Looking for Longshots on a Busy Stakes Weekend
Who's ready for a fantastic weekend of competitive racing? The lineup of stakes races scheduled for this Saturday is impressive, making it difficult to choose a single race to handicap.
Handicapping
Tips and picks for how to bet on Thorougbred horse racing
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Litfin: Gold Cup Figures to Set up Well for Accelerate
The grade 1 action is at The Great Race Place on Saturday, May 27 of Memorial Day weekend, as the $300,000 Gamely Stakes and $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes share top billing.
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Will American Freedom Upset the Gold Cup?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1).
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Litfin at Large: Favored Always Dreaming Tough to Beat
They're running 15 stakes worth a combined $3.7 million at Pimlico Race Course May 19 and 20, but in terms of weather, what a difference a day will make.
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Will Classic Empire Turn the Tables in the Preakness?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico.
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U.S. Court Defines Contest Entry Fees as Wagers
In a victory for The Stronach Group tracks suing the contest site Derby Wars, a U.S. District Court has ruled that entry fees paid in contests are considered wagers under the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978.
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Litfin: Weather the Biggest Key in Weekend Stakes
With rain in the forecast, handicapper Dave Litfin sizes up Saturday's top stakes.
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Timeline Steps Up in Peter Pan Stakes
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park
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Litfin: Keying Irish War Cry, Gunnevera in Derby
Handicapper Dave Litfin sizes up the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.
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Keeler Johnson's Kentucky Derby 143 Selections
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Kentucky Derby.
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ABR: Three Derby Hopefuls Heating Up, Three Cooling
McCraken appears to be on the upswing, Girvin going other way.
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Litfin: Older Turf Males in the Spotlight
Handicapper Dave Litfin sizes up the weekend's top stakes races.
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Churchill Considers Historic Gaming Machines
As Churchill Downs Inc. prepares for its biggest week of the year, the company also said it is considering adding historic gaming machines at the Louisville track or its Trackside Training Center.
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A Few Early Thoughts on the Kentucky Derby Pace
J. Keeler Johnson takes an early look at the potential pace of the 2017 Kentucky Derby.
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Record Purses, Increased Handle at Oaklawn Park
Culminating with 62,500 fans turning out to watch champion Classic Empire win the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), the 2017 Oaklawn live racing season concluded with nearly a 5% gain in total handle and another record-setting season for purses.
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Litfin: Hot Pace Likely in Charles Town Classic
While there is a bit of a lull as we await the Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (G1) on the first Saturday in May, there will be some noteworthy stakes action Saturday.
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Will Stanford Be Defeated in the Charles Town Classic?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Charles Town Classic (G2)
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Litfin: Rockin Rudy for the Arkansas Derby Upset
At this point, handicappers can be excused for being a trifle gun-shy when it comes to evaluating this crop of 3-year-olds, simply because the most consistent thing about them has been their inconsistency.
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Show Time at Oaklawn Park
In a move designed to build the confidence of new horseplayers while emphasizing that racing offers a different form of gambling from random gaming like the lottery, Oaklawn Park is paying more money for winning on-track show wagers this year.
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Will Classic Empire Strike Back in the Arkansas Derby?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.
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Dozen Congress Members Support IRS Reporting Changes
Twelve members of Congress have signed a letter delivered to the Department of Treasury requesting recently proposed IRS regulations relating to the way pari-mutuel winnings are calculated for tax withholding and reporting purposes be finalized.
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Litfin: Look For Battalion Runner to Step Up in Wood
Horse players will need three sets of eyes to keep track of this week's action, as Aqueduct Racetrack, Keeneland, and Santa Anita Park all run 170-point qualifiers to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).
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Looking for a Longshot in the Santa Anita Derby
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Ashland Stakes (G1).
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Harmonize to Make Season Debut in Royal Heroine
Last year's Del Mar Oaks Presented by The Jockey Club (G1T) winner Harmonize will make her season debut in the $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) for fillies and mares 4 and older April 8.
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Handicapping Tourney Planned for Equestricon
A seat at the 2018 NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) presented by Racetrack Television Network, STATS Race LensTM and Treasure Island Las Vegas will be up for grabs in a free handicapping contest open to Equestricon ticket holders.
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Ascot to Launch On-Course Betting Service in 2018
In 2018 Ascot Race Course will launch its own pari-mutuel betting operation, AscotBet.
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Godolphin Launches Fantasy Stable League Round Two
Godolphin has officially launched Round Two of the Godolphin Fantasy Stable League, a pioneering interactive online gaming competition designed specifically for fans of horse racing.
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McCraken 5-1 Favorite in KDFW Pool 4
McCraken closed as the narrow 5-1 favorite over Always Dreaming.
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Litfin: Handicapping South's Big Oaks and Derby Preps
The Southern routes to Louisville come to a climax April Fools' Day, when Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots each highlight their final stakes-studded April 1 programs with preps to Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky Derby.
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Plenty of Options in Competitive Louisiana Derby
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds.
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McCraken, Gunnevera Top Kentucky Derby Future Wager
Two veterans of this year's Road to the Kentucky Derby, Whitham Thoroughbreds' unbeaten McCraken and Peacock Racing Stables' Gunnevera, are the morning line co-favorites at 6-1 for the fourth and final pool of the 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
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Litfin at Large: Getting Handle on Dubai World Cup Card
For some reason, or combination of reasons, I never seem to do much good on Dubai World Cup Day, so even though they're running nine stakes worth a total of $30 million in the desert Saturday, I am again finding it difficult to come up with a plan.
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Kitten’s Cat, Parlor Stand Out in Spiral Stakes
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Spiral Stakes (G3) at Turfway Park.
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Litfin At Large: Estrechada for the Upset
Older fillies and mares in the spotlight at both Oaklawn Park and Santa Anita Park.
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10th NHC Tour Features New Brand, Sponsors, Record Pool
A revamped and rebranded NHC Tour will be the richest in its 10-year history with a record prize pool totaling $400,000 up for grabs in 2017.
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Handicapping a Deep Field in the Rebel Stakes
The Rebel Stakes (G2) is the penultimate leg of Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby prep race series, and with such a large purse, the Rebel has drawn a field of eleven horses that look very competitive on paper.
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Xpressbet to Offer Preakness Big Bet Sweepstakes
Xpressbet customer gets chance to make $25,000 bet on the Preakness.
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National HBPA Panel Discusses ADW Wagering
Racing's economic model was discussed as advance-deposit wagering continues to account for a larger share of pari-mutuel handle.
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Litfin at Large: Shaman Ghost Gets Nod in Big 'Cap
On the West Coast at The Great Race Place, the 80th running of the Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1) anchors a five-stakes program
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NTRA Keeping Busy on Tax Withholding, Reporting Changes
The NTRA is continuing efforts to what it hopes will be a successful finish on new tax reporting and withholding rules while working with the industry to make sure it will quickly transition to the new rules.
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Wild Shot Has a Strong Shot in the Tampa Bay Derby
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs.
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TVG Plans Increased Coverage of Australian Racing
TVG is expanding its agreement with Sky Racing World to offer increased television coverage of Australian horse racing on TVG and TVG2 as well as launch additional wagering promotions for TVG account holders on Australian racing.
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Turfway Park to Send Out Signal in High Definition
The upgrade of the racetrack’s signal to HD, which debuts March 9, will include new, customized graphics for an enhanced racing simulcast experience.
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Betfair Sees Positive Trends in Exchange's First Year
The company that launched the first betting exchange in the United States, Betfair US, believes its first year performance offers some encouraging trends for the industry.
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Language in Florida Bill Would Prohibit ADW Wagering
It's early in the process but because the wording in a current Florida Senate bill would potentially outlaw ADW, industry leaders have quickly weighed in to make sure legislators understand how devastating that outcome would be for horse racing.
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Litfin: Gulfstream to Serve Up Deep Card March 4
The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues to heat up with two more 85-point qualifying races March 4 when the Gotham (G3) is run at Aqueduct Racetrack, and the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth (G2) caps a sensational card at Gulfstream Park.
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Remembering Runyonesque Author Jay Cronley
"It's amazing how few horse racing movies have been produced," Jay Cronley lamented in recounting the story behind the making of "Let it Ride," the film version of his novel "Good Vibes." Cronley was right. It truly is amazing.
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Is Irish War Cry the Real Deal?
The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues on Saturday with two major Derby prep races at Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park, including the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).
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Canadian Racing Channel HPItv to Remain on the Air
Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) announced Feb. 27 that HPItv, Woodbine Entertainment Group's CRTC licensed digital television channel, will remain on the air.
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McCraken Top Individual in Kentucky Derby Future Wager
The always-popular "All Others" wagering interest was the narrow 5-1 favorite in the third of four pools of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager, edging a tightly bunched group of individual contenders headed by unbeaten McCraken ( 5-1).
