Up to Triple Crown Articles

posted May 16, 2008 at 18:53 in Triple Crown Articles

This sports betting Saturday is all about Baltimore, Pimlico Racecourse, and the Preakness Stakes. It’s also all about Big Brown, but I won’t bore you with those details. Not yet anyhow. First, I want to tell all of my fellow BetUS online racebook fans about a nice undercard race going on right before the Preakness.

After that you might be surprised to see who I choose to upset Big Brown in the Preakness. You didn’t think I’d go for the 1 to 9 odds, did you? Anything can happen in a horse race. That includes Big Brown losing the Preakness.

Let’s get to it!

Pimlico Racecourse - - Race 10

The Dixie Grade II

1 1/8 miles on the turf

Shakis will go off the chalk for the simple fact that he is a Grade II winner and he’s trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. I’m not too impressed with Shakis’s form lately, however, so I’m going with Stay Close on top. Stay Close is trained by Michael Zwiesler whose unfamiliar name means nothing when you take a look at his win percentage. Zwiesler is hitting at 32% on the year with only 38 starters. He’s won 12 out of the 38 horses he has saddled this year. Two of those wins came from Stay Close who is riding a two race win streak. Stay Close has improved steadily since being freshened in September of 2007. His speed ratings have gone up. He’s appeared healthier on the racetrack and his ability to come from the clouds, or stay close to the pace, makes him a viable long-shot in this race. For second, Shakis has to be the play. He’s got these over a barrel, class wise, and there’s no doubt that McLaughlin will have him ready. But I’m just not sold on his desire to run anymore. For third, I’m going with another long-shot. Pick Six is coming out of the nine-hole, which isn’t good, but gets Garrett Gomez which is great. He’s also jumping from the allowance ranks all the way up to this Grade II. That means the price will definitely be nice.

1. Stay Close

2. Shakis

 

3. Pick Six

 

Pimlico Racecourse - - Race 11

Preakness Stakes Grade I

1 3/16th miles on dirt

Big Brown should win this race by about fifteen lengths. He’s also going to be going off at 1 to 9. That means that I have to try and beat him. I just can’t pick a horse to win a race at those odds. This is a horse race. Anything can happen in a horse race. The logical horse to finish ahead of Big Brown is Gayego, but what does logic have to do with picking horses, right? I’m going with the Bill Mott trained Riley Tucker on top. Sure, the horse has only a maiden win to his credit, but he’s gotten better every race and Mott takes his time with these youngsters. There’s tremendous upside on this guy. He will be right behind the pacesetters, gets Edgar Prado, and any sort of improvement puts him into a stretch duel with Big Brown. Okay, maybe I’m being overly optimistic but the price is going to be insane on this fella! Worth a shot, right? For second, I’m going to shun Big Brown again and go with Gayego. The horse never got a chance two weeks ago in the Kentucky Derby. Gayego is a very good horse and the chances of him just flopping again are minuscule. Who’s finishing third? Big Brown, of course! My theory is that Brown has run three very difficult races in a row. Difficult in the sense that he had to run very, very fast in all three races. I believe he takes a day off this Saturday.

1. Riley Tucker

2. Gayego

3. Big Brown

Check the BetUS Locker Room for the latest info on Horse Racing, Big Brown the Triple Crown and the Belmont Stakes.

Keep checking the Locker Room all through the Triple Crown season, as we will cover the trainers, horses and jockeys in each race. You can get your early Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racetrack bets in now in the BetUS sportsbook in the Future / props section, under Horse Futures: 2008 Preakness Stakes.