ITM Players' Newsletter - February 21, 2025
Derby preps & Saturday racing preview!
Another tremendous weekend of racing with big money races all around the world! The Players’ Podcast focuses on Gulfstream & Santa Anita, as well as some Turfway Park where they’ll host a Kentucky Derby prep on Saturday night.
Extensive coverage of the Saudi Cup and Rebel Stakes day cards can be found on ITM Plus. You’ll also find previews of the Rebel on YouTube as Mike Pribozie and I go in-depth on the field, in addition to a quick hitting video put out today following the scratch of Bullard with Eric DeCoster.
The early week Players’ Podcast is a must listen for all of those interested in the nitty gritty of Beyer Speed Figures. Randy Moss joined the show to break down the big number thrown in the Risen Star last week and how that applies to figure making in general.
MYWAYP,
PTF
Subscribe to ITM Plus for exclusive picks, written analysis, and shows from your favorite ITM contributors! Coming this weekend:
Saudi Cup Day - PTF & Michael Adolphson
Rebel Day at Oaklawn - PTF & Clay Sanders
Players’ Podcast notes from Gulfstream, Santa Anita, & Turfway
PTF sits down with CEO and Founder of EDGE Boost Seni Thomas to introduce a new way to fund your wagering accounts. EDGE BOOST is a new Financial platform for Smart Bettors looking to have a dedicated account to fund gambling-related transactions. You can Earn 0.5% on qualified usage at sportsbooks and Daily Fantasy sites. EDGE BOOST helps players separate their betting transactions from their primary checking accounts, which can impact credit and underwriting for loans. Go to edgeboost.bet for more information and to sign up today!
Make sure to save and follow the ITM blog for daily picks from your favorite tracks and more racing coverage:
Aqueduct /// Gulfstream Park /// Oaklawn /// Santa Anita /// Laurel Park
Players’ Podcast - Saturday Racing Preview
PTF and JK kick off the show with thoughts, tips, and analysis for the late Pick 5 at Gulfstream Park and the $2 Pick Six at Santa Anita.
In the show’s third segment, Kaitlin Free of Turfway Park drops by with her thoughts on the Pick Six at her home track on Saturday night.
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PTF and JK continue this week's Players Podcast with the $2 Pick 6 on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
PTF and JK with another edition of the In the Money Players Podcast starting with the Late Pick 5 for Gulfstream Park on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
Another Big 1/st Racing Tour Saturday is coming up on March 1. It’s Fountain of Youth Day at Gulfstream and Big Cap Day at Santa Anita. It’s also the Ultimate Betting Challenge, a $6,000 buy-in live bank contest you can play live at either track or online via Xpressbet. You can also win your way in through qualifiers over at xpressbet.com/tournaments Go to their website and check out all the possibilities.
Magnitude produced one of the highest Beyer Speed Figures in a Derby Prep race in February all time. His 108 figure in the Risen Star Stakes was highly analyzed on Horse Racing Social Media following the performance. Randy Moss (NBC Sports) is on the Beyer Speed Figure team that sets these figures to be published in the DRF. PTF speeds time chatting with Randy to discuss the figure in depth.
PTF and Mikee P bring you another Derby Prep Preview with the Risen Star from Oaklawn, on Saturday, February 22, 2025. More Kentucky Derby Points are on the line in the 1.3 Million dollar Stake. Twinspires.com has a $500 Rebel qualifier this weekend for the Kentucky Derby Betting challenge go to https://www.twinspires.com/bet/tournaments for more information.
PTF and Eric Decoster bring breaking news regarding the Rebel Stakes Sunday at Oaklawn Park. Top pick from the guys Bullard is out after spiking a fever before the race. How does this affect the dynamics of the race? The guys weigh in.
Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby – The $175K John Battaglia Stakes – By Eric Solomon
The first of two Derby Points races at Turfway Park is the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes going 1 1/16 miles over the synthetic Tapeta course. The presence of First Resort, the winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes back in November, brings immediate credibility to this race. There will be no free passes though, as 11 horses will be standing in his way of earning 20 points toward entry to the Kentucky Derby. Post time for this race is 8:55 PM (ET).
2025 Kentucky Derby Top 10 + Other Contenders
Important updates following the Risen Star & Sunland Derby. How does the poor form of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile effect horses like Citizen Bull and Chancer McPatrick? Which horse has quickly risen into the Top 10 despite not running recently? Plus a look ahead to the Rebel and Battaglia.
Players’ Podcast - Randy Moss on the Magnitude Figure + Rebel Stakes Preview
PTF kicks off the new show with Nick Tammaro as they look back at a weekend full of stakes action from coast-to-coast including the key three-year-old prep races the Risen Star, Rachel Alexandra, and Sunland Derby.
Then NBC’s Randy Moss stops by to discuss the giant 108 Beyer Speed Figure received by Magnitude in the Risen Star. Is it legit? (Spoiler alert: YES).
Last but not least, Mikee P (Mike Pribozie) is back with PTF to take an early look at next weekend’s Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
On the Lead Presents Horse Racing Unites in Crisis: A Tale from California
This episode offers a sobering examination of the catastrophic fires that have ravaged parts of California, particularly focusing on their impact on horse racing . Peter Thomas Fornatale and Shannon Kelly engage with Jodie Vella-Gregory and Kristina Schulz, who provide firsthand accounts of the crisis, detailing the urgency and fear experienced during the height of the fires. The conversation reveals the immediate response measures implemented at Santa Anita, where a crisis plan was swiftly executed to ensure the safety of horses and personnel alike. From there, Jodie Vella-Gregory highlights the 1/st team’s initial response to the crisis and how it organically evolved into a way to help the community as a whole.