Checking in second with 23.57% of the vote is Nick Zito’s Kentucky Derby runner up Ice Box. He was last seen finishing ninth in the Belmont Stakes. Zito said that the hot weather may have caused the son of Pulpit to perform poorly. The deep closer needs a fast pace to chase and if they burn it up in the Breeders Cup Classic he would be a serious threat. His next start hasn’t been determined.

Quality Road recorded the third highest amount of votes with 17.85% of all ballots. The son of Elusive Quality out of a Strawberry Road mare set brutal fractions and held on to win the Metropolitan Mile in a time of 1:33.11 seconds during his last race. Trainer Todd Pletcher likes to race him fresh and will wait for August 7 and the Whitney Handicap for his next start. I’d like to see him race more. His time in the Met Mile may have been even faster if he wasn’t running off the shelf. Despite that, its very hard to complain about a Grade 1 win under any circumstances. I just think Quality Road is immensely talented and capable of even more. The 10 furlongs distance of the Breeders Cup Classic will be the biggest question for him in November.

The fourth place finisher in the poll was Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky who garnered 10.7% of all votes. Bob Baffert is currently pointing him towards a start in the Haskell Invitational and then the Travers Stakes. ‘Lucky has a strong group of older horses to compete with this year, but he always bring his “A” game. The son of Smart Strike could be in the mix for the Breeders Cup Classic.

The fifth place finisher was the choice “Other” with 5.71%. This could include horses like Rachel Alexandra who recently got back on track with a powerful 10+ length win in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs. Another horse not listed that could have an impact in the Breeders Cup Classic is Belmont Stakes runner up Fly Down. It looks like he is only now finding his best run. Another possibility is Musket Man although I think he is much more likely to compete in the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile.

Little to no confidence is being placed in Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver who got just 2.8% of all votes. I think he deserves more consideration. You have to remember that the Breeders Cup Classic will be contested at Churchill Downs. Super Saver loves the track. He also has the benefit of Calvin Borel aka the King of Churchill Downs. Don’t count Super Saver out based solely on his poor Preakness performance.

Checking in tied for 7th are Rail Trip and Blame. Both are very tough older horses. Blame was most recently seen easily taking the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. He loves the track and that will play to his benefit in November. Trainer Albert Stall has always been high on the horse. I think if he continues to improve he will be the one to beat in the Breeders Cup Classic. If I had to take one horse today to win the ‘Classic it would be Blame.

Rail Trip is also a nice runner. He took the Hollywood Gold Cup last year and is trying to repeat this year. He scored an easy win in the Californian last out with new rider Rafael Bejarano. Will he handle the dirt? That is his biggest obstacle. He missed last years Breeders Cup Classic due to injury.

Who is your early pick in Breeders Cup Classic later this year? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

There isn’t a horse in training who possesses the wealth of talent that Quality Road has. He is brilliant going 6.5 furlongs or 9 furlongs. He has his quirks though. This was displayed in his well known gate incident prior to the start of the Breeders Cup Classic. As you may recall, he was spooked by the crowd and did not want to load into the gate. He was subsequently scratched from the race.

The MET Mile is a valuable gem of a win for a prospective sire and I have to think that is why the connections are targeting the race. They have Quality Road fresh and ready to fire his best shot. His work of :59 and change means that he is fit and ready to go. Quality Road would be an extremely attractive stallion prospect (even more so than he already is) with wins in the Florida Derby, Donn Handicap, and MET Mile.

After giving the Metropolitan Mile a spin, Quality Road could target a number of races. Those that come to mind are the Suburban, Whitney, Woodward, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and ultimately a second attempt at starting in the Breeders Cup Classic.

Quality Road is without doubt the best older male in what appears to be a rejuvenated division. His best competition at the top of the pile is Summer Bird who bested him twice last year, and the phenomenal west coaster Rail Trip.

Win or lose it will be fun to watch Quality Road race on Memorial Day. I’ve followed his career extensively and although I will be betting against him I will still enjoy watching such a talented runner.

Are you counting down the days yet? I know I am. There are 20 days until the Kentucky Derby. All of the major preps except for the Lexington Stakes have been conducted. Some horses will get injured and kept out of the starting gate on the First Saturday in May, but we pretty much know who is who at this point in time. Let’s take a look at my top contenders.

#1 Eskendereya- If this colt were a character from a movie he would be Clubber Lang from Rocky III. He reminds me of this quote from Mickey in that movie: “No, he ain’t just another fighter! This guy is a wrecking machine! And he’s hungry!”. My prediction for the Kentucky Derby? …..Pain! This son of Giant’s Causeway has a gun in a knife fight.

#2 Sidney’s Candy- I’ve said for a while that we don’t know how good this colt really is. Even after winning the Santa Anita Derby I STILL don’t think we have seen the bottom of him. I doubt he is as good as my #1 selection and his running style may compromise his chances. Can Talamo get him to rate? It might not matter if he is “just that good”.

#3 Lookin at Lucky- This colt’s name is quite an oxymoron. He has won 6 of 8 races, and if not for two horrible trips he might be undefeated. I love the way he still rallied to finish third in the Santa Anita Derby despite being pushed into the rail early in the race. He has the pedigree to go 10 furlongs. He is in great hands with Bob Baffert and big money rider Garrett Gomez.

#4 Paddy O’ Prado- I thought he was gone in the stretch of the Bluegrass Stakes until Stately Victor totally freaked and won the race. He is steadily improving and I just have a funny feeling that this colt is for real. Jockey Kent Desormeaux has a great record in the Kentucky Derby.

#5 Rule- The setup of the Florida Derby worked against him. I was nearly 100% sure a closer wouldn’t win that race. I loved his 2010 debut win when he took the Sam Davis Stakes. I’m not sure he is a candidate for top honors, but I can see him running a big race.

#6 Dublin- If he wasn’t in D Wayne Lukas’s barn I probably wouldn’t give him a shot. He had a perfect chance to win Arkansas Derby, but failed to go for the jugular late in the race. Monitor his training in the days leading up to the race.

#7 Awesome Act- He looked poised for a big run in the Wood Memorial turning for home, but when Leparoux unleashed him there wasn’t much there. However, I believe he lost a shoe at the start of the race. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him give a good impression of himself on Kentucky Derby day.

#8 Noble’s Promise- His fifth place finish in the Arkansas Derby sure didn’t help his chances. Ken McPeek is still on the fence in terms of deciding to race him in the Run for the Roses.

#9 Super Saver- Winner of the Grade 2 Jockey Club Stakes at two, this colt always give a good account of himself. His running style will probably hurt his chances on the First Saturday in May.

#10 Ice Box- I’m wary of this colt because he won the Florida Derby closing into a tough pace. How will he do when the track doesn’t play in his favor?

So there you have it, my top ten contenders for the Kentucky Derby. This list is almost  certain to change between now and May 1. Kentucky Derby betting will be very interesting, exciting, and fun this year. Who do you like? Leave a comment and join the conversation!

The Kentucky Derby is almost here.  The First Saturday in May is one month from Thursday. Several key preps have yet to be conducted and a lot will shake out between now and then. Let’s take a look at my top 5 contenders at this point. Feel free to share your thoughts and input by leaving a comment.

#1 Lookin at Lucky- The Juvenile Champ has done very little wrong in his career. He has only lost once and that was due to a poor trip. He got up to take the Rebel Stakes in his last start despite having to overcome a horrid trip. I love the son of Smart Strike’s breeding, and he is in excellent hands with Bob Baffert and Garrett Gomez. Look for him in the Santa Anita Derby.

#2 Odysseus- I absolutely love the Tampa Bay Derby victory. He looked like he was dead in the water turning for home, but somehow came on again to win the race. Before that he crushed an allowance field by 15 lengths. I’m not very sure how well he is suited for the distance. He is a sons of Malibu Moon. I expect to see him compete in the Bluegrass Stakes before heading to Churchill Downs.

#3 Awesome Act- He looked great skipping over the track in his Gotham victory. It appears that the son of Awesome Again is getting good at the right time. His Gotham win was his first start of the year. Prior to that he was 4th in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf. Julien Leparoux rides for trainer Jeremy Noseda. Look for him in the Wood Memorial.

#4 Eskendereya- Most people will disagree with me having this colt at 4th and that is fine. I want to see him reproduce his freakish effort in the Fountain of Youth before I get on board. If he wins the Wood Memorial like that I’ll hop on the band wagon. Of course I’ll also fear he is a Bellamy Road 2.0 (Bellamy Road crushed the Wood Memorial field before finishing 7th in the Run for the Roses). John Velazquez rides for Todd Pletcher. He will be in the Wood Memorial.

#5 Sidney’s Candy- It’s hard to say how good this colt really is. I love his easy win over Grade 2 company two races back. After that he easily won the Grade 2 San Felipe, but did so after setting fractions that were slow. How will he respond under pressure? We will find out in the Santa Anita Derby. Joe Talamo pilots this son of Candy Ride for John Sadler.

Who are your picks for the Kentucky Derby right now? I’d love to know. Leave a comment below.

Every racing fan should make a pilgrimage to Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. I can speak from experience when I say it is truly one of the most beautiful places in the United States. Whether it’s the gorgeous dogwood trees or the “up close and personal” paddock, Keeneland cannot be surpassed. The spring meet begins on April 2 and promises to bring plenty of excitement. Keeneland has been running since 1936 and has some of the best stakes action in the nation. Let’s take a look at the best stakes races for the Keeneland Spring Meet.

Bluegrass Stakes (Gr. I)- Historically speaking, this is one of the most important preps for the Kentucky Derby. The $750k purse guarantees the winner enough earnings to make an attempt at the Run for the Roses. Notable winners since 1970 include Dust Commander, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid, Alydar, Chief’s Crown, Holy Bull, Summer Squall, and Skip Away. The most recent horse to compete in the Bluegrass Stakes and then win the Kentucky Derby was Street Sense. He narrowly lost to Dominican in the Bluegrass Stakes.

Ashland Stakes (Gr. I)- There are many important races at Keeneland, but this one ranks near the top. It is a key prep for the Kentucky Oaks. It is raced at 8.5 furlongs on the Polytrack. The purse is quite hefty at $400k. Several highly successful fillies have won this race including Princess Rooney, Go For Wand, and Silverbulletday.

Madison Stakes (Gr. I)- This race has only been conducted since 2002, but has quickly become a Grade I event. It is for fillies and mares four-year-olds and up. The distance is seven furlongs on the Polytrack. The last two winners were Informed Decision and Ventura. Both mares later won the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Mile Stakes (Gr. IT)- Sponsored by Maker’s Mark, this race takes place over one mile on the turf for four-year-olds and upwards. The race was first run in 1989. It has produced Breeders Cup Mile winners Opening Verse, Artie Schiller, Miesque’s Approval, and Kip Deville. Perfect Soul owns the speed record. He covered the mile distance in 1:33.54.

Lexington Stakes (Gr. II)- Contested at 8.5 furlongs on the Polytrack, this race takes place two weeks before the Kentucky Derby for which it is the final prep. Notable winners include Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Charismatic, and Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winner Risen Star. Many trainers use it as a last ditch effort to get the earnings needed to compete in the Kentucky Derby.

Commonwealth Stakes (Gr. II)- This race is contested at seven furlongs over the Polytrack for three-year-olds and upwards. Notable winners include Black Tie Affair, Distorted Humor, Richter Scale, Orientate, and Sun King.

Jenny Wiley Stakes (Gr. IIT)- The distance for this race is 8.5 furlongs over turf. It is for four-year-old fillies and upwards. The race has produced Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf winners Intercontinental and Forever Together.

Transylvania Stakes (Gr. IIIT)- This race is contested on opening day at 8.5 furlongs on the turf. It is for three-year-olds. It has been contested every year since 1989. The most notable winner was Izvestia who went on to sweep the Canadian Triple Crown.

Other notable stakes races include:

• Shakertown Stakes
• Beumont Stakes
• Appalachian
• Elkhorn
• Bewitch

The aforementioned stakes races are exciting to watch and highly consequential. The Lexington and Bluegrass Stakes send horses to the Kentucky Derby. The Ashland almost always produces at least one entry for the Kentucky Oaks. The Mile Stakes has produced several Breeders Cup Mile winners. Racing at Keeneland is always of the highest quality. Even the allowance races are top notch. Racing will begin on April 2 and run until April 23. We should relish and enjoy every race.

While browsing the news today I came across a piece by Bill Finley for TDN Magazine. It is titled “Ground Control: The (REAL) Truth about Synthetic Tracks”. Finley is a strong proponent of synthetic surfaces and he uses the article as a platform to dispel rumors about the surfaces. He makes good use of statistical figures and does a good job of reasoning that the tracks have saved the lives of horses. I can agree with Finley; to an extent.

What is good for me may not necessarily be good for you. Horses are much safer competing on Poly Track in a very cold place like Turfway Park. This may or may not be true for the same horses at Santa Anita, Keeneland, or Del Mar. It must be considered that the cold weather in Florence, KY makes dirt at Turfway Park less safe. Adding Poly Track there made perfect sense. People quickly jumped to conclusions after seeing a decline in injuries and fatalities at Turfway. I’ve listed below a few that I have problems with.

• Richard Shapiro acted hastily and without enough data and evidence when he mandated that all California tracks install a synthetic surface. I believe his heart was in the right place, but from a logical sense these tracks shouldn’t have been forced on California until more data was available.
• Tracks that quickly decided to install synthetic surfaces did not consider variables such as the cold weather at Turfway Park, and the fact that they run mostly cheap horses there. I’m not a veterinarian or a trainer, but I would think that cheap horses are more susceptible to injury in the first place.

I plan on going into this subject further when I have more time, but for now I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic. Click here to read Bill Finley’s article.

Horse bettors are presented with a million different variables on any given day. There are almost always at least 10 tracks to bet at any given moment. There are a minimum of 11 “traditional” wagers that can be made. These include Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, and the Pick 6. Many circumstances are beyond the bettor’s control. Tracks can come up sloppy. Turf courses can be rated good or soft. Jockeys can fall off their mount. These things are uncontrollable, but we as bettors are able to control certain variables such as takeout. Will I place my wagers at the track with 25% exacta takeout, or the one with 18.5% takeout? Will I give my business to the track that has large and competitive fields, or the track that has small fields with many favorites finding the winners circle?

There are many factors to consider when deciding which track offers the best bang for the buck. The number one factor is size and competitiveness of the fields. If favorites are winning a disproportionate amount of races it will be hard to make money. If the majority of races at a track have only 6-8 horses or even less then exotics will pay little to nothing unless a huge long shot is able to win and the favorite runs out of the money. The wagering menu is also an important factor. Dime superfectas offer great value in fields of 10 horses or more. The same can be said for the 50-cent trifecta. Rolling Pick 3’s and the Pick 4 and 6 wagers offer great value for those who are able to string together several winners in a row. Takeouts must also be taken into consideration when making your decision. Whether you realize it or not, YOU have a choice when it comes to where you will bet your hard earned money. Let’s take a look at the top five bettor friendly tracks in the United States along with some honorable mentions.

#1 Churchill Downs (Louisville, Kentucky)- It was a tough decision, but the storied Churchill Downs ranks as the most bettor friendly racetrack in the entire United States. Whether it’s the beautiful scenery behind the legendary twin spires, low takeouts, or full fields, gamblers cannot go wrong with Churchill Downs. Home to the Kentucky Derby, this track is beloved by many fans. The Run for the Roses is one of the best betting races you will find, but there is much more to Churchill Downs than just a single race. One of the things I love best about Churchill Downs is the “real dirt”. While many gamblers have no problem with synthetic tracks, I find them harder to handicap and I know a lot of people out there would agree with me. Regular dirt races are much easier to handicap, and thus easier for gamblers to make money. The second thing I love about Churchill Downs is the diversity in race types. Churchill Downs is one of the only tracks I can think of where you might see low level claimers and Grade 1 winners compete on the same day on a regular basis.

The takeouts at Churchill Downs are very reasonable. The track keeps 16% of the Win-Place-Show pools, and 19% of all exotic pools. The amount of money in the pools is among the highest in the nation due to Churchill Downs popularity and strong racing. Their wager menu is very strong. They offer 50 cent Trifectas, Pick 3’s, and Pick 4’s. They also have the very popular dime superfecta wager. These wagers shouldn’t be underestimated. They allow bettors to stretch their bankroll and offer more bang for your buck. Average field size at Churchill Downs is 8.28 according to information provided by the Horseplayers Association of North America. I also like Churchill Downs because of their very useful advanced deposit wagering service (www.twinspires.com). Wagering online is very convenient and has many benefits, but we will save that discussion for another time. Churchill Downs has set the bar for other tracks when it comes to treating the bettor well.

#2 Keeneland (Lexington, Kentucky)- While the Kentucky racing circuit certainly has problems that it needs to address, the top two tracks when it comes to wagering lie in the Bluegrass State. Keeneland is one of the premier meets in horse racing. The beautiful location combined with the highest quality of racing makes Keeneland a must visit for all horse racing fans. The feature race in the spring is the Bluegrass Stakes, which has produced countless Kentucky Derby winners. It is just one of many excellent races at Keeneland. The takeout rate of 16% for Win-Place-Show wagers and 19% on exotic wagers is very reasonable. The takeout rates in Kentucky are among the best in the entire nation. Keeneland is similar to Churchill Downs in many ways. Both have top notch racing and they share the same takeout rates. They even offer most of the same wagers. The place where they part the most is in their racing surfaces. Keeneland has Polytrack while Churchill Downs still has traditional dirt.

Many bettors often complain about the trickiness of handicapping Keeneland due to its Polytrack surface. While it can be difficult at times, it isn’t impossible to figure out. For those that are baffled by the Polytrack, Keeneland offers a complete database of information about the Polytrack. It is available for free on their website and is titled “PolyCapping”.  There is an abundance of valuable information available at www.keeneland.com, and it is all free.  Other resources available online are the Winners Book, and Clocker’s Comments. The Winners Book contains information about every horse that won in the previous meet. Some of the information included is the winning jockey, post time odds, morning line odds, and much more. Clockers Comments is one of the most valuable resources you will find anywhere. The clocker at Keeneland makes notes for every horse that works there. This information is invaluable, particularly when handicapping maiden races with first time starters. The final thing I like about Keeneland is their excellent contests. They have handicapping contests quite frequently both on site and online. I recommend any handicapper that wants a challenge to give these contests a try. Keeneland and Churchill are neck and neck for first and second. You can’t go wrong with either track. Keeneland is a credit to the entire racing industry.

#3 Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, Arkansas)- While Keeneland and Churchill Downs clearly set the standard for doing right by the bettor, Oaklawn Park isn’t too far behind. The facilities at Oaklawn are top of the line and will put a smile on even the most well traveled track enthusiast. The feature race at Oaklawn is the Arkansas Derby. It is a great betting race and has presented us with many future great horses such as Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, and Curlin just to name a few. Oaklawn is also home to the Apple Blossom, a Grade 1 race won by potential Horse of the Year Zenyatta in 2008. The takeout rates at Oaklawn are solid at 19% for Win-Place-Show and 21% for exotic wagers. The average field size is 9.04 according to data gathered by the Horseplayers Association of North America. This is a solid number and ranks Oaklawn in the top tier of all tracks for that statistic. The pool sizes are strong and average over $100k per race.

Oaklawn offers both the 50 cent trifecta and dime superfecta wagers. These wagers help bettors to obtain value, especially when making bets on races that have large fields. The track has benefited from increased purses thanks to an onsite casino. Increasing the purses subsequently lead to better horses racing at this track. Gamblers are able to join the Oaklawn Park Winner’s Circle Player’s Club. Members are rewarded for wagering at Oaklawn and can use the points they earn to buy things like a Daily Racing Form, food, or cash. Oaklawn has some of the finest race calling in the entire country thanks to track announcer Terry Wallace. He has delivered race calls for 36 years and hasn’t missed a single race at Oaklawn since 1975. His calls are some of the best around, and he has called 19,621 races at Oaklawn without missing a beat. While Oaklawn is a top notch track there are a few things I would like to see them improve upon. Their website is lacking and doesn’t even begin to come close to Keeneland. Other than that and a few other small details they are doing a wonderful job. There is a reason they call Oaklawn Park the Saratoga of the South; they treat the horseman and the bettor very well. Owner Charles Cella has always maintained that Oaklawn is about the horse, and he is making good on that promise.

#4 Santa Anita Park (Arcadia, California)- There is a reason that Santa Anita has hosted the last two Breeders Cup World Championships. This track is one of the finest in the entire world. Aptly named “The Great Race Place”, Santa Anita is home to the “Big Cap”, better known as the Santa Anita Handicap, and the Santa Anita Derby. Both are Grade 1 events that attract some of the finest horses in their divisions. This track has some of the best takeout ratings around. Their Win-Place-Show takeout is just 15.43%, ranking them in the top five of all tracks in North America for that category. The exotic takeout is a bit higher than some at 20.68%, but is still more than reasonable. The average field size is about average at 8.53 horses per race. Santa Anita offers the dime superfecta wager, but at this point in time does not offer 50 cent trifectas or 50 cent Pick 4’s. That is something I would like to see change in the near future.

One of my favorite reasons to bet Santa Anita is the $2 minimum Pick 6 wager. It isn’t uncommon for the wager to pay in excess of $100,000. If you are able to string together six winners in a row, you will be handsomely rewarded. The difficulty of the wager, combined with the massive amounts of money in the pool allows this to happen. The Super High 5 wager offered at Santa Anita represents another chance for a huge score. To a hit a Super High 5 the bettor must pick the first five finishers in a given race. It’s hard enough to hit a trifecta these days, so hitting the High 5 will almost always result in a huge pay day. Santa Anita’s website has Pick 6 carryover alerts for all tracks on the southern California circuit. Santa Anita is the perfect destination for the handicapper seeking the score of a lifetime.

#5 Gulfstream Park (Hallandale, Florida)- Home to the SunShine Millions, Florida Derby, and Donn Handicap, Gulfstream Park is a top notch track that bettors love. Due in large part to the excellent weather, this track has plenty of great horses to bet on when it runs from January to April. Winners of the Donn Handicap can often be found in the Dubai World Cup later in the year, and the same can be said for the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Gulfstream has excellent field size, averaging 9.07 horses per race according to the Horseplayers Association of North America. The takeouts for Win-Place-Show are acceptable at 17%. The trifecta and superfecta takeouts are too high at 25%. The Pick 6 takeout is 15%, and all other wagers are 20%.

I really like the takeout numbers for Gulfstream, minus the trifecta and superfectas. Those large numbers can really take a bite out of your payoffs. Gulfstream currently accepts the Dime Superfecta and 50 cent Pick 4 wagers. These wagers offer good value, but the excessive superfecta takeout means I’d rather play that wager at another track. The Good Luck Players Club is a nice thing for onsite bettors. It allows customers to accrue points for every wager they make, and the points can be spent on various items. Overall I was disappointed with the usefulness of their website. Keeneland clearly sets the standard in this area, and most racks have a lot of catching up to do. On the whole, Gulfstream is a good track to wager on, but it has some work to do in order to catch up to the top four.

Honorable Mentions:

Del Mar- I love this track, and I could find little wrong with it. However, I felt it was just a bit lower than Santa Anita in terms of quality. Where the turf meets the surf, Del Mar is one of the best tracks in the country and bettors can’t go wrong with this one.

Saratoga- The Spa is a great track for win bettors, but the excessive trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3 and Pick 4 takeouts caused me to leave them out of the top five. The pools always have tons of money in them, and the quality of racing is almost unparalleled. If you’re going to bet in New York, then Saratoga is the place to do so.

Hoosier Park- This track has great field size and low takeouts. However the pools are small in comparison to the big boys, and I believe in betting into larger pools. This typically results in larger payouts. Hoosier should be the top pick for anyone seeking to bet on a smaller track.

Evangeline Downs- In my experience this track is a graveyard for favorites. Evangeline often has very large fields over 10 horses and it’s never a surprise to see a huge long shot find the winners circle. If you like making win bets on horses at big odds then look no further than Evangeline Downs.

Overall it is clear that Kentucky comes out in front when it comes to giving bettors the best bang for their buck. Churchill Downs and Keeneland are far ahead of all of their competition overall. Santa Anita is clearly the place to be if you are looking for a life-changing score. Oaklawn and Gulfstream are both excellent meets that cater to players that like traditional dirt racing and excellent fields. While takeout, field size and field quality are very important I advise you to not lose sight of the reason you are wagering. I think I can speak for the majority of horseplayers when I say we bet the horses because it is something that we love dearly. Stay within your comfort zone and remember the most important rule; have fun.

*I would like to give a special thanks to HANA (Horseplayers Association of North America) for the excellent work that they do and for gathering a large portion of information about the tracks and making it available on their website. If you would like to access their track information chart that includes takeout rates and much more visit: http://www.horseplayersassociation.org/hanatrackratingsbyoverallscore.html.

One of the best people I’ve met in racing is three time Kentucky Derby winner Chris MacCarron. He is a legend that has won every important race several times. He is currently running a jockey school in Lexington. I had a chance to meet him a year ago, and I was assisting him as he signed autographs.

The money he raised was for the benefit of the MacBeth Fund, an organization that exists to help injured and disabled jockeys that he helped to start. The fund is named in honor of Don MacBeth, a jockey who died of cancer. MacBeth is most famous for riding Chief’s Crown to victory in the inaugaral Breeders Cup Juvenile and the Travers Stakes the following year.

The organization was started in conjunction by Chris MacCarron and comedian Tim Conway. Best known for his roles on the Carroll Burnett and McHale’s Navy, Conway wanted to donate his fee for a show at Canterbury Downs to a fund for disabled jockeys. The only problem was that no such fund existed at the time. Conway’s donation of $5k helped kick the MacBeth fund off.

The money he donated and the money donated by people everyday is used for many purposes. Some is allocated to help pay the rent for injured jockeys, or to buy expensive medical equipment. Some of the funds are used to help making homes wheel chair accessible. Money is also used for little things like food. The fund has aided over 1,000 jockeys and is typically helping 40-50 during any given month.

Jockeys are constantly facing life and death situations. Michael Straight was recently paralyzed during a race at Arlington Park. Ron Turcotte, regular pilot of Triple Crown legend Secretariat, is also paralyzed. Unfortunately there are plenty of other examples. Jockeys are at a higher risk of dying than any other athlete. This is easy to believe since they are balancing themselves on a 1,000 pound animal going at speeds of 35-40 MPH.

I’ve donated to the fund in the past and plan to do so again when I graduate college and have more disposable funds. I highly encourage anyone to donate to help the men who help make our sport go and put their lives on the line every time they step in the irons. Click here to learn more!

• Pedigree Query

Just like its name would suggest, Pedigree Query is the ultimate source for all things pedigree related. I believe they have ever horse that has ever raced in their database, but I don’t know that for sure. They also offer information on careers of most horses. The typical search returns 5 generations, but for a small subscription fee up to 9 generations are included. Pedigree Query also offers progeny reports, photos, hypomating, line breeding, and female family reports. I recommend bookmarking this site.

• Stallion Register

I love this website. It is developed and maintained by the Blood Horse. Stallion Register is a MUST visit for any breeder. It has reports on just about every stallion in the United States, including stud fees and progeny reports. When searching a horse such as Big Brown links to other Three Chimneys stallions are included at the bottom. This goes for sires at other farms.  Information on top progeny and auction results are provided. Race records are available along with current  Users are also able to compare sires head to head.

• Daily Racing Form

DRF is a must visit for any horse racing fan. They have entries, results, charts, and horse racing news. The writers are top notch, and the information provided is invaluable. Visitors are able to take advantage of their “Race of the Day” page, which provides free PPs for one race daily. DRF also has books and videos that could help a new gambler or even a seasoned veteran.

• Wikipedia

Wikipedia provides information about literally everything; horse racing or not. I find the information to be accurate about 90% of the time, but there are errors from time to time.  Many famous horses have detailed pages on Wikipedia, along with famous races. There is an abundance of horse racing information that can be gained by surfing Wikipedia.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something important, but I’ll add more later. Do you have any horse racing website you would like to share with the visitors of this website? Leave a comment and educate us.

I’ve been racing horses at HorseRacingPark for over 2.5 years now. I’m a small time owner. I race mostly in claimers and allowances. My horses find their way into stakes company rarely, but they have a big shot when they do. My winning percentage of 15.4% at pay tracks is pretty good by most standards. I’d willing to say that Horseracingpark.com is the best horse racing game on the internet, and if you haven’t checked it out yet you are truly missing out.

HorseRacingPark, or HRP for short, has everything related to horse racing that  you can imagine. Horses can be purchased through claimers, auctions, breeding, and can be automatically generated. Full pedigree analysis is listed for every horse, along with conformation statistics. Players have full control over every aspect of their horses career. They get to train the horse, decide if he needs something like blinkers or lasix, and are left to decide in which race their horse will compete.

Players can race for free at Mountaineer, or try their hand at the pay tracks. The pay tracks include nearly every track in the United States such as Del Mar, Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, and many more. There are also U.S. jockeys in the game like Rafael Bejarano and Garrett Gomez. Just about any jockey you will find in real life is also in virtual form at HRP.

Nearly every stakes race that happens in reality also happens at HRP, but on a 1:1000 scale. The $5,000,000 Breeders Cup Classic is the $5,000 Breeders Cup Classic at HorseRacingPark. The Triple Crown hasn’t been won yet, and the first trainer to take all three races will get $30,000.  Purses go as low at $1, and horses can be claimed at prices ranging from $1 to $120.

Other features at HRP include the weekly handicapping contest, in which players can wager on the races being contested each day. The top two finishers get to compete in the end of year contest for $500, and free horse vouchers.  They also have Pick ‘Em contests from time to time where the winner is awarded free horse vouchers.

Breeding is one of the best parts of HRP. There is no feeling like winning a race with a homebred. There are plenty of options for breeding. You can use your own sire and mare, or you can pay a stud fee and use your own mare or lease a mare from someone else. Sires can be found in the price range of $1-50 in most cases, and the best mares go from anywhere to $50-100 per foal. Breeding at HRP is just like in real life. Breed the best to the best and hope for the best.

When players breed horses they have the option of starting the horse as a yearling or a two-year-old. There are many owners who are in the game strictly for breeding. They breed horses for the sake of selling them in the auctions. This can be very profitable if you are able to get a horse that is quick early on or has a great pedigree and conformation. Above is a picture of two “HRP” sires. These are two sires you could potentially get if you auto generate a horse in which case the sire and mare are randomly picked.

Above is a picture of a couple of the horses in the auction at the moment. The auction is one of the best parts of the game. It runs four times each year, and allows owners to buy/sell horses for small and big money. I’ve seen horses sell for under $10 that went to be a Grade 1 winners, and horses that sold for over $1,000 only to bust.

I have had a lot of success with the auctions, with total sales in excess of $1,000 (my investment was much smaller). The horses I’ve sold haven’t really gone on to do much (knock on wood) so I don’t really regret selling any of them. Perhaps the worst was Daiwa Major, who won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth after I sold him. I didn’t really mind that though because a friend owned him and I got a decent price at $250.

Some of the biggest sales in recent memory at HorseRacingPark are $1,000 Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby winner Whats Up. He sold for around $1,500 after burning up the track in an allowance en route to a track record breaking win. The owner that sold him claimed Whats Up for just $7. Not a bad return on investment! Another big sale was Breeders Cup Turf winner Siberian Rhythm. He sold for $2,555 after his big Breeders Cup win.

I’ve had a couple of good horses in my time at HRP. The best was a two-year-old colt named Entourage. He broke his maiden first time out at Golden Gate, and then ran respectably in an allowance. He was training very well and I had a feeling he was sitting on a big race, so I entered him in the $122.50 Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Juvenile at Turfway Park. He was a longshot, but he got up to win the race by a neck. Always one to make a profit, I sold him in the next auction for a hefty sum of $351. He didn’t really pan out on the track as a three-year-old, but is currently standing at stud in California. He has a great conformation and pedigree so he may see some success as a sire.

Other horses I’ve had include a four-year-old named Angry Again. He ran very well for me, winning two races in a row by a combined 10 lengths before losing by a nose to eventual Arlington Million victor Eviction Notice. I ended up selling Angry Again for $301. He didn’t do much on the track after I sold him, but he looks to be a future star at stud. He has sired a Grade 2 winning filly in his first crop. My best horse at the moment is a filly named Chopped N Screwed. She broke her maiden against maiden claimers at Golden Gate by 11 lengths and has quickly progressed. She won an allowance at Del Mar in her last start. I think with a bit of luck she could become a stakes winner.

I highly recommend giving HRP a chance. You won’t find a better or more realistic horse racing game anywhere on the internet. It is great for those of us who have always dreamed of owning horses but cant really afford the real thing. It is the best alternative you will find.  Gradedstakes.com visitors will get a special offer of 5 free horses by signing up through one of the many links on this page, or by clicking the banner below. Good luck and I’ll see you at the races!

Sign up through this website and get an exclusive offer

of 5 free horses!