Where in Florida to Bet on the Kentucky Derby

If you want to bet on this Friday's Kentucky Oaks and/or this Saturday's Kentucky Derby, there will be opportunities at Florida's major horse tracks.

Those tracks are Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Hialeah Park in Hialeah and Pompano Park in Pompano Beach.

But unlike in previous years, when there was no coronavirus pandemic, there will not be a party-like atmosphere at tracks that are simulcasting the Oaks, Derby and the other races at Churchill Downs.

Those races are traditionally run on the first weekend in May. Track management teams always plan promotions and giveaways, especially on Kentucky Derby day.

For many sports fans it is day for going to the local track, betting on the live races, betting on the Derby and watching on a TV monitor or a big screen --while having a mint julep or two.

Meanwhile, if you have an Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) account you can bet on the Kentucky Derby and almost any other U.S. thoroughbred race without going to a track.

Scheduled post for the Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) at  1 1/8 miles for fillies is 5:45 p.m. Eastern on  Friday.

Scheduled post for the Kentucky Oaks is7:01 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.

Details are below on the Oaks/Derby simulcasting at the four Florida tracks.

At all four, simulcast patrons will be required to wear masks. Rules on social distancing and other COVID-19 restrictions also will apply.

Via a Google search, it is possible to find out which other pari-mutuels in Florida and other states will be simulcasting this weekend's races from Churchill Downs--as well as Gulfstream, Saratoga and other major tracks.

Gulfstream Park

Gulfstream currently has live racing, but on most days it allows no live spectators because of COVID-19 restrictions.

This Friday and Saturday, it will allow up to 30 patrons in the Silks simulcasting area on its ground floor.

On Friday and Saturday, Gulfstream also will lease out suites on its third floor.

Reservations can be made by calling Gulfstream at (954) 454-7000. Other details are on its Web sitehttps://www.gulfstreampark.com/

Gulfstream management also points out that Stronach Group, its parent company, owns and operates the 1ST/BET ADW.

Information, including how to sign up,  may be found on this Web site

https://1stbet.com/?_ga=2.235901505.111842515.1598995370-166985844.1598282951

Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay will not have live racing until late November.

It has been open for simulcasting, with COVID-19 restrictions, since early July.

This Friday and Saturday, the Oldsmar track's grandstand and part of its outdoor area will be open with tellers and betting machines.

"We are expecting good-sized crowds," said Margo Flynn, Tampa Bay Downs's vice president for marketing. "But for lack of a better word it won't be a 'party' kind of atmosphere like in other years."|

The Chuchill stakes races will be shown on TV monitors and on the big screen in the infield.

Additional details, including food and beverage information, may be obtained by calling Tampa Bay Downs at (813) 855-4401 or on its Web site http://www.tampabaydowns.com/

 Hialeah Park

Hialeah will reopen its simulcast area this Friday, with a Thursday through Sunday schedule for September.

Churchill Downs and Gulfstream are among tracks on its regular schedule.

Details may be found on Hialeah's Web site  https://hialeahparkcasino.com/

Pompano Park

Pompano Park is open for simulcasting seven days a week.

Churchill and Gulfstream are part of the regular schedule.

Additional information may be found on the Pompano Park Web site https://www.islepompanopark.com/

GP Resumes Thursday, Adds Labor Day Card

Gulfstream Park is dark this Monday through Wednesday.

The Hallandale Beach, Fla., track will resume racing on Thursday with first post at 12:00 p.m.

Gulfstream is adding this coming Monday Sept. 7, which is Labor Day, to its racing schedule---giving it five straight days of racing. First post is 12:00 p.m. each day.

The Gulfstream schedule shows four stakes races on Saturday, and two each on Sunday and Monday.

Derby and Oaks

Most areas at Gulfstream remain closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But this Friday, which is Florida Oaks day, and this Saturday, which is Florida Derby day, it will be open in  limited areas for betting on live races and on Churchill Downs races. Information can be found on Gulfstream's Web site https://www.gulfstreampark.com/racingor by calling (954) 454-7000.

Betting on Gulfstream races is always available on most major Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) sites. Numerous sports book, OTB offices and simulcast locations (including Tampa Bay Downs and various other tracks) also have betting on Gulfstream races.

Gulfstream Weekend Stakes 

On Saturday, Gulfstream has four stakes races scheduled:|

*$100,000 Smile Sprint (Grade 3) -- six furlongs dirt, 3-YO and up

*75,000 Miss Gracie -- 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, 3-YO fillies

*$75,000 Bear's Den -- 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, 3-YO

*$60,000 Precisionist -- 1 1/8 miles on turf, 3-YO and up

The Sunday stakes are:

*$75,000 Benny the Bull -- seven furlongs dirt, Florida-bred 3-YOs and up

*$75,000 Sheer Drama --seven furlongs dirt,  Florida-bred fillies and mares 3-YO and up

The Monday stakes are:

*75,000 Mr. Steele -- 1 1/16 miles turf, 3-YO and up

*75,000 Monroe -- 1 1/16 miles turf, F&M 3-YO and up

Rainbow 6

The main Thursday attraction will be a carryover of $33,618 on the Rainbow 6.

The 20 cent per combination-only bet will be on races four to nine with the sequence scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.  

Gulfstream is guaranteeing that the pool will be at least $150,000 if there is just one ticket with all six winning horses.

Gulfstream began a new Rainbow 6  pool on Sunday, following a mandatory payout on Saturday.

There were only three tickets with all six  winning horses. Each paid $26,217.24 on a 20-cent bet.

Program numbers of the winning horses were 13-6-5-2-6.

The limited number of winning tickets was due largely to Purecrazidude, at13-1, winning the eighth race.

Wagering on the Rainbow 6 was $140,099. 

Per its rules on days with multiple winning tickets, Gulfstream took out 20 percent of the day's Rainbow 6 bet.  It then divided 56 percent among tickets with six winners and added 24 percent to the carryover.

Favored Tiz the Law Draws Post 17 for Derby; Eighteen Horses Entered for Saturday

By Jim Freer

Eighteen horses were entered on Thursday for the $3 million Kentucky Derby (Grade 1), which will be run Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Tiz the Law drew post 17 and was made the 3-5 morning line favorite by Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia. 

The Kentucky Derby will be the 14th race on Saturday, with scheduled post of 7:01p.m. Eastern.

NBC's over-the-air affiliates will have live coverage from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will include several stakes races on the undercard.

The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles on dirt for 3-YOs and this year is the second leg in the Triple Crown series, due to schedule changes amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The Preakness (Grade 1) will be run Oct. 3 at Pimlico in Baltimore.

Tiz the Law this year won three Grade 1 stakes--the Florida  Derby at Gulfstream Park, the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park and the Travers at Saratoga. 

Honor A.P. is second in the morning line at 5-1 and drew post 16. He won this year's Santa Anita Derby (Grade 1).

Authentic is in post 18 and is 8-1 in the morning line.

He has early speed and used it to beat the late-running Ny Traffic by a nose in the 1 1/8 mile Haskell (Grade1) on July 18 at Monmouth Park.

Ny Traffic is in post 15 and 20-1 in the morning line. We are among those who expect his odds will be lower at post time.

Ny Traffic's home track is Gulfstream.  He is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the leading trainer at Gulfstream's spring/summer meet and will be ridden by Paco Lopez, a long-time favorite of many Gulfstream fans.

Of the four horses in the outside posts, Authentic could be the one facing the most difficulty gaining position on the long run to the first turn. On the plus side, the savvy John Velazquez will ride for Bob Baffert.

King Guillermo, at 20-1, is another horse with early speed and has the favorable post 6--not too far inside or outside. He won this year's Tampa Bay Derby (Grade 2) at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Kentucky Derby can have a maximum field of 20.  This is the first year since 2003 when there have been fewer than 20 entrants. The field has been smaller than 20 twice during that span due  to scratches.

The rescheduling of this year's prep races has made it difficult for some trainers to map schedules to the Kentucky for their horses.

Two horses that likely would have been at low odds were late scratches for the Derby.

Art Collector, winner of the Blue Grass (Grade 2) at Keeneland, was scratched on Tuesday morning due to a foot injury.

Caracaro, the second place finisher in the Travers, suffered a leg tissue injury while training last Friday at Saratoga. Trainer Gustavo Delgado, based year-round at Gulfstream, told the Churchill Downs media office that he expects Caracaro will resume racing early in 2021.  

Later this afternoon and throughout the week, we will have Florida-focused coverage of the Kentucky Derby  and the Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) that will be run on Friday.

Spectators, other than owners, will not be allowed at Churchill Downs either day.

The morning line odds are a guide to bettors, with Battaglia projecting what he expects the odds will be at post time.

Eight horses are listed at 50-1 for the Derby.  For reasons too complex to explain here, that is the highest a horse can be listed in the morning line. We expect that several of those horses will go off higher than 50-1.

Spectators, other than owners, will not be allowed at Churchill Downs either day.

Here are  the post positions for the Kentucky Derby--with jockeys, trainers and morning  line odds:

1. Finnick the Fierce, Rey Hernandez, Martin Garcia, 50-1

2. Max Player, Steve Asmussen, Ricardo Santana Jr., 30-1

3. Enforceable, Mark Casse, Adam Beschizza, 30-1

4. Storm the Court, Peter Eurton, Julien Leparoux, 50-1

5. Major Fed, Greg Foley, James Graham, 50-1

6. King Guillermo, Juan Carlos Avila, Samy Camacho, 20-1

7. Money Moves, Todd Pletcher, Javier Castellano, 30-1

8. South Bend, Bill Mott, Tyler Gaffalione, 50-1

9. Mr. Big News, Bret Calhoun, Gabriel Saez, 50-1

10. Thousand Words, Bob Baffert, Florent Geroux, 15-1

11. Necker Island, Chris Hartman, Miguel Mena, 50-1

12. Sole Volante, Patrick Biancone, Luca Panici, 30-1

13. Attachment Rate, Dale Romans, Joe Talamo, 50-1

14. Winning Impression, Dallas Stewart, Joe Rocco Jr., 50-1

 15. Ny Traffic, Saffie Joseph Jr., Paco Lopez, 20-1

16. Honor A.P., John Shirreffs, Mike Smith, 5-1

17. Tiz the Law, Barclay Tagg, Manny Franco, 3-5

18. Authentic, Bob Baffert, John Velazquez, 8-1

An Early Look at Kentucky Oaks Field

From Churchill Downs

Monday, Aug. 31 -- Robert Lund Petersen's two-time Grade 1 winner Gamine and Peter Callahan’s Swiss Skydiver, winner of the Alabama (GI) in her most recent start, headline a field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered Monday for Friday’s 146th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The Oaks, contested at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, will go as the 12th race on Friday’s 13-race program that begins at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) with the Oaks going at 5:45 p.m. NBCSN will carry the Oaks as part of its 3-6 p.m. telecast.

Gamine, the even-money morning line favorite, comes into the Oaks off blowout victories in the Acorn (GI) by 18 ¾ lengths going a mile and the Test (GI) going seven furlongs. John Velazquez, who won the 2004 Oaks on Ashado, has been aboard for those two victories and has the call again Friday.

Three-times Oaks-winning trainer Bob Baffert conditions Gamine. Baffert’s Oaks winners are Abel Tasman (2017), Plum Pretty (2011) and Silverbulletday (1999).

Gamine will break from post position five.

Swiss Skydiver (8-5 on the morning line) has won her past four starts against fillies with a runner-up finish in the Blue Grass Stakes (GII) against the boys the lone blemish in the past six months.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Swiss Skydiver notched her first Grade I victory in her most recent start in the Alabama at Saratoga. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the Alabama victory, has the call Friday and will break from post position one.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Madaket Stables and Heider Family Stables’ Speech (5-1 on the morning line) returns to Kentucky from her Southern California base following a last out victory in the Ashland (GI) at Keeneland.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Speech finished second to Swiss Skydiver in the Santa Anita Oaks (GII) and prior to that finished a neck behind Gamine in a two-turn allowance race at Oaklawn Park.

Javier Castellano, who won the 2016 Oaks on Cathryn Sophia, has the mount on Speech and will break from post position four.

The trainer-jockey combination of Brad Cox and Florent Geroux, who teamed to win the 2018 Oaks with Monomoy Girl, are aiming for a second score in the Oaks with Shedaresthedevil.

She exits a 5-length blowout victory in the Indiana Oaks (GIII). Shedaresthedevil (20-1 on the morning line) will break from post position seven.

Also expected to draw support is Kaleem Shah, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Donna Veloce.

Trained by Simon Callaghan, Donna Veloce enters the Oaks off a six-month layoff. Winner of the Santa Ysabel in her most recent start, Donna Veloce has compiled a 4-2-2-0 record with one of those runner-up finishes coming in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI).

Listed at 15-1 on the morning line, Donna Veloce will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position three.

The field for the Longines Kentucky Oaks with riders and morning line odds from the rail out, is: Swiss Skydiver (Gaffalione, 8-5), Tempers Rising (Julien Leparoux, 50-1), Donna Veloce (Santana Jr., 15-1), Speech (Castellano, 5-1),  Gamine (Velazquez, 1-1), Bayerness (Rafael Bejarano, 50-1), Shedaresthedevil (Geroux, 20-1), Hopeful Growth (Manny Franco, 30-1) and Dream Marie (Joe Talamo, 50-1). All starters will carry 121 pounds.