Turf vs Tech Handicapping Challenge for March 29
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Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
The Turf vs Tech Handicapping Challenge is a public tournament featuring some of the best handicappers from the world of Thoroughbred racing taking on some of the best and brightest from the tech world. Many of racing's new fans are building their own companies or working on the next great mobile app and we thought it would be great to see what happens when they take on established handicappers in some of America's best races.
Stay tuned as this group of tech all-stars take on some of America's most recognizable handicappers in a winner-takes-all battle that pits the new school against the old school.
Michael Beychok
Michael Beychok is the winner of the 2012 National Handicapping Championship and that year's Eclipse Award winner as best handicapper. Beychok is currently a cast member on the Esquire Network reality TV show “Horseplayers”. He also is founder and chief handicapper for Beychokracing.com, a website dedicated to handicapping horse raceing and education. Follow him on Twitter @beychokracing for handicapping insight and views on the horse racing industry. He is a senior partner in Ourso Beychok Inc., a political consulting and advertising firm based in Louisiana.
Chad Mac
Chad Mac is the founder and CEO of Dedicated Merchants Inc. and is a lifelong aficionado of good times and awesome vibes. A newcomer to the sport, he recently relocated to Del Mar, Calif. and is amped for an amazing summer of great racing.
GAME ON
This week our two handicappers will have a $100 bankroll with which to use on the following races on Saturday, March 29: the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, Fair Grounds, Race 7; the $1-million Louisiana Derby for 3-year-olds, Fair Grounds, Race 11; the $1-million Florida Derby for 3-year-olds, Gulfstream Park, Race 14.
Michael Beychok
Fair Grounds Oaks
#5 – Unbridled Forever – just think she wasn’t nearly cranked up for her last race but won so easily. Love the patience showed by owner Charles Fipke and trainer Dallas Stewart. The choice at what would be a nice price of 2-to-1 or better.
#1 – Untapable – has done little wrong outside of the Breeders’ Cup race. Will be a prohibitive favorite. If she wins, will be he favorite for Kentucky Oaks. She will be tough to beat today but the odds will be too short.
#3 – Fiftyshadesofgold – no knocks except the distance might be an issue. She can win, and if let go at above 6-to-1 could be played, but it seems the top two are the ones to beat.
$18 to win on #5 Unbridled Forever ($18)
$2 exacta box 3,5 ($4)
Total = $22
Florida Derby
The race is almost certainly going to be run fast early and slow late.
My picks therefore are as follows:
#2 – Matador – betting that he will relish longer distance and new racetrack.
#4 – Cairo Prince – seems to have a bit more talent than these, but the price is too short.
#8 – Spot – will be closing into the projected fast pace – the faster the better for him.
$2 exacta box - 2,4,8 ($12)
$ 10 to win on #2 Matador ($10)
Total = $22
I think it is a 3-horse race between these.
Louisiana Derby
Intense Holiday is a closer who ran a huge race in the Risen Star Stakes. He probably will be overbet and thus offer little value. I put his fair value at 3-to-1. I think the interesting horse of the contenders is Gold Hawk. Touted as a super horse after his win in December at the Fair Grounds, he disappointed in two subsequent starts, but I think Steve Asmussen (no comments, please) knew what he had and eased up on him a bit. He is cranked for this one and he offers supreme value at anywhere near his morning-line price of 12-to-1. He is the pick.
Here is the rest of the Louisiana Derby picks:
#5 – Gold Hawk
#9 – In Trouble
#1 – Intense Holiday
Couldn’t separate the second two so play exactas with all three and extra punches on the Gold Hawk over the 1-9. Good Luck, and may they all come home safely.
$20 to win on #5 Gold Hawk ($20)
$2 exacta box – 1,5,9 ($12)
$1 trfecta box on 1,5,7,9 ($24)
Total = $56.
Chad Mac
Fair Grounds Oaks
This looks like a race with a few real strong standouts, so we’ll go with #1 Untapable over #5 Unbridled Forever with #3 Fiftyshadesofgold picking up the pieces.
$20 win #1 Untapable ($20)
$3 exacta box - 1,3,5 (Untapable, Fiftyshadesofgold, Unbridled Forever) ($18)
Total = $38
Florida Derby
Here we’ll go #6 General a Rod, #1 Wildcat Red and #3 Cairo Prince with #8 Spot maybe factoring into the equation a bit later on.
$6 win #6 General a Rod ($6)
$2 exacta box - 1,3,6 (Wildcat Red, Cairo Prince, General a Rod) ($12)
$1 trifecta - 1,6 with 1,6 with 3,8 ($4)
Total = $22
Louisiana Derby
It’s all about #6 Vicar's in Trouble here and a saver on #1 Intense Holiday.
$15 win-place #6 Vicar's in Trouble ($30)
$10 win #1 Intense Holiday ($10)
Total = $40