Handicapping Articles

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date:  9/9/2023      Featured Track/Race:   Kentucky Downs – Race 10      Race overview:  A predictably deep and competitive renewal of the G2 Turf Sprint at 6 furlongs.       Pace:  It looks honest enough but not overly heated, though over this funky course, pace can be a bit tricky, and somewhat overrated too.      Trends:  N/A       Best Play:  #12 Dr Zempf (6-1): Lightly-raced runner enters fresh for Brown, after a troubled trip when cutting back in the G1 Jaipur, his first U.S. one-turn start, and with all his foundation, this trip should be…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date:  9/7/2023      Featured Track/Race:   Kentucky Downs – Race 7      Race overview:  A seemingly iffy MSW for f/m’s going a marathon 1 5/16ths miles.       Pace:  Expect a crawl early and a sprint late, as this looks like a trip that will stretch a lot of rubber bands mighty thin.      Trends:  N/A       Best Play:  #4 Lady Claypoole (3-1): Irish-bred ran well in her U.S. debut and first for Maker at Colonial when 3rd, now gets Lasix and blinkers, is bred to love the trip, and goes second-off the break for…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date:  9/4/2023      Featured Track/Race:   Saratoga – Race 9      Race overview:  A very meek MSW for 3up sprinting 5 ½ Fs on the Mellon Turf.       Pace:  There’s doesn’t seem to be an abundance (for a turf sprint), so you will want to be close early, which flatters #3 AMERICAN KNOW HOW (5-2), who can be on or just off the early lead.      Trends:  They just haven’t run enough on the turf, though the firmer course of late seemingly has been a bit speedy.       Best Play:  #3 American Know…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date:  9/3/2023      Featured Track/Race:   Saratoga – Race 6      Race overview:  A relatively modest—by Saratoga standards—MSW for 2yofs going 7Fs on the main track.       Pace:  It should be honest, as a few have shown speed and are (obviously) stretching out, and there are several firsters entered as well.      Trends:  The main, which has gotten plenty of use during the meet, continues to play fair when it’s fast, though early speed, at the very least, is preferred, as closers are having trouble getting there.       Best Play:  #2 Genetics (3-1): Mott…

Happy Jockey Club Gold Cup Day!  While the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup is the feature race today, the real feature is the former Lucky Coin Stakes, which has been renamed for the late, great Harvey Pack.  For decades Harvey held many important roles promoting and covering New York racing, but if you are of my vintage then you fondly remember Harvey hosting the DRF Siro’s handicapping seminars.  They were by far the best handicapping events I ever witnessed and eventually they generated so much interest that Capital OTB televised them. Harvey was the master of ceremonies each morning on the stage outside at Siro’s in his…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date:  9/2/2023      Featured Track/Race:   Saratoga – Race 12      Race overview:  A wide-open 40k MCL for NYB f/m’s routing 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course.       Pace:  It looks on the tepid side, as there don’t seem to be too many entered who want to mix it up early, which means tactical speed will be at a premium.       Trends:  They just haven’t run enough on the turf, or it’s been on the soft side when they have, to really get any indications on how it may play during a…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date:  9/1/2023      Featured Track/Race:   Saratoga – Race 8      Race overview:  A deep and competitive field-of-10 25k N2L’s goes 7Fs on the main.       Pace:  It looks honest enough, as there are ore than a few who want to be involved early, which means a rating gear will come in handy at this demanding distance.      Trends:  The main, which has gotten plenty of use during the meet, continues to play fair when it’s fast, though early speed, at the very least, is preferred, as closers are having trouble getting there.   …

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date:  8/31/2023      Featured Track/Race:   Saratoga – Race 5      Race overview:  A wildly deep and competitive full field of 14 in a 20k MCL for 3up going 7Fs on the main track.       Pace:  For a 14-horse field, there’s not a ton here, which means #1 BARGAINING POWER (6-1) could get loose with an alert beginning, especially since any potential pace rivals are drawn extremely wide.      Trends:  The main, which has gotten plenty of use during the meet, continues to play fair when it’s fast, though early speed, at the very least,…