Regular visitors of this website know that I participate extensively at BettorsWorld. I am selling my picks for Saratoga there, as well as here. My free pick was posted there today. That pick was Broken Dreams in the 9th race. The filly was shipping in after a strong performance at Churchill Downs. I had a great feeling she would run big, and she backed my words up with a strong win at odds of 4-1. A $2 win wager returned a healthy $10.40! Here is what I had to say about her:

Free Saratoga Pick – 7/28 – Race 9 #7 Broken Dreams (6-1) Let’s hope this filly’s name doesn’t describe our thoughts after the race. Seriously though, she has proved in two starts that she is a runner. The daughter of Broken Vow races for Tom Proctor and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez. She broke her maiden first out by a whopping 14 lengths. She returned from that effort to be second in an allowance race at CD. Look for her to run big stalking the early pace.

Saratoga hasn’t been easy thus far, but I’m doing well. Dealing with off tracks has been the worst part of the meet. I’m looking forward to Saturday’s Diana and Jim Dandy Stakes. Both features some of the best horses in their respective divisions. If you’re not on board yet then I highly encourage you to join me soon! I have every hope that I will hit both the Diana and Jim Dandy on Saturday. I also have high hopes for the late Pick 4.

Don’t get left out!

Saratoga/Del Mar Picks

Saratoga Meet $69.00 Del Mar Meet $69.00 Saratoga Single $10.00 Del Mar Single $10.00

Use the menu below to get all of my picks and plays for Saratoga. I got off to a very fast start on opening day with 2 of my 4 plays winning, including $17.20 winner Katherns Kitten!

Saratoga/Del Mar Picks

Saratoga Meet $69.00 Del Mar Meet $69.00 Saratoga Single $10.00 Del Mar Single $10.00

I’ve handicapped nine races this weekend. My top selections range in price from 8-5 to 10-1, but most are above 3-1. It’s very unusual for me to do nine stakes races in a week, but I saw many things I liked and a number of price horses have great chances to win. I  feel really good about several picks this week. You can play along for just $10 this week, or join me for a month for only $35.

Be on the lookout for Saratoga picks starting next week. I will be handicapping the card every day and I highly encourage you to play along. Last year my highest priced winner was 21-1 shot Dattt Echo. I also gave out several Pick 4 plays paying in excess of $700. I’m ready to do it again.

Don’t miss out!

Gradedstakes.com PicksPicks

Selections (One Week) $10.00 Selections (One Month) $35.00

I saw an interview with Joe Bravo on TV last week. The interviewer asked Joe what his favorite types of races are. Jersey Joe, who has been interviewed  by this site, said that he relishes racing on the turf. Just as our friend Joe likes riding those races, I  enjoy handicapping them. The Virginia Derby is the perfect chance to do so. The Grade 2 event for three-year-olds is contested over the classic distance of 10 furlongs.

Paddy O’ Prado, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, and winner of the Colonial Turf Cup, is the 7/5 morning line favorite. The son of El Prado is one of my favorite horses this year. Trainer Dale Romans is having an excellent year in 2010, and jockey Kent Desormeaux is as good as he has ever been. If Paddy O’ Prado loses it probably wont be for lack of training or jockey skill. I’ll go in another direction despite the obvious talent of this horse.

I like Krypton to take this race. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee was last seen narrowly taking the Grade 3 Prince Hill Stakes at Belmont Park over a VERY good colt named Nordic Truce with new jockey Rajiv Maragh in the irons. Krypton has great pedigree being a son of the enormous Rock Hard Ten. His runners have taken to the turf very well.

Krypton has the right running style to win this race. He will sit off one or two horses and make a big move entering the stretch. The Florida bred runner worked a very sharp 1:00 2/5 B at the Saratoga training track on Sunday. I love his 7/2 price and I think he could even go off higher than that. All systems are go.

Other horses to consider are Stately Victor, and Interactif. Stately Victor won the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes earlier this year with a powerful closing kick. This will the first time he has been on the weeds since that victory. He broke his maiden over the turf at Saratoga last summer. Interactif won the Grade 3 With Anticipation and Grade 3 Bourbon before finishing a close third in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf last year. His connections unsuccessfully attempted the Belmont Stakes last out. He should improve while returning to the grass.

Free picks are great, but if you want selections for all the top races this weekend please consider subscribing to our weekly or monthly picks package. You can learn more by clicking here.

July 4 is not only a great day to be an American, but also a great day to be a bettor. Churchill Downs will be wrapping up their meet and the last stakes race of the meet is the Grade 2 Firecracker Handicap over one mile on the turf for three-year-olds and upward. The main attraction for this race is 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. The gelded son of Birdstone will be racing for the first time since finishing ninth in the Breeders Cup Classic last fall. He has been assigned top weight of 122 pounds.

This field looks competitive from top to bottom. I like a nice price horse named Public Speaker (8-1). The son of Distorted Humor was last seen finishing second in an ungraded stakes race over this same turf course on June 11. The winner of that race, Tizdejavu, is also entered here. I think Public Speaker can turn the tables and win this time. His running style is perfect for this race and he will get first jump on the pace setters.

Public Speaker has won three times from four starts at the Firecracker distance. This colt has run behind some nice horses this year including Rahystrada, Proceed Bee, and Karelian. He was fourth behind Blame in his final race of 2009. Trainer Ken McPeek does well with turf runners and jockey Robby Albarado has given him two nice rides in the past. Look for Public Speaker to run a huge race at odds of 8-1.

Some horses to consider for exotic purposes are Inca King and Euroears. Both are very familiar with the winners circle having won 15 and 8 times, respectively. Inca King is 5 for 5 this year against lesser horses, but don’t let fool you. He is a classy runner. Euroears has 2 wins from 3 starts on the turf and has performed well routing on the dirt this year. I expect his form to transfer.

So to recap, my top selection in the Firecracker Handicap is Public Speaker and I like Inca King and Euroears as exotic possibilities.

Click here if you are interested in purchasing selections for all the stakes action this week and in the future!

Gradedstakes.com has had a great amount of success in the Belmont Stakes. We successfully picked Jazil ($14.40) to win the 2006 Belmont Stakes and hit the $92 exacta and the $436 trifecta.

We are ready to hit the race again in 2010. Will you join us? Belmont Stakes picks are available for just $5.99 and full card selections are available for $14.99!

Those who purchased our picks for the Preakness Stakes were rewarded when our top selection Lookin At Lucky ($6.80) won the race. We narrowly missed the trifecta when Jackson Bend failed to get second place. We plan to have not only the trifecta in the Belmont Stakes, but also the exacta and superfecta!

Regular visitors to this site know that we had Sidney’s Candy in all three of his wins this years. He paid $6.20 when he won the San Vicente and $9.60 in the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby.

The 2010 Derby  trail was good to us. We had Caracortado when he won the Robert Lewis and paid $11. Our highest priced winner came in a less heralded race which was the Whirlaway Stakes. We touted Peppi Knows as our top selection. He won and returned $17.40 for a $2 win bet. We narrowly missed the Florida Derby with 29-1 shot Pleasant Prince who was defeated by a nose. He returned a hefty $26.40 to place!

Those winners are just a few among many. We plan to knock it out of the park in the Belmont Stakes. You can play along and reap the benefits. Below is a description of the packages we are offering this year.

Belmont Stakes Package

• Top Pick to WIN
• Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta plays
• Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4 plays

Belmont Stakes Day Full Card Selections Package

Includes everything in Belmont Stakes Package along with:

• Top Selections to win every race at Belmont Park
• Assorted Exacta, Trifecta, and Supefecta plays
• Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 6 plays

What do you have to lose? Click the “Buy Now” button below to purchase selections for the Belmont Stakes!

Belmont Stakes Selections

Belmont Stakes Package $5.99 Full Card Package $14.99

I’d like to congratulate those who played along with me in the Preakness Stakes. Lookin At Lucky was our top pick to win the race and deemed a strong play. He got a perfect trip from jockey Martin Garcia and won by 3/4 lengths over First Dude. Below is our wagering summary for the race and our thoughts on ‘Lucky.

If you missed out this time I highly encourage you to play along with us for the Belmont Stakes in just under three weeks. Some of the early prospects for that race include Ice Box, Stay Put, Fly Down, and Drosselmeyer. We hope and expect to have the winner correctly selected. Check back to Gradedstakes.com for the best horse racing picks in graded stakes races.

Preakness Stakes

Lookin At Lucky (3-1) Perhaps the seven hole will be a lucky charm for this son of Smart Strike. If not for bad luck he would have no luck at all of late. That will all change in the Preakness. He will get a great trip under new jockey Martin Garcia. The young jockey is one of the best in the business. He does an excellent job adapting to the circumstances of any given race and he will navigate ‘Lucky with much prowess. This colt will run through a brick wall trying to win. He proved that when he won the Rebel Stakes after clipping heels. He tries hard every time and things will go his way in the Preakness. He is a strong play at a fair price.

I like a filly that will be a solid price and should pay double digits to win the race. Who is that filly? You will have to buy my picks to find out! You can do so by clicking the “Buy Now” button below. They are just $5.99 and include picks for 7 races along with Daily Double Pick 3, Pick 4, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta bets. Don’t miss out. The races included in this years Preakness Package are listed below.

• Black-Eyed Susan Stakes
• Preakness Stakes
• Lang Stakes
• Dixie Stakes
• William Donald Schaefer Stakes
• Gallorette Handicap
• Maryland Sprint Handicap

Below is a list of some of the winners I had on this year’s Derby trail.

• Sidney’s Candy in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes ($6.20)
• Sidney’s Candy in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes ($9.60)
• Sidney’s Candy in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby ($9.60)
• Caracortado in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes ($11.00)
• Pleasant Prince in the Grade 1 Florida Derby ($26.40 to PLACE)

I’m supremely confident that I will pick winners in several of the races I have handicapped on Saturday. I also expect them to pay double digit prices to win.  I love my all stakes Pick 4 play and I expect it to pay in excess of $1,000. The ticket is very affordable to play so the risk is low. Click the “Buy Now” button below to play along with me for $5.99. Doing so will pay dividends on Saturday.

Black-Eyed Susan day is full of great races. One of those races is the $70k Hilltop Stakes. I like Smart Seattle to take the race under Julien Leparoux for Graham Motion. Watch the video to find out why. If you would like picks for all of this weekends stakes action, including the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and Preakness Stakes, click here!

Are you counting yet? It’s only 355 days until the Kentucky Derby. Between now and then two nearly as important races will be contested. Those races are the second and third jewels of the Triple Crown better known as the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Gradedstakes.com will be here to help you handicap as always. Below are just a few of the winners we had on this years Derby trail.

• Sidney’s Candy in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes ($6.20)
• Sidney’s Candy in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes ($9.60)
• Sidney’s Candy in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby ($9.60)
• Caracortado in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes ($11.00)
• Pleasant Prince in the Grade 1 Florida Derby ($26.40 to PLACE)

Our expert picks will be available for just $5.99. Those who purchase this years picks for the Preakness will get picks to WIN, Pick 3, Pick 4, Exacta, Trifecta, and Superfecta plays. We will provide complimentary picks for the Belmont Stakes if we don’t pick at least 3 winners, an exotic worth $250 or more for a $1 wager, or the winner of the Preakness. You haven’t got much to lose!

Included in this year’s package are picks for the following races:

• Black-Eyed Susan Stakes
• Preakness Stakes
• Hirsch Jacobs Stakes
• Dixie Stakes
• William Donald Schaefer Stakes
• Gallorette Handicap
• Maryland Sprint Handicap