Sunday, September 28, 2025

Post Race Review with Video: The John Henry G2 at Santa Anita and Joe Hirsch G1 at Aqueduct

Welcome Friends to the Turk Blog, where I specialize in turf race handicapping and exacta bet constructions.  Yesterday we handicapped the John Henry Turf Championship G2 at Santa Anita, and I discussed, but did not handicap, The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic G1 at Aqueduct (no, I won't pretend that it's Belmont).  

Breeders' Cup is 33 days from now, 5 weeks from last Friday.  After next weekend, and with very few exceptions after that, all the preps for Breeders' Cup will be done and I will turn my attention to handicapping, beginning with as much video as I can lay my hands on for the last 2-3 races for each horse I'm focused on.  I'm not really a Triple Crown fella, I like data, and these turf race contestants at the Breeders' Cup come with loads of data and video.  Heaven for a handicapping nerd such as I.  

The John Henry was no great surprise.  My base handicap had Gold Phoenix as an A+ and odds on favorite while I had Stay Hot as Place horse, an A rating and second best odds.  They both went off at $1.50- 1 odds with Stay Hot considered the incremental chalk.  My bet construction was singled on Mondego ($6.20-1) finally figuring it out and using his incredible turn of foot tactically to win a race.  It didn't happen and may never happen.  

27 September 2025;  John Henry Turf Championship G2; DMR; 1 1/4 Miles on firm turf.  

 

 Race Chart:
Horse Name PP 1/4 1/2 3/4 1M STR FIN
Gold Phoenix (IRE) 7 7 7 7 61 31 11 ¼
Stay Hot 6 5hd 62 6½ 7 7 2nk
Spycatcher 3 22 21 ½ 21 ½ 21 1½ 31
Mondego (GB) 5 61 ½ 5½ 52 5½ 4hd 41 ¾
Balladeer 2 12 ½ 14 14 ½ 12 2hd 51 ¼
Dicey Mo Chara (GB) 4 42 3½ 31 ½ 4½ 6½ 6¾
Rastaman Vibe 1 31 42 41 ½ 3hd 5hd 7


 

 Race Chart Visualization: 





Joe Hirsch also went as expected.  Rebel's Romance  (Ire) is a beast, going off at $0.64-1  with Redistricting getting longest odds you can expect him to get, $5.31 -1.   
 
27 September 2025;  Joe Hirsch Turf Classic G1; 1 1/4 Miles on Firm Turf. 


 

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Have fun friends, Turk out.

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