Horse Racing Information

Don’t forget the small tracks on big days!

May 23, 2011 By Ryan Patterson Leave a Comment

On the major racing days, most of the bettor’s attention is focused on the track having the big day. People focus in on the Breeders’ Cup and Triple Crown race cards because the size of the pools for all the bets that day are huge. It makes perfect sense that one would do this, yet the other tracks do run. With more of the money/attention being focused on the “big” card, there are plenty of chances for big prices and big overlays across the country. Many a day has this writer been bailed out of a bad wagering day on a big stakes filled card by hitting a price at another racetrack.

Bettors tend to get tunnel vision about the big days, since they do offer opportunities to play into bigger pools than normal, since the layman bettor pays more attention (and bets more of their money) on these cards. Yet that shift of money means that other races not being run on the big cards are ripe for opportunity. With the pools being slightly smaller and/or slightly more top-heavy among the wagering public at the other tracks, favorites tend to be a little shorter, with more horses seeming to float up from their morning lines. This allows for some big prices and some large overlays that could have helped the bankroll this weekend. Last Saturday was a good example of this happening.

Here are some examples from Preakness Saturday:

Arlington Park Race 2 – Art of Deception $17.20 (from a 7/2 M/L)
Belmont Park Race 8 – Can’t Refuse $108.50
Calder Race 6 – My Tigger $63.00
Churchill Downs Race 7 Wickie’s Flame $23.80 (from a 6-1 M/L)
Churchill Downs Race 11 – Bk’s Clearanceisle $91.00
Hollywood Park Race 8 – L.A. Weekend $53.40
Woodbine Race 5 – French Fitz $36.40

This post is just a reminder that while we should pay attention to the big races, we also should not ignore the alternatives. That is the time where overlays happen in spades. While most people go for a small piece of the big pools, consider taking a large chunk of a smaller pool. Good luck and considering playing online at Twin Spires with us. They offer convenient deposit/withdrawal options, live video and mobile betting. Don’t miss out. I recently transition from TVG to Twin Spires and I couldn’t be happier with the decision. Those signing up through this site by clicking the link in this paragraph will get a $100 sign up bonus.

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: horse betting, small tracks

Kathmanblu looks to reaffirm herself in the Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes

April 8, 2011 By Ryan Patterson Leave a Comment

Kathmanblu was at the top of her division after she romped home by 8 lengths in the Grade 2 Goldenrod Stakes at Churchill Downs. Since then Plum Pretty has emerged with a 25 length win in the Sunland Oaks. R Heat Lightning won the Gulfstream Oaks as fas you can throw a rock while in hand. Joyful Victory took the Honeybee Stakes by 9 lengths. Things are getting pretty heated in the three-year-old filly division!

Winning this weekend’s Ashland Stakes at Keeneland would likely help Kathmanblu reassert herself at the top of the hill. The daughter of Bluegrass Cat hasn’t raced since winning the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds on February 19. That win came as a very heavy favorite and she had to work harder for it than I expected. However, she is allowed to have an off day and winning a stakes race by 1 1/4 lengths on an off day is better than 99% of horses can manage.

Kathmanblu boasts strong works and her most recent move was a :59 B five furlong bullet at Gulfstream. The thing that makes me scratch my head as she tries to win her fourth race in a row is that jockey Julien Leparoux took the mount on another filly, Dancinginherdreams. I didn’t see that coming. I think it is clear that Kathmanblu is the better of the two, but maybe Leparoux knows something that we do not. Alan Garcia gets the mount for the Ashland and likely into the future.

The aforementioned Dancinginherdreams is the biggest threat to Kathmanblu. She was most recently seen finishing behind R Heat Lightning in the Davona Dale 7 1/4 lengths back in second. Before that she was beaten 3/4 of a length in the Forward Gal. Her other two races are a maiden win over this track by 5 lengths and a 5 length score in the Pocahontas Stakes. The John Ward trainee tried getting a bit closer to the pace last out. It’s hard to say how that worked out because she didn’t win, but I highly doubt anyone was beating R Heat Lightning that day. It will be interesting to see if Leparoux tries getting closer again or drops further off the pace which was her style in her previous races. Dancinginherdreams is clearly the second best horse here behind Kathmanblu and it would be no surprise to see her get back on track with a win.

Wyomia and Delightful Mary pose the biggest threat to the top two choices in this race. Wyomia won the Mazarine Stakes at 2 before flopping in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Her first race of the year was a strong win in the Sun Coast Stakes which was her first try on the dirt. Delightful Mary finished third in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies last year. Her 2011 debut was a win against three other fillies in the $100k OBS Championship Stakes which was a non wagering event. Of the two I like Wyomia a bit more as she looks to be on the way up after her last win.

The final horse of note in this race is Bouquet Booth. She probably only has a punchers chance, but that is a chance nonetheless. A winner of the Delta Downs Princess Stakes and the Silverbulletday Stakes, this daughter of Flower Alley will likely show speed from the rail. She is a cut below the best here in terms of talent, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see her take them all the way on the lead. Robby Albarado gets the mount for the first time.

To recap I am going with the favored Kathmanblu in the Ashland Stakes. Who is YOUR pick?

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: ashland stakes, bouquet booth, dancinginherdreams, delightful mary, julien leparoux, kathmanblu, keeneland, keeneland picks, wyomia

Grand National Champion Horses – Don’t Push It

March 31, 2011 By Ryan Patterson Leave a Comment

**This guest post by Krystal Smith takes a look at the favorite for the Grand National, Dont Push It. We hope you enjoy this effort to focus on types of horse racing other than flat racing!**

The Grand National is famously the race on which everybody enjoys a bet; even people who never do so normally, and who only bet once a year, will bet on this race.

Picking a Grand National is a difficult task, it is very rare for the favourite to win, but that does not deter the typical occasional punter who tends to go on the horse’s name alone.

Last year the race was won by the favorite Don’t Push It; to be more accurate it was the joint favourite. The jockey was AP McCoy, and it was his first win after fourteen previous attempts. Don’t Push It is trained by Jonjo O’Neill and it has been entered for the 2011 Grand National. It is interesting to note that the last horse to win the Grand National more than once was Red Rum which won it three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977.

According to Jonjo O’Neill, Don’t Push It is a quirky horse and need to be trained separately from the rest of the horses in his stable which is called jackdaw. The horse is big and strong and takes a lot of handling. At the stable the horse is looked after by the amateur jockey Alan Berry. The horse has a number of idiosyncrasies, for instance it lives with half a dozen sheep, is very unhappy in a horse box, and according to its trainer it does just about everything a horse shouldn’t do. No doubt it has been forgiven for that.

Last year Tony McCoy had the choice of four of O’Neill’s horses to ride in the Grand National. He was told by O’Neill to choose which one by tossing a coin, but it is said that he kept tossing it until the result was Don’t Push It.

Is it realistic to expect Don’t Push It to win again this year? Bookmakers will have their Grand National tips and one thing that it has in its favor is that it will be ridden again by Tony McCoy who remains confident in it. It has suffered some injuries, and it has fallen on a few occasions, though currently it seems to be in great form. It is probably not a Red Rum, but few horses are, and the competition is stiff but it is the Grand National which is not an easy race to call.

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: dont push it, grand national, hunt racing, jonjo o'neill, tony mccoy

The Smartest Man in the Jockeys’ Room

March 21, 2011 By Ryan Patterson 10 Comments

There is nothing quite like the feeling of watching a horse loose on the lead reeling out slow fractions before kicking off to a win. This feeling only comes when you bet that horse though. If you are any other horse panic rises up in your chest as you realize your charge is too far back and wont be able to catch the lone speed. The same panic comes when a horse goes too wide or catches trouble entering the stretch.

In many cases the chances of experiencing this feeling can be removed by playing horses that have razor sharp smart jockeys on their back. Capable journeyman riders are in short supply these days and even the most experienced rider makes a bonehead move from time to time. However, if you stick with these riders you will be in great hands.

#1 Patrick Valenzuela- The 49 year old Montrose, Colorado native rides with ice in his veins and is one of the most fearless people in the entire industry. Nicknamed P-Val, this jockey has a ferocious personality that matches his style on the track. Patrick has the smarts to do the little things that will win races. He won’t force speed to rate and he doesn’t wait too long to pounce.

His best ride, or at least my personal favorite, was the 1989 Preakness Stakes. P-Val rode Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence to perfection in the Preakness Stakes. He masterfully took the lead turning for home with champion Easy Goer to his inside. Easy Goer reclaimed the lead, but P-Val had saved enough to horse retake the lead all while pinning Easy Goer to the rail. This genius ride was one of many from a jockey that has won races seven Breeders Cup races and two Triple Crown races. Other wins include the Santa Anita Handicap (twice), Santa Anita Derby (twice), Met Mile, Kentucky Oaks and the Hollywood Gold Cup. Click here to watch his 1989 Preakness win.

#2 Garrett Gomez- They say to be the best you have to beat the best and that is what Garrett Gomez and Blame did in the 2010 Breeders Cup Classic when they beat Zenyatta, arguably the greatest mare to ever step on any racetrack. Gomez timed his ride perfectly and made it to the front with just enough time to spare before the hulking super mare nearly ran Blame down. The jockey did this all while battling a shoulder injury.

Another great ride came in the 2007 Haskell Invitational when he rode the rail on Any Given Saturday before taking over in the stretch for a 4 1/2 length win. This was a special ride because in my mind the horse wasn’t as good as Hard Spun or Curlin, both whom he beat in that race. Not just that, but the strategy employed was great as he timed the ride perfectly and saved ground. Nicknamed GoGo he has won 12 Breeders Cup races and events like the Wood Memorial, Bluegrass Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Travers Stakes. The smarts and tactics that Gomez employs have played a huge role in making him one of the best jockeys in America.

#3 Julien Leparoux- I remember watching him for the first time at Turfway Park. He absolutely dominated the place. The Frenchman won so many races it was almost like he was putting on a race riding clinic. Leparoux is effective on the lead, but is better when he lets his mounts lag behind and pounce late. He never panics and that is one of the best things about him. When panic happens so do bad things. Leparoux is arguably the best grass rider in the entire country and by default the world. Although he is just 27 years old he has already won five Breeders Cup races. My favorite Leparoux ride was in the 2009 Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies. He broke his mount, She Be Wild, third and waited for the right time to make a move. When the time came he had no room on the rail. Leparoux did what he is famous for though; he waited! It paid off as the rail opened up and She Be Wild burst through for a 3/4 length win. This victory is the epitome of a smart ride. Click here to watch it.

#4 Martin Garcia- Although he is young this guy can ride with anyone and his decision making skills are top flight. He proved his by guiding 39-1 shot Champagne d’Oro to victory in the 2010 Acorn Stakes. He broke her to the lead from the 12 hole and rationed her speed perfectly. Garcia never panicked when Buckleupbuttercup made a move for him and waited until exactly the right time to ask his mount for her best stuff when Amen Hallelujah launched her bid. Another great example of his riding ability came when he rode Lookin At Lucky to an enormous win in the Preakness Stakes. Garcia has been riding horses since he was a boy, but didn’t become a jockey until he came to the US. He cut his teeth as a jockey against Russell Baze at Golden Gate Fields. Martin Garcia doesn’t panic, he doesn’t get nervous and he always gives his best. His smarts combined with great decision making will allow him to one day be inducted to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. Click here to watch his 2010 Acorn win.

#5 Ramon Dominguez- Has there ever been a more dominant rider in New York? Maybe so, but Ramon Dominguez is as at least as good as anyone else to ride there regularly. If you want examples of his smart moves just watch him on any given day. Dominguez really moves his mounts up. He can ride well on or off the pace and always has a shot. His best wins came in the 2004 Breeders Cup Turf (Better Talk Now) and the 2004 Wood Memorial (Tapit). Both were strong rides, but it should be noted that he was nearly disqualified after bumping Kittens Joy in the Breeders Cup Turf. Dominguez won his first Eclipse Award in 2010 and has several strong prospects as he seeks his first Kentucky Derby win. He was second aboard Bluegrass Cat at 30-1 in 2006. Riding that long shot to a second place finish is a testament to his riding ability. Click here to watch his Wood Memorial win.

So there you have it! The above riders are my top 5 active jockeys in terms of smarts/race riding ability. Check back later for my top 5 retired jockeys. Who do you like? Do you disagree with any of my picks or feel I have left someone out? Leave a comment and speak your mind!

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: garrett gomez, jockeys, julien leparoux, martin garcia, patrick valenzuela, ramon dominguez

Historic Spendthrift Farm marching into future with young stallions

February 28, 2011 By Ryan Patterson Leave a Comment

If you have been around thoroughbred racing for any length of time then the odds that you have heard of Spendthrift Farm are exceptional. They have bred such horses as 1969 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Majestic Prince and big names like Nashua and Raise a Native have spent their stud careers at Spendthrift. Perhaps the most notable sire affiliated with the farm is its namesake, Spendthift. The 1879 Belmont Stakes winner was an extremely influential stallion who produced Hastings, the father of Man O’War’s sire, Fair Play.

The current owner of Spendthrift, B. Wayne Hughes, is hoping that the vast success of Spendthrift Farm continues into the future with a wide array of young and exciting stallions. The current lineup includes Malibu Moon, Into Mischief, Line of David, Notional, Temple City, Tiz Wonderful and Warrior’s Reward. All except for the heralded Malibu Moon are very new sires.

Spenthrift Farm Sales Rep Sean Feld really likes Line of David’s prospects to impact the breeding industry. At 16.1 hands the 2010 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner is taller than his father, Lion Heart. “He has perfect conformation and one of the best walks I have ever seen.” Feld said. Line of David, pictured above, comes from the direct female family of super sire Mr. Prospector.

My favorite sire at Spendthrift is the son of Tiznow, Tiz Wonderful. I watched him as a juvenile and even picked him to win a few races on this website. He won his debut by a whopping 12 lengths at Saratoga before taking the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by an injury. Standing tall at a hulking 17 hands, Tiz Wonderful is already making noise.

“His first foals are yearlings in 2011 and they have looked unbelievable. One sold for $200,000 last November.” said Feld.

Another sire worth noting is Grade 1 Carter Handicap winner Warrior’s Reward. Effective from 6 furlongs to 1 mile, he has all the makings of a top stud. We have always liked him here at Graded Stakes and he was one of the best horses in training last year. Standing tall at over 17 hands, the big guy is the first son of white hot sire Medaglia d’Oro to make it to stud.

For those uninterested in promising, but unproven sires, Spendthrift brings Malibu Moon to the table. The leading sire of North American horses by earnings has produced outstanding Grade 1 winners like Beldame Stakes winner Life At Ten, Mother Goose Stakes winner Devil May Care and Breeders Cup Juvenile winner Declan’s Moon. Getting a season with him isn’t easy though. “He has been booked full since November and is very, very popular with breeders.” Feld told me.

Spendthrift is taking a chance by investing in new and strong stallion prospects. We believe that gamble will pay dividends in the future.

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: b wayne hughes, into mischief, line of david, malibu moon, notional, sean feld, spendthrift farm, temple city, tiz wonderful, warriors reward

The Best Horse You Have Never Heard Of

January 25, 2011 By Ryan Patterson 8 Comments

PHOTO: Irish National Stud

Horse racing has existed for hundreds of years. Throughout that time we have seen stars like Man O’ War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Citation and Spectacular Bid come and go. Other lesser, but still incredibly good race horses have also set foot on tracks throughout the world. Even though I consider myself knowledgeable on the subject of thoroughbred racing, there is still a vast amount of things of which I haven’t a clue.

That is why I’m starting The Best Horses You Have Never Heard Of. From now on I will post once a week about a lesser known stakes horse that had a big impact on racing either on the track or in the shed.

Let’s take a look at our star for this week.

Her name is Urban Sea (1989-2009). The daughter of Miswaki out of a Lombard mare was foaled in Kentucky all the way back in 1989. Her sire was a Group 1 winning son of Mr. Prospector.

Urban Sea didn’t accomplish great feats at the ages of two and three. She won a maiden race during her freshman campaign and took two listed races during her sophomore campaign. However, she did finish third in the Prix Vermeille which is the final leg of the French filly Triple Crown.

The filly really came around at the age of four. She started things off with a win in the Group 3 Prix Exbury. After off the board finishes in the Hong Kong Cup and the Prix Jean de Chaudenay she ran a strong second in the Prince of Wales Stakes. Later that year in October she scored a huge upset when she defeated 14 Group 1 winners in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Footage of her slipping up the rail to hold off the runner up is available below this paragraph.

Urban Sea won perhaps the most important race in the world when she made an improbable run up the rail to take the Arc, but she was far better in the shed. That is really saying something given her accolades on the track! Urban Sea’s first big time progeny was Galileo. The son of Sadler’s Wells won the Epsom and Irish Derby.

The next incredible horse produced by Urban Sea was Grade 1 Diana Handicap winner My Typhoon. She came from the sire Giant’s Causeway and was thought by many to be one of the best bred horses racing at that time. It is my opinion that Giant’s Causeway is the absolute best sire out there right now so I can only imagine the salivating that took place before this filly was bid up to $2.95 million.

As if producing a Grade 1 winner, Group 1 winner and other lesser stakes horses wasn’t enough, Urban Sea produced the horse that is definitely her best after Galileo and My Typhoon. That horse is 2009 European Horse of the Year winner Sea The Stars. The son of Cape Cross won 8 races from 9 starts and is considered the best horse to have ever raced in Europe by some pundits.

Some of his best wins include two British classics, the 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby. He also took the Eclipse Stakes, International Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes all three of which are Group 1 events. His signature win came when he beat nine other Group 1 winners in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. Throughout his short but stunning career Sea The Stars beat great horses like Dar Re Mi, Youmzain, Conduit, Vision d’Etat, Stacelita, Mastercraftsman and Rip Van Winkle. His Timeform Rating of 140 ties him for the 9th best rating ever and puts him 5 points behind all time leader Sea Bird II.

So there you have it! This weeks The Best Horse You Have Never Heard Of is the mare Urban Sea. Urban Sea is the only mare to produce two Epsom Derby winners. Not only could she run with the best of ‘em, but she was one of the best blue hen mares to ever live.

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: best horse you have never heard of, galileo, my typhoon, sea the stars, urban sea

Bettor Friendly Tracks; where to get the most bang for your buck!

January 4, 2011 By Ryan Patterson 2 Comments

*Please note that this post is just over a year old. While most of the information is still accurate, takeout rates have risen in California.*

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.

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information, Miscellaneous Tagged With: belmont park, churchill downs, del mar, evangeline downs, exacta, gulfstream, hoosier park, keeneland, oaklawn, pick 3, pick 4, pick 6, place, santa anita, saratoga, show, superfecta, takeouts, trifecta, win

National Hunt Racing

December 23, 2010 By Ryan Patterson 3 Comments

One of my goals for the upcoming year is to cover international and other forms of horse racing more closely. National Hunt Racing fills both of those requirements. Before writing this post I knew little to nothing about it and I will still have much to learn. Let’s take a look at some of the things I picked up.

National Hunt Racing, as best as I can understand it, is essentially steeplechase racing. It covers racing in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. They run graded stakes races just as we do in “flat” racing. One of the first things I noticed is that a starting gate is not used. This was the case in a race I watched called the Cheltenham Gold Cup. I cannot say for sure if this is the case industry wide, but I would assume that it is.

Stamina is extremely important in hunt racing. These races are distance contests and take place at distances like 26 1/2 furlongs (just over 3 1/3 miles). Not only must the horses contend with distance, but they have to jump what is referred to as a hedge or a fence. The added distance and the prowess needed to get over the hedges makes jockey decisions very important.

One of the most important hunt races is the aforementioned Cheltenham Gold Cup. It has a purse of 475k pounds. Two famous winners of the race are Arkle and Best Mate. The latter won the race three times in a row from 2002 to 2004. Other than his final race, Best Mate never finished worse than second and boasted a career record of 22: 14-7-0. He never failed to jump a hedge either. He died from an apparent heart attack in his final race and made international headlines. Click here to read more about him.

I would love to hear what any of you readers have to say about steeplechase racing. I haven’t given it much thought in the past, but it is something I definitely would like to brush up on. If you haven’t watched a race before then I encourage you to check out the video above. It is of Best Mate’s last Gold Cup win. The track at Cheltenham Racecourse is absolutely gorgeous and the win was quite stirring.

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: best mate, cheltenham gold cup, cheltenham racecourse, international racing

Horse Racing Partnerships: Pocket Aces Racing

December 19, 2010 By Ryan Patterson 2 Comments

Horse Racing Partnerships: Pocket Aces Racing

Horse ownership isn’t an easy thing. It is risky, expensive and at times heart breaking. However, it has the potential to be very rewarding. That was the case with horses like Grade 1 Foster Handicap winner Flashy Bull, Grade 1 Alcibiades winner Dream Empress and Grade 1 Futurity winner Noble’s Promise. They are just three of the many exceptional horses that were owned by partnerships.

Most of us can’t afford to take on the expense of a single horse or many entirely on our own. That is why partnerships are a good idea. They provide much of the same enjoyment for a fraction of the cost. There are literally dozens of partnerships out there and each caters do a different desire, but for those who want to win at top class tracks with minimal investment, Pocket Aces Racing is the clear choice.

When it comes to horse racing partnerships, Pocket Aces Racing is the class of the field. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing several of the partners involved with a filly they run named Dixie’s Hope. The daughter of Cozzene boasts a win, two seconds and two thirds from five career starts. She was last seen running second in an allowance at Churchill Downs. Jared Shoemaker, co-owner of Pocket Aces Racing, says they will try and get a stakes win with the filly at Turfway Park next out.

Kaminari is one of the solid options available right now. She is a daughter of First Samurai and out of a Bartok mare. The mare earned $389,000. First Samurai is a new sire, but was a star on the track. He won 5 of 8 starts, including the Hopeful Stakes, Champagne Stakes and Fountain of Youth Stakes. His sire, Giant’s Causeway, is considered to be one of the best, if not the best stallion in the world. Kaminari is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to own a race horse.

Pocket Aces Racing has 7 wins from 40 starters, with 8 second place finishes and 6 third place finishes. That comes out to 17.5% winners and 52.5% in the money. Jared Shoemaker is more than willing to answer any all questions about horse racing. He is easy to talk to and can describe everything that is going on so that someone who may not be horse racing savvy will understand.

Pocket Aces has an extensive glossary of horse racing terms. It’s definitely worth a look. Click here to check it out.

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: dixie's hope, horse racing partnerships, pocket aces racing

2011 Kentucky Derby Contenders

October 6, 2010 By Ryan Patterson 19 Comments

**Click the link to view our official and up to date Kentucky Derby contenders**

**Click the link to find out how to get our Kentucky Derby Picks**

It’s still extremely early in the game, but I’d like to take a glance at some of the top Kentucky Derby 2011 contenders. There is a very good chance you won’t hear of most of these horses by the time May rolls around, but what the heck. Please feel free to share YOUR thoughts by leaving a comment.

#1 Boys at Tosconova- I’ve had a chance to talk with co-owner Samanta Siegel about this colt. The connections as a whole couldn’t be happier with him. I know his pedigree as a son of Officer screams sprint, but broodmare sire Coronado’s Quest was a Grade 1 winner going the classic distance. I’ve always thought War Pass was the best juvenile I’ve ever seen, but this colt makes him look like a creampuff. He does everything so easily. I can’t wait to see him in the Breeders Cup Juvenile and beyond.

#2 Stay Thirsty- This one finished second behind the top horse in the Hopeful last out. I didn’t think much of him going into the race, but he really showed me something by staying on for second when he could’ve easily let the talented Wine Police run past him. His sire, Bernardini, was a very serious race horse. He could run all day, and this one will be able to as well. Got to love him.

#3 Frankel- He ran away from the competition in the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge. I love the way he accelerated there. His pedigree as a son of Galileo is great, but how will he take to a dirt surface? We will likely find out in the Breeders Cup Juvenile.

#4 To Honor And Serve- You’ve got to like the way he broke his maiden by 8 3/4 stretching out to 8.5 furlongs after finishing 2nd first out at a sprint distance. Another son of Bernardini.

#5 Jaycito- He was way the best to win the Norfolk after racing 4 wide the ENTIRE way. Sire Victory Gallop won the Belmont Stakes. Can he handle dirt? We will find out thanks to the fact that Santa Anita is restoring the surface in California. I’m wary of the California horses or this one would be higher.

#6 Uncle Mo- If not for being a son of sprint influence sire Indian Charlie, this one could be #2-3. The way he broke his maiden dropped jaws across the country. Ultimately, I doubt he can go run past a mile.

#7 Air Support- Winner of the Pilgrim Stakes is royally bred as a son of Smart Strike. I love the way he finished up in that win. Phipps has a tradition of excellence, and this one would add to their legacy if he can keep it up.

#8 Sway Away- Finished a hard closing second in the Grade 2 Best Pal. Look like he has room to grow. The son of Afleet Alex will be heard from next year. The only question is how loud will he be?

#9 Bench Points- Cal bred is a perfect three for three. He closed to win the Im Smokin Stakes under a hand ride. He will need things to go perfectly to make it to Louisville on the First Saturday in May.

#10 Major Gain- Wayne Catalano has a nice horse in this Arlington-Washington Futurity winner. Can the son of More Than Ready stretch out in distance?

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: air support, bench points, boys at tosconova, frankel, jaycito, kentucky derby, kentucky derby contenders, major gain, stay thirsty, sway away, to honor and serve, uncle mo, wine police