Posts by Justin Dew
My $0.02 on Familygate
Because I have listened to every song on my iPhone nearly 1,000 times while torturing myself on various cardio machines over the last decade or so, my new thing is to listen to horse racing podcasts in an attempt to make 40 minutes feel like the blink of an eye. It seldom works, but that…
Read More2020 Kentucky Derby Winner?
(UPDATED: Please stop reading now. The race has been run, and I am embarrassed.) The last time Bill Mott ran a first-time starter going two turns on the dirt was on January 25th, 2017. The horse was named Frontliner. The race was at 1 mile and 40 yards at Tampa Bay Downs. Frontliner finished 7th…
Read MoreSome friendly advice for NHC rookies
Last year was my first time competing in the NHC. It was effectively only my second year attempting to qualify, and it took me until January to win my seat. There are many, many others with substantially more NHC experience than I have. And these days, there seems to be no shortage of info in…
Read MoreSaturday Play of the Day
Gulfstream Park Race 7- The Kitten’s Joy Saturday’s Kitten’s Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park features a field of nine (including one MTO entrant) newly-turned 3yos going 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass, with the Graham Motion-trained Irish Mias the likely favorite coming off a solid 2nd in the Pulpit Stakes on November 30th. But it’s…
Read MoreTourney Talk: Will someone please pay attention?
File this post under “Constructive Criticism”, and feel free to dismiss it as just another chance for a horseplayer to gripe if you wish. Tampa Bay Downs is hosting the High Rollers Handicapping Contest on January 11th. Up for grabs, based on 100 entries, are two seats to the National Horseplayers Championship plus cash prizes…
Read MoreA new approach is needed
The sport of horse racing, at all levels, is suffering from a massive inferiority complex which has resulted in a pronounced and ongoing defensive posture that may well lead to the continuation of a string of bad decisions which, if allowed to persist, could bring about the end of horse racing in every state not…
Read MoreTourney Talk- 52 feet equals $20,000
The Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge was, yet again, a losing proposition for me. And I don’t have the energy to go bet by bet and give you a complete rundown of the weekend. But who does’t love a good “almost” story? I think you’ll like this one. You might say this story began in 2010,…
Read MoreLoneSpeed Breeders’ Cup Value Plays
Two days. 14 races. Lots of opportunities to make money. I don’t have opinions in every race, but I do in many of them. Let’s get started. Juvenile Turf- The temptation here is to go with whichever Euro you think is best. And I won’t talk you out of that approach given how dominant shippers…
Read MoreHandicapping the Misters
It is possible, though highly unlikely, that multiple races on Breeders’ Cup weekend could be won by horses named Mr. somethings-or-other. Let’s take a look at them and decide just how many we need to take seriously. Mr. Tip may run in the Juvenile Turf Sprint on Friday for Calumet and Jack…
Read MoreCup Spotlight- Giant Expectations
If it seems like forever ago that Giant Expectations wired them in the San Antonio at 13-1 on opening day of the Santa Anita meet, that’s because it kinda was. If Giant Expectations makes the starting gate for the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, he will be searching for his first win in nearly two…
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