All articles tagged with #handicapping
SportsLine's Gene Menez, Michelle Yu and Jeff Hochman share their top-three selections for eight stakes on Preakness Stakes day at Laurel Park, including a best bet (Zihnal in the James W. Murphy Stakes) and a double-digit longshot among their picks.
DRF's expert handicappers publish picks and analysis for the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park, offering selections and race previews ahead of the May 16 event (article dated May 15, 2026).
At Laurel Park, the 3-year-old Jumping the Gun is the 3-1 favorite in the 2026 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, but SportsLine handicapper Gene Menez fades her in favor of My Miss Mo (7-2) and highlights a double-digit longshot for wagers; post time is 6:14 p.m. ET. The piece promotes subscribing to SportsLine for the full picks.
The 2026 Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park features a 14-horse field with Golden Tempo skipping the race; morning-line odds run 9-2 to 6-1, with Iron Honor as the favorite. SportsLine handicapper Gene Menez fades Iron Honor and strongly backs The Hell We Did at 15-1, plus other longshots, as key wagers for the $2 million race (post time 7:01 p.m. ET). The article promotes joining SportsLine to view the full picks and bets.
Golden Tempo is highlighted as facing a tougher test in the Preakness fair odds, with analysts weighing contenders and potential outcomes as the race approaches.
On Kentucky Oaks day at Churchill Downs, SportsLine handicapper Gene Menez unveils his Turf Pick 4 plan for the sequence starting in Race 5, naming Queen Maxima as his top pick in the Elkhorn Stakes and signaling a double-digit longshot that could boost payouts; the piece also notes Menez's pedigree as a veteran handicapper with a history of big scores and invites readers to join SportsLine to see his full tickets.
The article compiles the final handicapping metrics and odds for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, highlighting key contenders and how the numbers influence betting strategies ahead of the race.
Renegade is the 4-1 Kentucky Derby favorite; Commandment (6-1), Further Ado (6-1), Chief Wallabee (8-1) and The Puma (10-1) round out the top five in the 20-horse field. SportsLine veteran Jeff Hochman, boasting a strong Triple Crown record, dismisses Commandment and is high on The Puma as a major play, with full wagering details available behind a signup.
Michael Lombardi outlines five key rules for betting in the final week of the NFL regular season, emphasizing the unpredictability due to varying team motivations and circumstances. Rule 1 advises not to assume teams won't try, as tanking is not a common strategy in the NFL. Rule 2 suggests that teams with secure coaching positions will play to their potential, regardless of playoff contention. Rule 3 recommends avoiding bets on teams with interim coaches due to uncertain motivation. Rule 4 warns that teams with everything on the line may play under pressure and struggle. Finally, Rule 5 states that teams with momentum will aim to maintain it, even if playoff positioning is secure. The article advises bettors to trust their knowledge over assumptions.
Handicapper Matt Youmans shares his latest college football bowl game picks, aiming to recover from a rough start to the season. His selections include Mississippi +5 against Penn State in the Peach Bowl, Iowa +6 and Under 36 (half-unit each) against Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl, Alabama +2 against Michigan in the Rose Bowl, and Washington +4 against Texas in the Sugar Bowl. Despite some initial setbacks, Youmans provides insights and analysis for each matchup, looking to end the college football season on a high note.
The Kentucky Derby's handicapping trends were put to the test with Mage's 15-1 victory, which validated some betting optics and muddled others. The Final Fractions Theory worked again, but certain speed-figure thresholds did not. Mage became the 25th Kentucky Derby winner from the Florida Derby, and the second Fountain of Youth finisher to win since 1996. The UAE Derby curse continued, and the winter-book favorite jinx persisted. However, Mage's win broke the post 17 drought, and he became the third Derby winner in six years to not race at age 2.