Ray's Paddock | Horse Racing Free Tips

Beat Ray At Del Mar: A Little Red Feather In My Cap?

After nosing out TVG analyst Christina Blacker last week when Collusion Illusion held off Lexitonian in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes, my friends at Del Mar rounded up a confidence builder in Little Red Feather managing partner Billy Koch for this Saturday's edition of the Beat Ray online handicapping contest.

It's the equivalent of going up against Grade 1 competition and then dropping into an entry-level allowance race.

I'm only kidding, of course. Billy, who grew up on the mean streets of Beverly Hills, was reading the Daily Racing Form instead of See Spot Run as a toddler and cutting kindergarten classes to go racing at Hollywood Park with his movie mogul grandfather, Howard Koch. He never left the track, turning his passion for the game into a career, founding Little Red Feather Racing partnerships that he now manages with Gary Fenton.

This week's contest race is the G2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes, the ninth of 11 on Saturday. First post is 2 p.m. PT, and the Yellow Ribbon is scheduled to go at 6:10 p.m. PT.

Billy will join 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 Yellow Ribbon, whose seven-horse field includes last year's winner, the Irish-bred Beau Recall, trained by Brad Cox. 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.

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

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 31: $25 win and place on Mr. Paytience. Result: fourth at 14.10-1. $25 win and place on Square Deal. Result: ninth at 19.80-1
Aug. 1: $100 win Collusion Illusion. Won and paid $5.80 ($290 total)
Aug. 2: $100 win Savvy Gal. Result: sixth at 3.20-1
Aug. 7: $100 win Lavender.
Aug. 8: ???

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: An Inspirational Choice At Keeneland

When Shannon Bishop Arvin begins her tenure on Jan. 1, 2021, as president of the Keeneland Association, she will be the first female to hold that position and one of the most powerful women in the Thoroughbred industry by virtue of the Lexington, Ky., racetrack and auction company's history as a leader and innovator.

Arvin, whose father and grandfather held important positions at Keeneland, was interviewed recently by Paulick Report editor-in-chief Natalie Voss. She did not step back from the realization that her selection as Keeneland president can serve as an inspiration to other women throughout the industry. “It's not lost on me,” she said, “and I hope it does let women know that if you just get up every day and keep after it and be persistent, anything is possible.”

In this week's edition of the Friday Show, publisher Ray Paulick and Voss discuss the appointment of Arvin as Keeneland president and what her focus may be after she takes the reins of power.

They also review wagering data for American racing that suggests how – in this year of the coronavirus pandemic – the shift from on-track or OTB bets to advance-deposit wagering has not been a boon to purse money.

Watch the Friday Show 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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