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Road To The Kentucky Derby Betting Preview And Picks For 2023 Blue Grass Stakes

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Road To The Kentucky Derby Betting Preview And Picks For 2023 Blue Grass Stakes


The Highway to the Kentucky Derby continues Saturday with the ultimate three main prep races on April 8. The most important races and the largest days on the tracks draw essentially the most betting curiosity, and Saturday’s most guess races are the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Grade 2 Wooden Memorial at Aqueduct and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. The highest-5 finishers in every race obtain qualifying factors (100-40-30-20-10) in direction of the Run for the Roses and Could 6 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. All three races are contested at 1 1/8 miles, and betting previews and picks are added in hyperlinks beneath.

  • $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Race 9 at 5:15 p.m. ET)
  • $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (Race 6 at 5:43 p.m. ET)
  • $750,000 Wooden Memorial (Race 11 at 6:16 p.m. ET)

The Blue Grass Stakes might be televised on NBC as a part of NBC Sports activities’ “Highway to the Kentucky Derby” protection and stay streaming of the largest races is obtainable via FanDuel Racing and likewise proven on FanDuel TV.

Blue Grass Stakes Preview and Picks

FanDuel Racing offers promotions, ideas and added content material for horse racing and the largest races to assist information you to the winners circle. I additionally turned to the specialists at Assured Tip Sheet (GTS) for extra perception and picks for the 2023 Blue Grass Stakes. Morning Line pari-mutuel odds are indicated beneath, and alter on race day as wagering takes place forward of the races.

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A full subject of 11 runners are set to run, and #10 Elevate Cain (9/2) has 54 factors on the Derby Path and #1 Tapit Trice (5/2) has 50 and already sufficient factors to safe a spot within the Kentucky Derby. A 4th place end or higher would get #7 Solar Thunder (10/1) and #4 Basic Automobile Wash (12/1) a free move to Louisville and the Kentucky Derby.

Varieties of horse racing bets

Each #3 Verifying (3/1) and #8 Blazing Sevens (6/1) must end 2nd or higher to land a spot within the beginning gate for the Run for the Roses. Additionally, #5 Hayes Strike (15/1) and #6 Scoobie Quando (15/1) must win the Blue Grass to make the Kentucky Derby subject of 20. Identical with the opposite three longshots #2 Clear the Air (30/1), #9 Main Blue (30/1) and #11 Mendelssohns March (20/1).

GTS prime win contenders

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  • #1 Tapit Trice (5/2)
  • #10 Elevate Cain (9/2)

Added horses to fill out exotics and exacta, trifecta or superfecta spots:

  • #3 Verifying (3/1)
  • #9 Main Blue (30/1)
  • #7 Solar Thunder (10/1)

“Tapit Trice gained his final three races and is a constant excessive finish performer and might win from near or off the tempo,” says Assured Tip Sheet of its choose to win the Blue Grass. Tapit Trice was a $1.3 million buy as a yearling again in 2021. He gained the 1 1/16 mile Tampa Bay Derby (G3) because the heavy favourite in a full subject when rallying from off the tempo.

“Elevate Cain ran an electrical late tempo quantity in his final race,” notes Assured Tip Sheet. “An analogous effort right here can be sufficient to make it two wins in a row.”

Verifying is a son of Triple Crown winner Justify. He gained two of three on a quick monitor and ought to be near the tempo all the way in which across the monitor. If the tempo is on the slower facet as anticipated, Verifying holds a major tempo benefit over the remainder of this subject. He should not have any excuses this time after ending fourth over a sloppy floor within the Insurgent Stakes.

Main Blue has among the best combos of early and late tempo within the subject, and he’ll be the early tempo chief and could possibly be a longshot that’s more durable than anticipated to catch and put away.

Hayes Strike returned to successful kind final month in a minor stakes at Laurel Park. He completed within the cash in a pair of Derby preps final fall and has been coaching over the Keeneland monitor for greater than a month. He hasn’t confronted prime competitors like a few of his opponents within the Blue Grass however may make a shocking transfer as a more in-depth if the tempo turns into sooner than anticipated.

The winners and prime finishers in these main prep races together with the Blue Grass Stakes make the Highway to the Kentucky Derby races value watching as you make your bets forward of subsequent months Run for the Roses.

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Early voting underway in Kentucky

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Early voting underway in Kentucky


LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Thursday is the first day of early voting for the general election in Kentucky.

In Lexington, you can vote early at any public library from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

If you’re outside of Fayette County, you can go to the Secretary of State’s website to see where you can vote in your county. Remember to bring your photo ID.

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  • How Ky. law enforcement, county clerks are working to make polling locations safe
  • What you need to know before heading to the polls

There’s been an effort by state leaders to encourage Kentuckians to use the state’s three days of early voting and, as you can see, many people in south Lexington are taking that advice at Tate’s Creek Library:

During the past few weeks, we’ve covered some of the various things you may see on your ballot, from Kentucky House races, U.S. House races, Kentucky Senate races, local ballot questions, and Constitutional Amendments 1 and 2:





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There’s a lot new with Kentucky basketball. Here’s early scouting report of 2024-25 Cats

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There’s a lot new with Kentucky basketball. Here’s early scouting report of 2024-25 Cats


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LEXINGTON — Kentucky basketball opens the 2024-25 season — and the Mark Pope era — next week, as it welcomes Wright State to town for a 7 p.m. tipoff at Rupp Arena.

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The Wildcats held their annual Big Blue Madness event earlier in October, which included a 3-point competition and dunk contest. Then they held a scrimmage session during the repurposed Blue-White event — though only fans in attendance at Memorial Coliseum were able to watch in person, as it wasn’t televised. And now, UK is done with the preseason, routing Division II clubs Kentucky Wesleyan and Minnesota State Mankato in a pair of home exhibitions.

But there’s still plenty to learn about this season’s roster.

The Courier Journal provides insight about this edition of the Wildcats by answering key questions entering the 2024-25 campaign:

Everything. From the scholarship players to the coaches, not a single part of the 2023-24 team is back this season. For that reason, the 2024-25 roster is historic: Per bigbluehistory.net — a statistical database devoted to detailing every aspect of Kentucky’s men’s basketball program — the 2024-25 campaign will be the first time UK has fielded a roster without a returning scholarship player from the previous season. Two seniors from last season, Tre Mitchell and Antonio Reeves, ran out of college eligibility. Three more (Rob Dillingham, Justin Edwards and Reed Sheppard) entered the NBA draft. The other seven scholarship players transferred: Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), Jordan Burks (Georgetown), Joey Hart (Ball State) and Ugonna Onyenso (Kansas State) left the SEC, while three ex-Wildcats (Zvonimir Ivišić, Adou Thiero and D.J. Wagner) followed former UK coach John Calipari to his new intraconference gig at Arkansas.

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With Calipari gone, Kentucky turned to Pope, an alum and a team captain of “The Untouchables,” the program’s iconic national championship squad of 1995-96.

The dozen scholarship exits wrought 12 scholarship newcomers. Pope and the Wildcats treaded heavily in the transfer portal, adding nine players: guards Koby Brea, Lamont Butler, Kerr Kriisa, Otega Oweh and Jaxson Robinson, forwards Ansley Almonor, Andrew Carr and Amari Williams and center Brandon Garrison. UK also had a three-man signing class composed of Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Travis Perry.

No one. Other than a pair of walk-ons (Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn) who played a combined five minutes in 2023-24.

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Jaxson Robinson. He’s the only member of UK’s roster to have played for Pope before. (Robinson spent the past two seasons at BYU, Pope’s previous school.) He was the Cougars’ top scorer last season, coming off the bench to average 14.2 points per game on his way to winning the Big 12’s Sixth Man of the Year award and earning an honorable mention nod for the All-Big 12 team. Robinson’s already showcased his top-flight ability offensively, pacing the Wildcats in points in both of their exhibition outings, scoring 19 versus Kentucky Wesleyan and 24 against Minnesota State Mankato. In the latter, every point from Robinson came from distance, sinking eight 3-pointers.

While he’ll likely be the Wildcats’ chief point-getter at the end of the season, don’t expect much of a margin between Nos. 1 and 2 — or perhaps even 1 and 5. Pope and his staff crave balance and sporting multiple scoring options on the floor at all times.

Take note: Four players on BYU’s 2023-24 roster finished with double-digit scoring averages, with three more above 9.0: Robinson (14.2), Fousseyni Traore (10.9), Trevin Knell (10.6), Spencer Johnson (10.3), Richie Saunders (9.6), Noah Waterman (9.5) and Dallin Hall (9.0).

Ansley Almonor. He’s the lowest-ranked transfer to join the program, according to every major recruiting service (Rivals, 247Sports and On3). The same goes for basketball statistician Evan Miyakawa, who not only had Almonor last among UK’s nine transfers but also questioned how quickly the former Fairleigh Dickinson star could adapt to the SEC. “He was (FDU’s) leading scorer last year, and he put up good numbers. … But they don’t play in a great league,” Miyakawa said. “So those sorts of statistics don’t typically translate that well, and my projections take that into account: just the massive talent jump that he’s gonna be taking in terms of teams that he’s playing against.” At UK’s media day in October, Almonor said he’s well aware of his detractors; friends and family pass along critical comments they’ve heard aloud or seen on social media. Now, it’s on Almonor to prove his doubters wrong.

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Andrew Carr. A good bet to rank among the top two in points (behind Robinson) and rebounds (alongside center Amari Williams), Carr could have the best statistical profile of any Wildcat come the end of the season. He’s a gifted passer, too. But that’s not all: His 6-foot-10 frame belies his shooting ability, which he showcased throughout the team’s pro day Oct. 7. Carr was arguably the Wildcats’ top player that evening — and put that on display for scouts from all 30 NBA teams. With his size, length, top-tier decision-making and knack for knocking down shots from well beyond the 3-point line, Carr possesses every skill NBA teams desire from big men in modern basketball. If Carr’s play matches his potential, that bodes well for the Wildcats this season.

Seven. As in, seven players on Kentucky’s roster have played 2,000 or more minutes in college. (A hat tip to former Courier Journal UK beat writer Kyle Tucker for that figure, which he unearthed during a deep-dive analysis of the SEC ahead of the 2024-25 season.) Those seven 2,000-plus-minutes Cats are more than any outfit in the now-16-team conference, besting Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, which each boast six such players.

No, not a single member of UK’s roster has played together before. But the past decade has proven that programs with plenty of experienced veterans win national titles. No SEC club is as seasoned as the Wildcats in terms of college minutes. If the chemistry develops quickly, Kentucky will be a contender in March.

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Lamont Butler. His individual stats might not dazzle. He might not go among the 60 picks in next year’s NBA draft. But Butler’s importance to this team’s won’t be judged by such numerical measures. His best attribute: lockdown, 1-on-1 defense. Pope regularly refers to him as the best perimeter defender in college basketball. Up and down Kentucky’s schedule, foes feature ultra-talented guards. Those lead guards take on even greater importance in March Madness; more often than not, teams with the best guard play make the deepest NCAA Tournament runs. Butler flummoxing and frustrating those guards would go a long way toward ensuring UK has a long stay in the Big Dance.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack.



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Western Kentucky Trounce Kennesaw State 31-14 to Lock Up Another Bowl Game

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Western Kentucky Trounce Kennesaw State 31-14 to Lock Up Another Bowl Game


Last week, the Kennesaw State Owls picked up one of the program’s most notable wins, downing their first FBS opponent in a victory over Liberty. This week, however, the Owls couldn’t find the same magic against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

WKU’s offense was firing on all cylinders Wednesday night, on the way to a 31-14 win. Here’s what stood out from Tyson Helton’s latest blowout victory.

Another Big Day From The WKU Offense

The Tops totaled 462 yards of offense on Wednesday, their fifth time going over the 400-yard mark this season. Running back Elijah Young had a season-best performance, carrying 15 times for 114 yards.

Through the air, Caden Veltkamp was again very productive, completing 17 passes on 22 attempts for 276 yards and three touchdowns. A completion percentage of 77% was his second-highest this season.

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Easton Messer’s Highlight-Reel Touchdown

Redshirt sophomore Easton Messer had arguably the biggest offensive play of the night. In the first quarter, Messer caught a pass from Veltkamp on what appeared to be a post route. Messer sprinted to the end zone for a 64-yard score, with roughly 55 of those yards coming after the catch.

What It Means & What’s Next

The Tops improve to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play with the win. WKU have now reached bowl eligibility for six consecutive seasons. Their conference record also keeps them at the top of the CUSA standings for another week.

Jacksonville State also won on Wednesday night, meaning both the Tops and the Gamecocks are 4-0 in league games this season.

WKU will face New Mexico State on November 9 in Las Cruces, looking to pick up their seventh win and secure their fourth consecutive winning season. Kennesaw State face UTEP in El Paso that same day.

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TAKEAWAYS: Eric Rivers Makes FIU History In Win Over New Mexico State

AP POLL: Boise State Continue To Rise At #15, Army To #21 After Bye





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