Muniz Memorial Classic S. (G2) at Fair Grounds
9F on Turf (March 20)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 17 9-furlong graded turf stakes at Fair Grounds
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Avg. Last 3 E1 Pace
Factor Stats: 17 contenders, 6 winners (35%, $48.00 Win Return, 241 ROI%), 9 show (53% $25.20 Place Return, $4.50 Show Return)

The Fair Grounds card of the year is here with 8 stakes on tap in the Big Easy. Among those the Muniz Memorial Classic for the middle distance turfers, which is anything but an easy puzzle for handicappers.

The Betmix Angler online handicapping database tells us that Avg. Last 3 E1 Pace has been a predictive handicapping factor for the 9-furlong graded turf stakes at Fair Grounds.

Over a third of the contenders ranked first in this factor have been photographed in the winner's circle, including a quartet of Muniz champs - Take the Stand ($18.00), Skyring ($17.40), Bricks And Mortar ($2.60) and Factor This, last year's winner at an $18.80 mutuel.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Avg. Last 3 E1 Pace slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Rebel S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park
8.5F on Dirt (March 13)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 35 8.5-furlong graded stakes for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Avg. Last 3 Turn Time
Factor Stats: 40 contenders, 8 winners (20%, $126.00 flat win bet return, 257 ROI%), 20 show (50%, $12,80 Place Return, $5.30 Show Return)

The train towards the May 1 Kentucky Derby rolls on and gains steam with every passing week. Next stop: Saturday's $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park.

The Betmix Angler online handicapping database tells us that Avg. Last 3 Turn Time has produced 20% winners of the 8.5 furlong 3-year-old graded stakes in Hot Springs since 2012. It's true that the wild $126.00 Win Return is due in large part to Super Steed, the 62-1 winner of the 2019 Southwest Stakes. However, this handicapping factor has pointed to two other double-digit winners of this race type.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Avg. Last 3 Turn Time slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Tampa Bay Derby. (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs
8.5F on Dirt (March 6)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 18 8.5-furlong graded dirt stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Avg. Last 3 E2 Pace
Factor Stats: 18 contenders, 7 winners (38%, $29.60 flat win bet return, 182 ROI%), 10 show (55%)

The Tampa Bay Derby is typically one of the most intriguing Kentucky Derby preps as it tends to attract a couple of proven stakes 3-year-olds and many more seeking to graduate from promising maiden or allowance performances.

This year's 12-horse edition is no different so we took the Betmix Angler online handicapping database for a spin. The query uncovered the Avg. Last 3 E2 pace handicapping factor that's pointed to 38% winners of this race type. Even more encouraging is the fact that those scorers produced a healthy $29.60 Win Return as well.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Avg. Last 3 E2 Pace slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Xpressbet.com & Horseplayer.com's Jeremy Plonk has been using the Betmix online handicapping database to investigate some common handicapping myths. Read & click below for his February discoveries.

Did They Know?

If there’s one thing that horseplayers – almost without fail – believe, it’s that inside information abounds, especially with first-time starters and horses coming off of long layoffs. The assumption is that rumors spread and money follows. And not only is that influence prevalent, it’s accurately on the money.
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When the Morning Line Dives

The suggestion that any horse bet down hard off its morning line qualifies in that vein prompted me back to the database. Is it true? That’s the entire point of this series. Let’s find out.
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Do Second-Time Starters Improve the Most?

A time-honored, bandied-about phrase among handicappers and horsemen has been that you can expect a horse making his or her second start to show their biggest leap forward in their career. The assumption is that the initial experience and a more seasoned and fit runner in the second appearance provides a recipe for instant improvement.
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Click here for January's Myth Busters

Mac Diarmida S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park
11F on Turf (February 27)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 18 11-furlong graded turf stakes at Gulfstream Park
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Best Speed Last Race
Factor Stats: 18 contenders, 9 winners (50%, $39.40 flat win bet return, 209 ROI%), 13 win/place/show (72%, $13.40 flat place bet return & $9.70 flat show bet return)

It's another big card at Gulfstream Park this Saturday with the Mac Diarmida S. (G2) carded as the second of nine stakes (Race 4).

A query of the Betmix Angler online handicapping database shows that the Best Speed Last Race factor has yielded a high percentage of good-priced winners in the 11-furlong graded grass stakes in Hallandale.

Exactly half of contenders ranking first in this factor have scored and they've rewarded win bettors with a healthy $39.40 Win Return. This sample of winners include 7 of the past 8 Mac Diarmida champs.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Best Speed Last Race slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Barbara Fritchie S. (G3) and General George S. (G3) at Laurel
7F on Dirt (February 20)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 16 7-furlong graded dirt stakes at Laurel
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st Win %
Factor Stats: 17 contenders, 6 winners (35%, $31.20 Win Return, 191 ROI%), 12 show (70% 6.20 Place Return, 9.10 Show Return)

The stakes-filled Winter Sprintfest card is the highlight of the Laurel winter meet and handicappers finally get to play those races this weekend.

The Barbara Fritchie and General George, both graded stakes at 7 furlongs on the main track, anchor the program and have drawn competitive fields.

A scan of the Betmix Angler online handicapping database tells us that Win % has been a very positive handicapping factor in the 7/8th graded dirt stakes at the Maryland track.

35% of the contenders ranking first in this factor have had their pictures taken, generating a $31.20 Win Return. Horses that win a lot would seem to go off at lower odds but this factor has also generated plus Place and Show returns.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Win % slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Risen Star S. (G2) at Fair Grounds
9F on Dirt (February 13)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 17 9-furlong graded dirt stakes at Fair Grounds
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Avg. Last 3 Late Pace
Factor Stats: 18 contenders, 5 winners (27%, $52.60 Win Return, 256 ROI%), 12 show (66% $21.60 Place Return, $10.40 Show Return)

With each passing weekend the Kentucky Derby preps take on more and more importance. Case in point is Saturday's Risen Star Stakes in New Orleans that drew a field of 13 three-year-olds.

The Betmix Angler online handicapping database tells us that Avg. Last 3 Late Pace has been a predictive handicapping factor for the 9-furlong graded dirt stakes at Fair Grounds.

This factor was particularly effective last year when the Risen Star was carded at 9 furlongs for the first time and run in two divisions. Enforceable, the 4.60-1 runner up in the 1st division was top-ranked in Avg. Last 3 Late Pace as was Modernist, the $27.60 winner of the 2nd division.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Avg. Last 3 Late Pace slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Sam F. Davis S. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs
8.5F on Dirt (February 6)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 17 8.5-furlong graded dirt stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Last E2 Pace
Factor Stats: 19 contenders, 6 winners (31%, $27.80 flat win bet return, 173 ROI%), 8 show (42%)

The Sam F. Davis Stakes has drawn an overflow field of Kentucky Derby hopefuls, presenting a big challenge for horseplayers.

We took the Betmix Angler online handicapping database for a spin to look for clues in the 8.5 furlong graded dirt stakes at Tampa and we uncovered a lucrative handicapping factor.

Last E2 pace has pointed to 31% winners of this race type overall but, more specifically to the last THREE Sam F. Davis winners, all of whom paid double digits - Flameaway ($22.80) in 2018, Well Defined ($16.00) in 2019 and last year's hero Sole Volante ($13.60).

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Last E2 pace slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Xpressbet.com & Horseplayer.com's Jeremy Plonk has been using the Betmix online handicapping database to investigate some common handicapping myths. Read & click below for his January discoveries.

Can You Outsmart the Public?

I crunched the numbers in the Betmix database for every race over the past 5 years, beginning with the start of the 2016 season. I looked at how the public bet every horse in each race – from the favorite down to the 10th wagering choice in a race – and looked at the win percentages for each.
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Are Classier Races More Trustworthy?

You’ll often hear horseplayers lament that they just can’t get a grip on cheaper claiming races, or that maiden races are crapshoots. In turn, they claim to embrace the classier races and horses because they are more confident handicapping them due to their trustworthiness. The general consensus would argue this to be true.
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The Good and Bad of the Rail

Common dirt distances that I studied in the Betmix database are sprints at 6 furlongs, as well as routes as the most common 1-1/16 miles trip. Not only did I study the results by distance, but also field size. Does being on the rail differ in a 6-horse field vs. a fuller field? I also looked at the reliability of rail favorites. The timeframe included all North American tracks over the past 5 years.
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The Career Maiden

We could look at an excessive amount of maiden-breaking attempts as a subjective number. To some, it may be more than 5. Others 10. Even others somewhere in-between or above that total. No matter what your consideration of excessive may be, our ability to look at the numbers in various ranges should be able to give you personal confidence in your assumption, either for or against.
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Holy Bull S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park
8.5F on Dirt (January 30)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 35 8.5-furlong graded dirt stakes at Gulfstream Park
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Best Speed Fast Track
Factor Stats: 40 contenders, 17 winners (42%, $52.80 flat win bet return, 166 ROI%), 32 win/place/show (80%, $4.90 flat place bet return & $6.90 flat show bet return)

Nine Florida-based 3-year-olds take the next step on the road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby in Saturday's Holy Bull S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

A query of the Betmix Angler online handicapping databases shows that the Best Speed Fast Track factor has been key in the 8.5 furlong graded dirts stakes at Gulfstream and in the Holy Bull specifically.

Some 42% of contenders ranking first in this factor have won, producing a healthy $52.80 Win Return. Among the winners are FIVE Holy Bull heroes in the last decade - Audible ($8.40), Moyhamen ($2.60), Upstart ($6.20), Cairo Prince ($6.20) and Itsmyluckyday ($11.40). The sample also includes last year's 4-1 runner-up Ete Indian.

What's more is the fact that 80% of the contenders have hit the board, so it surely looks wise strongly consider this factor into your Holy Bull wagering strategy.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Best Speed Fast Track slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

Want to look for your own Angles using Betmix handicapping software?
Click for the Betmix Angler tutorial
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