Rains are expected to hit SoCal yet again this weekend. That’s a bummer because the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile over the turf is usually one of the best races to bet for horseplayers during the entire Santa Anita meet.
In any case, it’s our duty as horseplayers to put forth a solid effort and actually try to make some mullah off of Santa Anita’s Saturday card.

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Santa Anita will continue with their lucky sunshine only policy this week on Thursday. That’s good news for horseplayers who should be able to find an overlay or two or three in Race 7 on Santa Anita’s Thursday card.
The race, an optional claiming $80,000 at 1 1/16th miles over the Pro-Ride surface, will showcase some up and coming fillies in Southern California.

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If you like betting on the lades, Gulfstream Park should be your destination on Saturday, with the Fasig-Tipton Filly Festival featuring three excellent graded stakes on the ten race card.
The stakes action kicks off in the seventh race, the $100,000 Sabin Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares going a mile on the main track.

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It’s the dead of winter in New York, and often a Wednesday card run over the inner track can lead some horseplayers (myself included) to doze off for a quick nap.
That won’t be the case today.
The nine race card on tap this afternoon is chock full of live longshots and vulnerable favorites, which should lead to some handsome payoffs, and we would like to be on board.
The play of the…

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After a good three day weekend of racing action where we saw a couple of potential Derby contenders, it is back to Aqueduct for a Wednesday afternoon card that holds some promise for profits.
Rule was a good looking winner in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, stamping him as one of trainer Todd Pletcher’s best three year olds.

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This is the first weekend for future book Kentucky Derby betting. Make sure to check out my article on Kentucky Derby future wagers and then put some money on the horse, or horses, you think might win the roses on the first Saturday in May.
Gulfstream Park figures to be one of the places where a handful of Kentucky Derby contenders will emerge. On Saturday, Gulfstream has two graded races on…

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They’re off the turf on Wednesday at Santa Anita. That’s okay because the Pick 3 ticket I plan on betting involves three races on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface.
Have the recent rains in SoCal affected the Pro-Ride? It’s doubtful. According to on-track specialists, the Pro-Ride is in good enough condition for racing on Wednesday.

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While the eastern part of the country is hammered with a snowstorm, horseplayers can find plenty of hot action on Saturday by heading off to Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, where there are a combined eight stakes races on the wagering menu.
There is action for everyone, from promising three year olds looking to stamp their ticket to the Kentucky Derby, to talented turf horses, to seeing several…

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Padding Your Bankroll: Wednesday February 3
After spending Saturday in the sunshine of Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita playing the Sunshine Millions races, it is back to Aqueduct on Wednesday, and we likely are going to be greeted by a few snow showers.

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Horse Racing Pick 3 Of the Day:
1 st Leg: 5:20 pm EST
Turf Paradise in Phoenix, AZ has really improved lately. It’s always been a beautiful racetrack, but recently, just recently as a matter of fact, the tiny track in the desert has increased the number of horses that enter into their races dramatically.
Now, the quality of those animals is nothing to write home about. Us horseplayers…

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Who knows what’s going to happen at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.  Park officials expect to run live races on Saturday but the rains may have damaged the turf track and the Pro-Ride surface so badly that even if live races are run, owners and trainers will be hesitant to keep their horses in the races.
That’s one of the reasons that I’m turning to Gulfstream Park for my…

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As long as the rains keep coming down in Southern California, Santa Anita is going to be an iffy track on which to wager. The reason is simple. Small fields, and there’s nothing like a torrential downpour to ensure a small field, lead to awful payouts.
I’m all about overlays, horses that are going off at higher odds than expected, when I gamble at the racetrack.

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Sometimes a horseplayer can take a look at a race and something jumps out at him. It could be the trainer, jockey, or a specific work. It could be anything.
When that happens, there is only one thing for that horseplayer to do. That would be to put money on the horse to win but often times the horse that jumps out to you will be going off as the favorite.

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Padding Your Bankroll: Saturday January 2
Triple Crown Trail Starts in New York With Count Fleet Stakes
It is never too early to start looking for your Kentucky Derby horse, and we might find an early prospect or two this afternoon at Aqueduct, where a field of eight three year olds will go to the post in the $65,000 Count Fleet Stakes.

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Santa Anita opens its winter/spring meet on Saturday with a bang up card that most horseplayers should go ga-ga over.
The “Great Race Place” always opens the day after Christmas and 2009 is no exception.  Because the day after Christmas this year is on a Saturday, Santa Anita has put both Grade I races for its opening day weekend on the same card, the Grade I La Brea Stakes…

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Right before horses take to the track in the Grade II Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park on Saturday, veterans line up at the gate for a $40,000 claiming race.
Often times, horseplayers find their most profitable wagers in claiming races.

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Friday’s Aqueduct card hold promise, with an abundance of price plays, a vulnerable chalk in our play of the day, and a couple of live longshots in the first leg of our Late Pick 3 play.
Walton Place looks imposing as the likely short priced favorite in today’s play of the day, a $25,000 maiden claiming race.

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Horse Pick of the Day: Hollywood Park – Race 5
Race-day: 11/28/2009
Race-time: 5:32 pm EST
Before Ventura and Diamondrella take to the turf track for the Grade I Matriarch on Saturday at Hollywood Park, two year olds go 1 mile on the turf in the Grade III Generous Stakes.
The Generous Stakes figures as a super competitive race where finding an overlay shouldn’t be an issues. Finding the right overlay, the overlay that could win, is the challenge.
Let’s take a look at Race 5 and Hollywood Park on Saturday.
Hollywood Park – Race 5
Grade III Generous Stakes
$100,000
For Two Year Olds
1 mile on turf
Who’s Up – - 7/2 fair online betting odds
Bridgetown is going to be a huge favorite in this race but that fella has no choice but to go for the lead breaking from the 1 hole while Who’s Up, who broke his maiden at a mile on the turf, figures to track Bridgetown before going after him at the top of the stretch. Who’s Up has been ridden by the fantastic Victor Espinoza in all three of his lifetime races, and figures to get the best trip out of all of the horses in this race.
Marcello – - 5/1 fair online betting odds
The Bob Baffert trained son of Johannesburg won an allowance race in his last race and is going first time on the turf. Usually, those wouldn’t be good signs that he deserves a wager, but the fact that he was bought for $200,000, is bred to enjoy the lawn, and showed the type of turn of foot that would make him very, very tough in this in that allowance victory.
Bridgetown – - 3/1 fair online betting odds
This two year old sired by Speightstown switches jockeys to Garrett Gomez after finishing 2nd by ¾ of a length in the BC Juvenile Turf in his last. He took the lead in that and actually looked to be the winner before getting run down by the terrific Pounced. Bridgetown has the ability to lead again in this race, but, again, faces a very tough opponent in Who’s Up. Bridgetown should go off the chalk, though, and is worth a wager at 3 to 1 or higher, although I doubt he goes off at those odds.
Wagering Strategy
Who’s Up is a very good horse and deserves a bet to win and place. I will also play an exacta and trifecta box with Bridgetown, Marcello and Who’s Up.

The best Pick 3 wager of the day starts in Hollywood’s Race 6 where maiden claimers will hit the track.
We’ll try to get a long shot in Race 6 at Hollywood Park because Ventura and Diamondrella run in the third leg of Saturday’s Pick 3 of the day.
Let’s take a look.
** All numbers are post positions
Race 6 – $25,000 Maiden Claimer (6:04 EST)
6 ½ furlongs on cushion track
Horses Used: 1-Afleet Magic, 2-Youthful Ambition, 4-Magic Dust, 6-Nanni The Teaser, 10-Broadway Promise
Analysis: Afleet Magic takes a drop in class and that may be all he needs. Plus, he’s a gelding now. Youthful Ambition changes barns to Vladimir Cerin and drops way down in class from the maiden special ranks. Magic Dust is a first time starter with some really nice works. Nanni The Teaser will be overlooked in the betting has improving numbers and trainer Eoin Harty is a master with these types of horses. Broadway Promise figures to go off as the chalk, has speed, and gets speed jock Martin Garcia.
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Race 6 – $38,000 n$y Allowance
6 furlongs on turf
Horses Used: 1-Woman Warrior, 2-Tamar, 3-Dotsy Jean, 5-Maroma, 7-Pink Diamond
Analysis: In this amazingly competitive race, decisions have to be made. One of them is to not use likely chalk Miss Silver Brook and instead throw in a few potential long shots. Woman Warrior has speed, gets the rail, and should get a terrific trip with Alex Solis on her back. Tamar was horrible in her last but she goes first time turf for trainer Mike Mitchell, is out of terrific sire Indian Charlie, and has a ton of speed. Dotsy Jean has won two races at this distance and on this turf course. She could close for the victory. Maroma is trained by Cristophe Clement and gets Rafael Bejarano to take the call. Pink Diamond is coming off of a maiden victory off of the turf. Usually, she’d be a throw-out but her number in her maiden win was absolutely fantastic and she is bred to be a champion.
Race 7 – Grade I Matriarch
1 mile on turf
Horses Used: 3-Diamondrella
Analysis: Yes, it’s true that Ventura is in this race and it would be a fantastic story if she were to win considering her former trainer, the venerable Bobby Frankel, passed away a couple of week’s ago, but Diamondrella is just too good at this distance and on this turf. Diamondrella has beaten Forever Together, the 2008 BC Filly and Mare Turf Champion, twice. She also had no chance in the BC Turf Sprint and probably would have given Goldikova a run for her money in the BC Mile. Diamondrella is 8-2-1 on the turf out of 16 lifetime races and is 2 for 2 at this distance, both on the turf. She’s out of Rock Of Gibraltar. So, her class is pretty much unquestioned. She beats Ventura in that one’s swan song on Saturday.$1 Pick 3 = 5 x 5 x 1 = 25 combinations
Total Cost = $25

Race-day: 11/28/2009

First-race: 2:14 pm EST
Aqueduct’s fall meet provides their most important day of racing on Saturday when the Grade I Cigar Mile, which will showcase Vineyard Haven and Kodiak Kowboy.
The Grade I Cigar Mile is the final leg in a four race Grand Slam Pick 4 that starts in Race 6 and ends in Race 9. Below is the Pick 4 ticket that I will most likely be playing, provided there are no scratches, this Saturday in the BetUS online racebook.
Race 6: Grade II Demoiselle Stakes
1 1/8 miles on dirt
Horses Used: 1/1A-In The Rough and Profiteroles, 4-Tizahit, 5-Protesting
Analysis: Both In The Rough and Profiteroles are next out maiden winners, but both have won going two turns already. Profiteroles figures to be super tough in this after the speed rating she garnered in her maiden victory. Tizahit failed in the Grade III Tempted Stakes but should find the competition much easier in this and Protesting was sired by A.P. Indy and comes out of the Shug McGaughey barn. Shug has trained some seriously good fillies in his time and figures to possibly have another one here.
Race 7: Grade II Remsen Stakes
1 1/8 miles on dirt
Horses Used: 5-Homeboy Kris, 6-Citrus Kid
Analysis: Buddy’s Saint figures to go off a super chalky in this but Homeboy Kris was awesome in his first race for trainer Richard Dutrow, knows how to rate, and figures to be even better in this. Citrus Kid goes to the barn of John Terranova who is 27% first time after the claim. He too should lie right behind Buddy’s Saint before taking him on at the top of the stretch.
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Race 8: Grade I Gazelle Stakes
1 1/8 miles on dirt
Horses Used: 2-Flashing, 3-Milwaukee Appeal, 4-Unrivaled Belle, 5-Bon Jovi Girl
Analysis: Flashing is 2 for 2 at Aqueduct and should be the favorite even though Stardom Bound is in this race. She should be very tough against this group. Milwaukee Appeal has finished 2nd in four straight races including the Grade I Alabama. Unrivaled Belle is 3 and 1 out of 4 straight races. Bon Jovi Girl finished second in a Grade I two races back before failing in a minor stakes race in her last. She can bounce back in this.
Race 9: Grade I Cigar Mile
1 mile on dirt
Horses Used: 1/1A-Pyro and Vineyard Haven, 4-Bribon
Analysis: Pyro is the closer and Vineyard Haven is the speed. Haven could steal this on the front end as he has faced much stronger early pressure in the past and has come out on top. Bribon failed in the Woodbine Mile, but is much better than he showed that day and figures to get the jump on the likely chalk in this, Kodiak Kowboy. Both are stone cold closers.
$1 Pick 4 = 3×2x4×2 = 48 combinations
Total Cost = $48

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Padding Your Bankroll: Thursday November 26
Turkey Day is here, and we have a lot to be thankful for, particularly the early post times, giving us plenty of time for wagering before we have to sit down for dinner.
Aqueduct has an 11:25 ET post time this morning, and the nine race card concludes at 3:10 ET
The highlight of today’s card is the $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3), which…

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Race-times:  Race 6 at 6:04 pm EST, Race 7 at 6:35 pm EST, and Race 8 at 7:05 pm EST
Hollywood Park, because of the usually high amount of dollars put into their Pick 3 pools, provides better Pick 3 payouts than most other racetracks.
Such a case should occur again this Saturday where rolling Pick 3’s could be the horse racing bets of the day.
Let’s take a look at the best…

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As the year winds down, the graded stakes are becoming few and far between, but we have a couple of interesting stakes today, taking us to Aqueduct and Churchill Downs.
At the Big A, a field of six line up for the $100,000 Discovery Handicap (G3), a nine furlong race on the main track.
On paper, it looks like a match race between Ohio and Pennsylvania Derby winner Gone Astray and Empire Classic winner Haynesfield.
We’ll lean toward the latter, who figures to be the better price of the duo, and the three year old still appears to have plenty of upside potential.
The $100,000 Cardinal Handicap (G3) is the better horse betting race of the two, with a group of nine fillies and mares going nine furlongs on the turf course.
There are no toss outs in the field, which should lead to decent payoffs.
My top pick Leamington is looking to rebound off a fifth place finish in the Flower Bowl (G1) at Belmont Park where she caught soft ground and I am hoping we see all of her 4/1.
She will be ridden by Calvin Borel, who is being honored on Saturday with a bobblehead giveaway.
First stop the Big A:
Aqueduct Race 8 Discovery Handicap (G3) Post time 3:44 ET
#4 Haynesfield 5/2
#5 Gone Astray 1/1
#1 Redding Colliery 12/1
#3 Birdrun 5/1
#4 Haynesfield is coming off a win in the New York bred Empire Classic, which was against older foes. The runner up in the race was Ruffino, who came back to win a New York Stallion series race in his next outing on Nov. 15. This colt looked like he might be headed down the Triple Crown Trail early this year after winning the Count Fleet and Whirlaway, but the wheels came off in the Gotham (G3) where he finished a distant eighth and he headed to the bench. He came back with a game effort in the Sir Keys two back, and showed he could handle nine furlongs and a wet track last out. The colt is back with straight three year olds here while trying graded stakes company. He looks primed for a good effort here in his third start of his current form cycle.
#5 Gone Astray comes into this race sporting three consecutive triple digit Beyer Speed Figures and back to back wins in Grade 2 company, making him the likely heavy favorite. While he earned solid numbers in his last two starts, he really did not beat much in either the Ohio Derby or the Pennsylvania Derby. He is giving our top pick five pounds and he likely is going to be around 3/5 in the betting, which sure looks light to me.
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 9/5 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 1,4,5
TRI: no play
Churchill Downs Race 9 Cardinal Handicap (G3) Post time 4:37 ET
#8 Leamington 4/1
#2 Tizfiz 8/1
#9 Lemon Chiffon 6/1
#3 Acoma 5/2
#8 Leamington may be primed to pick up her first graded stake here for the Graham Motion barn. Her last start was a fifth place finish in the Flower Bowl (G1) at Belmont Park where she set the early fractions over soft turf and weakened in the stretch to finish fifth. That was a solid field she faced, the winner Pure Clan coming back to finish second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the runner up Criticism came back to win the Long Island Handicap (G3) in her next outing on Nov. 1 at Aqueduct. She won a restricted stake two back at Saratoga and that race turned out be tougher than it looked. The runner up Belle Allure and eighth place finisher Indescribable both came back to win graded stakes in their next starts. The cut back in distance and firmer ground should suit this filly.
#2 Tizfiz was in tough in her last two starts at Keeneland, both over polytrack. Her last two turf starts were solid, stakes wins at Remington Park and Mountaineer Park. She has won 6 of 12 on the turf in her career including a Grade 2 at Santa Anita back in January. I’m surprised the daughter of Tiznow did not seem to care for the fake stuff in her last two starts and she will appreciate the return to the grass and the earlier company here. The mare is in good hands with the John Good barn and her 8/1 morning line odds make her worth a good look in this spot.
Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 2,8 / 2,3,8,9
TRI: 2,8 / 2,3,8,9 / 2,3,7,8,9
Good luck padding your bankroll today!

Race-time: Cardinal Handicap at 4:37 pm EST and Hollywood Prevue at 7:05 pm EST
Race-day: 11/21/2009
Two super competitive races highlight Saturday’s thoroughbred racing action.
At Churchill Downs, fillies and mares take the turf course for the Grade III Cardinal Handicap. At Hollywood Park, 2 year old colts hit the cushion track for the Grade III Hollywood Prevue Stakes.
Let’s take a look at both stakes races
Churchill Downs – Race 9
Grade III Cardinal Handicap
$100,000
Fillies and Mares, Three Years Old and Upward
1 1/8 miles on turf
Leamington figures to get the perfect 1 length trip behind front runner Zaskar before taking over in the lane. She will have to hold off some terrific closers, but the Churchill Downs specialist who has a victory and second out of two races figures to do just that. Let’s peg her for the top spot.
For second, You Go West Girl could add a ton of value in the exotics. She gets the rail, where she can save ground, and is 2-3 out of 7 races at this distance. She’s also won her last two and trainer Thomas Proctor is winning at 43% at this meet. My Baby Baby always figures right there and should do so again because she’ll get first run on the closers from the garden spot position. She could be tough in this.

1. Leamington
2. You Go West Girl
3. My Baby Baby
Hollywood Park – Race 8
Grade III Hollywood Prevue Stakes
$100,000
For Two Year Olds
7 furlongs on cushion track
Tiznow hasn’t sired a Kentucky Derby winner yet, but trainer Eoin Harty hopes that will change with his charge, American Lion. The son of Tiznow has been sensational in his two lifetime races including a 7 furlong victory over the Polytrack at Keeneland to break his maiden. With Storm Cat on his bottom side, American Lion is bred to be a champion. Macias is the second of Bob Baffert’s duo in this race, but he might be the better one.
He’s improved in each of his three lifetime races and can either stalk or lead. The $400,00 buy, Indian Firewater, gets Garrett Gomez is trained by Bob Baffert and figures to be the favorite in this race. He too could be a champion one day, but his style suggests that there’s some learning to do before beating American Lion and Macias.

1. American Lion
2. Macias
3. Indian Firewater