Category Archives: Handicapping Blog

Sharp Angle – San Francisco Mile

San Francisco Mile S. (G3) at Golden Gate
8F on Turf (April 26, 2024)

Horse Racing Data Analyzed: 47 8F turf stakes at Golden Gate
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Best Lifetime Speed
Factor Stats: 56 contenders, 20 winners (35%, $15.20 flat win bet return, 113 ROI%), 27 Place (48%), 37 Show (66%)

While the racing world awaits next weekend's Kentucky Derby, Golden Gate Fields will offer perhaps the most compelling Stakes challenge for handicappers this weekend.

An overflow field of 12 salty grass runners will line up for the Mile so we turned to the Betmix Angler online handicapping database. Angler revealed that the Best Lifetime Speed handicapping factor is very interesting. It's pointed to 35% winners, with a $15.20 Win Return, along with a 66% in the money strike rate.

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Sharp Angle – Elkhorn Stakes

Elkhorn S. (G2)
12F on the turf at Keeneland (April 22)
Races Analyzed: Last 44 Keeneland graded stakes at 12 furlongs on turf
Date Range: January 1, 2013 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Jockey Current Meet
Factor Stats: 55 contenders, 8 winners (14%, $26.20 Win Return, 1323 ROI%), 19 Place (34%, $10.60 Place Return), 26 Show 47%, $2.86 Show Return)

Sometimes finding a winner is as easy as hopping aboard with the hottest jockey. That appears to be the way to go in the marathon turf stakes at Keeneland. The past 44 12-furlong stakes at the Lexington oval have yielded a total of 55 contenders ranked first in Jockey Current Meet. Eight (14%) have won, half of them at double-digit odds. The flat win bet profit on those contenders is a juicy $26.20.

Nearly half of the contenders have hit the board so this factor is very good place to start when putting together an exotics ticket.

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

Last week’s results:

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Sharp Angle – Lexington Stakes

Lexington S. (G3) at 8.5F on Dirt (April 13)
Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 25 8.5F Graded dirt Stakes for 3YOs at Keeneland
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Avg. Last 3 Purse
Factor Stats: 30 contenders, 5 winners (16%, $20.60 Win Return, 134 ROI%), 11 Place (36%, $5.20 Place Return), 15 Show (50%)

Last call for Kentucky Derby points! That will be the underlying theme when the bugler beckons 10 sophomore colts postward for the Lexington Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.

It's been an exceptionally competitive Derby prep season, as evidenced by the fact that 45 qualifying points doesn't guarantee a spot in the 2024 Run for the Roses. Horseplayers face yet another handicapping challenge with this Lexington field so we turned to the Betmix Angler online handicapping database for insights.

Angler shows us that the Avg. Last 3 Purse handicapping factor has produced good results in the 8.5 furlong graded dirt stakes at Keeneland, pointing to 16% winners who have produced a $20.60 Win Return. The sample includes 3 of the past 6 Lexington winners - Senior Investment (the $24.20 winner in 2017), My Boy Jack ($5/2018) and King Fury ($38.40/2021).

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

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Sharp Angle – Santa Anita Derby

Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita
9F on Dirt (April 8)

Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 62 9-furlong graded dirt stakes at Santa Anita
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Avg. Last 3 Late Pace
Factor Stats: 61 contenders, 2 winners (32%, $14.70 Win Return, 111 ROI%), 36 place (53%, $9.90 Place Return, 46 show (68%)

A field of 8 Classics hopefuls face off in Saturday's historic G1 Santa Anita Derby.

We surveyed the Betmix Angler online handicapping database for clues to success in the 9-furlong graded dirt Stakes at The Great Race Place and found that Avg. Last 3 Late Pace has produced 32% winners that have generated a $14.70 Win Return.

Among those are a quintet of Santa Anita Derby champs since 2014 - California Chrome ($3.40), Dortmund ($3.20), Roadster ($8.20) and the last two champs - Taiba ($10.60) and Practical Move ($4.00).

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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Sharp Angle – Florida Derby

Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park
9F on Dirt (April 1)

Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 33 9-furlong graded dirt stakes at Gulfstream Park
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Last Turn Time
Factor Stats: 45 contenders, 14 winners (31%, $101.20 Win Return, 212 ROI%), 19 place (42%), 21 Show (46%)

Saturday's Florida Derby caps off an exciting 2024 South Florida route to the Kentucky Derby and is one of 10 Stakes races on the fascinating Gulfstream Park card.

We took the Betmix Angler online handicapping database for a spin for some Florida Derby insights & trends and found that the Last Turn Time handicapping factor has pointed to around one-third of the winners of the past 45 9-furlong graded dirt events at the Hallandale oval. And the Win Return is a whopping $101.20!

The sample includes 5 recent Florida Derby champs, including the double digit winner Known Agenda ($12.80) in 2021, as well as last year's runner-up Mage.

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

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Sharp Angle – Jeff Ruby S.

Jeff Ruby S. (G2)
9F on All Weather at Turfway Park (March 23, 2023)
Races Analyzed
: Last 17, 9-furlong Stakes at Turfway
Date Range: January 1, 2013 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st Average Speed Last 3
Factor Stats: 18 contenders, 5 winners (27%) $8.64 Win Return, 124 ROI%, 9 Place (50%, $5.10 Place Return), 10 Show (55%, $3.52 Show Return)

An overflow field has been drawn for the rich Jeff Ruby Steaks, the last stop on the Turfway Park road to the Kentucky Derby.

It's a typically tricky race for horseplayers with contenders descending from points all across North America, with varying levels of experience over an all-weather surface.

We fired up the powerful Betmix Angler online handicapping database to look for clues in the 8-furlong Stake in Florence (Y'all) and found that the Avg. Speed Last 3 has produced 27% winners and positive across the board returns. Among the winners are 3 of the past 6 Ruby winners, Blended Citizen ($14.40), Somelikeithotbrown ($3.20) and last year's champ Two Phil's ($7.64), who would then finish a valiant 2nd in the Kentucky Derby.

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

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Sharp Angle – Whitmore S.

Whitmore S. (G3)
6F on Dirt at Oaklawn Park (March 18, 2023)
Races Analyzed
: Last 13 Oaklawn Park 6-furlong Graded Stakes at OP
Date Range: January 1, 2013 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st Avg. Earnings Today's Track
Factor Stats: 11 contenders, 6 winners (46%) $2.20 Win Return, 108 ROI%, 9 Place (69%, $1.30 Place Return), 11 Show (84%, $7.70 Show Return)

A field of 7 salty sprinters are set to square off in Saturday´s $250,0000 Whitmore S. (G3), a race that honors the Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and 7X Oaklawn sprint Stakes winner.

We fired up the powerful Betmix Angler online handicapping database to look for clues in the 6-furlong graded Stakes in Hot Springs and found that the Avg. Earnings Today´s Track has produced 46% winners and positive across the board returns. In fact, only 2 of the past 13 contenders ranking first in this factor has finished out of the trifecta!

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Avg. Earnings Today´s Track slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Sharp Angle – Beholder Mile

Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita
8F on Dirt (March 11)

Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 16 8-furlong Grade 1 dirt stakes at Santa Anita
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Best 2 of Last 3 Speed
Factor Stats: 20 contenders, 9 winners (45%, $35.80 Win Return, 189 ROI%), 12 place (60%, $.30 Place Return), 13 Show (65%)

The lone Grade 1 in North America this second weekend in March is the Beholder Mile for older fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

A well-matched field of 9 is set to face the starter so we turned to the Betmix Angler online handicapping database and found that the Best 2 of Last 3 Speed handicapping factor that has been productive in the one mile Grade 1 dirt stakes at The Great Race Place.

Some 45% of the contenders ranking first in this factor have won, producing a healthy $35.90 Win Return, not to mention that 65% of the contenders have participated in the trifecta.

Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Best 2 of Last 3 Speed slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Sharp Angle – Fountain of Youth

Fountain of Youth S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park
8.5F on Dirt (March 2)

Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 54 8.5-furlong graded dirt stakes at Gulfstream Park
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Best 2 of Last 3 Speed
Factor Stats: 58 contenders, 22 winners (38%, $32.20 Win Return, 127 ROI%), 37 place 63%, $17.40 Place Return, 47 Show (81%, $13.20 Show Return)

Saturday's Fountain of Youth is the next step on the Gulfstream Park road to the Kentucky Derby and a typically competitive field of 9 is set to break from the starting gate.

We turned to the Betmix Angler online handicapping database and discovered that the Best 2 of Last 3 Speed handicapping factor has produced very good results in the 8.5 furlong graded dirt stakes in South Florida.

Some 38% of contenders ranking first in this factor have won, producing a healthy $32.20 Win Return and an incredible 81% have factored in the trifecta. Among the winners are two of the past four FOY heroes, Greatest Honour ($4.00) and Ete Indian ($8.60).


Find this race in Betmix Birddog and use the Best 2 of Last 3 Speed slider to see which horse ranks first in this factor. That’s the Sharp Angles play.

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Sharp Angle – Santa Ana S.

Santa Ana S. (G3) at Santa Anita
8.5F on Dirt (February 24)

Horse Racing Data Analyzed: Last 64 10-furlong graded turf stakes at Santa Anita
Date Range: January 1, 2012 - Present
Sharp Angle: Ranked 1st in Last Turn Time
Factor Stats: 86 contenders, 14 winners (16%, $54.60 Win Return, 131 ROI%), 26 Place (30%, $48.20 Place Return), 36 Show (41%)

An octet of older filly and mare turfers square off in the Saturday feature at Santa Anita, the 10-furlong Santa Ana S. (G3). It's a competitive field that will break from the lower portion of Santa Anita's unique downhill course, so we turned to the powerful Betmix Angler online handicapping database for clues.

Angler tells us that the Last Turn Time handicapping factor has produced 16% winners of the 10 furlong graded turf stakes at The Great Race Place since 2012. While the 16% Win rate is a bit lower than we typically highlight in our Sharp Angles posts, the very healthy Win Return ($54.60) and Place Return ($48.20) made this factor too promising to ignore.

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

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