Fountain of Youth

Today’s focus on the Derby Trail will be the Fountain of Youth from Gulfstream Park.Its a Kentucky Derby points race and a key race for Derby seeking 3YO’s. Post time is 6:09 ET and its race number 14, closing out of the day of a loaded Gulfstream card. It’s 8.5 furlongs, spelling trouble for horses on the far outside. Only 10 entrants today, so the bias won’t be so bad.

The race marks the return of Breeders” Cup Juvenile Champion Good Magic, which he won as a maiden.Trained by Chad Brown, he is the likely favorite and is more than capable of beating this field, especially with the scratch of Free Drop Billy. The risk, as always, is how he comes back from the layoff.

Strike Power is the second choice, having won the Swale and his maiden impressively. Stretching out is a question for this son of Speightstown, who has made his trade as a sprint sire. That might depress the price and create a bit of value in this horse.

The rest of the field has a few interesting horses. Storm Runner won a first-level allowance at Gulfstream, never an easy feat. He’s been running with a win over the track. He’s run a ton over this distance, including twice this year, suggesting he’s in condition.  It’s his second time over this surface. I dought he’ll be 15-1, but anywhere around 8-1 is worth a shot. Peppered is making his seasonal debut about a terrible effort in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. But before that, he finished second in the Grey. If he takes to the Gulfstream Dirt and improves off the layoff, he might offer some value at a small bet at 30-1.

Gotta Go finished second in the swale and has won at a mile (1 turn) at Churchill Downs. Anything past is a question, but he should be able to get today’s distance. A good performance makes him a contender for the win spot.

Analysis:  I left out horses with little chance, including the last out maiden winners entered straight in this stake.This is Good Magic’s race to lose. If he is on his game, he’ll win by open lengths. To try to beat him, both Strike Power and Storm Runner are decent options. I’ll be betting Storm Runner and hoping for a good price.

 

 

Schedule for July 9 – July 12

Here’s what coming up this week at All Day Racing:

Wednesday, July 9:

On Twitter @alldayracing:  Belmont Park, “The Mid-day Pick 3”, Races 4-6. Post Time: 2:53 P.M. ET

Article:  The Generic Horseplayer Revisited

Thursday, July 10:

On Twitter @alldayracing: Delaware Park, “Late T-bred Double”, Races 6 & 7, featuring Nick Shuk Memorial Stakes (7.5f turf for 3 year olds). Post time, 3:30 ET

Article: The Newcomer’s Guide to the Races

Friday, July 11:

On Twitter @alldayracing:  Belmont Park, “The Late Pick 4”, Race 6-9.  Post time: 5:35 ET

Article:  The Three-Year Old Division

Saturday, July 12:

On Twitter @alldayracing:  Delaware Park, “The Delaware Handicap (G1).”  First post at Delaware is at 1:15 p.m.  PP’s forthcoming.

Article:  Previewing the Delaware Handicap

Good luck with all your wagering this week!

 

All Day Racing Schedule for June 30 – July 5

An exciting week of races ahead, capped by a terrific day of stakes from New York on Saturday.  A few changes to note.  First, outside of major races, race previews will now appear in their entirety on twitter at @alldayracing.com.  In addition, instead of featuring a single race, I will be focusing on one particular multi-wager sequence that can be played effectively by a recreational player.  This includes daily doubles, Pick 3’s, Pick 4’s, and Pick 5’s.The entire sequence will be previewed and hosted on twitter.

The website will continue to feature essays on handicapping as well as commentary on the sport, as well as previews of significant races.   I’m reworking the tag cloud to provide an easy way into the increasing content of the site.  In addition, a podcast is also set to launch later this week.  This week’s episode features handicapping author, Mark Cramer.  Mark’s books are the seminal works on value and bettor psychology, and are an absolute must for any serious horseplayer.   Mark now lives in Paris, but still keeps an eye on American racing, especially the classics.   We discuss value and recap the Belmont Stakes, among other topics.

I’ll be live on Twitter @alldayracing for the following:

Monday, June 30:  Delaware Park, Late T-bred Double (Turf and 2 year old), Races 6 and 7, Coverage begins 3:15 PM ET.

Wednesday, July 2:  Belmont Park, Turf Sprinting Double (2 6f turf sprints), Races 8 and 9, Coverage begins at 4:40 PM ET.

Thursday, July 3: Belmont Park, Early Pick 4, Races 2 through 5, Coverage begins at 1:30 P.M. ET.

Friday, July 4: Ellis Park, Early Maiden Claiming Double, Races 1 and 2, Coverage begins at 1:35 P.M. ET

Saturday, July 5:  Belmont Park, Stakes Coverage, featuring the Belmont Derby.   Coverage TBA.

All Day Racing Calendar for June 11 – June 13

Here’s the “Race of the Day” Calendar for the remainder of this week:

Wednesday, June 11:  Presque Isle Downs, Race 1, 5:20 P.M. ET, Maiden, 1 mile, 3 yr. old, Fillies, Purse: $35K.

Thursday, June 12:  Delaware Park, Race 7, 3:50 P.M. 6f, Dashing Beauty Stakes, Purse: $50K*

Friday, June 13:  Santa Anita Park, Race 7, 8:45 P.M. ET, Optional Claiming First-level Allowance, 1 mile, turf, 3 yr. old, Purse:  $58K

Tune in at @alldayracing on Twitter for live coverage!

*changed from different race on 6/12 due to track conditions

Belmont, Race 10, 5:50 pm ET

Race of the Day, June 6

Belmont Park, Elmont, NY

Belmont Gold Cup, 2 miles, Turf, 4 and up, 200k

It’s not every day that you see a 2-mile race here in the States.  None of the participants have raced at this epic distance before, but several are bred for it.  The M/L favorite is Twilight Eclipse (#11, 9/5) who has been racing exclusively in top level events.  He has some nice efforts in some long routes, but nothing approaching this distance.  He’s the class of the field and rates well.  Second choice is Charming Kitten (#3, 4-1), who starts for the Ramseys and Pletcher.   Classwise, he’s a notch below Twilight Eclipse.

Sky Blazer (#3, 8-1) brings a solid closing style and a likely liking for the added distance.  His biggest knock is his unimpressive 5 for 26 record.  But he seems in career form and rates a great chance.  Draw Two (#8, 6-1) has found himself under Motion and seems to relish going long.  Spy in the Sky (#5, 30-1) moves over from jumps and certainly has the stamina to do well here.

Questions

1.  Who will like the added distance?  It’s new for everybody.

2.  Does Twilight Eclipse’s class advantage trump the others?  He’s been facing tough horses consistently.

3.  Does Sky Blazer maintain his career form?  With another improvement, he should find the Winner’s Circle.

4.  Does Draw Two continue to move forward under Motion?

Analysis

Twilight Eclipse certainly stands out on page, but would need to be at least 5-2 to provide any value for the risk.  Draw Two and Sky Blazer rank well for the top spot, but need to be at least 6-1 to consider.

The Skinny:  (1) Sky Blazer (2) Draw Two (3) Twilight Eclipse (4) Spy in the Sky

Belmont, Race 1, 1:05 pm ET

Race of the Day, June 5

Belmont Park

It’s finally stopped raining here at Belmont, and I think my shirt is finally dry. The track?  Sloppy.  And it looks that way.

The first at Belmont is a dirt mile for non-winners of two lifetime.  Scratch the 5.

Lemon Honey brings the fastest speed to the race and is your likely favorite.  But Please No Emails is interesting. She’s making a subtle class drop and has a win over a wet track. I’m also taking a good look at Jen’s Miracle, stretching out in her second start for Contessa.

Questions

1. Does Jen’s Miracle appreciate the stretch out?
2. Lemon Honey is the fastest. Will she like the wet track?
3. Does Please No Emails get an easy lead?

Analysis

The wet track increases the risk on Lemon Honey. First race of the day will tell us about the track condition. The class drop put me on Please No Emails.

Delaware Park, Race 7, 3:45 P.M. ET

Race of the Day, June 2, 2014

Delaware Park, Wilmington, Delaware

Race 7.  First-level Allowance. 1 mile, 70 yards. Purse: 39K. 3:57 P.M. ET

Running from mid-May until late October, Delaware Park is a welcome addition to the Monday racing slate.  Aided by slots, purses are fairly rich for a mid-level track, and racing is competitive.  I’ve spent a good amount of time there as well — having once lived a few hours down I-95 for almost a decade.  It’s a great place to spend a day.

Today’s feature is a first-level allowance traveling a little over a mile. The entry of Able Baker Charlie/Emotional Stroll (#1, 9/5) should both run, with Able Baker Charlie the faster of the two. Able Baker Charlie has questions, however. He’s 3 for 23 and has never raced at Delaware (but he’s 2 for 2 since the claim by Michael Pino.)  Emotional Stroll has been training sharp since the claim by Pino and is relatively lightly raced for this group.  He’d need to improve significantly to win, but he does provide some additional insurance for those who chose to bet the entry based on Able Baker Charlie.

Interchange (#6, 5-2) catches the eye.  A TC-nominated 3-year old, he was well-beaten in two stakes tries and second last time at a similar level. He returns to Delaware Park where he ran a  career-best speed last September.  An effort close to that would likely find the winner’s circle today. Winding Road (#2, 4-1) figures on speed and distance, but still has his allowance condition available to him as a 7-year old.  That’s not prohibitive, but it’s enough of a question to require a reasonable price to choose him. Forest Jingles (#7, 8-1) makes his third start of the layoff while stretching out to his preferred distance.  He’ll likely need the lead to win, something that isn’t near a sure thing.  Who Dat Boy (#8, 15-1) rates a very solid long shot threat.  Another making his third start of the layoff, he won under the condition last year, but was disqualified.  He has a troubling 0 for 10 record at Delaware with 6 seconds which will likely keep his price high.

Questions

  1. Does Able Baker Charlie maintain his career form?  Even so, he might be too slow given the others.
  2. Does Interchange enjoy the return to Delaware?   He might have an affinity for it — having won here last year, or he might just have been a fast two-year old who is declining.
  3. Can Winding Road handle this class level?  He’s plenty fast and seemingly in good form.

Analyis

There are enough questions about Able Baker Charlie to begin to look elsewhere.  Interchange may crush the field, but he needs to find old form to do so.   A flyer on Who Dat Boy — assuming a double-digit price — might just make your day.

Tune in @alldayracing on twitter at 3:45 P.M. ET for coverage!

 

All Day Racing Schedule for June 2 – June 7

All Day Racing is going to Belmont Park. Starting Wednesday, I’ll be live at Belmont Park covering the week’s racing and, of course, California Chrome in the Belmont Stakes.  Here’s the schedule of the features:

Monday, June 2:  Race of the Day. Delaware Park, Race 7.  First-level Allowance. 1 mile, 70 yards. Purse: 39K. 3:57 P.M. ET.

Wednesday, June 4:  Live from Belmont Park.  Race of the Day:  Race 4, Maiden Claiming, Turf, 1 1/16 miles, NY-bred, Purse: $41K

Thursday, June 5:  Live from Belmont Park.  Race of the Day: Race 1, Claiming $16K, Non-winners of Two lifetime. Fillies.  6f. NY-bred. Purse: $62K

Friday, June 6:  Live from Belmont Park.  Race of the Day:  Belmont Gold Cup, 2 Miles on the Turf, Purse: $200K, 6:10 P.M.

Saturday, June 7:  BELMONT DAY.  $8 million in purses — stakes all day.  Live from Belmont Park.  Special focus on Met Mile (Purse: $750K), featuring top older horse Palace Malice, and the Belmont Stakes (Purse: $1.5M)

Be sure to check twitter @alldayracing!

Charles Town, May 22, 10:20 P.M. ET

Race of the Day, May 22 10:20 P.M. ET

Charles Town, Race 9, Claiming 5K, non-winners of 2 lifetime (excluding state-bred), 7 furlongs, Purse: $11K

We take out first late-night trip to Charles Town Races (and slots!) tonight.  I’ve spent a decent amount of time at this track which is located just about 45 minutes outside of DC (where I lived for 7 years).  It’s right near Harper’s Ferry, so it’s a great trip for the history and horse racing buff.  Charles Town races in the evening, except on Sundays during the summer and Fall. They replace Sunday with Tuesday night during the winter.

The track is relatively speed/presser favoring, like most smaller, tighter tracks.  Races are often competitive with horses generally more variable in performance than at a major track. Smaller track pools means that smaller budget players can sometimes scoop an entire Pick 3 or Pick 4 pool — something that would be unheard of at a major tracks (granted the payoffs are significantly less).

Tonight’s race is for horses that haven’t won a race other than their maidens with one major exception:  state-bred races do not count.  This gives an opportunity for horses to tackle these levels after winning against state-bred company. Second Battalion (#2, 5-2) is relatively lightly raced, having made only 9 lifetimes starts.  He drops in for the 5K tag after some decent efforts at the 12,500 and 7,500 levels.  He likes to close from off the pace, which means that he’ll have to have a few things go his way to win here.  Readysetketch (#6, 3-1) has twice run competitive races at this level and certainly ranks as a factor. Ice Fighter (#1, 9-2) continues to try this level after winning 3 races against West Virginia-breds. His last race was way too long for him — if you throw that out, he’s certainly a contender.  Oakeshott (#3, 9/2) is the lightest race horse in the field, having just broken his maiden in his fourth start.  It is extremely difficult to pass this class level immediately after breaking your maiden at Charles Town, and even for talented horses, usually takes more than one start. Huggy Boy (#5, 6-1) , with local legend Travis Dunkelberger aboard, is 1 for 27, with 7 seconds.  He’s a bit off form and seems unlikely. Warren’s Bugler (#7, 8-1) a well-traveled horse that has switched barns often, is another that figures on speed, but already has several failures at this level.

Questions:

  1. How is the track playing tonight — are horses able to close?  If they are, then Second Battalion looms larges.
  2. Can Dunkelberger make a difference on Huggy Boy?
  3. Will Readysetketch show more stamina in his 4th start since the layoff?

Analysis: 

In many ways, this is a prototypical Charles Town race.  There are several contenders, each with flaws, but who are generally even on speed.  Second Battallion certainly should benefit from the class relief, but Readysetketch should ideally improve today.  Ice Fighter certainly may be the best price, given his terrible last out performance.  I wouldn’t feel terribly comfortable without all three if I was playing the Pick 4, and I would even consider going wider, if your budget allows.

We’ll be live on Twitter @alldayracing at 10:20 ET. Good luck!

Belmont Park, Race 3, May 21 @ 2:05 p.m.

Purse: $32K, Claiming for Fillies and Mares 3 and up.  Non-winners of 3 Lifetime, 6F

We returning to Belmont for a late lunch for those in the east.  If you’re in the west, perhaps it’s a good day for an early lunch. Race 3 from Belmont is for $20K claimers who have not won 3 races in their racing careers. $20K is still a good chunk of change for a horse, so while these horses are not close to among the best on the grounds, there still is speed and reliability at this class level.

Purling (#5, 2-1) is the morning line favorite.  She’s won 2 of his 13 races, although has been a much better horse since leaving the inner dirt at Aqueduct.   She’s moving up slightly in level from $16K and probably should find this just a bit harder today. The second choice is Rettalfa (#6, 5-2) who makes a double move in class from restricted 12.5K claimers. Both are reasonable horses, but both have taken some good time to reach their current levels. Of the two, Purling seems a bit stronger.  Bridgetta (#7, 7-2) returns after a long layoff.  She has a win and 4 seconds over the track, and if she’s sharp, she’s likely the one. Why Not Her (#3, 15-1) deserves a deep look. She drops from the open 12.5K level, where she was soundly beaten. If that race helped her condition, however, she could put a competitive effort out today. Imagine Tomorrow (#1, 5-1) drops back into claiming after two poor state-bred allowance tries.  She’s never liked Belmont. New York Conspiracy (#4, 10-1) is another long shot with some upside.  The return to sprinting might bode well, but she seems a bit too slow.

Questions:

  1. Will Purling maintain the main track Aqueduct form that has served here well?  If so, then she’s a very strong contender.
  2. Who will get the lead?  This is very hard to predict here, but Purling and Retalfa have tactical speed, which is an advantage in these circumstances.
  3. How does Bridgetta break off the layoff?  If she’s sharp, she’ll give Purling a target, and if she gets a good trip, she might just fin.

Analysis:

Purling is likely the best bet, and while there is some added risk, her style and speed put her likely on top.  Why Not Her keeps catching the eye (on paper).  She’s probably too slow, but if you are an player of exactas, trifectas, and superfectas, she might be a good play.  Bridgetta with a good start could steal the race.

Tune in to twitter @alldayracing at 2:05 ET for coverage.