Ray Paulick | Horse Racing Free Tips

Triple Crown News Minute Presented By Kentucky Equine Research: Who’ll Fight ‘The Law’?

While Saturday's $1-million Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., offers qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers), this Grade 1, mile and a quarter fixture is anything but a “prep.”

Barclay Tagg has made no secret of his desire to win this “Mid-Summer Derby,” and Tiz the Law has not missed a beat for him since winning the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 20 – the opening leg of the Triple Crown in this upside-down year of the coronavirus pandemic.

But to win the Travers, the Constitution colt will have to earn it. Three-time Travers-winning trainer Bob Baffert has shipped unbeaten Uncle Chuck in from California, and the Uncle Mo colt has drawn comparisons to Arrogate, the 2016 Travers winner for Baffert who set a track record of 1:59.36 winning by 13 1/2 lengths.

Country Grammer and Caracaro, the 1-2 finishers in the G3 Peter Pan at Saratoga on July 16, could also make things difficult for Tiz the Law.

In this edition of the Triple Crown News Minute, Ray Paulick and news editor Chelsea Hackbarth go through the field of eight 3-year-olds to determine whether any of them are capable of fighting 'The Law' and upsetting Tagg's even-money morning line favorite.

Watch the latest Triple Crown News Minute below:

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Beat Ray At Del Mar: A Head-Spinning Opponent Armed With Stats

Christina Blacker from TVG will try to break a scoreless tie in week three of Del Mar's Beat Ray Everyday Beach Boss contest on Saturday, and if her past performances are any indication she will come armed with sophisticated statistical models from STATS Race Lens that will make my head spin as we try to pick the winner in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes.

Married to trainer Dan Blacker and the daughter of retired jockey Frank Olivares, Christina grew up around the game and always brings great insights to her analyst role at TVG.

My only chance to win will be if she has an off day.

She can't do any worse than my first two opponents, track announcer Larry Collmus and ESPN College GameDay personality Chris “The Bear” Fallica. Both blanked on their $100 bets, but so did I.

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 still 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.

Every Saturday, a racing or sports celebrity will be a guest handicapper for the contest race.

Christina joins fellow handicapper Michelle Yu and me on Saturday at 11 a.m. PT on Del Mar's social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube) to handicap the Crosby, a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge Series race for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs, with the winner getting a fees-paid berth in the Sprint. Tune in to hear our handicapping strategies and our bets for the contest.

Ray's Beat Ray Everyday plays:
July 10: $100 win on Hit the Road. Result: Won and paid $5.20 ($260 total)
July 11: $100 win on Voodoo Song. Result: Fifth as 2.90-1 favorite
July 12: $100 win on Going to Vegas. Result: Sixth at 6.10-1
July 24: $50 win/place on Surrender Now. Result: Seventh at 9.60-1
July 25: $40 win/place Croughavouke. Result: fifth at 7.30-1. $20 win Over Attracted. Result: eighth at 13.90-1
July 26:$60 to win Camino Del Paraiso. Result: lost rider at 4.20-1.$20 to win Desmond Doss. Result: fourth at 49.00-1. $20 to win Ultimate Bango. Result: eighth at 12.70-1.
July 27: $100 win Hootie. Result: Won and paid $7.80. ($390 total)
July 28: $25 win and place on Mr. Paytience. $25 win and place on Square Deal.

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: McCarron On Whip Reform

Many racing jurisdictions throughout the United States and around the world are taking steps to change how the whip – or riding crop if you prefer – is used in our sport.

While there doesn't seem to be consensus on exactly what changes should be made, there is widespread agreement that some reforms are necessary.

In a special edition of the Friday Show this week, Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron joins publisher Ray Paulick and editor-in-chief Natalie Voss to share his views on whip reform and how his opinion has evolved, both during his riding days and later while teaching aspiring jockeys at the North American Racing Academy in Lexington, Ky.

“I was still learning when I retired after 28 years in the saddle,” said McCarron, “and I learned even more when I started teaching, when I had to articulate what my thoughts were to the students and try to instill in them what the experience is like.”

McCarron is firm in his conviction that the riding crop is a necessary piece of equipment for a jockey to carry, but also believes that reform is an important step forward for the sport, and one that can and should be achieved on an international basis.

Watch The Friday Show below to hear Chris McCarron's perspective on this issue, and let us know your feelings in the comment section.

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Fixing The Easy Things

Racing has major challenges to deal with: competition from sports betting and casinos, distribution of wagering revenue, high takeout, medication, integrity and a growing perception problem with the general public about safety and welfare of the horses. That's why The Jockey Club Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining To Racing is the longest-running show in the game.

But there are some things that aren't that complicated and could be fixed quickly and easily. If only the people in charge really wanted to make a difference.

In this edition of the Friday Show, Ray Paulick and Natalie Voss bring up a few of those issues that almost everyone in racing should agree on: better communications, greater access to information, simple measures to enhance integrity.

We'll leave the big stuff to the poobahs and focus on getting some of the simple things fixed.

Watch The Friday Show below and let us know some of the issues in racing you believe can be fixed easily.

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