Iowa Festival of Racing Saturday Preview

Tapajo looks to make it 3 for 3 at Prairie Meadows

Iowa Oaks (Grade 3)

Racing Dudes Top Pick: #3 Tapajo

Racing Dudes Value Play:  #5 Livi Makenzie

Analysis: Saturday’s action starts off with a very evenly matched race for three-year old females.  We’re going to select the horse with the home track advantage; Tapajo (KY).  Tapajo has dominated the two local preps for this one, and with the lack of a star shipping in it looks as though she can handle this field.  A couple of recent Churchill Downs winners, Ice Cream Silence (KY) and Uptown Bertie (KY), look to be her biggest challenge.  Ice Cream Silence was very impressive in winning an ungraded stakes last time out, but the heavy hitters in that field scratched out of the race.  Livi Makenzie (KY) is our value play, and a horse that always runs a solid race.  She also ships in from Churchill off a second place finish to Ice Cream Silence in the before mentioned stakes race.  Ize in Trouble (KY) and Emona (KY) round out the field.

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Friday and Saturday Prairie Meadows Pick 4 Analysis

Friday Pick 4

Iowa Festival of Racing Friday Preview

Speedacious Invades for Saylorville Stakes

Saylorville Stakes

Racing Dudes Pick: #3 Speedacious

Racing Dudes Value Play: #2 Sakakawea

Analysis: The Iowa Festival of Racing kicks off with what should be an ultra competitive sprint Stakes for older fillies and mares.  Our top pick will the Bret Calhoun shipper, Speedacious (LA).  Speedacious comes into the race off a solid third place effort in the Grade 3 winning colors at Churchill Downs.  This past weekend the fourth place finisher of that race, Gleaming, came back to win a stakes at Delaware Park.  If Speedacious was to falter, the race could come down between two familiar rivals in Starlite Starbrite (KY) and Salty Strike (KY).  These two squared off in the Prairie Rose Stakes last time out, with Salty Strike winning by the slimmest of margins in a photo finish.  Our value pick, Sakakawea (IA), has won ten of twelve races at Prairie Meadows but all of them have been against State Bred competition.  She’s still worth a look though, as her form has been extremely solid at the meet.  Eric Reed has entered three in the race with Street Mate (VA), Dontbeshy I’ll Buy (KY), and Elle Special (KY).  Out of those three, Dontbeshy I’ll Buy seems like the most likely one to make an impact on the race.  Rounding out the field is Yournotthebossofme (KY) who finished third in the Prairie Rose Stakes.

Todd Pletcher: Is there a Problem?

On January 29th, 2012 many of us thought we were watching the start of what would be a dominant Spring for Todd Pletcher on the Kentucky Oaks and Derby trail.  Broadway’s Alibi had just dominated The Forward Gal Stakes winning by over sixteen lengths.  El Padrino had just beaten a decent field of three-year olds in an allowance race and look primed for bigger and better things.  Finally, Algorithms had just easily defeated the Two Year Old Horse of the Year, Hansen.  Although the last weekend in January is known for crowning triple crown winners, at the very least it looked as though Pletcher was loaded and ready for the Spring.

It didn’t work out that way.  After Algorithms impressive win in the Holy Bull the news came that he would be sidelined for a significant amount of time with an injury.  El Padrino ran another big race to win the Risen Star, but followed it up with two lack luster efforts in the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby.  He’s now on the farm with a slight injury, and his return is up in the air at this time.  The super fast filly Broadway’s Alibi went on to win another graded stakes, and finished second in the Kentucky Oaks, but now she has an apparent injury as well.  Blood work has been sent for examination, and she’s been put on hold until further notice.

Delaware Park Picks 6-25-12

Last week we posted special picks for Parx Racing, and the response was pretty solid.  So today we’ll do it again, only we’re changing it up this week and giving you free picks for Delaware Park.  Good luck to all that are playing today!

Win Picks:

Race 1: #6 Risky Recovery

Saturday Stakes Selections 6-23-12

Belmont:

Race 10 – Mother Goose Stakes (Grade 1)

Racing Dudes Pick – #2 Contested

Hollywood:

Race 8 – Hollywood Oaks (Grade 2)

Racing Dudes Pick – #4 Eden’s Moon

Mother Goose (Grade 1) Preview

Likely Winners:

#2 Contested (KY) – Racing Dudes Class Rating: 7.80

There is no doubt that the last two races we’ve seen from Contested have given us the “wow factor.”  She cruised to victory in the Grade 3 Eight Belles at seven furlongs, and cruised again in the Grade 1 Acorn at one mile.  In this one she’ll have to stretch out to a mile and one-sixteenth, but considering the pace scenario I don’t think she’ll have much problem.  With Broadway’s Alibi injured Contested becomes the controlling speed in this race, as well as the fastest three-year old filly in training.  Look for her to take the lead early, and never look back.  She won’t be the favorite, however I wouldn’t be expecting a great price on her.

#1 Believe You Can (KY) – Racing Dudes Class Rating: 6.11 

It’s probably a huge mistake to bet against a horse that has run this good in her last two starts, but I just believe that Contested might be something special.  If the race were a little longer I would think Believe You Can would win, but with it only being a mile and one-sixteenth I’m inclined to pick the mild upset here.  You also must factor in that Contested has a decent shot to be loose on the lead in this race.  If that were to happen it will be hard for anyone to take her down.  I love Believe You Can, but I think the odds are stacked against her in this one.

Whose Number One?

At this point in the racing season, we do not have a clear-cut number one horse in training.  With the big summer races approaching, and of course the Breeders Cup, we’ll take a look at seven horses that we believe will have the opportunity to grab ahold of that number one spot by years end.

Bodemeister

Race Record: (6) 2-4-0

Earnings: $1,304,800

The Good News: He’s the fastest horse on the list.  Bodemeister’s natural speed is incredible, which will always make him dangerous no matter who he faces.  If it weren’t for I’ll Have Another, Bodemeister would have had a legit shot to win the Triple Crown.  He’s also been consistent in three straight Grade 1’s, and has run speed figures that can match up with anyone.

The Bad News: There’s still a little question about him getting the mile and one-quarter distance.  He’ll have to get that distance effectively if he wants to become the top horse in the country.  The Breeders Cup Classic, Travers, and Jockey Gold Cup are all ran at that distance.  Also, his one-dimensional running style might get him in trouble down the road if he happens to run into another speed demon.

Tuesday Special: Parx Racing Selections

Tuesday’s aren’t known as great racing days, but we decided to handicap the card for Parx Racing today for all of you that like to play that track.  Below is our race by race preview win selections as well as a 50 cent Pick 4 ticket for races 5-8.  Good luck today!

Race 1: #2 Noah’s Dream

Churchill, Belmont, and Prairie Meadows Trainer Standings

Churchill Downs:

Rank	Trainer Name	Sts	1st	2nd	3rd	Total $		Win%	Top3	Top3%
1	Dale L. Romans	80	13	17	11	$1,474,395		16%	41	51%
2	Steven M. Asmussen	79	12	20	17	$788,315		15%	49	62%
2	Thomas M. Amoss	38	12	7	7	$320,455		32%	26	68%
4	Michael J. Maker	55	10	14	5	$518,518		18%	29	53%
4	W. Bret Calhoun	34	10	6	5	$375,117		29%	21	62%
4	Dane Kobiskie	27	10	3	2	$183,702		37%	15	56%
4	Brad H. Cox	26	10	5	2	$169,140		38%	17	65%
8	Eddie Kenneally	33	8	6	6	$364,899		24%	20	61%
8	Kenneth G. McPeek	48	8	6	7	$350,202		17%	21	44%
8	Wayne M. Catalano	29	8	3	5	$294,516		28%	16	55%
8	Gregory D. Foley	19	8	2	1	$142,565		42%	11	58%

NOTES: With just two-weeks remaining in the racing season, seven guys have a shot at winning the trainers title.  Dale Romans holds a one race lead, but you have to think Steve Asmussen has a great chance to over take him considering the numbers he usually runs at the end of meetings.  Tom Amoss, Dan Kobiskie, Brad Cox, and Greg Foley all have very impressive win percentages for the meet.