HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino will be home to quite a few new features throughout its 2011-12 meet, including a Dec. 3 return of live racing, a 12:35 pm first race post time, and a new infield video board.
One thing remaining the same, however, is the overwhelming talent that will call the Gulfstream Park jockey's room home during the upcoming season.
Headed by Paco Lopez, Gulfstream's leading rider in each of the last two seasons, the 2011-12 jockey colony will feature many familiar faces to South Florida racing fans, but will also consist of a few new ones.
Three-time Kentucky Derby (G1) winning rider Calvin Borel will make Gulfstream Park his home for the month of December before heading to Oaklawn Park for the winter. The 45-year-old Borel has experienced a resurgence over the past five years, having guided Street Sense (2007), Mine That Bird (2008), and Super Saver (2009) to victories in the Kentucky Derby, as well as being the regular rider of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.
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One-time Gulfstream Park fixture Chris DeCarlo is returning for the 2011-12 meet after spending the summer at his Monmouth Park home base. Last winter, DeCarlo spent his time in Saudi Arabia as the first-call rider for King Abdullah.
Among the riders returning to Gulfstream Park is John Velazquez, last year's runner-up in the jockey standings. Just months after completing the local meet with 64 victories, Velazquez captured his first Kentucky Derby a year ago aboard Animal Kingdom.
The 40-year-old Velazquez is looking forward to the start of a new year in south Florida.
"I'm very excited about Gulfstream," he said. "I think starting in December is a good idea. Unfortunately, I have a couple scheduling conflicts so I won't be there the first two weeks, but I'll start riding there on the 15th. I'm looking forward to finding my next Derby horse."
Javier Castellano, third in the jockey standings last season, returns to Gulfstream after an extremely successful 2011 season which saw him win multiple Grade 1 events and finish as the leading money earner at Saratoga's summer meet.
The 34-year-old native of Venezuela will once again ride full time at Gulfstream Park beginning on Dec. 3.
"I think starting the meet a month earlier is a great idea," Castellano said. "Hopefully, a lot of people - horsemen and fans - will come down early and make it a great meet right from the start. I know as a jockey, I'm really looking forward to it. The horses we ride during the winter at Gulfstream will hopefully be the horses we ride throughout the rest of the year. Gulfstream always has great racing which means great horses as well."
Lopez will be attempting to earn his third consecutive riding title at Gulfstream, a feat previously accomplished by only Jorge Chavez (1998-2000).
Joe Bravo, fourth in the rider standing last year, returns to Gulfstream Park after a very lucrative winter last season in which he guided the speedy Little Mike to a trio of Grade 3 victories.
Gulfstream Park regular Jose Lezcano rounded out the top five in the standings a season ago and will return to south Florida for the 2011-12 meet. The 26-year-old recently captured the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (G1) aboard Royal Delta.
Other household names expected to call the Gulfstream Park jockey's room home this winter include Jesus Catanon, Manoel Cruz, Alan Garcia, Fernando Jara, Julien Leparoux, Rajiv Maragh, Luis Saez, Alex Solis, Elvis Trujillo, Cornelio Velasquez and Hall of Fame members Kent Desormeaux and Edgar Prado.
Bet horse racing from Gulfstream Park race track at Off Track Betting. All members have access to Gulfstream Park race odds, horse race results, live horse race video, schedules and race replays.">
Copyright 2011 by OffTrackBetting.com
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| Race Tracks | Time (EST) |
| Assiniboia Downs | 8:06 PM |
| Australia A | 9:58 PM |
| Australia B | 10:08 PM |
| Bangor Raceway | 6:01 PM |
| Belmont Park | 12:52 PM |
| Buffalo Raceway | 6:42 PM |
| Cal Expo | 9:07 PM |
| Canterbury Park | 8:06 PM |
| Charles Town | 7:17 PM |
| Chester Downs Harrahs Philly | 12:48 PM |
| Delta Downs | 7:47 PM |
| Emerald Downs | 9:17 PM |
| Evangeline Downs | 6:45 PM |
| Fairmount Park | 8:31 PM |
| Finger Lakes | 12:36 PM |
| Freehold Raceway | 12:37 PM |
| Golden Gate Fields | 4:15 PM |
| Hazel Park | 7:37 PM |
| Hollywood Park | 10:04 PM |
| Indiana Downs (TB) | 6:59 PM |
| Lone Star Park | 7:36 PM |
| Los Alamitos | 10:14 PM |
| Louisiana Downs | 2:27 PM |
| Maywood Park | 8:21 PM |
| Meadowlands (H) | 7:02 PM |
| Mohawk | 7:14 PM |
| Mountaineer Park | 7:01 PM |
| Northfield Park | 7:09 PM |
| Northlands Park (TB) | 8:01 PM |
| Penn National | 6:05 PM |
| Pimlico | 12:02 PM |
| Pocono Downs | 6:35 PM |
| Prairie Meadows (TB) | 7:30 PM |
| Preakness Advance | 10:30 AM |
| Preakness Double | 5:51 PM |
| Preakness Jockey Challenge | |
| Presque Isle | 5:26 PM |
| Remington Park | 7:01 PM |
| Rideau Carleton | 6:30 PM |
| River Downs | 3:03 PM |
| Sam Houston | 8:02 PM |
| Saratoga Harness | 7:11 PM |
| Scarborough Downs | 4:02 PM |
| Scioto Downs | 6:37 PM |
| SunRay Park | 5:04 PM |
| Thistledown | 1:53 PM |
| Tioga Downs | 6:53 PM |
| Vernon Downs | 6:57 PM |
| Woodbine (TB) | 1:06 PM |
| Yonkers Raceway | 7:15 PM |
Our resident handicappers are going head-to-head this week on the Preakness and we're posting both viewpoints below. Take a look and then log in to the Racebook to check our horse racing odds and place your Preakness Stakes wagers.
Welcome to the OTB Free Belmont Park Picks page where you can find free horse racing handicapping picks for Belmont Park race track in Queens, New York! Get Full Card Belmont Selections and Horse Betting Analysis for all Saturday horse races this season at Belmont Park.
The Grade 2 Hendrie Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, May 19th from Woodbine Racetrack. Fillies and mares four years old and upward are featured in this 6 1/2 furlong race as the entries vie for their share of the $150,000 purse on Woodbine’s Polytrack surface.
The Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (formerly known as the Milady Handicap) comes our way from Betfair Hollywood Park this Saturday, May 19th. Fillies three years old and upward will be racing 1 1/16 miles on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $150,000 purse.
The Grade 3 Railbird Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Betfair Hollywood Park. Fillies three years old will go seven furlongs on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $100,000 purse.
The Grade 2 Dixie Stakes is on tap for Pimlico this Saturday, May 19th – site of the Preakness Stakes that is to be run later that day. Horses three years old and upward will be after their share of the $300,000 purse when they go 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s turf track.
The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Three year olds will chase the second jewel in the Triple Crown over 1 3/16 miles on Pimlico’s main track. $1 million is on the line for the entries as well as the prestige of winning one of horse racing’s biggest prizes.
OffTrackBetting.com is offering a free contest for a chance to win up to $100 by picking the top 3 finishers (in order) for the 137th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 19th, 2012. Show off your Preakness Stakes Handicapping skills and pick up a free $100.
The Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes comes our way this Friday, May 18th from Pimlico, scene of the Preakness Stakes that will be run Saturday. Three year old fillies will race 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s main track in search of their share of the $300,000 purse.
The one-time Grade 1 Pimlico Special Stakes returns this Friday May 18th to Pimlico after a brief three year hiatus. Now a Grade 3 event, horses three years old and upward will go 1 3/16 miles in search of their share of the 300,000 purse.
Pletcher pair takes aim at 7-5 Favorite Mamma Kimbo in Grade 2 Test For Three-Year Old Fillies. On the one hand, trainer Todd Pletcher is looking for redemption. On the other, it’s all about progression. Pletcher will saddle both Disposablepleasure and In Lingerie in the 88th renewal of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Friday at Pimlico Race Course.
The 137th running of the Preakness Stakes is on Saturday, May 19 at Pimlico, with Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another looking to win the second leg in horse racing’s Triple Crown. As we get ready for Preakness betting, let’s consider the post position history, prices and trainers to keep an eye on.
Bet on the 2012 Preakness Stakes at OffTrackBetting.com - The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes is the the second leg of the US Triple Crown, and each year, on the 3rd Sunday in May, thousands of horse racing fans gather at legendary Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland to experience one of sport's most amazing events.
One of the best months of the season in horse racing is the month of May as the race for the Triple Crown begins. At OffTrackBetting.com you can place bets on the Preakness Stakes, which is held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, along with the Belmont Stakes.
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