Handicapping | Horse Racing Free Tips

LRF Care Handicapping Contest To Benefit Aftercare Returns On July 24

The LRF Cares Handicapping Contest is back!

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, and LRF Cares, a 501(c)(3) sponsored charity, have teamed together once again to host a live money on-track or online contest to benefit Thoroughbred aftercare on Saturday, July 24, 2021 at Del Mar. Each player receives a $250 live bankroll with the “takeout” going to guaranteed prizes and LRF Cares.

“Horseplayers keep asking how they can help with the changing environment,” said LRF's Gary Fenton. “I can see no better way than contributing to aftercare. LRF Cares not only takes care of its own, but also spreads donations to various aftercare organizations.”

TO SIGN UP FOR THE CONTEST PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Maximum number of players is 150, so please sign up today!

Format: Live money contest. Wager $50 or more on five Del Mar live races. Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta and Daily Double wagering only.

Guaranteed Prizes: Two guaranteed 2021 $4,000 (plus $1,000 travel) Del Mar Summer Handicapping Challenge Entries and two 2022 National Horseplayer Championship (NHC) entries. NHC Tour points may be earned.

To sign up and read all contest rules, please click here.

We look forward to seeing you at Del Mar or playing online through TVG on July 24th!

The post LRF Care Handicapping Contest To Benefit Aftercare Returns On July 24 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Equibase Analysis: Midnight Bourbon Poised To Upset Haskell

This Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park drew a field of seven, led by Grade 1 Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun and third place finisher Hot Rod Charlie, both of whom have run well since then. Mandaloun won the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth since the Derby, while Hot Rod Charlie finished second in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, so both enter the Haskell in top form.

Midnight Bourbon finished sixth in the Derby before a second place finish in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, so also fits the bill of a horse that has been competitive at the top level for 3-year-olds. Following Sea is the unknown factor in the race, having won his last two races by an average of six lengths and in powerful fashion, but he is racing in a stakes and running in a route race for the first time. Antigravity, Basso, and Pickin' Time round out the field, the latter the only stakes winner among the three as he captured the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes last November before three much poorer efforts.

Midnight Bourbon intrigues this handicapper in this year's Haskell Stakes. Midnight Bourbon got the jump on many a Kentucky Derby contender when winning the Lecomte Stakes in January following three months off, easily beating Mandaloun by a length. Following that, he finished third behind Mandaloun in the Risen Star Stakes then second behind Hot Rod Charlie in the Louisiana Derby, a race in which Mandaloun checked in sixth. In the Kentucky Derby, Midnight Bourbon was bumped early and four wide on both turns but managed to rally from 12th to sixth at the end while his two foes each got much better trips. Returning two weeks later in the Preakness, which both the other two passed, Midnight Bourbon stalked the pacesetter in second before making the lead and opening up with an eighth of a mile to go before being run down by Rombauer.

Still, Midnight Bourbon was two lengths clear of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit and much further ahead of the other seven horses. Considering his breeding, it is no surprise Midnight Bourbon fits at the top level and two of his half-brothers (same dam) have had tremendous success at Monmouth. One of those is Pirates Punch, who won both the Iselin Stakes and Salvator Mile Stakes last year. More importantly, the other is 2017 Haskell winner Girvin, who earned more than $1.6 million in his career. With consistent ™ Equibase® Speed Figures going back to the Lecomte of 99, 95, 96, 99 and 98, it is conceivable Midnight Bourbon could be that much more mature with two months off and can turn the tables on both Hot Rod Charlie and Mandaloun to win this year's Haskell Stakes.

Mandaloun really needs no talking up as his 4-1-1 record in seven career starts speaks for itself. Ignoring the Louisiana Derby where he finished sixth and considering he rebounded nicely for second in the Kentucky Derby following that race, Mandaloun has showed up every time he has run. Following the Derby, Mandaloun was very game in securing a neck victory last month in the local prep for the Haskell, the Pegasus Stakes, and certainly familiarity with the track has its benefits. Having earned a 110 ™ Figure in the Derby then following that up with a 109 figure in the Pegasus, Mandaloun should be expected to run another “A” race good enough to win in this race.

Hot Rod Charlie has a tremendous competitive spirit as evidenced by finishing no worse than third in all seven route races in his career, the last five of those graded stakes. After proving his runner-up effort at 94 to 1 odds in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall was no fluke when winning the Louisiana Derby two races later this past March, the colt was third in the Kentucky Derby (109 figure) before his runner up effort in the Belmont Stakes (108 figure) last month. The one knock Hot Rod Charlie may have, however, is he doesn't have any type of explosive kick. In the last quarter mile of his past six races, he has not really passed a horse. For example, in the Derby he was third for the last part of the race and in the Belmont he was second for the last quarter mile. Blinkers are removed for the Haskell which may help him find that added kick in the stretch when he sees his opponents better and certainly Hot Rod Charlie has earned his place among the top 3-year-olds of 2021 and might make his mark in this year's Haskell.

Honorable mention goes to Following Sea, who finished second in his debut in March before authoritatively winning his other two races. Earning a 110 figure competitive with the top contenders in this race while geared down to a five and three-quarter length win in April, in only the second start of his career, Following Sea won just as easily by 6 1/2 lengths last month with a 105 figure effort. Going from a sprint (6 1/2 furlongs) to a nine-furlong race is a tall order, but Following Sea is now in the hands of Todd Pletcher so there is no question he is ready for this test. As to pedigree, sire Runhappy's progeny have won 11 of 55 route races to date, though few have contested stakes. If not for the lack of experience in route races, Following Sea might have been my top choice to win this race.

The rest of the field, with their best ™ Equibase® Speed Figures, is Antigravity (97), Basso (82) and Pickin' Time (91).

Win Contenders:
Midnight Bourbon
Mandaloun
Hot Rod Charlie

The post Equibase Analysis: Midnight Bourbon Poised To Upset Haskell appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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NYRA Partners With Monmouth For All Graded Stakes Pick 6 On Saturday

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will offer a pair of unique wagering opportunities on Saturday featuring graded stakes action from Saratoga Race Course, including an all graded stakes $0.20 Pick 6 in partnership with Monmouth Park and a cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 in tandem with Meadowlands.

The $0.20 Saratoga/Monmouth Pick 6, which will feature a low 15 percent takeout and mandatory payout, will include Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford [Race 9, 5:40 p.m.], a six-furlong sprint for juveniles; and the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana [Race 10, 6:16 p.m.], a nine-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares from Saratoga.

FOX broadcast network (FOX) will present a special Opening Weekend show beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern, highlighted by the 83rd running of the Diana.

The $0.20 Saratoga/Monmouth Pick 6 Pick 6 will kick off with the Grade 3, $300,000 Monmouth Cup [Race 8, 3:29 p.m.] at nine furlongs for 3-year-olds and up; and include the Grade 3, $250,000 Molly Pitcher [Race 10, 4:38 p.m.], for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/16-miles on the main track; the Grade 1, $500,000 United Nations [Race 11, 5:12 p.m.], an 11-furlong turf test for 3-year-olds and up; and featuring the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell [Race 12, 5:47 p.m.] at nine-furlongs for sophomores.

$0.20 Pick 6 for Saturday, July 17
Leg A – Monmouth Park – Race 8, G3 Monmouth Cup, 3:29 p.m.
Leg B – Monmouth Park – Race 10, G3 Molly Pitcher, 4:38 p.m.
Leg C – Monmouth Park – Race 11, G1 United Nations, 5:12 p.m.
Leg D – Saratoga – Race 9, G3 Sanford, 5:40 p.m.
Leg E – Monmouth Park – Race 12, G1 Haskell, 5:47 p.m.
Leg F – Saratoga – Race 10, G1 Diana, 6:16 p.m.

Also being offered on Saturday's wagering menu is a cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 in partnership with the Meadowlands, the harness racing track located in East Rutherford New Jersey.

Current New York State regulations allow NYRA to accept wagering only on standardbred races that take place in New York. As such, the cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 will not be available on-track at Saratoga or to NYRA Bets customers located in New York State. The cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 is available to NYRA Bets, LLC customers outside of New York State.

In addition to the Diana and Sanford, the cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 will feature the $450,000 William Haughton Memorial [Race 7, 8:37 p.m.] for free-for-all pacers ages four and older; the $400,000 Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-old trotters [Race 8, 9:05 p.m.]; and the $700,000 Meadowlands Pace [Race 9, 9:38 p.m.] for 3-year-old pacers at the Meadowlands.

The Meadowlands Pace will be broadcast live on a special edition of America's Day at the Races on FS2 from 8-10 p.m. Eastern.

The cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5, which will have a mandatory payout, features a 15 percent takeout and $0.50 base.

Cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 for Saturday, July 17
Leg A – Saratoga – Race 9, G3 Sanford, 5:40 p.m.
Leg B – Saratoga – Race 10, G1 Diana, 6:16 p.m.
Leg C – Meadowlands – Race 7, William Haughton Memorial, 8:37 p.m.
Leg D – Meadowlands, Race 8, Hambletonian Maturity, 9:05 p.m.
Leg E – Meadowlands, Race 9, Meadowlands Pace, 9:38 p.m.

Free Equibase past performances for both sequences will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

First post at Saratoga on Saturday is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Kentucky Downs’ King Of The Turf Handicapping Challenge Expanded For 2021

Kentucky Downs' one-of-a-kind online handicapping tournament is getting super-sized: the 2021 King of the Turf Handicapping Challenge presented by Daily Racing Form will feature a trio of two-day handicapping contests spanning the all-grass meet's Sept. 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 dates.

Last year's inaugural event involved a pair of one-day contests with the cumulative winner, Andy Muhlada of Lawrenceburg, Ind., crowned the first National Turf Handicapping Champion. The separate online tournaments are live-money events, meaning that entrants use a real bankroll and get to keep whatever they might earn. All contest bets must be placed through the TVG, 4NJBets or Xpressbet ADW platforms.

“The philosophy at Kentucky Downs has been that if something works well, how can we make it even better?” said Kentucky Downs Vice President for Racing Ted Nicholson. “Those were the marching orders for our marketing team. The beauty of this format is the flexibility it provides for those who might face scheduling conflicts that prevent them from playing in one or two of the tournaments. But we also wanted to reward those who play all six days.

“With the ever-growing popularity of Kentucky Downs racing, with our big fields and low takeout, we believe the Turf Handicapping Challenge will be a big hit with simulcast players and NHC Tour members alike. We also wanted to award prizes to make it worth players' time and money. And as with last year, all the buy-in fees are returned to the players through either the prizes or their bankrolls.”

Seats at the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) will be awarded to the top finishers in all three individual competitions, with seats for the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) also up for grabs in the final two contests. The overall winner who participates in all three contests over the six dates will be crowned National Turf Handicapping Champion and earn additional prize money, along with the National Turf Handicapping Champion Trophy presented by BetMakers.

“The 2020 Kentucky Downs Turf Handicapping Challenge proved to be a massive success,” said tournament director Brian Skirka, who also is Monmouth Park's director of marketing. “We look to build off that success this season with three, two-day contests encapsulating the entire Kentucky Downs meet. The uniqueness of all-turf cards combined with full fields, great betting opportunities, and the chance to become the National Turf Handicapping Champion make these contests a can't-miss for contest players across the country. I look forward to being part of the contest team yet again and thank Kentucky Downs for the opportunity.”

Based on conservative estimates, a projected minimum of 13 qualifying seats and prize packages (hotel and airfare up to $400) to the 2022 National Horseplayers Championship and three seats with the $10,000 buy-in to the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge at Del Mar will be awarded. The exact numbers of automatic qualifiers to the NHC and BCBC buy-ins depend on entries, with more than $100,000 in cash projected to be paid out.

Muhlada says he plans to defend his title.

“The format looks intriguing and intense,” he said. “Seems fitting that this unique track and meet is hosting such a challenging tournament series. I am excited to participate!”

Half of the buy-in amounts for the three stand-alone tournaments goes to the entrant's live bankroll and the other half goes toward the prizes, including cash payments to the top 10 finishers in each contest. Players must wager on a minimum of five races each day, with no maximum. All contests are based on Kentucky Downs racing that day. Also new this year: doubles join the betting menu in addition to straight and exacta wagering.

Here's a quick look at the three contests (with projected prizes based on 175 entries per contest):

Sunday Sept. 5 and Monday Sept. 6: $600 buy-in, $30 minimum bet per race. Projected prizes: four NHC prize packs, $10,000 to the winner down to $800 for 10th.

Wednesday Sept. 8 and Thursday Sept. 9: $800 buy-in, $40 minimum bet per race. Projected prizes: One BCBC seat and $10,000 buy-in, four NHC seats and prize packs, $12,000 to the winner down to $1,000 for 10th.

Saturday Sept. 11 and Sunday Sept. 12: $1,200 buy-in, $60 minimum bet per race. Projected prizes: Two BCBC seats and $10,000 buy-in, five NHC prize packs, $18,000 to winner down to $1,500 for 10th.

The National Turf Handicapping Champion is the player with the highest aggregate six-day bankroll once scores are combined from the three individual contests. Based on 175 entries for each contest, the Turf Handicapping Champ will receive $25,000 in addition to prizes earned during the three tournaments.

“This is a unique tournament series with reasonable entry fees and great prizes for each individual tournament,” said Scott Coles, a Chicago futures trader who in 2019 became the youngest NHC champion at age 34. “If you play them all, you can win your entries into the major championships, pick up a lot of NHC Tour points and be crowned King of the Turf all in the same week. Get involved!”

For more information or to sign up, contact Brian Skirka at bskirka@monmouthpark.com.

Low-priced feeder contests will be available each week on www.horsetourneys.com, providing the opportunity to win fees-paid entry to all three contests. Click here for information about Sunday's Horsetourneys.com first feeder contest.

Click here for complete rules

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