Tag: Triple Crown

Belmont Racing Festival Analysis: Saturday, June 10, 2023

Who needs the Breeders’ Cup when you can just make your own every year? Between the conclusion of the Triple Crown, new challenges for older horses and some of the best races of the year on American turf, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival offers more than nearly any other event in the sport.

In addition to the countless quality horses competing on the track this afternoon, it feels immensely gratifying to have so many people to share this weekend with. As we speak, my family is setting up a small picnic in the backyard to watch the day of races. My friends going to the event itself have all asked me for links to purchase the Daily Racing Form.  read more

Race of the Day: 2023 Belmont Stakes Analysis

At the end of every Triple Crown season, the Belmont Stakes ushers in a new era for three-year-olds as they begin the transition to careers as older horses. This happens to be a year in which the spotlight isn’t quite as bright, but the race remains the preeminent event of a spectacular weekend of racing.

Between the distance, field quality and venue, the Belmont Stakes may possibly be my favorite race each year. That may or may not be because I’ve made a lot of money on the event in past years, but the appeal of a special day for my home track undoubtedly plays a part as well. read more

Race of the Day: 2023 Preakness Stakes Analysis

It’s not the Preakness we all want, featuring almost no returning Derby runners and few compelling new faces, but the Triple Crown trail continues at Pimlico nonetheless. Two weeks ago, the number of horses eligible to win the Triple Crown dropped to one. That one will be tested today.

While I’m hoping that the Belmont Stakes comes up deeper than this event, there’s still plenty to look at in this field as Mage takes his next step on the most challenging path in racing. Let’s take a look:

Pimlico, Race 13

Preakness Stakes (G1) for Three-Year-Olds, 1 3/16 Miles on the Dirt read more

A Look Back: Reviewing Picks for the 2022 Belmont Stakes

Three weeks ago, a near-death experience on Preakness Day, or Fordham’s Graduation Day, forced me to slightly change the Paddy’s Picks format for guest analysis. Instead of publishing the article before the race, which would have been impossible for me to do as I sat in my black robes and slowly perished, I chose to wait until after the race and provide commentary for my guests’ picks in hindsight. After getting a significant amount of positive feedback after it went up, I decided to maintain the format for the Belmont Stakes. read more

2022 Belmont Stakes Preview

The handicapping adages about the Belmont Stakes are so plentiful and unique that the race nearly qualifies as its very own branch within the sport. The demanding 1 ½-mile distance is the unmistakable defining feature of the third leg of the Triple Crown, and because the horses have never run that far (and will likely never run that far again), theories abound about the way to win it.

Some say it’s a jockey’s race. If that’s the case, long shot Barber Road has the advantage this year, as his champion rider Joel Rosario is the only one in the field with two wins in the Belmont (Tonalist in 2014 and Sir Winston in 2019). Others say the pedigrees tell the tale. It’s no coincidence that three horses in this field descend from Tapit, the sire of last year’s Belmont winner, Essential Quality. Some like closers while others like front runners, and pace plays a part more than it does at any other traditional distance. read more

A Look Back: Reviewing Guest Picks for the 2022 Preakness

Necessity is the mother of invention, and I really needed to sleep. When guests came forward to provide their Preakness analysis for Paddy’s Picks last week, I assumed that I would be able to produce an article on the day of my graduation ceremony. I was even willing to put it together during the ceremony itself. But in my black robes on a 90-degree day on Saturday, I entered a nearly incoherent state by noon, and couldn’t do much more than sit and stare at the floor until my name was called to receive a diploma. I would apologize, but many of the guests in this article were present with me that day and were similarly delirious. So instead of apologizing, I’m offering a new alternative. read more

2022 Preakness Stakes Preview

Anyone catch that race two weeks ago?

For those of you who invested four months of reading into my “Road to the Derby” series, I have no apology or explanation for what happened on the first Saturday in May. All I can say is that horse racing can be wildly unpredictable. In order to pick Rich Strike to win the Kentucky Derby, I would’ve required divine intervention or complete abandon of reason. But some people won money, didn’t they?

Concerning the owners of Rich Strike and their decision to skip the Preakness to focus on the Belmont, I think it’s a cowardly move that also makes sense. It’s an unwritten rule that a healthy Derby winner must run in the Preakness, but it’s also clear to most that he would’ve been hard-pressed to repeat. As my analysis is about to make clear, there’s a very likely winner here, one that Rich Strike should be familiar with. Let’s get into it. read more

Paddy’s Picks 2021 Belmont Stakes Analysis

The Belmont Stakes is returning to 12 furlongs as God intended. The field for this year’s Test of Champions is wanting in size but not in talent, as several top runners from this year’s Triple Crown return to lock horns at a new and unfamiliar distance. When Sir Winston defeated Tacitus in the 2019 Belmont, I felt all-knowing, and when Tapwrit won in 2017, I felt hopelessly lost. Let’s see where I find myself this year handling this top-notch field:

Race 11

Belmont Stakes (G1) for Three-Year-Olds, 1 1/2 Miles on the Dirt read more

Nittany Buy-Ins: Preakness Stakes Preview w/ Emma Moquin

First and foremost, I would like to apologize to anyone who had to read my Kentucky Derby analysis (special shoutout to Chris Reynolds), but the good thing about hitting rock bottom is that there is nowhere else to go but up. Here is my analysis of the Preakness where I hope to have some more luck today. Good luck to everyone and happy betting. 🙂

1- Ram

This horse is a little rough. It is not an encouraging sign that Irad Ortiz jumped off of this horse to ride the 5, Midnight Bourbon, and was replaced by an inferior jockey, Santana. I am also not overly fond of trainer D. Wayne Lukas. While this horse has done well in his last two races, his speed figures are terrible, with his highest being an 81, which will not cut it. Overall, I don’t think that this horse is going to win the race today. read more

Preakness Stakes Preview: May 15, 2021

I wonder how much money Medina Spirit has swindled out of people over the years with his little doping scheme. I bet he thought he was real clever about it; he sure pulled the wool over Bob Baffert’s eyes. He was dumbfounded — never saw it coming — and he’s been getting tricked by these horses for years. He was totally outfoxed when Charlatan and Gamine started shooting up behind his back at Oaklawn last year, and he wasn’t even around when Justify intimidated the California Racing Board into sweeping another failed test under the rug before the 2018 Derby. Poor Bob. Every time the guy leaves the state of California, his horses start abusing illegal medications. read more