Horse Race Betting and Handicapping Articles

Breeders' Cup Recap
by T.O. Whenham - 11/10/2009

The 26th Breeders' Cup is now in the books after two great days of racing at Santa Anita this past weekend. As is almost always the case with the event, this one was packed with drama, heartache, riches, and surprises. In case you missed all of the fun here's a recap of the betting highlights:

Breeders’ Cup Preview: Breeders’ Cup Classic
by T.O. Whenham - 11/6/2009

The last of the seven 'real' Breeders' Cup races that we're previewing also should be the best. It's certainly the deepest. This one could go any number of ways. All I hope is that it is better than last year. Watching Curlin flounder on the synthetic surface and disappoint last year took much of the joy out of the event.

Breeders’ Cup Preview: Breeders’ Cup Mile
by T.O. Whenham - 11/5/2009

The fifth of the seven 'real' Breeders' Cup races we'll look at is the Mile, the third of four turf races on the day. Seeing a repeat winner of a Breeders' Cup race isn't particularly common, but there is a good chance that we'll see one here - last year's winner, Goldikova, is back as the favorite, and she is unquestionably the real deal. Ten other horses will be doing their best to stop Goldikova's streak at one.

Breeders’ Cup Preview: Breeders’ Cup Turf
by T.O. Whenham - 11/5/2009

The sixth of seven 'real' Breeders' Cup races we'll preview is the Turf. This is the race for the endurance freaks - the big, tough, impressive animals. Quick aside - I've been lucky enough to see a fair bit of high-level racing in person over the years. The two times I have seen the Derby are at the top of the list.

Breeders’ Cup Preview: Juvenile
by T.O. Whenham - 11/4/2009

The fourth of the seven 'real' Breeders' Cup races we'll preview is also probably my favorite - the winner of the Juvenile automatically becomes the favorite for the next year's Kentucky Derby, and there is nothing I like more than the Derby. Last year's winner, Midshipman, was injured on the way to the Derby and didn't return to action until winning in September.

Breeders’ Cup Preview: Sprint
by T.O. Whenham - 11/4/2009

This is the third of the seven 'real' Breeders' Cup race that we'll preview. The Sprint can usually be relied upon to be one of the most wide-open, difficult-to-predict contests. This year is no exception. Just nine horses are entered. Despite the presence of Zensational, a strong favorite at 7/5, I find it very hard to rule out almost any runners in this one

Breeders’ Cup Preview: Ladies' Classic
by T.O. Whenham - 11/4/2009

There are 14 Breeders' Cup races, but I'm old fashioned and still believe that there are only seven that really matter. The second of those seven that we will be previewing, and the last of two that take place on Friday, is the unfortunately-named Ladies' Classic - a race that should still be called the Distaff.

Breeders’ Cup Preview: Juvenile Fillies
by T.O. Whenham - 11/4/2009

There are 14 Breeders' Cup races now. Call me old fashioned, but there are seven that I consider to be clearly superior to the rest. We'll preview each, starting here with the Juvenile Fillies. This race can either be formful and easy to pick, or it can be a place for longshots to score. The difference between those two situations is the quality of the field - if there is a standout filly then it usually seems to come out on top.

10 Reasons The Breeders’ Cup is so Hard To Handicap
by T.O. Whenham - 11/3/2009

Let's not mince words - the Breeders' Cup is hard to handicap. Very, very hard. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't handicap it, of course. It just means that you need to be prepared. That means lots of study and preparation.

Breeders’ Cup Handicapping: Santa Anita Racing Surfaces Don't Favor Front-Runners
by Greg Melikov - 11/2/2009

If the 2009 Breeders' Cup plays out like last year's silver anniversary renewal at Santa Anita Park, don't expect front-runners to do well. In fact, none of 14 races were won wire-to-wire on the main track or turf. Leading up to the two-day event, only five percent of the 14 winners at 1 1/16 miles on Pro-Ride led all the way.

Breeders’ Cup Synthetics
by T.O. Whenham - 10/30/2009

I hate synthetic surfaces, I am sick of talking about them, and I resent that the Breeders' Cup has made them such a significant issue this year and last year. The choice to hold the event on the controversial surface two years in a row adds another level of difficulty to an event that is already extremely difficult to handicap. If you don't spend a lot of time understanding the surface and what it means for handicapping races then you're just not going to be successful.

Zenyatta and the Other Stars at Breeders’ Cup
by T.O. Whenham - 10/30/2009

The Breeders' Cup is about two things - excitement and puzzles. On both fronts Zenyatta tops the list. She's the biggest star at the Breeders' Cup this year, and it's not even close. She's also running against the boys for the first time in the second richest race in the world. Figuring out how to deal with her isn't going to be easy. Here's a look at her and two of the other biggest stars on the Breeders Cup Card.

European Horses in the Breeders’ Cup
by T.O. Whenham - 10/30/2009

The Breeders' Cup is, for a lot of reasons, the biggest challenge handicappers face every year. The best horses in the world gather together with very different backgrounds and circumstances, and you have to figure out who is going to shine on that particular day.

Zenyatta Heads 10 Horses Seeking to Double BC Wins
by Greg Melikov - 10/30/2009

The star of the 26th Breeders’ Cup will be undefeated Zenyatta, hoping to surpass Personal Ensign’s streak of 13 consecutive victories from 1986 through ‘88. But the daughter of Street Cry aims to do it against males in the $5 million Classic. Personal Ensign became the first undefeated champion in American racing in more than 80 years when she nosed out Kentucky Derby champ Winning Colors in the ’88 BC Distaff, now called the Ladies’ Classic.

Breeders' Cup Becomes Bettor-Friendly
by Greg Melikov - 10/26/2009

The Breeders Cup is becoming more bettor-friendly. There will be a Pick 6 on both afternoons of the 26th renewal at Santa Anita Park. To make this possible, the $500,000 Marathon was shifted to Friday, Nov. 6, to lead off five consecutive contests for females while the Pick 6 ends with the $2 million Ladies' Classic.

Horse Racing: Haskell and West Virginia Derby
by T.O. Whenham - 7/29/2009

There is always a lull in the racing season after the Triple Crown ends. The horses that have starred in that grueling test, or have given their all in an attempt to do so, need a break to recharge and get ready for the rest of the year.