Championship
Chris Littlemore, a retired autoworker from Whitby, Ontario, Canada, was never seriously threatened throughout the semifinals and the Final Table, cruising to an $800,000 first-place prize at the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship.
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"All Other" 3-year-olds Favored in KDFW Pool 2
With the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) 12 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of "All Other 3-Year-Olds" closed as the 5-2 favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
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Plenty of Stakes, and Stars, to Choose From Saturday
Nationwide stakes action comes fast and furious Saturday, highlighted by the seasonal debuts of Eclipse Award winners World Approval in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T), and Unique Bella in the Santa Maria Stakes (G2).
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Larmey, Wolfson Jr. to NHC Hall of Fame
Chris Larmey, a tireless horseplayer advocate and 12-time NHC qualifier, and Steve Wolfson Jr., the 2003 NHC winner and an 11-time qualifier, have been selected for induction to the NHC Hall of Fame.
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NTRA to Regularly Update NHC Results
A full scoreboard will be updated regularly at https://www.ntra.com/nhc, where fans and players can also find each day's contest race menu and news updates.
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NYRA to Host Three-Track Cross Country Pick 4
The grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park, grade 3 Suwannee River at Gulfstream Park, and Jimmy Winkfield Stakes will highlight the Feb. 10 three-track Cross Country Pick 4 hosted by NYRA
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Tickets for Breeders' Cup to go on Sale June 7
Tickets for the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is being held at Churchill Downs from Nov. 2-3, will go on sale June 7, though there will be pre-sale access online.
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Vino Rosso Looks Live in Sam F. Davis Stakes
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
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Ray Arsenault: Q&A with the NHC Champion
Reigning champ Ray Arsenault Feb. 9-11 will try to become the first two-time winner of the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) presented by Racetrack Television Network, Stats Race Lens, and Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas.
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Keeneland to Reduce Takeout Ahead of Spring Meet
Well thought-out customer arguments opposing Keeneland's takeout increase ahead of the 2017 fall meet have made an impact. Keeneland officials said the Lexington track would reduce takeout on some wagers beginning with the upcoming spring meet.
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Litfin At Large: Triple Crown Prep Season Heating Up
The Triple Crown prep season begins in earnest Feb. 3, when qualifying point races for the Kentucky Derby Presented By Woodford Reserve (G1) are contested at Aqueduct Racetrack, Gulfstream Park, and Santa Anita Park.
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Will Audible Upset the Holy Bull Stakes?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
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Gulfstream's Mandatory Pick 6 Payout Brings $15,566.10
North American Pick 6 wagering records were set Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park, spurred by a scheduled 20-cent Rainbow 6 mandatory payout that yielded a payoff of $15,566.10 to multiple ticketholders with all six winners.
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Value in Going Against Pegasus Favorite Gun Runner
Gun Runner is quite obviously the one to beat as he makes his final start in the second running of the world's richest horse race: the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), which offers an estimated purse of $16.3 million.
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Pegasus World Cup: A Horse-By-Horse Preview
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
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Some Seemingly Simple Requests From Horseplayers
In a refreshing move, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission vice chairman John Roach listed a number of horseplayer concerns at a Jan. 16 rules committee meeting.
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Litfin At Large: Calm Before the Pegasus Storm
While anticipation builds toward the Eclipse Awards and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) with a blockbuster supporting card next week at Gulfstream Park, Jan. 20 qualifies as something of a slow news day.
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Four Promising Derby Contenders to Watch This Winter
J. Keeler Johnson shares his thoughts on a few up-and-coming Kentucky Derby contenders.
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For Handicappers, Variety in Weekend's Stakes Races
Handicappers will be kept busy Saturday, Jan. 13 as they keep tabs on noteworthy stakes action around the country.
