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.
Tag: Gambling
A Trifecta Strategy for Betting the 2026 Indiana Derby
Trainer Brad Cox knows what it takes to win the $300,000, Grade 3 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He’s won three of the last six editions of the 1 1/16-mile race with Shared Sense (2020), Verifying (2023), and Dragoon Guard (2024).
ABR Sunday Selections: Full-Card Picks for Opening Sunday at Saratoga
Every Sunday Noel Michaels will provide free full-card picks for a one racecard in North America. A veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer, Michaels also writes a weekly “Weekend Winners” blog for America’s Best Racing with a focus on key stakes races at marquee tracks. This feature will be straight-forward: full-card picks for one Sunday slate of races of his choosing.
Top Trainers, Jockeys for the 2026 Saratoga Meet and the Best Spots to Bet Them
The Saratoga Race Course summer racing season attracts the best horses and horsemen, not only from New York but from everywhere. Trainers from many circuits point their best horses to Saratoga, and the competition for winners is stiffer at “The Spa” than it is anywhere else. Which trainers and jockeys will lead the way and make hay for handicappers at the 2026 Saratoga summer meet? Let’s take a closer look. Saratoga’s Top Trainers
