Category Archives: Derby & Oaks

Racing alive and well in Hot Springs

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It is sunny and warm down here in Hot Springs. It is supposed to be 60-62 today with 30’s at night. Racing has been good and the crowds have been good. We haven’t really run much yet.

Typical Day at Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas:

They ran 9 races each day on Saturday and Sunday with at least three of those races being  allowance,  stake, or maiden special. Out of the remaining races they have claimed eleven each day with a lot of them having multiple shakes. I did see a couple with six way shakes (meaning six different parties in for the same horse). I have seen them claim anything this week from first time starters to nine year old’s.  Racing is alive and thriving here.  It is a very good way to get in for instant action. Get your claiming cash together (gather a group of friends if you like) and get in the game.

Derby Wrap-Up!

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We survived the “flood” of the Kentucky Derby and still managed to make a little as we had the exacta. It was an interesting weekend. Very nice weather Friday for the Oaks with the winner paying $79.00. There was a great card Saturday with the highlight being the Kentucky Derby. A light rain began early Saturday morning and continued right up to the Derby and then gave us a small window of no rain until after the race was run and then it started raining again.

The Derby is such a great betting race where the favorite pays $12.00! How great is that!? I always thought that less than half the people handicap the Derby, they just bet. Whether it be names, jockey, owner/trainer, color of the horse or which horse had the best pre race hype and stories in the media, everyone places a bet. The big gambling money shows up late. That is why a horse like ORB can pay $12.00.

There is a high-five carry over of over $300,000 going into Thursday’s card. Another perk of the Derby. This year someone hit the pick-six Derby Day or we would have a big carry over from that as well.

Now we get settled into the rest of the race meet here at Churchill (30+ days of live racing) as well as the Indiana Downs meet outside of Indianapolis. Purses are good at both places.

Two weeks to the Preakness with a good chance at the Triple Crown.

 

 

Open for Business!

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Churchill opens on Saturday, in case you want to get into something more exciting than golf.

Indiana Downs opened yesterday and we had a winning double header. ON Z RUN was coming off 9 1/2 months and ALL THAT GLIMMERS had not raced in 90 days.

Nine days to the Derby. If Lukas wins, he would be the oldest trainer ever. Don’t leave him out of your exotics. Him and Stevens were kind of “testing the waters” in the Arkansas Derby.

The talk of the grounds this week in the press is NORMANDY INVASION. The Paulick Report has ORB as the favorite from a poll. Pletcher’s Oaks fillies looks bigger than 90% of the Derby horses.

 

Derby & Oaks Recap!

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The Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby are over. The biggest weekend in Louisville every year. The Oaks was near record crowd with 112,000 in attendance and the Derby was a record crowd with attendance of 165,000 (which doesn’t count the few thousand that go from the backside to the front side with no tickets).

It was hot and humid weather like we normally get in July. Friday was marred by a thunderstorm which caused a delay and evacuation of the infield just before the 10th race which pushed back post time for the Oaks by about 35 minutes. It always amazes me that no matter the weather the people always come. It seems like from right after New Years men and woman alike start to plan their Derby outfits. The hats were in abundance and the attire seemed to be ramped up this year. Derby also fell on Cinco De Mayo this year so many were dressed for the occasion.

The first ever female rider, Rosie Napravnik won the Kentucky Oaks on BELIEVE YOU CAN owned by former Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones and trained by Larry Jones (no relation) which is great for lots of reasons. This is a race for the fillies, pink is the number one color of the day, Churchill raises money for breast cancer research and it is pretty much a day that focuses on the female/fillies.

The Kentucky Derby was won by I’LL HAVE ANOTHER who is owned by Paul Reddam and trained by Doug O’Neill, ridden by Mario Gutierrez both of whom were first time Derby winners. The owner had a giant weekend as he also ran second in the Kentucky Oaks with BROADWAY’S ALIBI. The Derby winner is by Flower Alley, who we bred a mare to this spring. Flower Alley is by Distorted Humor and was also the sire of Funny Cide. Both the Oaks and the Derby Winner this year were by modestly priced horses ($5,000-$10,000).

Congratulations to all connections of the winners as we close out another Derby weekend and the greatest two minutes in sports.