The Spiral
While the madness begins in Basketball, the prep action comparatively dies down in the horse racing ranks on the Road to Kentucky. While the Sunland Derby will take place Sunday, The Spiral at Turfway Park is the only double-point event for this week’s contest and the gate is JAMMED. For once there’s a fairly balanced […]
The Rebel
Oaklawn Park is a fun place, and this Saturday the Road to Kentucky will wind into Hot Springs, Arkansas for the Rebel Stakes. In the last decade it’s hosted a number of talented animals into the winners’ circle, often before its connections really knew what a good thing they had. Smarty Jones, Lawyer Ron, Curlin, […]
The Road to Kentucky Week 6 Recap
As we near the halfway point of Road to Kentucky 2014, so far a similar theme has played out in each of the first six weeks. Favorites and low-priced contenders are dominating the action, and achieving competitive weekly scores has meant conceding to the chalk on a regular basis. Those of us unwilling to do […]
Good Luck and Good Racing: The Tampa Bay Derby
First things first: First post at Tampa Bay Downs is probably 11:00 AM on Saturday – I say probably because the Tampa Bay Downs website says so but the entries suggest an 11:25 start time. For Road to Kentucky contest purposes do show up before 11:00 AM to submit your entry as it would be better […]
The Gotham
…..and the John Battaglia Memorial This week differs from last week in the impact these preps have made on the Triple Crown Trail in recent times – Whereas both preps last week produced winners in last year’s event, these two have made little to no impact come Derby Day. A number of reasons could account […]
Races of the Week – The Risen Star & The Fountain of Youth
This week, the stakes are raised (no pun intended) on the Road to Kentucky. 50 crucial points are awarded to each winner from this point on until the end of March. Accordingly, the field sizes are inflated and the contenders are far more numerous than in weeks past. The winners of all three triple crown […]
Race of the Week – The Robert B. Lewis Stakes
Stop two on the Road to Kentucky takes us out west, as Santa Anita hosts the Robert B. Lewis stakes on Saturday. The field size is not overwhelming, but have many been recently at the Great Race Place? There is still some quality to it, but this race in recent times has only one key […]
All Aboard on the Road to Kentucky
Ah yes, the fever. Derby Fever strikes earlier for some than others, but for the horseplayer at Canterbury the official first stop arrives on Saturday compliments of Tampa Bay Downs and their Sam F. Davis Stakes. This traditional prep for the Tampa Bay Derby has not exactly been a Kentucky Derby Contender factory, but the […]
New Year, New NHC
Handicapping contest play is a very interesting and unique gamble in the horse racing world. Some seats to the big tournaments, like the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, come with a hefty price tag; some begin with a $10 super satellite entry. Literally every type of horseplayer can be found in the room at the National […]
Canterbury College
Pace makes race. Speed and fade. Jockey-Trainer combo. Not with me? Many who read this blog have a solid understanding of Horse Racing, but the Daily Racing Form is not something seen in all that many hands come live racing season. All of the winners are in it, and using the information contained within to […]