This week's card is thin as a dime when it comes to maiden races with first timers, with allowances, claimers and stakes races predominating. But we found one that, weather permitting, looks tempting anyway.
Weekend Warrior: Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper, highlights his three top plays in the weekend's biggest stakes races. This week Watchmaker plays the Donn Handicap and Suwannee River at Gulfstream and the Thunder Road at Santa Anita.
John Doyle, who retired from his job with IBM to become a full-time horseplayer, rallied from 19th place on the final day to win the $500,000 first prize in the National Handicapping Championship.
Thomas Anderson made a lot of great picks to lead the 12th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship after the first day of the two-day $1.05 million tournament at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas.
This week, we're not sure our Pick is going to catch anyone by surprise, but we're going to highlight it any way.
Twitter updates, video, and more from NHC XII in Las Vegas. Follow all the action from the 2011 National Handicapping Championship.
We don't know what the weather will have in store for most of the country this weekend, but we'll take a chance with our Pick and hope it stays dry in California, see below. Good luck!
Mike Watchmaker's Weekend Warrior: I was taking a shot in this spot with Thiskyhasnolimit even before the scratch of Sidney's Candy, who was certain to be heavily favored. I'm sticking with Thiskyhasnolimit, but the appeal of this race as a betting proposition has diminished for me.
Mike Watchmaker's Weekend Warrior: If Kathmanblu runs the way she did last time out in the Golden Rod Stakes, or two starts back in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, or three starts back in the Jessamine Stakes, then the rest of this field won’t know which way she went. I’m going with Excited. Excited also comes into this off a two-month layoff. But the difference here is she already proved she can win off works alone.
Today we will make up for last week and give you another two.
