Tag: Sittin On Go

Tampa Bay Derby winner Helium finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby. He's one of the favorites for Saturday's Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Do These Two Derby Runners Look Familiar, Matt Winn Bettors?

The natural thing to do looking at the field for Saturday’s Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs is to fix your eyes on two familiar names that leap off the page at you. O Besos and Helium. Look familiar, do they? Well, they should, considering both finished in […]

By the time Essential Quality finds the stretch, few of his pursuers are this close. He enters Saturday's Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland as the 3/5 morning-line favorite. (Image: Coady Photography)

This Year’s Blue Grass Stakes Come Loaded With Essential Quality

The biggest problem horseplayers have with the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes is not figuring out who will win. That essential question will likely be answered by 3/5 favorite Essential Quality. No. The biggest issue here is figuring out how to profit off a race where one horse is so […]

Jackie's Warrior's victory in last fall's Champagne Stakes staked him as the top Kentucky Derby prospect. But two-turns proved a bridge too far for the colt, who will bypass the Derby for an undercard event. (Image: Janet Garaguso/Coglianese Photo)

Two Turns are a Turn Too Far for Former Derby Darling Jackie’s Warrior

At the beginning of November, Jackie’s Warrior was the favorite to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Now, at the beginning of March, the one-time Derby favorite is off the Derby trail. The Maclean’s Music colt will be at Churchill Downs on May 1 – Derby Day — but he’ll run […]

Between them, Todd Pletcher (left) and Bob Baffert own eight Kentucky Derby victories. Pletcher (45) and Baffert (23) have the most Triple Crown early nominated horses for 2021. (Image: Doug Engle/AP File)

Essential Quality Leads 326-Strong Triple Crown Nomination Parade

Getting your horse a Triple Crown nomination used to be so simple that connections to this year’s 3-year-old hopefuls nominated 326 horses to compete in the three American Classic races this spring. Those 326 nominations represent a slight, 6.1% dip from last year’s 347 early nominees. Those connections paid $600 […]

Greatest Honour already owns a 1 1/16-mile victory from December. He is the 5/2 favorite to win a deep Holy Bull Saturday at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Lauren King/Gulfstream Park)

Forget the Name: The Holy Bull Is No Bull When Talking Derby Preps

The Holy Bull is the race that vaulted Tiz the Law onto the front row of Kentucky Derby contenders. Never mind the fact he didn’t win the rescheduled Derby. It vaulted him to the Belmont Stakes title. Tiz the Law didn’t come out of the Holy Bull to a garland […]

Sittin On Go turned in a go-go performance winning the Iroquois Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He makes his 3-year-old debut as one of the sophomores to watch in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Jamie Newell/Twin Spires)

Life Is Good for Derby Prep Watchers on this Weekend’s Stakes Slate

Life Is Good returns this weekend as the leading player among several Kentucky Derby contenders and would-be contenders among three Derby preps on both coasts. And those Derby contenders and would-be Derby contenders? They lose their juvenile status and become official 3-year-olds on Friday. Aqueduct, Santa Anita Park, and Gulfstream […]

King Fury crowned himself victor in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. He'll go for his third victory under the Twin Spires in Saturday's Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. (Image: Coady Photography/Churchill Downs)

Kentucky Jockey Club Provides Another Glimpse of Derby Hopefuls

The Kentucky Jockey Club was the only race Tiz the Law lost as a 2-year-old. It’s also the race that gives 2-year-olds a needed trip around two turns and horseplayers a good glimpse of what juveniles could be live come next spring’s Kentucky Derby. Along with that, Saturday’s Grade 2 […]

Jockey Luis Saez and Essential Quality were exactly that at last week's Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Essential Quality is the prohibitive 10/1 favorite on William Hill's Kentucky Derby Futures Board. (Image: Michael Conroy/AP)

Essential Quality Surges to Top of William Hill Derby Futures Board

The fluidity of William Hill’s Kentucky Derby future odds six months from the 2021 Derby clearly illustrated itself before last Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Note, the key word here: “before.” Because, before undefeated 4/5 Juvenile favorite Jackie’s Warrior entered the Keeneland starting gate, he was no longer the darling of […]

Jackie's Warrior brings a commanding speed-figure advantage ito the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. (Image: Mike Kane/Special to the Times Union)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Jackie’s Warrior’s No Average Juvenile

The speed figures from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile leave little to the imagination, nor handicapping creativity. They don’t require second-guessing, even if they may require a second glance to further glean their clear dominance. To help horseplayers handicap next weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, OG News examines speed figures for […]

While Jackie's Warrior is the clear favorite to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Essential Quality is a viable second favorite at 20/1. (Image: Coady Photography)

William Hill Makes Jackie’s Warrior 2021 Kentucky Derby Futures Favorite

William Hill Nevada opened the first domestic futures pool for the 2021 Kentucky Derby, installing Jackie’s Warrior as the top choice among the 115 2-year-olds listed on its futures board. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite, Jackie’s Warrior opened at 15/1. He’s currently 14/1 at Bovada, which opened the Steve Asmussen-trainee […]

Jackie's Warrior's decisive win in the Hopeful Stakes made him the 4/1 early favorite to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He's 33/1 to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby. (Image? Mike Kane/Special to the Albany Times Union)

Jackie’s Warrior the One to Watch in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Futures

Jackie’s Warrior made himself the juvenile to watch with his victories in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes and two other races. The overseas bookmakers paid enough attention to make the 2-year-old star the 4/1 favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Oddschecker put Breeders’ Cup Juvenile future lines on 26 […]

Jackie's Warrior's impressive win in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes put him at the front of the line of 2021 Kentucky Derby contenders. (Image: Dom Napoiltano/Coglianese Photography)

Get to Know These 2-Year-Old Future Kentucky Derby Hopefuls

Say “hello” to Jackie’s Warrior, Dr. Schivel, Freedom Fighter, and Sittin on Go. You may not know much about them right now, but you’ll be hearing a lot more about these four — and other 2-year-olds — over the next seven months. Ignore for the moment the 2020 Kentucky Derby […]