Jon Stettin’s Blog

The Saratoga Derby

There are plenty of stakes to choose from on Saturday at Saratoga. The Whitney, The Test, and The Lure and The Glens Falls will all be run. So will The Saratoga Derby and I like that one. Yes, I like...

A Dandy Jim Dandy

While there is little doubt Del mar has drawn bigger more competitive fields in their stakes so far this year when compared to Saratoga, there is also little doubt Saratoga has had their share of quality as opposed to quantity....

The Haskell and The Coaching Club American Oaks

The three-year old championship is very much up for grabs at this point. We had three different horses win all three of The Triple Crown races. One of them, Rich Strike is considered by many, me included, to be the...

The First Saturday at The Spa 2022

So many of us wait for Saratoga and it is finally here. Yes, I often say it is not what it was, but nothing really is and it is still one of the best meets with some of the best...

The Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational

Saratoga may be just days away, but it is hard not to get a bit enthusiastic about the closing Saturday card at Belmont. This is especially true if you fancy turf racing with some classy Europeans shipping in. The Belmont...

Prat for Ortiz Times Two

Flavien Prat will ride two horses in two stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday that were both ridden by Irad Ortiz last out. He will probably win them both. Irad is serving a suspension stemming from an incident at Royal...

Pace Makes the Race

Pace is so important in trying to handicap a horse race. It impacts how the race is run and more importantly how the race will finish. You’d be surprised how many people don’t put enough stock into figuring out the...

Pilot or Passenger

If you are familiar with my handicapping style and philosophy, or read my columns here on AmWager, or on Past the Wire, or watch Past the Wire TV, or listen to our podcast Gate to Wire, you know I am...

Don’t Fret or Fear the Small Fields

Of course, as bettors we all love big fields. The more betting interests the better. We did away with entries for this very reason. Big fields, big pools, low takeout, that is what almost all of us prefer. You don’t...