Category: Blog Posts

A Look Back: Reviewing Guest Picks for the 2024 Travers Stakes

This year’s Triple Crown was a mixed bag, but the Travers was so stacked that it felt more like a Breeders’ Cup race. Of course, when handed one of the most competitive fields in Travers history, Paddy’s Picks guests predictably zeroed in on one very unique angle.

For the record, I don’t hold it against anyone who immediately latched on to Thorpedo Anna in the 2024 Travers. The story of a filly beating the boys on this massive stage was a scintillating one, and I repeatedly asserted that she had the talent to back it up. She was an excellent bet to win this race and proved it. The problem is that I produce articles compiling a large number of picks, and the quality of the article suffers a bit when more than half of my beloved guests pick the same horse. The fact that this was backlogged with two other articles didn’t help matters. read more

A Look Back: Reviewing Guest Picks for the 2024 Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is the final leg on the Triple Crown trail, but in the 2024 Paddy’s Picks backlogged triathlon, it’s the middle jewel, and a special one at that. For the first time in the history of the American Triple Crown, the 2024 Belmont Stakes was held at Saratoga Racecourse in Upstate New York. For any racing fan, it was the must-see event of the year. I stood beside my sister, Emma, and her friend, Niko, in the 161-year-old grandstand as the horses entered the final stretch. 

There’s another story attached to this memory, one I mention among my guests’ picks. As the three of us looked for a spot with a view of the track, however, the most notable sensation was the awe-inspiring energy from the gathering crowd. It reminded me of photos of World Series games, when people crowded on top of surrounding buildings to get a peek of the field while countless others gathered around radios outside local shops. It was idyllic pandemonium. read more

A Look Back: Reviewing Guest Picks for the 2024 Preakness Stakes

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Esme Bleecker-Adams for her illustration in this article’s featured image.

The 2024 Preakness Stakes occurred five months ago. The 2024 Belmont Stakes occurred two weeks after that. The 2024 Travers Stakes occurred in late August. Paddy’s Picks guests provided analysis for all three races, and everyone’s favorite editor slacked off in his publishing duties.

To provide some semblance of a defense for myself, these guest articles have become rather difficult to write after four years. Most of you have already been introduced; you all have distinct personas and narratives on this site after making dozens of picks. Your motivations and quirks have been defined. My job is to add more paint to the picture, but at this point, it feels like I’m just cramming details into crowded corners.  read more

The Casual Bet: Guest Handicappers Analyze The 2024 Kentucky Derby

Featured in Illustration: Affirmed and jockey Steve Cauthen Winning the 1978 Kentucky Derby (Illustration Courtesy of Esmé Bleecker-Adams)

To pull back the curtain on the Paddy’s Picks process, I usually write the introductions to these articles at the end. The problem is that I’m currently in a car in the middle of Pennsylvania on the way to my sister’s graduation. So you’ll all have to forgive me if I’m a little succinct in setting the stage for this year’s Kentucky Derby. read more

Pick Six Challenge: Guests Take On The Pennsylvania Derby

I think I like this idea. I hope you do too. But before I tell you about it, we need to talk about horse racing in Pennsylvania.

New York racing fans have a habit of disrespecting Parx Racetrack in Bensalem, a small town just outside Philadelphia. As one such fan, I believe that we often have good reason. In comparison to even the slowest day at Aqueduct Racetrack in the dead of January, racing at Parx is simply a step below in most cases. Fields rarely offer value, the facility itself is in need of a freshening and the track is often heavily biased and unhelpful for handicapping. read more

A Look Back: Reviewing Guest Picks for the 2023 Travers Stakes

On the morning of the Travers Stakes two weeks ago, I was in the midst of the most difficult writing I had ever had to complete. With the deadline for my Columbia masters project fast approaching, I was frantically arranging thousands of words in the hopes of making a coherent narrative. Then my phone went off.

In the span of a half hour that Saturday morning, I received five texts about the upcoming Travers Stakes. Specifically, people were asking me why they hadn’t been asked to contribute for the race on Paddy’s Picks. Proud and racked by guilt all at once, I hesitantly put aside my own writing and rounded up as many guests as I could. Their picks and my reviews are below. read more

Fillies, No Fellas: Looking Back At Guests’ 2023 Kentucky Oaks Picks

In a revival of last year’s segment of the same name, I asked nearly every woman who has ever appeared on Paddy’s Picks to provide a pick for the Kentucky Oaks. The primary motivation for originally making this article was the opportunity to use the phrase, “Fillies, No Fellas,” the origin of which I’ve forgotten, but it actually turned out well enough to try again.

Unlike last year’s piece, this article is being published after the Kentucky Oaks, giving me the opportunity to provide grades for every single pick. Yes, letter grades. There are two ways that readers can interpret this editorial choice. Assigning grades could allow me to write less while hopefully still providing a fun environment for contributors. It could also allow me to pass harsh judgment on people who don’t know what they’re doing. I refuse to elaborate further. read more

Paddy’s Picks February Invitational: Week 4 Recap

It all came down to this, and then nothing happened. To spoil the result somewhat while also providing an effective lead paragraph, none of the guest competitors in the February Invitational picked the winner of the Saudi Cup. The standings remain unchanged, leaving a tie for me to resolve in the experienced division.

After three weeks of chalk in races stateside, this international event was a profound challenge for my contestants. Some guests got close by picking Country Grammer or Cafe Pharoah, the second- and third-place finishers. But no one, myself included, came close to finding Panthalassa, a Japanese front runner switching from turf to dirt. That’s how it goes. read more

Paddy’s Picks February Invitational: Week 3 Recap

My attempts to escape the chalk may have failed, but the Fair Grounds Stakes was nevertheless a worthwhile stop in the Paddy’s Picks February Invitational. A victory for reputable turf runner Two Emmys at 9-5 odds shook up both divisions in the competition while keeping things extremely close going into the final week.

Between the scratch of deep closer Corelli and a hotly contested debate among guests between a pair of rival horses, there was plenty to appreciate about this week in New Orleans and its impact on the Invitational. Let’s take a closer look: read more

Paddy’s Picks February Invitational: Week 3 Preview

The Paddy’s Picks February Invitational continues on to its third week, where competitors will evaluate the G3 Fair Grounds Stakes at the Fair Grounds Race Course outside New Orleans.

As I write this, it’s approximately noon on the beautiful Penn State campus, where I’m visiting my sister and guest competitor Emma Moquin for the weekend. I’m exhausted, so if my writing for this preview doesn’t reflect my usual zest for life and the people in it, I offer that as an excuse.

In the first two weeks of this Invitational competition, guests analyzed the G3 Robert B. Lewis and G3 Withers Stakes, two prep races for the Kentucky Derby which yielded predictable winners at short prices. Regardless of the result this week, the Fair Grounds is almost certain to provide more value. read more