Turf racing will take center stage on Tuesday at Parx Racing with the $200,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap. The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course and has drawn a field of eight fillies and mares.
The morning line favorite at 9-5 is Effie Trinket, a four-year-old daughter of Freud trained by Rick Violette. The bay filly will be ridden by regular pilot Luis Saez who has been in the irons for her last two victories. She is winless from three starts this year and was recent second as the heavy favorite in the Mount Vernon Stakes against fellow New York-breds at Belmont Park. She has six wins from fourteen starts and is a multiple stakes winner.
Second choice at 5-2 is Assateague for trainer Michael Matz. The five-year-old daughter of Stormy Atlantic has gained the services of top national jockey Joel Rosario who will be aboard for the first time. She has not hit the board from two starts this year but was narrowly defeated in the Intercontinental Stakes in June after a troubled trip. She will carry 119 pounds as the co-highweight with Nellie Cashman.
A longshot at odds of 12-1 is Game Fair for Graham Motion who saddled the winner of the Grade 1 United Nations Handicap recently at Monmouth Park. A five-year-old daughter of Quiet American, Game Fair will be ridden by Angel Serpa in search of her first victory since December of 2012. She was last seen finishing fourth on the turf against allowance/optional claiming company in May at Pimlico.
Saturday, January 29 at Gulfstream Park is one of the biggest races of the year: the Pegasus World Cup (G1)! This $3 million race, covering a mile and an eighth on the Gulfstream dirt track, drew a field of nine handicap horses. The eyes of the racing world will be on Gulfstream on Saturday, and you can bet it from the comfort of your own home here in Canada!
The Kentucky Derby trail makes its way to Oklahoma on Friday, December 17 for the Remington Springboard Mile! The race drew a field of nine up-and-coming two-year-olds to go a mile on the main track. The prizes are rich: a $400,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) for the first four horses across the wire.
The Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), California’s most important Kentucky Derby Prep in December, is coming up on Saturday, December 11! The race features the most promising two-year-olds in California, set to go a mile and a sixteenth over the dirt at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The race offers a purse of $300,000, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points, apportioned 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.
Let's have a look at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf betting picks and predictions.
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