Welcome to Noel Michaels’ Weekend Winners, the place to go for weekend best bets and spot plays from veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer Noel Michaels. Check back every week for a couple of highlighted selections designed to help you cash a few bets and make some money.
Category: Horse Racing News
I hope he runs like Gareth Bale! HARRY REDKNAPP on the racehorse he likens to Razor Ruddock and Stuart Pearce – and why his nan ‘used to get slung in the back of a police van every other day’
DOMINIC KING: Harry Redknapp shouldn't have a care in the world, given where we are, but he wants to give a warning before we venture any further.
Rookie Rankings for Dec. 23: Leading 2026 Kentucky Derby Contenders
Three prep races for the 2026 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve contested in two different countries promised to shake up Week 4 of the Rookie Rankings. But the impact was smaller than expected. The two stateside qualifiers yielded intriguing results, but the winners weren’t quite strong enough to make the Top 10 cutoff.
Where to Watch/Listen: Horse Racing Coverage Dec. 26-29
We’ve reached the unique point on the North American horse racing calendar where for one day no Thoroughbred tracks are operating – this Thursday, as the racing community along with everyone else celebrates the Christmas holiday. Several major tracks are right back at it on Friday, Dec. 26, but this year the traditional day-after-Christmas highlight, opening day at Santa Anita Park, will be postponed two days due to a forecast of heavy rain in southern California this week.
