About Editor

Rich Nilsen is a 16-time qualifier to the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), an event he has cashed in four times. He was the first player to finish in the top 10 twice. He cashed on the NHC Tour for 2018 with a 19th overall finish. Rich was also a winner of a $24,000 package into Kentucky Derby Betting Championship I. A former executive with Brisnet.com, Rich is a graduate of the University of Louisville Equine Business Program and is founder of AGameofSkill.com, a site devoted to horse racing education and promotion.

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No Winx in this Year’s Group 1 Cox Plate

October 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Source: Sky Racing World

Star Japanese mare Lyx Gracieux won the middle-distance championship of their spring, the Takarazuka Kinen, and did it posting the sort of figure that would win many Winx-free Cox Plates, but the betting hasn’t missed her and it’s hard to see what the betting has missed about her with prices inside $4.00 in early markets.

Her positives are that she has run ratings that are in or around the likely winning zone for this Cox Plate in all bar one run in the last two years and she has been able to take that form on the road, running well twice in Hong Kong.

Prepare now for this year’s Breeder’s Cup – here’s how

The market still looks to be giving her all the credit she deserves for that, with several others capable of hitting similar levels, and one of those, Mystic Journey, looks a good each way bet in our eyes.

She was dragged back off a crawl last time, and did what she could from where she was, but this time she draws to land in her preferred stalking role and get every chance to show her best – which we know is very good.

Twelve months on from the blistering performance that skyrocketed her towards the top of the Australian racing tree she looks well set-up for a big peak again and that peak should have her right in the finish regardless of what the others bring.

Our bet of the day comes earlier in the day with the Gerald Ryan-trained Villami looking really well placed in the fourth on the card.

She was a touch flat when third at the same course and distance last time but was only beaten by a couple of high quality fillies in a deeper race than what she faces here.

From the wide draw she should go on with it this time and take control of the race and if she can return to her Sydney peak the rest of these will do well to keep up.

She’s tight in the betting but with a good jock, good map and the most talent she looks the sort of favourite that we can get stuck into.

THE MELBOURNE MAIL 

Bet Of The Day: Race 4 #3 Villami @ $2.25

Each Way Play: Race 9 #12 Mystic Journey @ $7.00 

Filed Under: International Horse Racing Tagged With: , , , , ,

Do This Now for This Year’s Breeders’ Cup

October 22, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The Breeders' Cup horse racingby Glen S.

The Breeders Cup is the best event in horse racing for the year round handicapper to hit the big one. The two days are in the advantage of the horse players that knows the game. However, if you are like all the other handicappers and do not prepare in advance, then there is simply no advantage for you come next weekend. So if you do not want to be like the others or the ones that just play the races a few times a year, keep reading.

How can I start to prepare so early, you ask? There are list of the main contenders throughout the various websites and many sites, including the Daily Racing Form (DRF) that have the expected entries. Print them off and start watching REPLAYS and more replays. The more you watch now, the less time you need later. Betptc.com has one of the best replay functions on the website, so why not take full advantage of it.

What to look for in a replay and what to take notes on:
-Was the horse compromised in the race, troubled trip, wide, no pace to run at, caught in a duel?

-Do not forget to make notes that might make the horse look better, lone speed, big pace to run at, perfect trip, etc.

When watching the horse racing replays, you do not need to know who the horse will be running against in the future.  It just gives you more information on the horse that many won’t take the time to see. Also if the horse is running against other horses in the upcoming race you will oftentimes see who is better based on the replay. Sometimes who beats who doesn’t tell the whole story, this is when you can hit that home run.

Monday Oct 21st is when the Breeders’ Cup pre-entries close and I would expect by Wednesday Oct 23rd you will be able to get a good idea of who is in. Now you can start figuring out the potential of each horse. I would avoid figuring out race shape but decide if the horse is a need-the-lead horse or a closer that needs pace to run at.

Monday Oct. 28th is when the post position draw is; I would expect by that evening you will be able to find what each race would look at. NOW start to figure out race shape.

Why prep now? The obvious reason, as mentioned, is get ahead of the competition and avoid so much work later. But even more importantly, avoid getting swayed but the media and all the hype. Let you be the judge first as to how talented you think the horse is and then listen to the others.

Part II preparing for the Breeders: Good info, bad info and how to use that to your advantage

Next post after the pre entries are up.

Filed Under: Breeders Cup, Handicapping 101, Learn to Handicap Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

$60 million thoroughbred horse track near New Hampshire state line?

October 19, 2019 by 2 Comments

Source:  Press Release

ROWLEY, Mass. (AP) — Three proposals are jockeying to return thoroughbred horse racing to Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association says it’s working with an investment group to build a $60 million track on 280-acres in Rowley, near the New Hampshire state line.

John Grossi, who founded the Latitude Sports Club chain, is leading the Rowley Group’s proposal. The group is expected to pitch its plan to town officials later this month.

It’s the third proposal to emerge since Suffolk Downs hosted its last live races in June.

Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, which operated the historic Boston track, wants to refurbish the Great Barrington Fairgrounds in the Berkshires.

And the Notos Group, which is headed by developer Tom O’Connell, proposes a horse track, hotel and entertainment complex in Wareham.

The proposals all require legislative approval.

Filed Under: Horse Racing News, Horse Racing Survival Tagged With: , ,

Can Nature Strip Go the Distance in the $14M Everest Tonight?

October 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Melbourne_Australian racingThe fate of Nature Strip’s Everest quest will be determined in the first few hundred meters of the race, according to his jockey Tim Clark.

The horse brings an X-factor to Saturday’s $14 million contest with opinion divided whether his raw speed can be harnessed to run out a strong 1200 metres.

Clark will be the man in the hot seat at Randwick and he says how the horse handles the first part of the race is crucial.

More news about the 14M Everest Stakes

“It’s important for him to get the first half of the race right,” Clark said.

“If he gets the first half right, I think that will go a long way to helping him run out the 6 f strongly.”

Complicating the task is Nature Strip’s outside barrier.

Again, opinion is divided whether he has the natural pace to negate the draw or will be made to work early by runners kicking up on his inside.

Clark prefers to see it as a positive.

“I would much prefer to draw out there than too close,” Clark said.

“It gives him an opportunity to do his own thing and get away from everything and I think he will enjoy a bit of galloping room out there early in the race.”

Nature Strip was $26 with TAB Fixed odds on Friday with Santa Ana Lane and Arcadia Queen joint $4.60 favourites in what is regarded as clearly the deepest Everest field in the race’s short history.

Despite the long odds, Clark has no doubt the Galaxy and Moir Stakes winner has the ability to run his rivals off their feet, provided he can get the headstrong gelding into an early rhythm.

“He’s always had a high profile, my horse,” Clark said.

“It’s going to be another level again but he’s a two-time Group One winner so he’s a pretty good sprinter in his own right.

“He’s just got to do things right early in the race and give himself the opportunity to run out the 6 f strongly.

“I think if the first part of the race goes to plan, the second half will take care of itself.”

Filed Under: International Horse Racing Tagged With: , ,

Aidan O’Brien’s Runners Aiming for Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita

October 17, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Aidan O'Brien's Arizona pointed at Santa Anita for Breeders' CupThe duo [of Arizona and Wichita] were beaten two lengths and two and three-quarter lengths respectively in the Group One heat, with Arizona notably closing the gap with the winner after trailing him by nine lengths in the National Stakes at the Curragh previously.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien was satisfied with their performances and could now look to Santa Anita on November 1 and 2 with the pair.

O’Brien said: “Arizona ran well, as we were worried about the ground for him. He’s a nice-moving horse.

“Arizona and Wichita are both possibles for the Breeders’ Cup, although Wichita might be a little bit more of a baby as he wasn’t out until later.”

The Ballydoyle handler also has Royal Lodge winner Royal Dornoch and Listed victor Fort Myers among his possible Santa Anita team.

He added: “Royal Dornoch is another possible for the Juvenile and Fort Myers who won in Dundalk is another that could go. We’ll see how they are in the next few weeks.”

Filed Under: Breeders Cup, Horse Racing News, International Horse Racing Tagged With: , , , , ,

QnA on Horse Racing, Omaha Beach, Santa Anita Drag and more

October 15, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Q: So help me sort this out. Omaha Beach is gone for six months, returns and wins a sprint race, and now suddenly he’s back in the Breeders’ Cup picture again? I heard he was not under consideration for the Classic anymore, and now he is? I’m confused.

A: After his impressive victory in last weekend’s Santa Anita Sprint Championship, one in which he ran the 6 furlongs in an insane 1:08.79 over a track that has been playing extremely slow, trainer Richard Mandella said “anything is possible,” that the 3-year-old colt could run in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Dirt Mile or Classic. Word is the horse’s camp is leaning toward the Sprint because Mandella hasn’t had enough time to gear him up to run the Classic’s 1 1/4-mile distance. If he had time for one more prep race, I think they’d go in the Classic, but he doesn’t. Whatever decision Mandella makes, it will be the right one. He knows a heck of a lot more about horses than I do.

QnA on Horse Racing:

Filed Under: Breeders Cup, Horse Racing Education, Horse Racing News Tagged With:

$14M Everest this Friday Night ‘Down Under’

October 14, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Source: Sky Racing World

The TAB Everest is the newest horse race in Australia and also the richest turf race in the world with a total of $14 million (AUD) in prize money. The 3rd running of The Everest will take place on Friday night, October 18 (US date/time), at Royal Randwick racecourse.

A weight-for-age sprint contested over 6 furlongs, The Everest is now the crown jewel of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and the $14 million prize pool sees it surpass the iconic Melbourne Cup ($6.2 million) as the richest Australian horse race.

Get the latest in 2019 Breeders’ Cup News here

The Everest is unlike any other race contested down under and entry into The Everest field comes at a cost of $600,000 to connections. The concept is similar to the Pegasus World Cup as horse owners buy a slot and The Everest field has a capacity of 12 starters.

Filed Under: Horse Racing News, International Horse Racing Tagged With: , ,

Trainer Bob Baffert’s Key to Success?

October 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Bob Baffert is one of the world’s most successful and prominent horse trainers. The Hall of Fame trainer has coached five Kentucky Derby winners as well as two Triple Crown victors. At the world’s largest horse sale, which takes place every September in Lexington, Kentucky, Baffert told Business Insider […]

The Hall of Fame trainer has coached two Triple Crown winners, Justify and American Pharoah, as well as three other Kentucky Derby winners. Baffert trains horses for owners that include the Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai and the Magnier family of Coolmore farm in Ireland, one of the world’s premier thoroughbred breeding farms. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2009.

Throughout his 40-year thoroughbred training career, Baffert has trained horses that have earned more than $292 million in purse winnings, according to Equibase.

At the Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington, Kentucky, where buyers from 26 countries dropped more than $360 million on 2,855 one-year-old horses, Baffert told Business Insider that he attributes some of his success to pure luck. But the rest of it comes down to the sheer time he puts into his work, he says.

More about Trainer Bob Baffert’s Key to Success:

Filed Under: Horse Racing News, Industry Profiles Tagged With:

Track announcer Tom Durkin at UofL, talking horse racing’s issues

October 11, 2019 by Leave a Comment

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Many horse racing fans were able to put a face to the voice at the University of Louisville [Equine Industry Program] on Wednesday night.

“It’s an important time in horse racing,” he said. “We’ve had our fair share of problems. We’re going to have to address part of that (including possibly putting the) federal government in charge of oversight, which would be a very big thing. There’s medication issues that have to be resolved. All things that have to be thought out carefully.”

Durkin said he makes it back to Churchill Downs often. He was a part owner of My Boy Jack, who finished fifth in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, and also was part owner of Always Dreaming, who won it the year before.

Filed Under: Horse Racing News Tagged With:

Breeders’ Cup Contender Omaha Beach Impressive in Return

October 10, 2019 by Leave a Comment

You can’t say enough about Omaha Beach’s return to racing in the Grade 1 $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He stayed off the pace and then came firing on the inside to win by a head over heavy favorite Shancelot.

Mandella was in a good mood after winning Saturday’s race.

“I’m just very relieved to have him back,” Mandella said. “At the eighth pole, I thought we were [going to be] clear, but it took some race riding.…This horse has a heart of gold and he’s got the greatest personality of any horse I’ve ever had. I would say anything’s possible.”

Winning the race gave Omaha Beach a free pass into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, which may not be the race he wants to run in.

“I want to enjoy this one, but the [Breeders’ Cup] Sprint, the Mile and the mile-and-a-quarter (Classic) are all possible,” Mandella said. “We’re gonna run in the Breeders’ Cup. For now, I’ll just drink that big bottle of champagne and think it over.”

More from John Cherwa at the LA Times:

Filed Under: Breeders Cup, Horse Racing News Tagged With: , , ,
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