A MUST DO For Horse Racing, Lovely Grey Getting Back On Track For Go Go Greys And Saturday Spot Plays - At The Post With Mut
(Mr. Popover race replay ⬆️⬆️)
As I have written here over the last few weeks, there's been some real buzz in the Go Go Greys camp about the 2-year-old son of Tapit, Mr. Popover. When Dave made the call not to go to his debut race on Wednesday, it was a real sign he'd need a race, even with all his talent.
Credit to Dave for saying as much on X.com and here last week.
Mr. Popover broke okay and secured a good spot under jockey Jose Ortiz. He looked to be traveling smartly down the backstretch - at one point, moving inside pretty quickly before the far turn. It looked like he might be loaded into the stretch. But when Ortiz asked, the horse did just not respond.
Maybe it was being the only first-time starter against a field that had all run before. Maybe it was the wet track? Who knows. But Mr. Popover just came home evenly in the lane, finishing a non-threatening fourth.
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The Beyer came back as a 58, and hopefully we get to see him on a fast track next time out. He has shown talent in the mornings and I think we'll see it in the afternoons.
The big horse in the Go Go Greys barn, Lovely Grey, is entered Thursday in an allowance race at Churchill Downs. Going a mile against three-year-olds and up, Lovely Grey will probably be one of the top two betting choices.
She should be able to sit a good trip and make her run.
She's coming out of a Grade 3 stakes try at Belmont where she had a wide, in-between trip that's tough to win from, finishing 7th. The horse that ran second in that race came back to win a Grade 2 next time. She'll get the services of one of the best jockeys at Churchill Downs, Tyler Gaffalione. It won't be a surprise when she runs well.
2-year-old Drake Graye had a fast workout Saturday morning at Churchill, and he could be getting closer to his debut. Boston Grey had a timed workout at Fairgrounds on Friday. Envision worked fast at Turfway Saturday AM. Arkansas bred
Ronna's Sizzler worked at Oaklawn and is likely to start there when their meet starts in a few weeks.
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"#4 The Puma - I think he's sitting on a big race. Huge move into the turn last time at Parx. Training well since. Smart, veteran jockey. Third-place finisher at Parx came back and ran fast at Keeneland last Saturday. At 7-1 or so, I'll be betting."
The Puma wasn't 7-1 - he was 17-1. He ran a huge second. And I didn't cash.
Giphy Images.I'm still not over it.
As for Breeders' Cup betting, from HR Nation.
Total handle on the Breeders' Cup cards Friday-Saturday at Keeneland Race Course was $165.5 million, a 7.8% drop from $179.4 million last year, a 12.3% fall from the record $188.7 million in 2002 the last time the event was at Keeneland, and the lowest total since $160.5 million in 2020 also at Keeneland during Covid.
My solution for getting more people to bet on racing - that includes the Breeders' Cup - is simple.
You need to make it more like sports betting. That means fixed-odds wagering everywhere. You bet on a horse at -110; you're locked into that price. No late odds flux. No CAW bull crap. The fact that more states haven't tried to push for this is really frustrating and suggests racing as a sport still doesn't quite get it. You can keep the parimutuel pools, but you need to add a fixed odds market. Both Australia and England have both - the USA should, too. I want to do a podcast on this soon.
But betting on horses should be more like betting on sports. That means being able to parlay, say, the Race 1 winner with the Race 7 winner on the same card. Or parlay the Pats with the Celtics with a horse winning a race. That's going to draw more people into racing better than some dumb influencer posting on IG from the Pegasus Stakes.
There should be a Dave Portnoy Derby Day Parlay on DK, where Dave has his winners for two or three races on one ticket.
You want to improve handle and get more humans - not just CAW groups - betting these races? Make it like betting on sports.
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DraftKings Racing RaceDay
Post Breeders' Cup and we have a Track Bet Bonus from DraftKings Racing at both Charles Town & Woodbine on Saturday.
And a Saturday Night Racing Bonus after 10PM. Make sure you OPT IN at the REWARDS/OFFERS tab and see DraftKings Racing for full details.
Some Saturday spot plays for the people
Belmont Late Pick 5: I'll be singling #4 SENZA PAROLE in RACE 6 here and hoping to catch some prices later in the sequence.
BELMONT RACE 8
The return of Ted Noffey. I guess he can win, but I can't bet at what will be way too short a price. I like the idea of #8 Igniter coming out of a key race and getting back to a mile (2 for 2). Wet track should be no issue. Could use in exactas with Ted Noffey and Sea Strike.
WIN/PLACE #8 IGNITER
BELMONT RACE 9
This is a massive jump in class, but #10 Intrepids Fantasy has run three fast races at Deleware. Has exceled over a wet surface and can be a factor today.
WIN/PLACE #10 INTREPIDS FANTASY
EXACTA BOX 3-7-10
BELMONT PARK RACE 10
WIN/PLACE #3 MAJOR BOURBON
DEL MAR RACE 5
WIN/PLACE #5 AVALON ROSE
CHARLES TOWN RACE 8
WIN/PLACE #6 LET ER' SIZZLE
EXACTA BOX 5-6-7
I'll be trying to qualify for the NHC this weekend. Good luck if your playing and safe trips for all.
