Horseplayers who play Southern California tracks Santa Anita Park and Del Mar know that one of the most reliable jockeys on the grounds is Joe Talamo. Joe almost never rides the best horse, but he always does a great job. Unless Talamo's mounts have no shot, Joe puts them into a position to cash a check. That's all you can ask when handicapping jockeys. Check out 5 of Joe Talamo's top rides. We'll start with a ride that Joe provided [...]
Many horseplayers still aren't aware that Rudy Rodriguez's one of the top trainers in the nation. Rudy has saddled plenty of graded stakes winners. But because most of horses win claiming, allowance, and non-graded stakes, he doesn't get the attention he deserves. Rodriguez has been a mainstay winning trainer at the New York tracks, Aqueduct and Belmont. He's produced winners at Saratoga's yearly summer meet, but it's at the Big A and Big Sandy where's he done his best work. [...]
Maximus Mischief winning the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct - Photo by NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography/Chelsea Durand Big steps up in both class and distance can be problematic for some horses, but they were certainly no obstacle for Maximus Mischief in Saturday’s $250,000 Remsen Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct, as the speedy colt kept his unbeaten record intact with another eye-catching victory. With qualifications points for the 2019 Kentucky Derby on the line, the 1 1/8-mile Remsen marked [...]
Tomorrow evening while many sports enthusiasts are still watching the action from across the National Football League, harness racing fans will turn their attention to Rosecroft Raceway as the Maryland five-eighths mile oval hosts the $100,000 Potomac Pace for free-for-all pacers, the highlight of a 13-race program set to get under way at 4:40. Sunday's feature is the third renewal of the $100,000 Potomac Pace and the event attracted a solid field of eight pacers, but did not draw division [...]
We're back LIVE, well live on tape, but we're back! Previewing all the weekend stakes action from Aqueduct and Del Mar as well as opening day from Gulfstream Park!
Thursday evening Dover Downs offered a lucrative card that featured the last major open stakes race of the schedule for three-year-old colt pacers in addition to four finals for Delaware-bred two-year-olds of both gaits and genders. That afternoon the post positions were also drawn for the $100,000 Potomac Pace final at Rosecroft on Sunday as well as an older invitational featuring Foiled Again. In one of the latter races on the Dover Downs card on Thursday, This Is The Plan [...]
Mike and Mike talk harness every Thursday morning in the BetAmerica Radio Network. This week featured the 2018 Post Time with Mike and Mike Awards Nomination Show.
River Boyne - © Benoit Photo With relatively few opportunities remaining for horses to compete against Grade 1 company before the end of 2018, fourteen three-year-olds have turned out to contest Saturday’s $300,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. I) at Del Mar. But while the huge field size suggests that the race should be wide-open in nature, I’m strongly drawn toward the two favorites #4 River Boyne and #6 Raging Bull, in part because I believe their most recent efforts [...]
Mendelssohn winning the UAE Derby - Coady Photography More often than not, the $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct is won by a horse exiting a Breeders’ Cup race, whether it’s the Classic, the Dirt Mile, or even the Sprint. It only makes sense. With its Grade 1 ranking, its hefty purse, its perfect placement on the calendar, and its one-mile distance that is ideal for a wide variety of horses, the Cigar Mile is a [...]
Network Effect winning his debut at Saratoga - Photo by NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography If you’re among the many handicappers who figure to place their betting dollars on #5 Network Effect in Saturday’s $250,000 Remsen Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct, I certainly can’t blame you. What’s not to like? He’s got the powerful team of trainer Chad Brown and jockey Javier Castellano in his corner, and he’s done little wrong in two starts to date. After breaking his maiden by [...]
