Author: Noel Michaels

By Noel Michaels New York racing returns downstate for the Belmont Park Fall Championship Meet, which, as usual, offers top-notch racing from late summer to early fall. It’s also called the “Championship Meet” for good …

By Noel Michaels Many times, the race for the jockey and training titles at the prestigious summer meets at Del Mar and Saratoga come down to the final weekend. This probably won’t be one of …

By Noel Michaels Justin Mustari, a 26-year-old from Illinois, is your new National Horseplayers Championship winner, topping a field of 563 bettors and becoming the youngest champion in the 22-year history of the event. The …

By Noel Michaels The 22nd NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) is set to re-convene in Las Vegas after a monthslong delay due to COVID-19. The tournament, originally scheduled for February, runs Friday-Sunday (Aug. 27-29) at …

By Noel Michaels Five graded stakes, a pair of Grade 1’s, a pair of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ races and the Pacific Classic. Put it all together, and it adds up to a …

By Noel Michael Arlington International Racecourse looks to be in the final furlong of its final season, closing the books on a history of thoroughbred racing in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago. Before it …

By Noel Michaels Many handicappers believe the “trainer angle” is the most important piece of the handicapping puzzle. All trainers have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the beauty of following trainer angles, stats, and …

By Noel Michaels The Saratoga meet is off and running and along with the best horses and top trainers, it’s no surprise that there’s a collection of many of the best jockeys in the country. …

By Noel Michaels The Saratoga racing season attracts the best horses and horsemen, not only from New York but from everywhere. Trainers from many circuits point their best horses to Saratoga, and the competition for …

The Del Mar Summer meet opens on Friday, July 16, and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 6. Our usracing.com contributor Noel Michaels looks at some of the track trends that can help make your days …

The Saratoga racing meet opens on Thursday, July 15, for a 40-day run through Labor Day, Sept. 6. Our usracing.com contributor Noel Michaels looks at some of the track trends that can help make your …

By Noel Michaels Some of the better stakes races over the Fourth of July weekend are set for the Summit of Speed at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Both of Gulfstream’s premier summer features – the …

By Noel Michaels You may have noticed that Gulfstream Park has scaled down its racing days from four days a week to three, Friday-through-Sunday, and it will stay that way through August. Why the shorter …

By Noel Michaels The 2021 Monmouth Park summer race meet is rolling along amid quite the buzz these days, but perhaps for all the wrong reasons. While the focus should be on the quality racing …

Handicapping The Belmont Stakes Undercard By Noel Michaels There’s plenty of top-quality races leading up to the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) on Saturday, so mind your bankroll as you wager on seven other Grade …