Welcome to Noel Michaels’ Weekend Winners, the place to go for weekend best bets and spot plays from veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer Noel Michaels. Check back every week for a couple of highlighted selections designed to help you cash a few bets and make some money.
Tag: The Sport
2025 Ontario Derby at a Glance
Three-year-olds take center stage in Saturday’s Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine. The race usually draws a mix of Ontario-bred and U.S.-bred colts and geldings and that’s the case this year, with a field headlined by upset King’s Plate winner Mansetti.
2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna Officially Retired from Racing
Trainer Kenny McPeek announced Oct. 15 that 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna has been officially retired from racing and will call John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa near Paris, Ky., her home as she embarks on her second career as a broodmare.
The Incomparable Cigar: A Trainer’s Ability to Transform an Athlete into a Champion
Few sports fans ever have the privilege of watching a world-class trainer cultivate a champion athlete—and even fewer fans have the opportunity to witness the development of an elite animal athlete. The transformation of Cigar from a horse that showed modest turf ability to one that developed into a legend on dirt illustrates how critical a trainer’s role can be in our sport. The transformation of Cigar from a horse that showed modest turf ability to one that developed into a legend on dirt illustrates how critical a trainer’s role can be.
