Brian Nadeau is back this year to offer insight and analysis on this year’s road to the Kentucky Derby. A handicapper at Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB, he’ll analyze every official Derby points race and the three Triple Crown races, back at Brooklyn Backstretch for the sixth year. Aqueduct: The Grade III, $200,000 Withers at 1…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Pimlico: The GI, $1.5 million Preakness at 1 ¼ miles #1 Cherry Wine (20-1): Deep closer used the race flow to muck up for third in the GI Blue Grass at Keeneland and will need an epic pace meltdown to have any kind of chance in the second…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Churchill Downs: The GI, $2 million Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles #1 Trojan Nation (50-1): Gigantic longshot almost blew up the board at 81-1 when he came up the inside in Aqueduct’s muddy GI Wood Memorial to run second, beaten just a head by fellow rival Outwork,…
On Saturday at about 6:30 pm, 20 horses will line up to run for the roses in the Grade I, $2 million Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands. Post positions and morning line odds were announced yesterday, and with the publication last night of past performances, handicappers began putting the final phase of making selections…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Keeneland: The GIII, $150,000 Lexington at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 10-4-2-1) While this year’s Lexington likely won’t send anyone to the Kentucky Derby, as no one can secure a berth with a win, there’s some intrigue, as a few classy runners from major barns take…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Oaklawn Park: The GI, $1 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 100-40-20-10) #1 Discreetness (20-1): Deep closer didn’t make any headway behind many of these when seventh in both of the two local graded stakes, the GIII Southwest in February and GII Rebel…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Santa Anita: The GI, $1 million Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 100-40-20-10) #1 Denman’s Call (15-1): The potential inside speed stretches out off some fast-paced local sprints and likely has to go from the rail here to maintain his position, so right…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Aqueduct: The GI, $1 million Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 100-40-20-10) #1 Shagaf (2-1): Expected favorite made it 3-for-3 when he rode one of the most intense speed biases in recent memory early before tipping out off the far turn to win the…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Keeneland: The GI, $1 million Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 100-40-20-10) #1 Looking for a Kiss (50-1): Gigantic longshot will make his first start for Tomlinson after two modest runs for Romans and will need a monumental jump in his form to even…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Turfway Park: The GIII, $500,000 Spiral at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 50-20-10-5) While the Spiral has lost a lot of luster in recent years as synthetic racing has fallen out of favor, it still ranks as essentially a “Win and You’re In” race for the…
Brooklyn Backstretch 