Weekend Winners Club

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Thursday October 11, Woodbine Ontario
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Woodbine race course is having a big day Saturday October 13, as some horses are making their last minute case to get into the Breeders’ Cup, and others are simply trying to win one of 4 graded stakes or one of the other 7 races on the card. Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races are over as of yesterday, but horses can still get in based on graded stakes wins, in which G1 races count the most obviously. And this would be the last weekend to reasonably do so since we only have 3 weeks left.
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Stakes racing starts in race 3 with the Ontario Derby G3, with a 7 horse field that seems fairly wide open. So far Lookin to Strike has proven the best on this distance and polytrack surface, and has good value at 6-1, but he will have fellow front runner and ML favorite Mr Ritz gunning for him early.
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Fast forward to race 7, the Nearctic G2 turf sprint. It’s quite possible 1 or 2 of these will make it into the BC Turf Sprint. Favored Yorkton is a graded stakes winner as of his last time out, but has struggled on turf for whatever reason. Ikerrin Road could be back into that form that made him a graded stakes winner here a year ago. Holding Gold and Lady Alexandra have stakes wins but not in graded races. Hembree looked great after cutting back to turf sprint and could dominate at this distance. The late pace of Conquest Panthera will have to be reckoned with.
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In race 9, 11 horses will take the field in the Pattison Canadian International G1 12f on turf. I was all about Johnny Bear in his last race out, a 16-1 win in the Northern Dancer G1 right here at Woodbine at the same distance. I don’t see any reason to dismount him here but the race is more competitive. There are 3 foreign invaders with multiple graded wins, led by the formidable favorite Thundering Blue. Tiz a Slam and Funtastic could have nice runs with little other speed in the race. This race can be used as a last minute springboard for the BC Turf, also at 12f.
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Race 10 is the EP Taylor G1 for fillies and mares, going 10f on turf, a race that could be used to enter the BC Filly and Mare turf, which was at 9f last year. Four foreign fillies look very solid, all stakes winners, especially the young 3yo Pollara, with a total of 3 lifetime races, including a G3 win last out in June. Favored Santa Monica magically started winning races after shipping to the US this year. American mares Starship Jubilee and Elysea’s World would love to add a G1 win to their various G2 and G3 wins.
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That’s it for the graded stakes breakdown at Woodbine this weekend.

Download the Woodbine Saturday Grid here to follow along and WIN at the races.
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Good luck my friend!
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Sat, Sep.29. Santa Anita Park opened yesterday and gets right into very serious racing today with 4 Grade 1 races that are also Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races, meaning that the winner gets an automatic entry into the BC race of that division.
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Saturday’s Races:
Awesome Again G1 Stakes: BC Classic
Rodeo Drive G1 Stakes: BC Filly & Mare Turf
Chandelier G1 Stakes: BC Juvenile Fillies
American Pharaoh G1 (formerly Frontrunner): BC Juvenile
Sunday:
Zenyatta G1 Stakes: BC Distaff
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So at least 4 will get their entry ticket into the biggest race day in North America today. Others will likely appear in the Breeders’ cup as well due to prior combined achievements.
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Get the Santa Anita Saturday Grid here free
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Saturday, September 22. Charles Town in West Virginia is hosting 6 stakes races tonight featuring the CT Oaks G3 for top fillies in the mid atlantic region and some shippers.
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The weekend night card at Charles Town is always popular and it’s a great place to hang out and gamble on horses and slots as well.
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Get the Charles Town Saturday Grid here free
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Saturday, Sept.15. Churchill Downs. In the 2nd day of the fall meet, Churchill will host 3 graded stakes including the Iroquois G3, Pocohontas G2, Locust Grove G3, and Open Mind 100k.
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All eyes will be on the Pocohontas and Iroquois, both at 8.5f the 2 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races, in which the winners will get automatic entries into the Juvenile Fillies and Sentient Jet Juvenile stakes, respectively.
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The Iroquois G3 favorite is Tight Ten, who finished 2nd in the Saratoga Special G2 at 6.5f last out. The only stakes winner is Tobacco Road, winner of the Ellis Park Juvenile at 7f. Both are trained by Steve Asmussen.
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Grab the Churchill Downs Saturday Grid here free.
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Tuesday, Sept.4, 2018. Churchill Downs
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It’s the week of Labor Day and that means summer racing is now officially over. However, it also means Breeders’ Cup is now coming right up (rhyme intended). Breeders’ Cup qualifications are in high gear this month as many, many horses will be running in BC Challenge races and other graded stakes to earn their spot in one of the coveted BC fields.
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In fact, there have been 45 BC Challenge races to date this year, but 40 more will be run between Sept.15 and Oct.10, which is the last BCC day. The good news is, we have THE BEST page on the internet for the BC Challenge race, which shows all BCC races and winners, and is sortable by division, date, month, however you want it. And the page is FREEEEE! Race results charts will also be added soon.
Check out this awesome Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race Page.
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The other good news is that if you sign up for just a 2 month membership of the Weekend Winners Club this week, that will be guaranteed to get you the handicapping Grids thru Breeders’ Cup Weekend which is held November 2nd and 3rd at Churchill Downs this year.
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And, such membership will get you racing Grids for every BC Challenge race in North America, as well as Grids for every major track circuit, every day. That means every single race day of the Belmont, Gulfstream, Churchill, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs and Santa Anita meets, all of which are coming up or already in session, and other tracks on the weekend that are having big race days.
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You can subscribe for just about any denomination of months, but the most popular are the first two options, monthly until cancellation, at which time you get a full 30 days access beyond your last payment, and the two month plan, which is obviously very appropriate for this occasion. Check out the subscription options on this page.

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There is obviously lots of great racing coming up in the next couple months as the horses scramble to get a berth in the Breeders’ Cup and then prove that they are the best in the world in their division. They will not only use the BC Challenge races but other graded stakes as well to qualify by committee. It’s going to be an amazing two months of racing!
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Good Luck!
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PS if you are a current paying member you get a special deal on the subscription options this fall. Inquire within.

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Sunday, Sept.2 2018, Churchill Downs. Today is the last day for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Pool, a new wager inceived this year. A separate pool and list is included for BCJ sires. Wagering cut off time is at 6pm ET today. BC Juvenile is on November 3 at Churchill Downs. Final odds at bottom.
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There are 23 individual entries for each wager, and one for the field- any other horse not listed as an individual entry. Note the sire entries are notably missing Candy Ride, making the field the early favorite.
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The only horse in the field that ran this weekend was longshot Unionizer, who remains at 50-1 after winning the Sapling $75k at Monmouth Saturday.
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Sombeyay, Nitrous, Dream Maker, and Mucho are all battling in the Hopeful at Saratoga Monday, so if you like any of them they’re all currently at good odds. Mucho is the lowest at 13-1 and the others are 20 and up.
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On the other coast, Sparkyville, Rowayton, Roadster, and Game Winner will go at it in the Del Mar Futurity on Monday. All have good odds except Baffert’s Roadster at single digits.
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There are just over 2 hours to bet as of this posting, so get on with it.
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Get BC Juvenile and Sires Futures Grid Here right now free
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Final Odds for pool:
1 Cairo Cat 25-1
2 Call Paul 10-1
3 Code Of Honor 30-1
4 Dream Maker 17-1
5 Endorsed 21-1
6 Game Winner 21-1
7 Gunmetal Gray 18-1
8 Instagrand 7-2
9 Meade 60-1
10 Mucho 12-1
11 Network Effect 35-1
12 Nitrous 25-1
13 Roadster 6-1
14 Rowayton 50-1
15 Sombeyay 30-1
16 Sparky Ville 99-1
17 Strike Silver 50-1
18 Tale Of The Union 14-1
19 Tight Ten 45-1
20 Tobacco Road 35-1
21 Trophy Chaser 24-1
22 Unionizer *W Sapling 75k 9/1 60-1
23 Whiskey Echo 60-1
24 All Other Juveniles 8-1

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Saturday, Sept.1, Del Mar Race Track. The featured races is the John C Mabee G2 on Turf at night, but all eyes will be on the Debutante G1 in race 4 to see who the best 2yo filly in Cali is rightnow.
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We know Baffert shipped one of his top fillies to Saratoga for the Spinaway today in a field of 10, feeling he has a chance to win both of them. His filly Mother Mother will likely be the post time favorite in the Debutante field of 5.
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Get the Del Mar Debutante Grid here free
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Saturday, August 25, 2018
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Saratoga has its biggest day of its important meet today, hosting a 13 race card including 6 G1’s: The Travers, Sword Dancer, Ballerina, Personal Ensign, Forego, and Jerkens. The Ballston Spa G2 is the last stakes race, run after the Travers.
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The 13 race card starting at 11:35am annually marks the highest attendance day at Saratoga with people waiting at the gates well before 10am for a good spot to watch and wager for the unofficial 4th leg of the Triple Crown.
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The Travers field is led by favorite Good Magic, our #1 ranked 3yo this spring, who had a valiant Triple Crown run, finishing 2nd in the Kentucky Derby and 4th in the Preakness, not particularly loving the muddy track on either.
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After a short break he returned to top form in winning the Haskell in July, easily besting Bravazo who had edged him in the Preakness, in which Jim Dandy winner Tenfold also edged him out for 3rd.
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The morning line 2nd choice is Gronkowski, who erased any dirt-worthy doubts by running an excellent 2nd in the Belmont Stakes, one of 3 still chasing winner Justify in late stretch.
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The other of those 3 in this field is Wood Memorial winner Vino Rosso, coming off a solid 3rd in the Dandy, where the pace was slow and he ran way too slow early for his great closing kick to get the win.
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Inexplicably ranked 3rd in the morning line is filly Wonder Gadot, coming off 2 solid wins in Canada, which apparently makes her connections think she can beat the top 3yo males. In fact, she didn’t win the Kentucky Oaks, or any of the 4 preps she ran leading up to it this year. Oh well.
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Mendelssohn continues his bid to prove he can hang with the top Americans after a disastrous last place Kentucky Derby finish and a disappointing 3rd in the Dwyer at Belmont in July.
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The predicted superfecta running order here will be:
Good Magic, Gronkowski, Vino Rosso, and Tenfold or Bravazo.
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The other stakes races have some great horses and interesting possibilities as well, but it would take all day to break down each one and write it down for others.
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Get the Saratoga Travers Day Grid here free.
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Saturday, August 18. Del Mar hosts the Pacific Classic G1 today as the headliner on a card that includes the Del Mark Oaks G1 for fillies and the Del Mar Oaks G2.
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The Pac Classic field consists of 8 past and future Breeders’ Cup Classic participants. It is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race so the winner will get into the BC Classic field. Favored Accelerate is on top of his game and will likely make the Classic field regardless.
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The Del Mar Handicap is also a BC Challenge race so the winner will get an automatic post in the Longines Turf. The field of 12 only contains 2 foreign invaders, as most of them haven’t shipped yet or are prepping on the east coast, closer to Louisville.
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Get the Del Mar Pac Classic / Oaks / Handicap Grid PP here free
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Saturday, August 11, 2018. Arlington Park has its biggest day of the year with three G1 stakes races including the Arlington Million, Secretariat, and Beverly D. The Pucker Up G3 is added for good measure.
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What’s important about today is that it’s a major prep day for the Breeders’ Cup turf races, and some of the European invaders have already come over to participate and prepare for the BC in Louisville.
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Today will provide a good preview of how the US turf horses measure up. Also of importance is that the winners of the Arlington Million and Beverly D get automatic entries into the Breeders’ Cup Longines Turf and Filly/Mare Turf, respectively, as BC Challenge race winners.
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Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race winners are tracked on this page.
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All 4 of the graded stakes races will be on turf, with a 3yo and 3up race for both males and females. 12 total races on the card as Arlington puts its legendary turf course to work today.
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Click here for Arlington Park Grid free
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