Jon Stettin’s Blog

The Kentucky Derby was run in September so why not have the Hollywood Derby at Del Mar? We surely couldn’t run it at Hollywood Park unless we wanted it run on a football stadium. The race came up strong this year and looks like a true Grade 1 affair. We’ve got East Coast, West Coast, and even Kentucky in there. No European invaders came but we do have a Breeders’ Cup winner in the field. I’ll run down the field and try and nail the winner! Kanderel comes from a barn I have enormous respect [...]

Timing is everything is something I often say. The Breeders' Cup Classic is obviously a major event in the Sport of Kings. I'd say it is second in stature to only the Kentucky Derby but garners a fair share of excitement, fans, and of course, handle. We have year to year to prepare for its running. There should be no excuses not to get it right. There is nobody I know in the game who pays more and better attention to timing races than Craig Milkowski of Timeform US. If not for his dedication and [...]

There has been a lot of talk about the morning line, undefeated favorite, Princess Noor, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Much of it is that she appears to be “too slow” on the sheets and Thoro-Graph. Now I think she is vulnerable and not my selection in the race. However, it is not because I feel she’s too slow as many sheet players are voicing. Princess Noor has won all her races, albeit only three of them rather easily by open lengths. She’s run a 10, a 7, and another 10 on Thror-Graph. To [...]

One of the reasons I wait to finalize my handicapping is the draw. Draws affect trips, and trips make races. The draw can impact how the race is run, and that often determines the winner. The Breeders’ Cup draw is complete. Let’s take a look at some of the disasters and some of the luck of the draws as well. It can definitely provide some valuable insight into how these races will be run. I will upgrade and downgrade accordingly. This is how I saw the draw. The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint saw morning line [...]

Tricks and tips of the trade from a pro…. If you plan to attack the Breeders' Cup, I think now is a good time to start doing your homework. We have just over a week to go. We have a lot talented horses and information to sort through to make a well-informed decision come race day, so the sooner one develops a plan and gets to work, the better. Following is how I get ready to be ready for the big dance. Replays. I think replays are one of if not the most important tool [...]