Horse Racing Tips, Picks & Betting Odds - Breeders Cup, Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes

Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense, was chosen as the overwhelming 3-5 favorite on Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Street Sense recently won the Jim Dandy Stakes here last month.

Jim Dandy was the colt’s first since he was beaten by Curlin in the Preakness Stakes. The 3-year-old did not run in the Belmont Stakes, the final jewel of the Triple Crown.

Trained by Carl Nafzger, Street Sense will be ridden by Calvin Borel and leave from post position #4 in the field of seven that will cover 1 1/4 miles on Saturday.

Street Sense is attempting to become the 10th horse to win the Derby and Travers. Thunder Gulch was the last to accomplish the feat in 1995.

$1 Million Travers Stakes Race Entries, Jockeys, and Odds:

PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Odds
1. Helsinki (KY), 126, Julien Leparoux, 20-1
2. CP West (KY), 126, Cornelio Velasquez, 5-1
3. For You Reppo (KY), 126, Garrett Gomez, 20-1
4. Street Sense (KY), 126, Calvin Borel, 3-5
5. Grasshopper (KY), 126, Robby Albarado, 8-1
6. Loose Leaf (KY), 126, Kent Desormeaux, 21-1
7. Sightseeing (KY), Edgar Prado, 6-1

Tags: Travers Stakes, Street Sense, Travers Stakes Odds, Travers Stakes winner

themarshall30 at 10:18:47 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Weighted Rankings of the Best American Racehorses

A Column by Steve Davidowitz on Bodog
July 18, 2007

Aside from the high caliber of horse racing we are set to experience at Del Mar in Southern California and at Saratoga in upstate New York, it is difficult to remain silent about the most important issue plaguing racing on these shores.

I am talking specifically about performance enhancing and pain reducing drugs administered for racing purposes.

Consider this fact: Every horse racing jurisdiction in Canada and the United States permits the use of powerful drugs, such as the diuretic furosemide (Lasix) and the analgesic phenylbutazone (Bute), when no other country in the world permits similar drugs for racing purposes.

Unfortunately, American drug testing, while quite comprehensive in some states, is under-financed in too many jurisdictions.

Meanwhile, veterinarians who work with racehorses on the backstretch are given far too many liberties in prescribing and applying “medications” (read that as d-r-u-g-s). Some of these drugs go way beyond helping racehorses recover from aches, pains and temporary maladies. Some, in fact, screen pain and tacitly encourage trainers to run their horses with minor ailments, while their pain-warning systems are shut down or severely muted.

Moreover, the drug problem in American horse racing is not just limited to masking minor aches and pains. The problem is quite similar, in fact, to the performance enhancing issues faced by other professional sports all over the world - from American baseball to international cycling to Olympic track and field.

There are corticosteroids and equine growth hormones; there are marginally known performance enhancing substances; and, as we learned from the case that is building against trainer Patrick Biancone, there may be dreaded snake venom thrown into the mix.

While I am not a vet, or horse trainer, or racing official, I have been watching and betting on horses for more than 40 years and do believe there are some practical steps that racing officials could take to severely curtail drug abuse in the American game. Here specifically is one horseplayer's considered suggestion that attempts to deal with the realities at hand and incorporates several practical components.

• Every racetrack should have a refrigerated, state controlled commissary stocked with the major therapeutic medications for each registered, practicing track vet. The key to this idea would be to bar all vets from bringing any medications from outside the racetrack into the restricted barn area.
• All medications, in fact, should be dispensed at the commissary under state supervision directly to registered track vets before they begin their rounds of the horses under their care each morning.
• At the end of their rounds, all medications that have not been dispensed should be returned to the commissary. Failure to do so would result in fines and suspensions for the offending vets.
• To deal quickly with unusual illnesses and injuries, the commissary would also have a state supervised emergency truck filled with the most exotic medications needed to treat emergency issues as needed.
• Beyond this approach to dispensing drugs for therapeutic purposes, the penalties for violations must be more severe in every case. No longer should an assistant trainer be given the reins to the horses under a suspended trainer's license. No longer should the racing industry tolerate repeat offenders, even if they are national leaders such as Steve Asmussen or Todd Pletcher or any of the other headline makers.

Although the vast majority of trainers work with talented, honest vets, even the hard working, extremely honest trainers such as Michael Dickenson have trouble dealing with the practices in vogue today. Speaking candidly in a public forum last March, Dickenson admitted that he uses steroids on his horses to stay competitive in a game where others are taking such liberties.

The only way to change that, Dickenson said, “is to strictly control access.” That is precisely the rationale behind my proposal, but even with support from trainers such as this two-time Breeders' Cup winner and others, there is no evidence that American racing officials in any state have the fortitude to press for the reforms this issue deserves. Your comments are welcome.

Steve's private, weighted rankings of the top American horses, three years old and up, males and females

 

themarshall30 at 2:11:27 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Curlin catches Street Sense in last jump to win Preakness Stakes

By JAY PRIVMAN DRF

Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos

Curlin

BALTIMORE - Inexperience may have betrayed Curlin when he suffered the first loss of his career with a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, but the experience gleaned from that race paid off two weeks later when he rallied boldly in the stretch to catch Derby winner Street Sense and capture the 132nd Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico.

Curlin ($8.80), the second choice, stumbled slightly at the start, settled near the back of the pack, and was passed by Street Sense as the field came around the far turn and into the stretch. But he resolutely kept to his task and wore down Street Sense in the final yards to win by a head.

Hard Spun, the Derby runner-up, was another four lengths back in third. C P West was fourth and was followed, in order, by Circular Quay, King of the Roxy, Mint Slewlep, Xchanger, and Flying First Class.

Curlin completed 1 3/16 miles, the shortest of the Triple Crown races, in 1:53.46 on a track rated fast despite rain showers that fell sporadically, beginning a little more than an hour before the start of the race. His time is the equivalent of the Preakness record, 1:53 2/5, shared by Tank’s Prospect (1985) and Louis Quatorze (1996), when the race was timed in fifths of a second instead of hundredths.

Curlin earned $600,000 from a total purse of $1 million.

Robby Albarado, who rode Curlin, bounced back to compete after being thrown from Einstein during an accident in the Dixie Handicap earlier on the card. He scored his first victory in a Triple Crown race, as did Curlin’s trainer, Steve Asmussen.

2007 Preakness Stakes Winners, Results and Payouts
Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland

Off: 6:18 | 1 3/16 Miles | 3 Year Olds | Purse: $1,000,000

#	Horse		Jockey		Weight		Win	Place	Show
4	Curlin		Albarado R J	126		8.80	3.80	2.80
8	Street Sense	Borel C H	126			3.00	2.40
7	Hard Spun	Pino M G	126				  3.00

Times in 5ths: :224 :453 1:094 1:343 1:532

Times in 100ths: :22.83 :45.75 1:09.80 1:34.68 1:53.46

Also ran: C P West, Circular Quay, King of the Roxy, Mint Slewlep, Xchanger and Flying First Class

Winning Trainer: Asmussen Steven M - Owner: Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, Bolton, George and Midnight Cry Stables

$2 Pick 3 (12-9-4) 3 Correct Paid $349.20 Pick 3 Pool $430,670

$2 Pick 4 (1/4/6-12-9-4) 4 Correct Paid $440.20 Pick 4 Pool $1,544,672

$1 Pick 6 (2/5/8/10-2/4-1-4-6/12-9-4) 6 Correct Paid $789.50 Pick 6 Pool $417,501

$1 Pick 6 (2/5/8/10-2/4-1/4/6-12-9-4) 5 Correct Paid $15.20 Pick 6 Pool

$2 Daily Double (9-4) Paid $42.20 Daily Double Pool $474,101

$2 Daily Double (B.E.SUSAN-PREAKNESS 2-4) Paid $34.80 Daily Double Pool $586,774

$2 Exacta (4-8) Paid $23.20

$1 Superfecta (4-8-7-9) Paid $340.30

$2 Trifecta (4-8-7) Paid $50.00

Steve Asmussen said he would consider the 2007 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park for Curlin. The final leg of the Triple Crown is the 2007 Belmont Stakes on June 9 in New York. Carl Nafzger, the trainer of Street Sense, said he would not go on to the Belmont Stakes.

tags: Preakness Stakes, Preakness Stakes winner, Preakness Stakes result, Curlin

themarshall30 at 3:07:55 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Finally, the official 2007 Preakness Stakes horse entries, morning line odds and post positions in the starting gate. Who will be the winner at the Pimlico race course in Baltimore, Maryland? Will it be Street Sense, Hard Spun or Curlin? Or a longshot?

2007 Preakness Stakes
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Pimlico race course in Baltimore, Maryland

Post Horse  Trainer  Jockey M/L Odds
1 Mint Slewlep W.R. Bailes  Alan Garcia 30-1
2 Xchanger Mark Shuman  Ramon Dominguez 15-1
3 Circular Quay Todd Pletcher  John Velazquez 8-1
4 Curlin  Steve Asmussen  Robby Albarado  7-2
5 King ofthe Roxy Todd Pletcher  Garrett Gomez 12-1
6 FlyingFirstClassD. Wayne Lukas  Mark Guidry  20-1
7 Hard Spun Larry Jones  Mario Pino  5-2
8 Street Sense Carl Nafzger  Calvin Borel  7-5
9 C.P. West Nick Zito  Edgar Prado  20-1

Preakness Stakes links:
- Free Preakness Stakes bet here
- Free Preakness Stakes tips, picks, predictions and winners
- 2007 Preakness Stakes horse betting

 

themarshall30 at 10:59:20 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

All Horse Racing, an international gaming company, today released the latest odds on who will win the 2007 Preakness Stakes:

Street Sense                 5-4    Chelokee                     20-1
Curlin                       7-2    C P West                     20-1
Hard Spun                    5-2    Flying First Class           30-1
King of the Roxy            15-1    Xchanger                     30-1
Circular Quay               15-1    Mint Slewleps                50-1

The world will be watching to see whether Cavil Borel and Street Sense can duplicate their win at the Kentucky Derby and in so doing, be one step closer to winning the Triple Crown.

The $1 million Preakness Stakes will be run at Pimlico Race Course at 6PM ET and televised on NBC. Horse fans will bet on the Preakness Stakes online at All Horse Racing.

The last horse to win the Triple Crown was Affirmed in 1978 and Street Sense is thought by many to have what it takes to win one of sport's most elusive championships. Owner James Tafel thinks so. "If Street Sense runs his race, I don't think anybody can beat him," the octogenarian owner of Street Sense said. "If he sees daylight at the top of the stretch, I'm very confident of our ability to win the race."

Horse Racing News: Michael Matz's Chelokee has not yet been confirmed for the Preakness Stakes and may instead run in the Barbaro Stakes, previously known as the Sir Barton Stakes.

The draw for post positions for the Preakness Stakes will be held on Wednesday afternoon and televised beginning at 4:30PM ET on ESPN2.

To celebrate the Triple Crown, All Horse Racing offers free bets on the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and 2007 Belmont Stakes.

 

themarshall30 at 2:55:28 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

The spotlight on the 2007 Preakness Stakes is undoubtedly focused on the Street Sense and Hard Spun Rivalry. In the shadows is talks of Curlin as a likely Preakness Stakes winner due to his running style - which is fit for the Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland. Greg Melikov shares his insignts on Street Sense Hard Spun Preakness Stakes rivalry - both horses are very healthy and barring any accident should also meet 3 weeks later at Belmont Stakes 2007 in New York 

Don't forget to claim your free Preakness and Belmont Stakes bet online.

Cindy Dulay has more comments on other horses competing in the 2007 Preakness Stakes.

Flying First Class, like all the horses below, skipped the Kentucky Derby and thus did not earn the two points the three above did, given their huge statistical disadvantage. As well, he wins on the front end which earns him a knock for running style. He does score on every other factor, having 4 starts this year, won his prep (the Derby Trial), and he lacks professional points. His 107 Beyer figure, which earned him a point, was achieved when he broke his maiden in a 6f sprint.

Xchanger won the Federico Tesio which is the major local prep for the Preakness, earning him points for a sharp prep within the required layoff time, and his 3 starts this year are within range. He has never run a triple digit Beyer and he is a front-runner, both of which earned him knocks.

The next three horses scored equal points and are listed alphabetically:

Chelokee has not raced since he finished third in the Florida Derby, earning him points for a sharp prep but a knock for this extended layoff. He has never won a stakes race nor has he run a triple digit Beyer. On the positive side he stalks the pace, lacks professional points, and has made enough starts this year.

C P West has only made 2 starts this year, lacks a stakes win, and hasn't run a triple digit Beyer in his career. On the upside, he did have a sharp prep , finishing second in the Withers at Aqueduct, which was within the preferred layoff timeframe, he lacks professional points, and his stalking style is preferred in this race.

King of the Roxy is Todd Pletcher's only entrant in the Preakness, as his 5 Derby starters all finished out of the money. He does have a stakes win this year (the Hutcheson), had a sharp prep when second in the Santa Anita Derby, lacks professional points, and uses a stalking style. On the negative side, he did not race in the Derby, has only made 2 starts this year, is coming off a layoff of 6 weeks, and has never run a 106 Beyer.

Mint Slewlep will be a longshot on Saturday and the reasons are clear. His knocks are numerous: he did not have a sharp prep, finishing fourth in the Withers, he skipped the Derby, does not have any stakes wins, has never run faster than an 85 Beyer, and he has professional points in his dosage profile. He scored on just three factors: number of starts this year, layoff length, and runstyle (stalker).

If Street Sense wins the Preakness, we will have a Triple Crown contender at the 2007 Belmont Stakes in New York.

themarshall30 at 12:22:45 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Preakness Stakes 2007 top contenders and odds to win the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland.

Street Sense won the Derby by 2 1/4 lengths closing from 19 lengths off the pace. Street Sense's "out of the clouds" running style is a negative at Pimlico, as Preakness Stakes winners are rarely more than 10 lengths off the pace at any call in the race. As well, he has 1 point in the professional wing of his dosage profile, which also earns him a knock. He scored on all other factors, so his two knocks dropped him below the top two who have 1 knock each.

Hard Spun made all the running at Churchill Downs only to be caught by favorite Street Sense in the stretch drive, and his trainer Larry Jones is confident because regular rider Mario Pino is the winningest rider in Maryland. His runner-up effort in the Derby earned him a 107 Beyer, giving him an edge on Curlin in that category. However, Hard Spun's front-running style is not preferred in the Preakness Stakes 2007, as explained above, which is his only knock giving him eight total points, tied with Curlin.

Curlin was the highly regarded but lightly raced horse who was the second choice on the board in Louisville, and despite many knocks in that race, finished a respectable third. That effort makes him a contender here. The Derby was Curlin's 3rd start as a 3-year-old, he has 2 stakes wins this year (Rebel and Arkansas Derby), his running style is in the preferred range (stalker or "shallow" closer, not more than 10 lengths back) , and he has no professional points in his dosage profile. His only knock is that he still has not run a 106 Beyer which is the par for Preakness Stakes winners. His best effort was a 103 in the Arkansas Derby, and he regressed to 98 in the Kentucky Derby.