Featuring America’s Best Racing’s deep roster of talented contributors, including former ESPN SportsCenter weekend anchor now-turned radio personality Bram Weinstein, who serves as the host of “The Winner’s Circle,” and Dan Tordjman, “The Winner’s Circle” presented by NYRA Bets brings together these accomplished racing insiders to share their knowledge, tips, insights, and opinions by offering a unique, weekly pe
Month: October 2020
Blackjack: 5 Reasons Why it is Better Than Poker
Poker is hitting a huge boom all over the place from the best online casinos to the huge World Series of Poker, but when it comes right down to it Black Jack is still the biggest game and the most fun to play.
I think giving you the top 5 reasons why black jack is a better game than poker is sufficient evidence as to the superiority of the game of Black Jack.
Black jack is quick, you do not have to sit and wait for people to think. It is either hit me, or stay and that is all there is to it.
Black Jack is by far a much easier game to learn to play. Since the basis of the game is to beat the dealers hand with a 21, there is not really so much that you have to learn in comparison the poker.
You get to play against the dealer when playing black jack, which is not usually the case when playing poker. This is better because you do not have to worry what the other players are thinking. This is not an advantage but you do not have to worry about body language and the like.
Hitting 21 or Black Jack is just exiting, an automatic win. By all means poker is interesting, but how often are you dealt the Royal Flush? Well in black jack it is possible to be dealt black jack repeatedly in one sitting and I will say it is definitely more exciting hitting a black jack than seeing a guy with a pair of 7s beat a guy with a pair of 4s.
In black jack it is up to you to win, now it is also the same in poker, but if you lose to someone else you can not blame the dealer. Now many people would say why blame the dealer anyway? I will tell you, the dealer has only dealt the cards, you can only blame yourself for losing. It has to do with how you play. So it is easier to take loss in a hand in black jack than it is in poker.
Finding the game that you identify most with is the game you should stick with. If it is poker than be a poker player in all the poker rooms you can find, or if it is black jack than put on your smart clothes and pick your seat at the casino black jack table, because in my opinion, black jack is the best casino game there is.
McKinzie Retired to Gainesway
Four-time Grade I winner McKinzie (Street Sense–Runway Model, by Petionville) has been retired from racing and will stand stud at Gainesway in 2021, the farm announced Wednesday evening.
“McKinzie was absolutely brilliant. He was an undefeated Grade I winner at two, as well as a multiple Grade I winner and top-rated horse at three and four years of age,” Brian Graves, General Manager of Gainesway, said. “His speed, precocity and good looks make him an absolute standout.”
Purchased by Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman for $170,000 at Keeneland September, the bay was named in honor of trainer Bob Baffert’s late longtime friend Brad McKinzie, a Los Alamitos executive. Tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ for his debut win at Santa Anita in 2017, he crossed the line second in that year’s GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity S., but was promoted to first via DQ.
Kicking off his sophomore season with a win in the 2018 GIII Sham S., McKinzie was second in the GII San Felipe S. that March and was subsequently shelved. Resurfacing that September, he won the GI Pennsylvania Derby and failed to fire in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, but rebounded with a decisive win in the GI Malibu S. Second in both the 2019 GII San Pasqual S. and GI Santa Anita H., the colt was ultra-impressive when winning the GII Alysheba S. and was a close second in a salty renewal of the GI Met Mile last summer. A decisive victor of the GI Whitney S., the Baffert runner completed the exacta in both the GI Awesome Again S. and Breeders’ Cup Classic.
McKinzie made four starts this year with his best effort being a good-looking victory in the GII Triple Bend S. He retires with a record of 18-8-6-0 and earnings of $3,473,360.
“From day one, McKinzie has just been exceptional,” said Baffert. “He is a gorgeous physical with brilliant speed and stamina. I’ve only had one other horse in my career that has been able to accomplish what he’s done by winning a Grade I at two, three, and four. It takes an extraordinary horse to achieve that.”
Bred in Kentucky at Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm, McKinzie is out of MGSW and MGISP Runway Model, who was purchased by Lyon for $2.7-million at the 2006 KEENOV sale. Her most recent foal is the 3-year-old filly Map Maker (Liam’s Map). Runway Model has been retired from the breeding shed, but one of her older fillies Malibu Model (Malibu Moon) has now taken up broodmare duties at Summer Wind in her place.
“McKinzie is the best son of Street Sense, his Ragozin sheet numbers are as impressive as I have seen and to maintain that speed and soundness over multiple seasons takes an absolute superstar,” said Sean Tugel, Gainesway’s Director of Stallion Sales and Recruitment. “He has everything you want in a stallion prospect.”
The post McKinzie Retired to Gainesway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Albarado and McPeek Guest Star on BC Cocktails and Coversations
GI Preakness S. winner Ken McPeek and Robby Albarado will be the special guests on the Breeders’ Cup’s Cocktails & Conversations. The virtual happy hour will air Thursday at 6 p.m. on the Breeders’ Cup’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
The post Albarado and McPeek Guest Star on BC Cocktails and Coversations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.