With Julien Leparoux falling in love and moving to the West Coast and the couple of major accidents to New York’s top rider John Velazquez – Joel Rosario has filled the void perfectly. Also part of the connection includes veteran trainer and one of the most respected and successful horsemen around, Claude R. McGaughey III – just “Shug” to most.

Orb is the real deal and with his handlers you can surely count on this colt to be ready for the run for the Black Eyed Susans.

Let’s look at the rest of the Derby field in order of finish:
2nd Golden Soul (out) and heading to the Belmont Stakes
3rd Revolutionary (out) also heading to the Belmont
4th Normandy Invasion (was out now in) back out
5th Mylute (in) hot Rosie Napravnik back aboard
6th Oxbow (in) Lukas teams with veteran Stevens
7th Lines of Battle (out) the import is out
8th Will Take Charge (in) another Lukas trained entry
9th Charming Kitten (out) Ramsey’s bowing out
10th Giant Finish (out) Tr. Anthony Dutrow takes tack north
11th Overanalyze (out) another Pletcher horse overrated
12th Palice Malice (out) Todd could do well on fast track
13th Java’s War (out) Look for Leparoux to get another mount
14th Verrazano (out) Pletcher could change his mind on this one
15th Itsmyluckyday (in) Tr. Eddie Plesa and rider Trujillo are in
16th Frac Daddy (out) McPeek/Lebron combo may go to NY
17th Goldenscents (in) Krigger was smart enought to save at end
18th Vyjack (out) Tr.Rodriguez/Gomez late decision to opt out
19th Falling Sky (out) last in derby is done should be a rule

New comers heading to Pimlico – coming in fresh and ready:
Titletown Five – still a questionable starter for the Preaknesss
Departing - winner of Illinois Derby with Tr.Stall/Hernandez
Govenor Charlie - Baffert entry and winner of Sunland Derby
Street Spice – the question here is why? – Sanchez rides

Since this 2nd leg of the Triple Crown is 1/16 of a mile less than the Derby, this distance not only helps Orb BUT if the track conditions are fast then it could mean a wild, wild finish.

Other factors include weather, pace, readiness, strategy and post position just to name a few. The Track Philosopher spends hours figuring all that for you. So stop by, pick up your full Preakness card and head on out to the track or OTB. Or, pop some corn, fix your beverage of choice, bet online and watch it in your TV room.

The post Pick of The Preakness Stakes 2013 appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

Mint Julep Recipe (makes 1 serving)

4 fresh mint sprigs

2 1/2 oz bourbon

1 tsp powdered sugar

2 tsp water

Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a collins glass. Fill the glass with shaved or crushed ice and add bourbon. Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.
The mint julep is well-known as the traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby, a position it has held since 1938. Each year almost 120,000 juleps are served at Churchill Downs over the two day period of the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.
The mint julep originated in the southern United States, probably during the eighteenth century. U.S. Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky introduced the drink to Washington D.C., at the Round Robin Bar in the famous Willard Hotel during his residence in the city.
No matter where it came from or what brand of bourbon is used it is a refreshingly cool, outdoor summer beverage for spring at the race track but give someone you know whose not drinking your keys to keep you safe and your wallet to keep you from betting it all on that horse you just saw trot by because you liked the braided tail.

The post The Mint Julep appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

(…. and for women who keep their men “stylin’”) In the early years of the last century it was customary for men to wear hats as part of their daily attire. Take a look at most sporting events of 50 to 100 years ago. Men’s fashion in those days were suits, sport coats, ties, dress shoes and of course the hat to bring it all together. As you can see in this race track photo from yesteryear hats were the fashion.

Somewhere around the early 60s’ and about the time of Elvis and the Beatles, head apparel disappeared altogether and long hair and big hair came into fashion. Into the 70′s, hats came back in the form of the baseball caps. But the brimmed hats of long ago are, over the last dozen years, slowly making a comeback and are the thing to wear to sporting events of all kinds these days – like the local race track and especially to The Kentucky Derby. Here are some things to know when choosing a great hat.

Hats that were once popular but haven’t returned:
(and probably for good reason)

No matter what style you like it’s important to make sure it looks good on YOU. Big men look better in the wide brim just as leaner fellows look better in the Trilby. Make sure it fits – not too big and not too small but just right and very comfortable. It needs to look like it’s a part of you. Like this guy.

And if you don’t have feathers put a dollar or a parking stub in your brim. And as a last resort use some wager tickets – I’ll bet you’ll have no problem finding a few of those around. Whatever you wear look good and feel good – dress for success at the track.

Remember, that you don’t have to look at yourself but others do, so show some consideration and leave the t-shirts, the ball caps and the ragged shorts at home. That’s all the fashion to do yard work not attend the pageantry of thoroughbred racing. If we all wanted to see hairy legs we could stay home in front of a mirror.
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Let’s not let the ladies have all the fun with their wonderful hats and their gorgeous summer dresses. Guys, let’s bring it up a notch.And don’t forget, when you do pass a lady at the race track it’s customary to tip that nice looking head wear that she will be so obviously admiring.
For a great selection of hats that look sharp at the track – go to the Fedora Specialists and pick one out that’s YOU!

The post Kentucky Derby Hats (for men only…..) appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

RE-POSTED

The 10 cent Pick-6 will be awarded to one unique ticket. On days there are multiple winners, 60 percent of the pool will be shared equally while 40 percent goes back into the jackpot.

That is the official description of the “Rainbow” pick six at Gulfstream Park.  The ten cent entry fee makes it possible for the small player to have a chance with multiple entries at a low price. But the big players get an advantage also. A $25 bet can fetch up to 3 horses a race in each of the six races and for about $470 you get 6 per race and for about $10K you can cover almost every combination (10 per race), and that would be almost a sure winning ticket!

Now here’s the catch – you have to have the ONLY winning ticket to get the total prize.  And that is the equalizer since the payout with multiple winners is only 60%, your payout with the carryover at say $800K could range from $240K to, let’s say, $1,000 depending on how many betters hit all six. But that would be an advantage to the big players again.  Even with 12 horses a race the cost goes up to $30K (to cover every possible combination) and if you have 14 high rollers doing that then nobody will win it all and the big money will break even.

Then when the 60% is removed, the lower payout to the wheeler dealers is too risky to spend the big bucks to cover every bet. And that may open it up to the small better again.  But as long as the carryover is astronomical the big spenders will be fighting it out for the 60%.

And look for this monster to come to a finale, if no loner wins it all, on the last day of the Gulfstream meet when it will become a “mandatory payout”.  That will bring people out of the woodwork and into the tracks and to the simulcasting sites across the country.

This lure of the huge payout is adding to the attendance numbers at many locations across the country.  It has been a boon to Gulfstream, simulcasting sites and to our wonderful sport.  Thank you Gulfstream Park for this little pot of gold at the end of your Rainbow Pick Six.

The post Pick Six – Packs a Punch at Gulfstream Park appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

1905 – On February 24, Oaklawn Park Race Track opened its doors to a crowd of some 3,000 race fans. The day was declared a half-day holiday by Hot Springs officials.

1907 – Due to political problems in the state, racing was suspended.

1916 – Racing resumed at Oaklawn. The track is now owned by Louis Cella.

1936 – The Arkansas Derby was born with a purse $5,000.

1945 – Racing throughout the United States ended for an indefinite period at the request because of WWII. A 30-day season was held on November 5 through December 8 for the lost Spring meet. On opening day, an estimated crowd of 4,200 attended, and $189,289 was wagered.

1952 – Oaklawn gained national attention when its handle rose from a daily average of $336,341 to $434,667. Attendance climbs from 7,057 a day to 7,739.

1959 – The Meeting reached two milestones when its averages reached 10,000 in attendance and $500,000 pari-mutuel handle.

1960′s – Par 3 golf course in the infield was used in the off season.

1965 – Arkansas Derby purse increased to $50,000.

1970 – Records continue to be broken. During the 50-day meeting, a total crowd of 556,000 attended and bet $43,366,921. The average attendance was 11,120.

1973 – The first running of the Fantasy Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies, took place.

1974 – The Racing Festival of the South was born.

1980 – More than 250,000 fans attended the Racing Festival of the South. Temperence Hill won the Arkansas Derby.

1983 – Largest Average Daily Attendance Record Set 23,271 (still stands)

1984 – The purse for the Arkansas Derby was increased to $500,000.

1986 – The standing record single day attendance of 71,203 was set.

1991 – The Oaklawn Club was completely renovated.

1996 – Oaklawn Park race track achieved a record handle of $10,653,518 on Arkansas Derby Day.

2000 – Instant Racing, a pari-mutuel electronic system which allows players to wager on previously-run races, was introduced and field-tested at Oaklawn Park race track.

2011 – The average daily attendance grew 3% in 2011 from 2010 levels to 11,649.  Arkansas Derby Day saw an attendance of 62,364

There has never been a turf track at Oaklawn Park.
Horseplayers Association has ranked Oaklawn Park as the 9th best track in all of North America.  And, in my opinion, should be a “must see” by all who love the sport of Kings.

The post Oaklawn Park Records and Facts appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

The Track Philosopher Awards 2012

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TOP USA JOCKEY Award ……. Ramon Dominguez (again)

24% for over 1,300 races …. earnings over $25Million

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TOP APPRENTICE JOCKEY ……. 23 yr. old Eliska Kubinova

71 Wins at Emerald Downs from Jesenik in the Czech Republic

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TOP JOCK TWEETER on Twitter ….. Freddie Lenclud (again)

Now almost 3,000 tweets ….. tweet him back at @FreddieLenclud

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TOP FEMALE JOCKEY Award …… Rosie Napravnik

Ranked 8th in Total Money Won
Just 2nd Female to Win Breeders’ Cup Race
Has Mount for Next Year KY Derby Favorite

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WINNINGEST TRAINER Award …… Jamie Ness

After almost 1,200 Starts – His Win Record is 32% – In Money 63%!

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THE MONEY TRAINER  Award ….. Todd Pletcher

Approaching the $20,000,000 Mark in Winnings

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BEST SILKS Award …. J. Paul Reddam Stable/Jockey Mario Gutierrez

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TOP WINNINGEST OWNER …… Maggi Moss Again!

For All Owners With Over 200 Starts She Wins 33%
And In The Money In Almost 70%!
Take Her To The Bank!

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BEST NEW LOGO …….. The Belmont Stakes Logo Again!

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BEST NETWORK FOR HORSE RACING ……. NOT NBC Sports Network

Biggest Complaint -
Breeders’ Cup Mainly on NBC Sports Network (very limited availability)
Richest Day in Sports Deserves Prime Airways!

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BEST NEW TV RACE COMMENTATOR ……… Laffit Pincay, III
Still #1 in My Book – He’s Got the Voice and the Name!

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BEST TRACK ANNOUNCER …….. Trevor Denman

Great Job on The Breeders’ Cup Races!

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BEST RACETRACK WEBSITE ……. Del Mar

Track Webcams – Race Videos – Best FREE Meet Contest in Country

http://www.dmtc.com/

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Most Improved Race Track ……  Aqueduct!

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(Can You Believe It?)

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HORSE OF THE YEAR …… Fort Larned

Fort Larned….. Earned Over $3.5 Million and Beat the Best in the Classic

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BEST YOUNG RISING STAR ….. Shanghai Bobby

Undefeated in 5 Races Winning Over $1.6 Million
Not Bad For a 2 Year Old!

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WORST HORSE OF THE YEAR ……. 20 Starts 0 Wins!

Chalk Player (NY)  Flying Zee Stables
When This 4 yo Finally Wins – It Won’t Be CHALK!

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BEST SIMULCASTING LOCATION ……. MGM Race & Sportsbook

For the Serious Bettor …. Check out the SkyBoxes too!

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BEST HORSE MOVIE OF THE YEAR ……. NONE FOR 2012

A Great One to Revisit

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Good Luck If You Can Get a Copy!

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BEST FANS OF HORSE RACING …………

YOU, AGAIN!

View The Track Philosopher’s Awards 2011 

The post Track Philosopher Awards for 2012 appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

Betting at the track or simulcast location has become very convenient over the last 50 years.  Back then you could only bet at special windows – win place show, exacta trifecta quinella (some tracks) and the grand window of all “The $100 Window”. Later the self serve machine came about and the bettors could make decisions, place bets all at their own pace without the ire of the clerk or the impatient horse player behind them becoming irate.

Over the last several years the availability of betting anywhere in the complex came to be with the roving bet takers.  People that would walk around and if you wanted to bet with them they would take your bet, make change and even print out your ticket.

Stop the presses, the best thing to happen to horse racing since the starting gate has arrived:  FastBet Mobile!  Like the name implies, FastBet is a smartphone application to place bets anywhere in the sport complex, whether you are at a table with friends or in the paddock or even at some simulcasting sports bars. It’s easy to set up at the help booth to get your card, an app on your phone or tablet, and the wifi connection. Then all you have to do is deposit some funds and you are ready to bet any race and any current track in the country from anywhere within the wifi signal of the track.  Unbelievable!

Let’s look at the Pro’s and Con’s:

Pros:
No more fumbling with paper money
….. I usually separate my betting money with my “getting back home money”

No more leaving your table to place a bet
….. Women won’t need to leave their purse and men won’t need to leave their women
….. Not having to leave the table every race is a very big convenience

Get that last minute bet idea in before you get shut out
…..Ever get a great last minute bet idea or just let time get away while you’re calculating and the MTP is on “0″ and lines are slow and long?

No more tickets to fumble for or keep track of
….. Men, especially, are limited to only a few pockets since shirt companies have stopped putting the cigarette pocket on most shirts. And if you are like me, blue jean pockets are very tight to work out of for some of us

Cancel a ticket with just a touch of a button
….. If for some reason you bet the wrong horse or track all you need to do is hit cancel and it’s done – but remember not to complain if the wrong bet comes in a winner!

Automatic running balance and history of each bet
….. No more manual figuring to get your bottom line, it’s always available

Easy to get started
….. Each track or location has a Tech Spot to help set it up and get your card

Easy to deposit or withdraw
….. New betting machines handle these functions or go to a live teller

Cons:
Not getting a signal
….. Sitting out of range on the outskirts of the track can be a problem but it’s easy to fix by simply moving

Retyping your ID name over and over
….. Remedy that by highlighting it the first time and hitting “copy” then “paste” everytime it asks for it

This system is growing and is available at more and more US tracks. Here is a Churchill Downs site that further explains this new technology FastBet Mobile and to further explain a  You Tube Video .  Use it once and you’ll be hooked!

The post Best Thing to Happen at the Track Since the Starting Gate! appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

With track attendance for the 2 day event down about 6.5% from the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita in 2009, the track’s handle down 9.5% from last year at Churchill and total wagering across the country down almost 10% from last year.  I’m just saying…. that here are my reasons for the disappointing numbers for this year’s Breeders’ Cup event.

1. The tragedy in New York, New Jersey and other parts of New England kept a lot of avid horse players away from the TV’s, tracks and OTB’s.  This was unfortunate to many true horse racing enthusiasts from that region.

2. Poor promotion of the event by The Breeders’ Cup organization. I saw few television spots promoting this richest day in all sports.  No national or international news stories or mentions on major networks for this major sporting event.

3. Not a big deal even in Los Angeles.  On the front page of the Saturday LA Times there was not one mention of horse racing or the Breeders’ Cup. And if you tuned into the first half of the day’s card, even the crowd at the track looked sparse.

4. Dismal coverage by NBC Sports.  Last years coverage by ESPN and ESPN2 was fantastic for several reasons – top commentators, great camera work and a much greater availability. The NBC Sports Channel has a very limited access to the public and many sports fans don’t have it in their cable or satellite package nor do they access to HRTV. However, it was available on The Breeders’ Cup website but that’s not the same as watching the ’46 to ’52 version on a flat screen.

5.  And finally, watching The Classic under the lights at Churchill Downs somehow gave the $5,000,000 race a very special look…. almost mystical.

Now, I absolutely love Southern California racing so don’t get me wrong. But how about a later start so the Classic is under the lights, a huge promotion campaign, some local and national news coverage and ABC Sports or ESPN handling the broadcast.

I’m just saying…..

The post The 2012 Breeders’ Cup: I’m Just Saying…… appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

Saratoga Race Course
Betting and attendance rose at this summer’s thoroughbred meet at Saratoga Race Course.  The Upstate New York’s largest sports event attracted 901,000 patrons, up 3 percent from last summer and that averages 22,525 per day. This Summer’s Meet had 40 days of races, one more than the 2011 meet, when a full day of races was canceled due to Hurricane Irene.

Patrons at the Saratoga track wagered $128.3 million—up 6 percent, or $7 million, from the 2011 meet. Bets placed on-track are more valuable for The New York Racing Association Inc., which operates the meet. NYRA is allowed to keep 10 cents of every dollar bet at the track, four times what it can keep from bets placed off-site at locations from Florida to Las Vegas.

Total wagers on the Saratoga meet, including money from those off-site locations, grew to $588.4 million. That marks a 12 percent increase, or growth of $62 million, from the 2011 meet.

Del Mar Race Track
Thanks in no small part to the large purses and full fields, the track’s noteworthy 2012 stand produced some betting increases rarely seen these days on racetrack ledgers. Its on-track wagering digits rose by 13.3% over the course of the seven-week stand.  The daily on-track figures went from $2,087,141 in 2011 to $2,364,187 in 2012.

Overall, Del Mar’s all-sources handle jumped 8.8%, bucking industry trends. The final figures read out at a daily average of $12,651,175 (on a total of $468,093,477) for the meet lined up against the 2011 figures of an average of $11,629,151 (on a total of $430,278,585).

Attendance numbers – in the nation’s top three when marked as a daily average – continued strong, though they inched slightly lower at 1.2% over the course of the season. The daily crowds finished up at a California-best 17,623 a day, highlighted by a single-day attendance record of 47,339 on Opening Day, the eighth year in a row the track has outdone itself for its now highly anticipated first afternoon.

The post Sport of Kings Trending Up in Key Meets appeared first on The Track Philosopher.

Let’s take a look at 6 major reasons why this is the case:

1)  The quality of the competition. Only a handful of US tracks draw the quality of horses found at this Lexington, KY race track.

2)  The quantity of the competition.  Notice how many horses, on average, are entered and actually go off in Keeneland races. They average over 10 horses per race with some races handling up to 15 entries.

3)  The length of the meets.  A Spring and a Fall meet are separated by about 5 months with each meet having only 16 to 18 days of racing.  It makes for the typical horse, stabled at the track, to maybe get 1 to 3 races during the month and therefore making comparisons more difficult than say a 3 month season.

4)  The ability of the connections.  With the high purse amounts of the races and the tradition surrounding Keeneland it is logical that only the best are attracted.  The list of jockeys, trainers and owners is a “who’s who” of the thoroughbred racing world.  It’s futile to place a bet just based on a top jockey or a leading trainer at Keeneland!

5)  The time of the year.  The Spring meet ends just days before The Kentucky Derby and the Fall meet ends just days before The Breeders’ Cup.  It’s the jockey’s time to shine in order to get the good mounts and the trainers time to get their barn in order. That may be why you see jockeys bringing home longshots and top horses seemingly out for a brisk workout.

6)  The track.  Polytrak is still hard to figure at times and comparing the synthetic surface of one track to the next can be difficult too.

So, as you can see, it can be a bit overwhelming and for the unknowing – it can be costly. That is precisely why it is important to be armed with more information than the average Joe Exacta out there.

Keeneland is not just a racetrack, it’s an experience, no wait, it’s the ultimate thoroughbred racing experience in America. So if attending or simulcasting or watching at home and want to get the edge on this most exciting challenge in horse racing – pick up our selections at The Track Philosopher – you’ll have the advantage and make your day so much more rewarding than the not so gentle-man shown above.

Tip: Be the hit of your table and print out several copies of “The Track Philosopher” Keeneland cards for that race day and pass them out to your friends. Make the day more, let’s say, relaxing!

The post Keeneland – It’s a Test of Nerves appeared first on The Track Philosopher.