Bob Hill – Handicapping

By Mike Henry —- OLDSMAR, FL. – Saturday’s victory by Tacitus in the Grade II Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets at Aqueduct boosted the 3-year-old colt to the No. 1 spot in the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” standings with 150 points – which makes Tampa Bay Downs,...

By Amy Owens —- The Mackem Bullet (IRE) Wins Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association LEXINGTON, KY (April 7, 2019) – Katsumi Yoshida’s The Mackem Bullet (IRE) roared past pacesetting Catch a Thrill in the upper stretch and coasted to a 1¼-length victory over Regal...

By Mike Willman —- Gift Box; Benoit Photo IN A THRILLER, GIFT BOX DEFEATS McKINZIE BY A NOSE IN GRADE I, $600,000 SANTA ANITA HANDICAP; RIDDEN BY ROSARIO, HE GIVES SADLER HIS SECOND BIG ’CAP VICTORY IN A ROW, COVERING 1 ¼ MILES IN 2:03.02 ON A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL...

Ron Correll Senior columnist Tracksideview The big winners on April 6 were Tacitus (150 points) in the Wood Memorial, Vekoma (110 points) in the Blue Grass and Roadster (100 points) in the Santa Anita Derby. All three are safely in the Kentucky Derby starting gate on the first...

By Brian Bohl —- OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Juddmonte Farms’ Tacitus punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby, overtaking Tax in the stretch with an impressive move from the outside and closing strong for a 1 ¼-length win in the 95th running of the Grade 2, $750,000...

By Rick Francis —- SANTA ANITA Race 10) Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap 4yo & up 1&1/4 Miles Post Time 8:20 EDT 1) McKinzie (Baffert/Smith); giving the edge to this Street Sense colt as he’s performed well at “The Great Race Place” winning three and...

By Ed Golden —- TRAINER POINTS NEW BUY TO SANTA ANITA DERBY POPULAR JAY COHEN IS BACK ON THE HORN TODAY RETIRED GARY STEVENS FEELING GOOD BEHIND MIC PAPAPRODROMOU SEEKS SANTA ANITA DERBY UPSET George Papaprodromou plans to run rank outsider and recent private purchase...

By Rick Francis —- AQUEDUCT Race 8) Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes 3yo Fillies 1& 1/8th Miles Post Time 4:47 EDT 5) Always Shopping (Pletcher/Franco); peaking at the right time as Awesome Again filly cleared the Busanda field here in February, a contest run at today’s...

By Mike Henry —- AMBITIOUS JOCKEY OF MONTH VIEWS OBSTACLES AS OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW OLDSMAR, FL. – Tampa Bay Downs jockey Raul Mena was 19 when his mount failed to negotiate the turn in a race at Valparaiso Sporting Club in Chile, throwing him to the ground like a rag doll...