Tue, 04/18/2023 - 10:16

Brad Free's Santa Anita horses to watch from week of April 7-9, 2023

SWEET TROUBLE
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: April 7, 5th
Finish: 2nd by 1
Beyer: 77
Five-start maiden switched to turf and ran the best race of career in main-oval sprint. Bobbled crossing dirt, difficult to handle while wide on turn, and finished well. Follow on turf, short or long.

Mon, 04/17/2023 - 10:56

Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Lexington Stakes analysis

By Marcus Hersh

Coady photo

First Mission, ridden by Luis Saez, wins the Lexington Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.

$400,000 Lexington Stakes, April 15, 2023 [20 qualifying points for first, 0 for second, 6 for third, 4 for fourth, and 2 for fifth]

Winner: First Mission, by Street Sense

Fri, 04/14/2023 - 16:12

Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Quiescent should appreciate switch to turf

By David Aragona

Aqueduct | Race 9 | Post Time 5:38 p.m. (ET)

TimeformUS PPs are now available on DRF.com. Go to PPs

Fri, 04/14/2023 - 09:19

Fair Odds for the Lexington: Identifying value among logical contenders

By David Aragona

In this series DRF handicapper/linemaker David Aragona provides his opinion of what constitutes fair win value for each runner in a weekend stakes race. The goal of this series is to bypass standard ordinal selections, instead developing price-based opinions around every horse in the field for the purpose of informing sound wagering decisions.

Thu, 04/13/2023 - 16:09

Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Sundaeswithsandy can handle added distance

By David Aragona

Aqueduct | Race 7 | Post Time 4:34 p.m. (ET)

TimeformUS PPs are now available on DRF.com. Go to PPs

Thu, 04/13/2023 - 13:30

Weekend GamePlan: Picks for Lexington, Jenny Wiley, Count Fleet

By Marcus Hersh

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos

White Frost wins her comeback race at Gulfstream in January after missing all of 2022. She will be an overlay in the Jenny Wiley on Saturday.

Longshot Mendelssohns March wasn’t good enough in the Blue Grass, mid-priced Slip Mahoney got wiped out on the first turn of the Wood, and Geaux Rocket Ride was scratched sick from the Santa Anita Derby. The three pushes in this space one week ago did not come through, but as they say lining up behind the betting windows, “That’s why God created the next race.”

Lexington

Wed, 04/12/2023 - 15:55

Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Open Til Midnight finally routing on turf again

By David Aragona

Aqueduct | Race 5 | Post Time 3:28 p.m. (ET)

TimeformUS PPs are now available on DRF.com. Go to PPs

Wed, 04/12/2023 - 14:09

Breakout Beyers: No doubts about Equivoque's talent in stirring debut win

By Marcus Hersh

Coady Photography

Equivoque earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure for this maiden victory April 8 at Keeneland.

Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.

Equivoque

Tue, 04/11/2023 - 12:15

DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Wednesday, April 12, 2023

By DRF Staff

Keeneland/Coady Photography

Keeneland begins the second week of the spring meet on Wednesday.

Daily Racing Form has served as the most trusted source of news and information about the sport since 1894, and moving forward we have decided to provide a free daily playbook – something that both hardcore horseplayers and casual observers can reference to get informed of each day’s action.

Tue, 04/11/2023 - 09:11

Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Wood Memorial analysis

By Marcus Hersh

Debra A. Roma

Lord Miles (left) gets up to win the Wood Memorial after a roughly run stretch drive.

$750,000 Wood, April 8, 2023 [100 qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 30 for third, 20 for fourth, and 10 for fifth]

Winner: Lord Miles, by Curlin
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Owner: Vegso Racing Stable
Distance / time: 1 1/8 miles / 1:51.17
Win margin: Nose
Beyer: 93

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