Ray Paulick | Horse Racing Free Tips

The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Bloodstock Markets In The Year Of The Pandemic

Bloodstock editor Joe Nevills joins publisher Ray Paulick on this week's edition of the Friday Show to talk about the state of the Thoroughbred market after completion of the recent Selected Yearlings Showcase at Fasig-Tipton and the early stages of the marathon September Yearling Sale at Keeneland.

Like many industries, the bloodstock market has had to adapt as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with a wider embrace of off-site research and bidding from both domestic and international buyers who either were reluctant or unable to travel to Lexington, Ky., for the sales because of COVID-19.

The economics of live racing have been turned upside down by crowd restrictions, lower purses in some markets, and, for some owners, the joy of the game has been deflated by the “new normal,” which could lead to decreased participation in the auction market — at least in the short term. The results of the current Keeneland September Sale could have ripple effects on the upcoming breeding stock sales.

Finally, it's a big weekend of racing at Woodbine in Canada, highlighted by Saturday's $1-million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, and Nevills and Paulick go through the field for that Grade 1 turf fixture.

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Beat Ray: There Is No ‘I’ In Team Rotondo

It's been a fun couple of months but all good things must end.

This weekend marks the final edition of the Beach Boss competition as the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club meet concludes on the traditional Labor Day finale on Monday.

Today's Beat Ray challenger is Peter Rotondo, the vice president of media and entertainment for the Breeders' Cup, which will be returning to the seaside track for the two-day championships in 2021. More importantly, he's a member of Team Rotondo, whose exploits at the betting windows at various racetracks were chronicled in the cable television reality series “Horseplayers” a few years ago.

I imagine Peter is calling in all favors from his teammates, including his father, Peter Rotondo Sr., the senior member of the team, to sift through Sunday's contest race, the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, in hopes of finding the winning play. He's not too proud to ask for help, since there is no “I” in Team Rotondo.

Peter will join fellow handicapper Michelle Yu and me on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT on Del Mar's social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube) to handicap this challenging mile and one-eighth turf race that drew a dozen entries (though No. 7, Warren's Showtime, one of three fillies entered against males, has been scratched). Tune in to hear our handicapping strategies and bets for the contest.

Beat Ray Everyday is an online contest offered every racing day of the Del Mar summer meet. It's free to play and you can sign up here. Bet a mythical $100 each day on the selected contest race in win, place or show bets on any horse or horses. At the end of the meet, the player with the highest bankroll from those wagers becomes the “Beach Boss” and wins two VIP tickets to the 2021 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. Other prizes are available to top finishers and anyone who finishes ahead of me is entered in a drawing for even more prizes.

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: A Breakthrough On Integrity And Safety?

The pre-race activities of Kentucky Derby week were superseded briefly on Monday by a press conference at the Keeneland sale pavilion in Lexington, Ky., featuring United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Congressman Andy Barr and representatives of Keeneland, Churchill Downs Inc., Breeders' Cup Ltd., and The Jockey Club.

The purpose of the gathering was the announcement that the various parties had reached agreement on federal legislation to create the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which would provide oversight – relying on the expertise of the United States Anti-Doping Agency – on medication policy and enforcement for the Thoroughbred industry through bi-partisan legislation.

In this week's edition of the Friday Show, publisher Ray Paulick and editor-in-chief Natalie Voss raise questions about the proposal – which came without specifics as to how much this national oversight office would cost, who would foot the bill and who would appoint the oversight board. They point out that the current system – with regulatory oversight completely controlled by various state racing commissions, many of them either conflicted or incompetent – is not working.

Watch the Friday Show below.

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Triple Crown News Minute Presented By Kentucky Equine Research: An Eventful Year, An Eventful Week

It's been the longest road to the Kentucky Derby in the storied race's history, with more than a few bumps and detours along the way in this year of the coronavirus pandemic. But, finally, Kentucky Derby day is almost upon us.

In this edition of the Kentucky Derby News Minute, publisher Ray Paulick and news editor Chelsea Hackbarth review some of the week's big stories, including the outside post position draws for the three leading contenders, the new Derby starting gate, the unfortunate withdrawal of another top runner, Art Collector, and the respect his trainer, Tommy Drury has garnered for making what is probably the toughest call of his career. They also discuss the fact that two horses without any qualifying Derby points made it into a field that drew only 18 entries (and has been cut to 17 with the news late Thursday afternoon that King Guillermo will be scratched due to a fever).

Throughout the Road to the Derby, Paulick and Hackbarth have given their picks for the Derby preps and for this year's Triple Crown lid-lifting Belmont Stakes, and suffice it to say Hackbarth has left Paulick in a cloud of dust. For the Kentucky Derby, she's gone out on a 30-1 limb, while Paulick has settled on one of the favorites.

Watch the latest Triple Crown News Minute below:

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