Contender

By Ray Wallin Winning horseplayers execute with both intention and action. Losing horseplayers don’t. Think back to your days of sitting in Mr. Burke’s math class. I am sure you remember the kid that sat behind you talking all period of the two lovebirds on either side of you that made you pass notes all class long. While you were busy passing sappy love notes you may have caught a little of Mr. Burke discussing Venn diagrams. What’s a Venn diagram? So, maybe you were too busy flicking the ears of the kid in front of you and passing love

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By Mike Farrell We are on track for one heck of a Kentucky Derby. We make that claim based on what has transpired in the prep races. Of course, a lot will happen between now and May 1. Injuries, illness, and poor performances in the remaining contests before Derby Day can drastically alter the lineup. If we cross our fingers, and knock on the wooden barn door, the upcoming Derby could be a memorable showdown headlined by Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Greatest Honour, undefeated Juvenile champion Essential Quality and the freakishly talented Life Is Good. Add in a solid

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By Richard Rosenblatt We’ve just seen a triple play on the road to the Kentucky Derby. And it had a little something for everyone, especially longshot bettors. The start of the trio of Derby prep races on Saturday produced the biggest surprise with 46-1 outsider Weyburn winning the $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) in a photo finish at Aqueduct. A few minutes later, at Tampa Bay Downs, Helium inhaled the field with a huge move around the final turn and won the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) by three-quarters of a length. Completing the day of Derby points qualifiers, 1-2 favorite

The post Derby Preps: Longshots Come Through in Gotham, Tampa Bay Derby; Life Is Good Cruises In San Felipe appeared first on Daily Racing News | Horse Racing News.

Tampa Bay Derby: As the road to the 147th Kentucky Derby rolls along, US Racing looks back at some history of many of the prep races that now offer qualifying points to Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 1.  By Margaret Ransom Since it was first contested in 1981, the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) has produced two winners of the Kentucky Derby (G1) — Street Sense – who won – captured the Derby in 2007 and Super Saver – third in this prep – won the Derby in 2010. It has, however, produced a significant number of

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By Margaret Ransom Though the days of true handicap racing seem to have gone the way of the woolly mammoth, serious props go out to the few tracks who do their best to preserve history and offer big purses for the best older horses willing to carry weight and earn a position among the best in the older male division. While many are converting to the ranks of stakes conditions and weight-for-age exhibitions, tracks such as Gulfstream Park, Oaklawn Park, Churchill Downs, and especially Santa Anita maintain their dedication to history and continue to offer rich handicap events. And once

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