By Noel Michaels The leading riders at the New York winter meet at Aqueduct are Dylan Davis, Trevor McCarthy, Kendrick Carmouche, and Manny Franco. In a month or so, that will begin to change as the best riders in the game return home for the spring. The slimmed down winter riding colony will beef up considerably for the Big A spring meet, the start of the Belmont meet at the end of April, and the Saratoga summer season. The Ortiz brothers, Irad and Jose, are returning. So are Joel Rosario, Luis Saez, and John Velazquez. And now comes the news

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By Ray Wallin Just about 90% of people fail to reach their strategic goals. That is worse than the 80% of people that fail at their New Year’s resolutions. Strategic goals are different though. They are based on research, planning, and reflection. Strategic goals are the long term vision and have quantifiable and qualitative results. If you are serious about becoming not only a winning handicapper, but a very profitable handicapper, you need to think strategically. Recently a struggling handicapper reached out to me about how to make more money playing the ponies. I wish there was a simple answer

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By Ed McNamara Classic Causeway bolted to the lead out of the gate, and before the 8-5 favorite reached the turn, he had company on his outside. Little Vic, a 13-1 shot, applied pressure immediately, and the two went head and head down the backstretch. The fractions were quick — 22.66 seconds for a quarter-mile, 46.67 to the half — and most observers figured the pace would set it up for a closer. Not so. Entering the stretch, Little Vic cracked, Irad Ortiz Jr. asked Classic Causeway to run, and within a few strides the Sam F. Davis Stakes was

The post Eddie Mac’s Book: A Pick 3 Wager Singling Classic Causeway in Tampa Bay Derby appeared first on Daily Racing News | Horse Racing News.

By Richard Rosenblatt If at first you do succeed, you might as well try to do it again. That’s the way trainer Brian Lynch is thinking as he prepares to send out favorite Classic Causeway in the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. Classic Causeway cruised to a 3 ¼-length victory over Shipsational in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 12. And while Lynch’s colt has been training at Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach, Florida, it was an easy decision to return to the scene of that last victory. “He

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By Richard Rosenblatt He’s a Hall of Famer, and one of the most well-respected trainers in the business — ever. Pretty successful over the past 30 years or so, too, primarily in southern California. Every once in a while, though, Richard Mandella has a 3-year-old that rounds into form on the road to the Kentucky Derby (G1). In 2019, Omaha Beach may have been his best, winning the Rebel Stakes (G2), the Arkansas Derby (G1), and becoming the darling of Derby week as well as the 4-1 morning-line favorite. Three days before the race, Mandella had to scratch Omaha Beach

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By Mike Farrell The trio of Triple Crown prep races last Saturday produced three intriguing winners, spawning hope in each camp that they have a horse for the Kentucky Derby (G1) in less than nine weeks from now. Each winner earned 50 Derby qualifying points, enough to secure a spot in the race. And each will likely face one more important challenge that will enhance or discourage that trip to Kentucky. Let’s unpack the results, starting with the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) where Simplification lived up to his billing as the 5-2 favorite with a 3 ½ length victory

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By Richard Rosenblatt The Fountain of Youth. The San Felipe. The Gotham. The John Battaglia Memorial. And much, much more. A huge dose of stakes races featuring four Kentucky Derby preps, three Kentucky Oaks preps, and the Santa Anita Handicap, is lined up for Saturday. From the Big A to Turfway, from Gulfstream to Santa Anita, the 2022 racing season moves into a higher gear this month. As in most cases, the Derby preps take center stage, particularly the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park. A field of 11 is set with Antonio Sano-trained Simplification the 5-2 favorite over

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With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, usracing.com contributor and award-winning writer Maryjean Wall recalls the freedom journey of two-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Jimmy Winkfield. Beginning in 1919, Winkfield fled Moscow for Odessa, then Poland, and then France. Born in Kentucky, Winkfield won the Derby in 1901 and 1902, and later moved to Moscow where he enjoyed fame and fortune before the Bolshevik Revolution sent him fleeing. By Maryjean Wall Residents of Odessa woke up last week to rocket explosions in their resort city in southwest Ukraine – evocative of jockey Jimmy Winkfield’s experience more than a century previously. The

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By Noel Michaels The weather could play a significant role on Big ‘Cap Day at Santa Anita, with heavy rains expected Friday and a 40% chance of showers on the big day Saturday – an 11-race card featuring three Grade 1s — the Santa Anita Handicap, the Kilroe Mile and the Beholder Mile plus the San Felipe Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds. In preparation for the rain, Santa Anita canceled Friday’s card and moved it to Monday. It’s a move to keep the track sealed and hope for a fast track on Saturday. They’ll undoubtedly call it fast, whether or not

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