Handicapping Articles

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 4/9/26 Featured track Keeneland Race number 7   Race overview A compact field-of-6 in an AOC for 3yo fillies over the short stretch finish at 1 1/16 miles.   Pace There’s no true speed signed on, so expect a tight group early. Trends The main track was sloppy Friday, and fast and drying out Saturday, so let’s watch early in the week before we make any assumptions. Best Play #3 MAJESTICAL (9-5): Eurton runner added Lasix and freaked in a FG MSW win two-back but couldn’t use it when last in their G2 Rachel Alexandra, so getting it back on…

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/8/26      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  6       Race overview  A deep and competitive MSW for 3yo fillies over the short stretch finish line at 1 1/16 miles.       Pace  It should be honest enough, as there are several who are stretching out for the first time.      Trends  The main track was sloppy Friday, and fast and drying out Saturday, so let’s watch early in the week before we make any assumptions.      Best Play  #3 SHESTALLTHATSALL (9-2): Wilkes filly broke slow in her debut before quickly chasing early and then tiring…

Happy Wood Memorial Day! The end is nigh for Aqueduct and today marks the final Carter and Wood Memorial at the Big A. The on track experience at Aqueduct will be missed. The crowd there is comprised of the most passionate racing fans you’ll find anywhere. Sharp opinions abound, and no one is afraid to share them. It’s a pure horseplayers environment. But life moves on and the new Belmont Park is a great source of optimism for the long term health of horse racing in New York. The new Belmont will have an all-weather Tapeta track surface (along with dirt and turf courses) which hopefully expands the…

PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 4/4/26 Featured track Keeneland Race number 10   Race overview A deep and competitive renewal of the G2 Shakertown for 3up at 5 ½ furlongs on turf.   Pace It’s a full field, with several who want to be on or the pace or pressing it, so expect them to fly early. Trends Obviously it’s only Opening Weekend, but this is a course that can have some give to it and won’t be as speedy as a GP or SA, so stalkers/closers that had little to no chance there, can be used here. Best Play #8 LITIGATION (4-1) (turf only):…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                   Date 4/3/26 Featured track Keeneland Race number 6   Race overview An extremely weak N1X for 4up at 1 1/8 miles on turf.   Pace There’s literally none on paper, so expect a crawl early, which will turn into a sprint off the far turn. Trends Obviously it’s Opening Day, but this is a course that can have some give to it and won’t be as speedy as a GP or SA, so stalkers/closers that had little to no chance there, can be used here. Best Play #1 WITHOUT (9-5) (turf only): Admittedly been disappointed by this Euro in…

Happy Florida Derby Day! The Florida Derby card is loaded with 10 … yes, count ‘em …10 stakes races! The day is headlined by the $1 million Grade I Florida Derby with the Grade II Florida Oaks for three year old fillies highlighting the undercard. The top two finishers in those races will make the Kentucky Oaks/Derby fields as both award 100-50-25-15-10 points. Trivia Question: Which filly won the Gulfstream Park Oaks and then went on to win a Triple Crown race? Race 9 – The Gulfstream Park Oaks – Grade II One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies 1. Betty’s Pearl:…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                   Date 3/29/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 8   Race overview A full field of 4up 10k claimers at 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta.   Pace It looks honest, as there are more than a few who want to be close early, though expect a tight pack as well. Trends Tapeta routes are kinder to stalker/closers than sprints, as winners routinely loop on the turn and come down the crown of the track. Best Play #12 NINJA STAR (2-1): Class dropper is back at the claim level for a white-hot Fawkes after running 4th against tons better last…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                   Date 3/28/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 10   Race overview A solid renewal of the 175k Sanibel Island for 3yo fillies at 7 ½ furlongs on turf (rails at 0’).   Pace It looks honest, as there are more than a few who want to be on or just off the early pace. Trends The turf has played a lot more fair in the last month, as it’s not the paved highway it was earlier in the meet, though being close is always going to be preferred. Best Play #9 SECRET HIDEAWAY (2-1): Euro import makes her…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/27/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 3   Race overview A relatively modest OC35k/SAL35k for 3yo fillies at 5Fs on turf.   Pace It’s a turf sprint, so they’ll be moving early, though on paper there’s not a lot of true speed, outside of #3 Gigi Cake’s. Trends The turf has played a lot more fair in the last month, as it’s not the paved highway it was earlier in the meet, though being close is always going to be preferred. Best Play #7 CHUCKY’S RIDE (9-5) (turf only): Pace presser drew perfectly after running 2nd at the level…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/26/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 1   Race overview A relatively modest 25k MCL for 3yo fillies at 1-mile on turf.   Pace There’s other speed on paper, though with Saez on #1 ROLE PLAY, she still seems likely to get loose early on. Trends The turf has played a lot more fair in the last month, as it’s not the paved highway it was earlier in the meet, though being close is always going to be preferred. Best Play #1 ROLE PLAY (8-5) (turf only): Expected speed of the speed drops stiffly in class too, after holding…