Author Archives: Jeff Nahill

Horse racing, Keeneland, Keeneland Race Course, Oaklawn Park, Tampa Bay Downs

Keeneland and Oaklawn Park stakes opinions for Saturday, April 13 (Plus Tampa Bay)

KEENELAND

SEVENTH RACE (Ben Ali): 1. Nun the Less 2ND PAID $9.60 TO PLACE, 2. Bonus Points, 3. Hence. LONG SHOT: Third Day.

EIGHTH RACE (Giant’s Causeway): 1. Mrs. Ramona G. SCRATCHED, 2. Morticia WINNER $6.40, 3. Excessivespending COLD EXACTA $26.80. LONG SHOT: Surrender Now. TRIFECTA $27.30 for 50 cents

NINTH RACE (Lexington): 1. Anothertwistafate 2ND PAID $3.60 TO PLACE, 2. Sueno THIRD, 3. Shang. LONG SHOT: Hawaiian Noises.

10TH RACE (Jenny Wiley): 1. Rymska SECOND, 2. Rushing Fall WINNER $3.80 REVERSE EXACTA $7.40, 3. Onthemoonagain, 4. Bellavais.

OAKLAWN PARK

NINTH RACE (Oaklawn Handicap): 1. Quip WINNER $13, 2. Rated R Superstar, 3. Giant Expectations. LONG SHOT: Lookin At Lee.

11TH RACE (Arkansas Derby) : 1. Omaha Beach WINNER $5.40, 2. Galilean, 3. Improbable SECOND, 4. Long Range Toddy. LONG SHOT: Tikhvin Flew.

TAMPA BAY

SECOND RACE: 1. R True Sensation WINNER $5.40, 2. Lovetobehappy, 3. Taylor’s Belle. LONG SHOT: U Know I B Lion.

THIRD RACE: 1. Spectacular Plum WINNER $9, 2. First Reward, 3. Trumpi. LONG SHOT: Candy Cove. COLD EXACTA $66.20; COLD TRIFECTA $102.30 for $1

SIXTH RACE: 1. Architect SECOND AT 19-1 PAID $19.60 TO PLACE, 2. Luna, 3. Itsagimme’s Girl. LONG SHOT: Red Curls.

SEVENTH RACE: 1. Silver Duke WINNER $54.80, 2. Peas and Carrots, 3. Money Broker. LONG SHOT: Tamper (SCRATCHED). COLD EXACTA $189; COLD TRIFECTA $198.55 for 50 cents

Good luck.

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Friday, April 12

PREVIEW: Some of you may have caught my Tweet last week saying I wouldn’t handicap today’s card because the jockeys weren’t going to use their whips. Thankfully cooler heads prevailed, but I had too much to do this week. I’ll provide some horses to look at on the card but not full picks.
As for rest of weekend, it’s a pair of weak cards and not worth my time. I think I heard 59 horses entered on Sunday. California racing is in trouble folks and it’s one track’s problem because no one would take responsibility.
I might have some picks around the country for Saturday. We’ll see.
Hope some of you had that cold Pick 3 I gave out last Saturday at Santa Anita.

Friday horses to check out:

FIRST: Acadia Fleet
SECOND: Night At the Opera
FOURTH: Gryffindor and Sunset Seven
FIFTH: Honeyfromthesouth
SIXTH: Chosen Vessel and Soul Beam
EIGHTH: Scattering Mink

Good luck

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Aqueduct, Horse racing, Keeneland, Santa Anita

Santa Anita stakes opinions for Saturday, April 6 (Plus Wood Memorial and Blue Grass)

SANTA ANITA

SECOND RACE (Evening Jewel): 1. Sneaking Out, 2. Tim for Kisses, 3. Ruby Bradley. LONG SHOT: Violette Szabo.

THIRD RACE (Grade I Santa Anita Oaks): 1. Flor de La Mar, 2. Bellafina, 3. Chasing Yesterday. LONG SHOT: Slewgoodtobetrue.
Obviously Bellafina is the filly to beat as the 2-5 favorite and trainer Bob Baffert tries to do it with Flor de La Mar and Chasing Yesterday. Flor de La Mar makes her first start around two turns and Baffert is 28 percent with this move and she’s bred to do so. Chasing Yesterday is coming back a little soon after a win in the March 24 Sunland Park Oaks and that’s not a normal Baffert move.

FIFTH RACE (Grade II Royal Heroine): 1. Space Talk, 2. Vasilika, 3. Meal Ticket. LONG SHOT: Ms Bad Behavior.
Vasilika is 3-5 on the morning-line favorite and deservedly so with nine wins over the course. Space Talk is making her second start in the U.S. and is bred to run all day. Her last looks like a prep to me and huge jockey change to Rafael Bejarano.

SIXTH RACE (Echo Eddie): 1. Tap the Wire, 2. Foster Boi, 3. Lieutenant Dan. LONG SHOT: Midnight Special.

EIGHTH RACE (Grade I Santa Anita Derby): 1. Roadster, 2. Game Winner, 3. Instagrand. LONG SHOT: Nolo Contesto.
If any of these four won the race, it wouldn’t surprise me. Roadster needs the points the most to get into the Kentucky Derby and maybe Baffert has him cranked up more than stablemate Game Winner, who is in the Derby and appears to be racing himself into shape after that huge second in a division of the Rebel. Instagrand also needs a first or second to get into the Derby and he figures to improve off that third in the Gotham.

NINTH RACE (Grade III Providencia): 1. Hostess, 2. Miss Flawless, 3. Lady Prancealot. LONG SHOT: Truffalino.
Hostess (12-1) and Miss Flawless (6-1) are both making their first starts in the U.S. after European campaigns and they are bred to run all day. Trainer Simon Callaghan is 24 percent first time in the U.S. so I lean to her. Miss Flawless is trained by Peter Miller, who is 21 percent with a horse off a 90-plus day layoff.

10TH RACE (Grade I Santa Anita Handicap): 1. Gift Box, 2. McKinzie, 3. Campaign. LONG SHOT: Mongolian Groom.
It certain looks like a two-horse race and the odds suggest that: 4-5 on McKinzie and 6-5 on Gift Box. Loved Gift Box when he beat the ill-fated Battle of Midway in the San Antonio and he has been training well for John Sadler in this spot.

AQUEDUCT

RACE 10 (Grade II Wood Memorial): 1. Haikal, 2. Final Jeopardy, 3. Tax. LONG SHOT: Hoffa’s Union.

KEENELAND

RACE 11 (Blue Grass): 1. Market King, 2. Dream Maker, 3. Signalman. LONG SHOT: So Alive.

Good luck.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS (Santa Anita races 2-7)

Top choice winners: 1 (Monydontspenitself $13.60, second race)

Second choice winners: 3 (Railman $2.80, third; Lomu $5.40, fourth; Cinnamon Twist $6.40, fifth)

Third choice winners: 0

Long shot winners: 0

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Thursday, April 4

PREVIEW: OK, I got a little bored so here are some picks. However, I didn’t do the first or eighth races since Santa Anita is changing the surface on the first and the distance on the eighth. As for Senator Feinstein’s grandstanding letter this week to the CHRB, let me ask how much has PETA given to her over the years? It sure sounded like a PETA press release. PETA needs to worry about its own house. As far as Feinstein is concerned I suggest you email her office and tell her to mind her own business. When was the last time she was at Santa Anita, if ever? When has she been to any track? When has she ever been on the backstretch to talk to workers back there?
Just a word of warning I won’t have picks for Friday. Thursday is too busy. I hope to have picks for Saturday. Good luck.

SECOND RACE: 1. Monydontspenitself, 2. Baby Bear’s Soup, 3.Run Macho Run. LONG SHOT: Little Scotty.

THIRD RACE: 1. Drink, 2. Railman, 3. Palaleo. LONG SHOT: Red Valor.

FOURTH RACE: 1. Keystone Field, 2. Lomu, 3. T Bones Trick. LONG SHOT: Hackberry.

FIFTH RACE: 1. Smart Rachel, 2. Cinnamon Twist, 3. Party Hostess. LONG SHOT: Todos Santos.

SIXTH RACE: 1. Shining Through, 2. Vantastic, 3. Urban Light. LONG SHOT: Order and Law.

SEVENTH RACE: 1. Sea’s Journey, 2. Friday’s At Shady, 3. Pig Iron. LONG SHOT: Soul Owner.

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for March 29

Preview: Sorry no picks for Friday and I don’t know if I will continue to do Santa Anita in light of what happened at the CHRB today.
22 horses didn’t breakdown due to Lasix levels or use of the whip. To say so is ignorant.
The facts are this:
It has been a wet winter in Southern California;
Santa Anita chose to run on sealed racetracks, which for those that don’t understand are packed down so the moisture rolls off of it instead of into it.
Horses suffered injuries on that type of track or suffered damage on that type of track that manifested itself in a later race or workout.
No one wants to take the responsibility of saying they messed up.
Instead, people want to blame Lasix and whips.
There is nothing wrong with the Santa Anita track. I have been told this numerous times by owners and they should know.
On top of that, to let PETA have a seat at any table in this sport is ridiculous. When was the last time anyone from PETA went on the backstretch? I’ve been there. I’ve talked to trainers and jockeys. I saw Zenyatta in her stall. Did PETA?
These animals are treated like royalty. They are bred to run. Facts are 1,200 pound animals on four small legs are going to breakdown some times.
Are there abuses in the sport? Yes, just like any sport. Someone always wants to take short cut to success. Those should be the people groups should be going after in the sport.
Any way, long story short, I’ve been busy this week with many things. I still want to handicap but it might not be in Southern California until Del Mar. I think you will see smaller fields and cheap racing in this state until then. Owners can go to too many other places where purses are bigger and rules aren’t put in place due to a knee-jerk reactions.
Jeff Nahill

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Fair Grounds, Horse racing

Fair Grounds stakes opinions for Saturday, March 23

10TH RACE (Grade II New Orleans Handicap): 1. Souper Tapit, 2. Copper Bullet, 3. Core Beliefs. LONGSHOT: Noble Commander.

11TH RACE (Grade II Muniz Memorial Handicap): 1. Bandua, 2. Bricks and Mortar, 3. Synchrony. LONG SHOT: Inspector Lynley.

12TH RACE (Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks): 1. Serengeti Empress, 2. Sweet Diane, 3. Liora. LONG SHOT: Speedette.

13TH RACE (Grade II Louisiana Derby) 1. Sueno, 2. War of Will, 3. Country House. LONG SHOT: Mr. Money.

Good luck.

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Horse racing, Oaklawn Park

Oaklawn Park stakes opinions for Saturday, March 16

SEVENTH RACE (Grade II Azeri): 1. Elate, 2. Shamrock Rose, 3. Midnight Bisou. LONG SHOT: Eskimo Kisses.

EIGHTH RACE Grade II Rebel): 1. Long Range Toddy, 2. Improbable, 3. Galilena. LONG SHOT: Extra Hope.

NINTH RACE (Essex): 1. Giant Expectations, 2. Heavy Roller, 3. Rated R Superstar. LONG SHOT: Hence.

10TH RACE (Grade II Rebel): 1. Gunmetal Gray, 2. Game Winner, 3. Laughing Fox. LONG SHOT: Our Braintrust.

Good luck.

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