Horse Race Betting and Handicapping Articles

2015 Kentucky Derby Futures Odds and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 2/10/2015

It seems hard to believe as we sit here in the middle of what seems like an endless winter, but the Kentucky Derby is now less than three months away. It seems likely that the horses that will be favored by post time are ones that we are hardly talking about now — or at least that is how it works out most years. Still, it’s never too early to look at 2015 Kentucky Derby futures odds for any value that is being offered (all odds are from Sportsbook.ag):

Road to the Kentucky Derby : Biggest Races
by Trevor Whenham - 1/23/2015

In my view it is never too early to look ahead to the Kentucky Derby. Heck, I start thinking about next year’s race on the first Sunday in May. Right around the time of the Super Bowl, though, is when things really start to get interesting on the trail to the Triple Crown. Around the country tracks are being prepared for what is typically a three-race path to the Derby. Some of these prep races are more significant than others. Here’s a look at the paths in each area, along with winners of these races that have gone on to Triple Crown glory of some sort.

2014 Hollywood Derby Picks Plus Extra Weekend Horse Racing Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 11/25/2014

In the minds of many horse racing fans — including the most casual ones — the Breeders’ Cup at the end of October marks the end of the horse racing year. While that is sometimes this case, this year we are set to enjoy a smorgasbord of great — and important — races here at the end of November. More than one year-end championship could be on the line here — or at least these results could make things really interesting.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Predictions and Handicapping
by Trevor Whenham - 10/31/2014

It is almost here - the Breeders’ Cup! I have spent the last two weeks analyzing, writing, and dreaming about the fourth and fifth best days of racing of the year (the Triple Crown reigns supreme). It is a tough and very interesting year. The Classic is as good as it has ever been, and the rest of the races are mostly competitive, deep, and challenging. It’s shaping up to be a dream weekend. We’ve looked at the major races, and my picks for the card are almost done, but now is a good time for a few more general 2014 Breeders’ Cup predictions:

2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic Predictions and Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

This is it. The big one. The race for all the marbles. The race that every top horse in the country has been aimed at since the spring — or longer. The Breeders’ Cup Classic. It rarely disappoints, and some of the biggest names of our times — A.P. Indy. Cigar, Tiznow, Curlin, Zenyatta — have made their mark here.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Long Shots Who Could Provide Big Payday
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

One of the many things I love about the Breeders’ Cup is the long shots. With so many races to choose from each year, you just know that a few big long shots are going to hit the board and deliver some really sweet prices.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Handicapping: Horses to Watch
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

When betting on the Breeders’ Cup there are the favorites — the horses that get all the attention. Then there are the long shots — the horses that people pin their hopes and dreams to. With this list of Breeders’ Cup horses to watch, what I want to focus on are the horses that fit between those two groups. Here I’m looking at the horses that stand a reasonable chance of making some noise, and which are going to go off at a respectable-but-not-gaudy price.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Predictions and Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

The Classic is the Breeders’ Cup race that gets all the attention, and it is probably my favorite. It is when the stars come out to play. A close second, though, would be the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. I am obsessed with the Triple Crown and want few things in life more than to see a Triple Crown winner. This race is our chance to see the early stars of next year’s three-year-old class and see how they measure up.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Mile Predictions and Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

The Breeders’ Cup Mile has been very easy to handicap for a long time now. Simply, you pick Goldikova if she is running and Wise Dan if she isn’t. The incredible mare Goldikova won the race from 2008 to 2010, with each win being more impressive than the other. After one transition year in which the mare was a valiant third, Wise Dan won the race each of the last two years to cap Horse of the Year campaigns.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Sprint Predictions and Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

Sprinters are wired differently than most horses. Big and powerful, they run fast and typically with little patience. This race is often much different than most, too. We see more horses come into this race off of odd prep paths than any other race, and as a result odd winners are just the norm. It’s a race that makes the head of handicappers hurt year after year.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf Predictions and Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

The Breeders’ Cup Turf has produced some all-time great races and some of my favorite Breeders’ Cup champs. Runners like Fraise, Chief Bearheart and Conduit will always stand as giants in my mind and heart. I really don’t know who is going to win the race this year, but I am very confident that those greats will not have to make room for him.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Predictions and Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 10/28/2014

I was very excited about this year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff because of one horse: Beholder. She was one of the two or three best horses pointed at the Breeders’ Cup, and I was looking forward to using the defending champion as a single in exotic tickets. But then she spiked a fever, and we’ll have to wait until next year to see her again. Now the race is suddenly a little less interesting, but it’s much more wide open.

Can California Chrome win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2014?
by Trevor Whenham - 10/23/2014

I was two years old the last time a Triple Crown was won. Soon after I became obsessed with horse racing, and I was particularly obsessed with seeing another Triple Crown winner. That desire grows with each passing year and each near miss. Despite wanting to see a Triple Crown more than anything, I never got on the California Chrome bandwagon for some reason. I doubted him in the Preakness, really doubted him in the Belmont, and was happy to bet against him in his return to action last month.

Horses that can win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2014
by Trevor Whenham - 10/23/2014

The pre-entries are in, and we have a pretty good idea of what the field is going to look like for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. There are 15 horses entered for just 14 spots, so there is at least one adjustment left to be made, but the real contenders are locked into their spots. Anything can happen in horse racing, but if everything goes according to form then there are five horses that can win the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Can Shared Belief win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2014?
by Trevor Whenham - 10/23/2014

It is a deep and intriguing field lining up for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic. The horse that will garner the lion’s share of the attention, though, is the undefeated Shared Belief. Every other contender in the race has had at least one poor outing — and often more. Shared Belief has not taken a misstep. He has just dazzled. It does not take an active imagination to picture him winning this race, too.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Pick 6 Betting Advice and Tips
by Trevor Whenham - 10/23/2014

Now that the pre-entries are in and the big day draws near, all of my attention is on the Breeders’ Cup — the greatest two day festival in sports. Breeders’ Cup thoughts inevitably inspire dreams of winning the Pick 6. It only makes sense — the Saturday Breeders’ Cup Pick 6 is the biggest prize in horse race handicapping.

2014 Breeders’ Cup Track Trends and Handicapping
by Trevor Whenham - 10/23/2014

The biggest thing to remember when trying to handicap the impact the track will have on this year’s edition of the Breeders’ Cup is that we really will have no true idea until the races start. The championships have been at Santa Anita many times lately, so you would assume we could look back at what has happened recently to see what we can learn.

2104 Santa Anita Stakes Picks, Odds and Expert Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 9/25/2014

Santa Anita will host the Breeders’ Cup yet again this year, and on Saturday we get a preview of those two days of racing glory. There are five Grade 1 races on the field, and the winner of each will be guaranteed a spot in their preferred Breeders’ Cup outing. That opportunity, plus the chance to run the final prep on the same track, has drawn a deep and impressive field of runners for this card. It has also created some intriguing, albeit often chalky, betting opportunities. Here’s how the card breaks down with some picks and expert predictions:

2014 Belmont Super Saturday Picks, Odds and Expert Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 9/25/2014

Super Saturday at Belmont Park is an embarrassment of riches for horse racing fans. There are five Grade 1 stakes and a Grade II, and all six feature horses are making their final start before the Breeders’ Cup. Several horses on this card would go into those races as favorites with a win. We will see a wide range of styles of races, but the one consistent factor is the quality of the horses. This is a great card.

2014 Pennsylvania Derby Picks, Odds and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 9/16/2014

Saturday marks the one day each year that horse racing in Pennsylvania is even remotely relevant on the national racing scene. The Pennsylvania Derby has become a reasonable success over the years for two big reasons — the timing sets up well as a Breeders’ Cup prep race, and the track management is aggressive about attracting horses.