Tag: Horseplayers

Secret Oath will face male rivals in the Preakness Stakes (GI), including Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter, on Saturday, May 21 in an attempt to become only the seventh filly in history to win the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown. TVG will be live from Pimlico with enhanced coverage presented by Runhappy throughout the weekend.

There will be a Money Back Special promotion on all races at Pimlico on both Friday and Saturday and will be giving money back for second and third-place finishes on win bets with a maximum refund of $10 per race.

TVG's enhanced broadcast will include drone coverage of the races on both Friday and Saturday alongside up to two available Jockey Cams. There will also be features that will air throughout the broadcast including a spotlight on D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas, the trainer of Secret Oath, has won the Preakness Stakes six times, most recently in 2013 with Oxbow.

TVG's Todd Schrupp, Gabby Gaudet, Simon Bray, Christina Blacker, Scott Hazelton, Caton Bredar and Dave Weaver will be live from Pimlico with exclusive interviews, insights and expert analysis throughout the week. On Friday, the featured race is the G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, one of six stakes races on the card. The race has drawn a field of 13 sophomore fillies with Adare Manor installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite for trainer Sean McCarthy. She was last seen finishing second in the G1 Santa Anita Oaks and her rivals include the Maryland-bred Luna Belle, undefeated from four starts this year for trainer Hamilton Smith.

There are nine stakes races on the docket on Saturday at Pimlico culminating with the Preakness Stakes. Post time on Friday is 11:30 a.m. ET and first post on Saturday is 10:30 a.m. ET.

In addition to racing from Pimlico, TVG will be featuring racing from Gulfstream, Santa Anita and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

The post TVG To Carry Coverage Of Preakness Undercard, Running Money Back Promotion Friday And Saturday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring all-turf races from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs, including the Grade 3 Louisville to close out the sequence.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

The sequence kicks off in Race 6 [3:18 p.m. Eastern] from Churchill Downs, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward. An overflow field features Klein Racing's Hey There, who makes her first start for Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox after a debut fifth-place finish going the same distance on April 27 at Keeneland in a race won by the well-regarded Chardy Party. Hey There was away slowly under Colby Hernandez and trailed in eighth before swinging six-wide in the turn and coming up four lengths short. The Country Day filly, out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Sunny Isles, is a half-sister to stakes winners Extra Credit and Field Day.

The Wesley Ward-trained Musical Design nearly graduated in her March 16 debut but came up just shy when bested by a nose in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Gulfstream Park. She stepped up to the maiden special weight level in her next outing on April 22 at Keeneland and finished fourth after stalking the pace in second. The field will also see two newcomers make their debut as Air of Authority starts for trainer Brian Lynch and Wings Like Eagles enters for Michael Tomlinson.

The sequence heads north for the second leg in Race 8 [4:41 p.m.] from Belmont Park. A field of 11 New York-breds are set to sprint seven furlongs in a maiden special weight over the Widener turf course. Louis Lazzinnaro's Marinara Sauced will make his debut for trainer Chad Brown and enters from a May 13 half-mile breeze in 51.40 seconds over the Belmont main track.
His rivals will include the Horacio De Paz-trained Independent Paul, whose long series of works at Belmont were topped by a sizzling half-mile drill from the gate in 47.96 over the training track on May 12; and Feathers Road, who finished second in his most recent outing for trainer Linda Rice on April 3 over a muddy and sealed Aqueduct main track.

Action switches back to Churchill for the middle leg in Race 9 [4:55 p.m.] with an overflow field 3-year-olds and up contesting at one mile in a maiden special weight. Classic Mark cuts back to one mile to make his turf debut for trainer Simon Callaghan after a fourth-place effort last out going 1 1/16 miles on April 14 at Keeneland. His best finish in four starts was a third two races back in a maiden special weight going one mile at Santa Anita after he set the pace and weakened to be defeated by 5 1/2 lengths.

Creative Miracle, a first-time gelding, will stretch out and make his first start since a game second in a maiden special weight going 7 1/2 furlongs in August at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The Brad Cox trainee was defeated 1 1/4 lengths after holding a short lead at the stretch call and losing it down the lane to Brits Wit. Blue Devil also enters from a last-out second, hoping to improve from a neck defeat at Turfway Park where he stalked and pounced to come up just shy of the victory. The son of Uncle Mo will be making his first start for trainer Jeff Hiles.

The penultimate leg features New York-bred 3-year-olds and upward sprinting six furlongs in an allowance at Belmont in Race 10 [5:46 p.m.]. Sheriff Bianco will look for his first victory against winners in his first start off a seven-month layoff for trainer Wesley Ward. The son of Speightster finished second in a six-furlong allowance in October at Belmont after breaking his maiden by a length in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Pick Six Racing's Golquist was a debut winner in an off-the-turf maiden special weight for trainer George Weaver on April 8 at Aqueduct. The son of Nyquist went wire-to-wire to earn his first victory by 3 1/4 lengths. Citizen K was also a last out winner in a maiden special weight by a neck for trainer Horacio De Paz in a six-furlong sprint on April 28 at Belmont.

The sequence closes out in Race 11 [5:58 p.m.] from Churchill, the Grade 3 Louisville for older horses travelling 1 1/2 miles. Team Block's Another Mystery started his 2022 campaign off with a win in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup in January at Sam Houston for trainer Chris Block. The son of Temple City won in exciting fashion when he and Fantasioso hit the wire together to dead heat for the victory. Another Mystery finished a disappointing eighth next out in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds before regaining good form with a solid second-place effort last out in the Grade 2 Elkhorn, defeated 1 1/4 lengths by the accomplished Channel Maker.

Steep opposition will be provided by the veteran Shamrocket, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Turf Classic at Tampa Bay Downs for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Shamrocket found stakes success earlier in the year with a half-length score in the Sunshine Classic in January at Gulfstream Park en route to a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida in March over the same course. Other challengers include Highest Honors, who makes his third start on grass for trainer Chad Brown; Cellist, who earned a Grade 1 placing in the Belmont Derby last year for trainer Rusty Arnold; and Cavalry Charge, winner of the Grade 3 Fair Grounds earlier this year for conditioner Dallas Stewart.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, May 21:
Leg A: Churchill Downs – Race 6, maiden special weight (3:18 p.m. Eastern)
Leg B: Belmont Park – Race 8, maiden special weight (4:41 p.m.)
Leg C: Churchill Downs – Race 9, maiden special weight (4:55 p.m.)
Leg D: Belmont Park – Race 10, allowance (5:46 p.m.)
Leg E: Churchill Downs– Race 11, Grade 3 Louisville (5:58 p.m.)

The post Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features All-Turf Sequence From Belmont, Churchill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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NBC Sports' Triple Crown horse racing continues this weekend with live coverage of the 147th Preakness Stakes this Saturday, May 21, at 4 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. For the first time, Telemundo Deportes will present a Triple Crown race, with live coverage beginning Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Universo.

Coverage from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., begins this Friday, May 20, at 5 p.m. ET on USA Network with the 98th running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and continues Saturday at 2 p.m. ET on CNBC. Over the two days, NBC Sports will cover nine races live.

Saturday's Preakness Stakes field is expected to include Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter (6-5) and fourth-place finisher Simplification (6-1). Also running in Saturday's field are Secret Oath (9-2), a filly trained by D. Wayne Lukas who won the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago, Early Voting (7-2), who placed second in the Wood Memorial (G2) and Creative Minister (10-1).

Highlights of NBC Sports' Preakness Stakes coverage include:

• Seven live races on Saturday (four in the NBC/Peacock Preakness Stakes show)
• A historic look at the fillies who have won the Preakness Stakes as Secret Oath enters Saturday's field as a favorite
• Feature on trainer Steve Asmussen, the winningest trainer in North America, who trains Saturday's favorite, Epicenter
• A conversation among NBC Sports' analysts regarding the future of Triple Crown scheduling and the timing between races in light of the decision by Rich Strike's connections not to run the horse in the Preakness Stakes
• Meet the Preakness Contenders
• Celebrity picks for the 147th Preakness Stakes
• Review of the thrilling Kentucky Derby, featuring Rich Strike's historic victory as an 80-1 longshot and audio from Rich Strike trainer Eric Reed, jockey Sonny Leon, and more
• Tim Layden narrates an essay on trainer and U.S. Racing Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who has won the Preakness Stakes six times and is running Secret Oath this weekend
• Overhead plane camera
• Multiple jockey cams
• A camera focused on race caller Larry Collmus
• In addition, musicians The Chainsmokers, Marshmellow, and Moneybagg Yo will rock the infield with performances of their biggest hits throughout the broadcast.

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports' coverage of the Preakness Stakes features host Mike Tirico; analysts Randy Moss and Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, a two-time Preakness Stakes winner; host/reporter Ahmed Fareed; handicapper Matt Bernier; reporters Donna Brothers, Britney Eurton, Nick Luck, and Kenny Rice; and race caller Larry Collmus.

Steve Kornacki, NBC News' celebrated national political correspondent, joins NBC Sports' Preakness Stakes coverage as an insights analyst for the second consecutive year. NBC Sports' Tim Layden will deliver an essay.

The Preakness Stakes is produced by Lindsay Schanzer and Billy Matthews and is directed by Kaare Numme. Executive producer and president, NBC Sports Production is Sam Flood.

PREAKNESS STAKES (ALL TIMES ET)
Date Time Event Platform
Fri., May 20 5 p.m. Black-Eyed Susan USA Network
Sat., May 21 2 p.m. Preakness Stakes early races CNBC
Sat., May 21 4 p.m. 147th Preakness Stakes NBC, Peacock, Universo

BELMONT STAKES (ALL TIMES ET)
Date Time Event Platform
Sat., June 11 3 p.m. Belmont Stakes early races CNBC
Sat., June 11 5 p.m. 154th Belmont Stakes NBC, Peacock
PREAKNESS STAKES COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM & THE NBC SPORTS APP

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via authentication, giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC's broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

NBC SPORTS AUDIO PREAKNESS STAKES COVERAGE

The NBC Sports Audio Network will present live Preakness Stakes coverage, produced by SiriusXM, on Saturday, May 21 beginning at 10 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Audio (channel 85 on SiriusXM radios and the SXM App) with a special edition of SiriusXM's Down The Stretch, hosted by Dave Johnson and Bill Finley. NBC Sports' coverage of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course begins at 6 p.m. ET. NBC Sports' Larry Collmus will handle the live race call. NBC Sports and SiriusXM also teamed to produce audio coverage of the 148th Kentucky Derby on May 7.

The post NBC Sports, Peacock To Present Live Preakness Stakes Coverage appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike awaiting the Belmont Stakes in three weeks, the 147th running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Preakness Stakes is still going to be an exceptionally exciting race. That's because Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath will attempt to become the seventh filly in history to win the race, following in the footsteps of recent winners Swiss Skydiver (2020) and Rachel Alexandra (2009), who both contested the Kentucky Oaks before winning the Preakness.

One of those attempting to spoil Secret Oath accomplishing the Oaks-Preakness double is Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter, who won the G2 Louisiana Derby in March prior to his Derby effort. Early Voting is another horse capable of denying the filly as he finished second by a head in the G1 Wood Memorial in April before his connections made the conscious decision to skip the Derby and point to the Preakness. Simplification rallied from 15th in the early stages of the Derby to finish fourth and is another with strong form at the level.

Then there's Creative Minister, who makes his stakes debut in this race but whose connections feel strongly enough about his chances to pay a $150,000 supplemental nomination fee in order to run. Skippylongstocking finished third and 3 3/4 lengths behind runner-up Early Voting in the Wood Memorial and hopes to improve markedly to be a contender. Armagnac could only manage fourth in the G1 Santa Anita Derby in April but rebounded to win an allowance race two weeks ago and hopes to run as well at this much higher class level. Happy Jack and Fenwick round out the field, the former 14th in the Derby and beaten nearly 20 lengths and the latter last of 11 and beaten 36 lengths in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes in his most recent race.

Secret Oath is my top choice to win this year's Preakness Stakes because of the visually impressive manner in which she won the Kentucky Oaks 15 days ago. If we correctly ignore her third place effort against males in the Arkansas Derby prior to the Oaks, because she broke slowly then rallied from ninth to second while six paths wide on the far turn before tiring to third, the filly has won three stakes in a row. After a seven-length win in the Martha Washington Stakes in January, Secret Oath won the Honeybee Stakes by the same margin four weeks later. Then two weeks ago in the Oaks, Secret Oath took over with three eighths of a mile to run and was widening her margin of victory when the wire came up. That effort earned her a career-best 105 Equibase® Speed Figure which is the same as Epicenter earned one day later in the Kentucky Derby.

However, the difference between Secret Oath and Epicenter is that as a filly, Secret Oath gets a five pound break in the weights, which can be significant at this distance. Another factor in her favor is the fact that Secret Oath didn't have to run all-out in the Oaks whereas Epicenter was battling head and head for most of the stretch with Zandon before both were passed by Rich Strike. Luis Saez rode Secret Oath for the first time in the Oaks and gets the return engagement in the Preakness, which is yet another reason I think Secret Oath can follow in the footsteps of Rachel Alexandra, who won the Oaks and Preakness in 2009, and Swiss Skydiver, who finished second in the Oaks before winning the Preakness in 2020.

Creative Minister is a very interesting horse who may go to post at high odds in the Preakness. Tied with Early Voting as the most lightly raced horse in the field, Creative Minister has only run three times and never in a stakes. Other than that his record is the same as that of Early Voting (with two wins and one runner-up finish) and he's run just as fast. After losing by a neck in a sprint in his career debut in March, Creative Minister stretched out to two-turns and won decisively in a field of 12 in April, earning a then career-best 88 E® Figure. Coming back on the undercard on Derby Day, Creative Minister earned a new career-best figure of 108, which was higher than Rich Strike earned winning the Kentucky Derby later the same day. His connections think so highly of the colt they paid a $150,000 supplemental fee to run in the Preakness as he was not originally nominated for the race. Getting a good inside post, Creative Minister can save ground while racing mid-pack as he has done in his last two races, and if he continues his pattern of improvement he could be strong factor, perhaps even posting the upset win in this year's Preakness.

Epicenter was ultra-game in the Derby as he moved up quickly after a half-mile to go from eighth to first and held that position until near the wire when passed by Rich Strike. Epicenter also showed his desire to win as he battled with Zandon for most of the last quarter mile of the race and was drawing away by a length from his foe at the end even after Rich Strike had secured victory. After earning four successive 97 figures including when winning the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby, Epicenter improved to a career-best 105 figure and if he can take even the slightest step forward in the Preakness this race could yield one heck of a stretch battle once again with Secret Oath and with Creative Minister if both repeat their most recent efforts.

Honorable mention goes to Simplification and to Early Voting. Simplification rallied past 11 horses to finish fourth in the Derby, earning a career best 101 figure. He may find the slightly shorter distance of the Preakness to his liking although it must be noted when racing one mile and one-eighth for the first time in the Florida Derby prior to the Kentucky Derby, Simplification lost both ground and position in the final eighth of a mile when going from second (a head behind the leader) to third (two lengths behind the winner).

Early Voting has been freshened since his neck defeat in the Wood Memorial in April and trainer Chad Brown made the conscious decision to skip the Derby in favor of this race. The colt is on a pattern for nice improvement as he earned a 79 figure in his debut, then 81 winning the Withers Stakes before a 102 figure in the Wood Memorial. My main concern with Early Voting has to do with the fact that he led from start to finish in the Withers and tried the same tactics in the Wood. In this field both Armagnac and Fenwick are both very likely to want the lead from the start as that appears their only hope of success and if that scenario occurs, Early Voting may find himself in a position (third) in the early stages he's never been in previously.

The rest of the Preakness Stakes field, with their best Equibase Speed Figures is Armagnac (92), Fenwick (91) Happy Jack (86) and Skippylongstocking (100).

Win contenders in preference order:
Secret Oath
Creative Minister
Epicenter

Preakness Stakes – Grade 1
Race 13 at Pimlico
Saturday, May 21 – Post Time 7:01 PM E.T.
One Mile and Three Sixteenths
For Three Year Olds
Purse: $1.5 Million
TV: NBC 4:00 – 7:30 PM ET

You can get Ellis' full card detailed analysis and betting recommendations for all the races at Pimlico on Preakness Stakes Day – Saturday, May 15 at Equibase.com, TrackMaster.com and most online wagering sites.

The post Equibase Analysis: Secret Oath Could Become Seventh Filly To Win Preakness Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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