Dan Illman

Let's take a look at some of the weekend's major stakes races:

This week's HandiGambling 286 exercise is Friday's fourth race at Penn National, the $75,000 Lyphard Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE DECLARED THE WINNER OF THE HANDIGAMBLING EXERCISE; PLEASE CONTACT FORMBLOG@DRF.COM WITH YOUR DRF LOGIN AND PASSWORD IN ORDER TO ACCESS YOUR PRIZE PACKAGE.  PAST PERFORMANCES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PREVIOUS BLOG POST.

The Triple Crown series consists of 31.5 furlongs of grueling competition at three racetracks within a five-week time period.  Is it any surprise that a horse hasn't swept the Big Three since Affirmed in 1978? It's been a wild season thus far for the 3-year-old crop. 

This week's HandiGambling 285 exercise is Saturday's Belmont Stakes at 1 1/2 miles for 3-year-olds. REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE DECLARED THE WINNER OF THE HANDIGAMBLING EXERCISE; PLEASE CONTACT FORMBLOG@DRF.COM WITH YOUR DRF LOGIN AND PASSWORD IN ORDER TO ACCESS YOUR PRIZE PACKAGE. PAST PERFORMANCES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PREVIOUS BLOG POST.

Let's take a look at both graded stakes at Belmont on Friday. JAIPUR STAKES (RACE 9): On April 4, 2009, Chad Brown claimed Silver Timber for $25,000 from Linda Rice.  Two starts later, Silver Timber won the Grade 3 Jaipur en route to becoming one of the top turf sprinters in the country. On February 11, 2012, Brown took BERGERAC from trainer James Baker.  In his first start for the new barn, Bergerac ran a solid second as the beaten favorite in the Grade 2 Commonwealth Stakes over the Keeneland polytrack.