The Turk Blog, established in September 2008, has a narrow purpose: We analyze Turf Horse Races and Form Exacta Bets. Little Turk has retired from the blog and is now a Chiropractor.
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Post Race Reviews with Video of Grade 3 Nashville Derby and Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap
Little Turk gets engaged
Welcome Friends to The Turk Blog. On Saturday I handicapped what I thought were the two most interesting turf races of the day, the $3.5 MM Nashville Derby G3 and TheDel Mar Handicap G2.
I wasn't able to enjoy the races as much as I would have liked as I had a more pressing family matter. My son, affectionally known here as "The Little Turk" is little no more. A grown man at 26, a Doctor of Chiropractic medicine, and now engaged to the love of his life, Shajwan. We spent a lovely afternoon with the couple and her parents as Little Turk proposed, before going out to dinner to celebrate.
The Turk has had a good life. I've worked for good people at good jobs, I've been blessed and given anything a father and husband could need by this material world, but seeing my son get engaged and see him become an adult and a man was precious, and I appreciate the time God has given me, as none of us are guaranteed the next day.
Anyways, today's blog post is dedicated to Little Turk and Shajwan, may life be as good to them as it has been to me.
On a personal note, the Turk is starting to sense the end of his working career coming. As I turn 60 next year, I know I only have a few more years of work life ahead of me. This blog has been a labor of love since September 2008. I've rededicated myself to it and to making it the best possible. I've been using AI to help build charts and graphs, which perhaps doesn't save a lot of time, but I like the visualizations and I think others will too. Blogs are a tough sell this day and age, especially specialty blogs like mine. I hate that term "tout." I'm not "touting" anything, I'm describing a rather intricate and detailed way I build positive ROI by focusing on a small group of races weekly versus whole cards. I could never be in a handicapping tournament, its a very different skill set. I spend as much as 90 mins- 2 hours on a single race sometimes, and I don't do this for the money, so while I win regularly on my exacta betting, this is not a retirement tranche of income, again, a labor of love. I'd love for you to follow me on X, Instagram and two places on Facebook, Turf Bloggers (of which I'm the last-ish member, sometimes Ted) and The Turk Blog.
30 August 2025; The Nashville Derby G3; 1 5/16 miles on firm turf
The bet prerace was for a $2 Exacta 11/12/8 OVER 11/12/8/2/5/1 for $30.
12 Over 5 paid $99.04 on a $30 bet or $69.04 Net. Not too shabby. The Turk doesn't brag, but that is the type of success this blog consistently delivers, but again, it's not scalable, I spent 2+ hours blogging just this race. A lot of time goes into each race I handicap. When I'm at the track, I can't do this so I have a very different style of tote board handicapping I do there.
This blog use to be a Superfecta and Super High Five Blog years ago. While that ain't my bag anymore, I had the Super nailed here which paid $132.74 on ten cents, I always bet $1 Supers so you get the idea.
Handicap. There is no substitution to learning and gaining experience in this game. Wimbledon Hawkeye was a 12-1 morning line. IGNORE and don't even look at the Morning Line. I print my PP's without it (thank you DRF Formulator for allowing that option- unsolicited and non sponsored plug). Why did he go off ~ 2-1, because the betting public is smarter. This horse had 1 turf win in 10 starts BUT seven combined Place and Shows. He was clearly improving in his euro Timeform ratings. My placement of Burnham Square (13.5-1) and Hill Road (13.5-1), both 6-1 Morning Lines highlights again to take your own view, not the view of an overworked and hurried handicapper for DRF.
Superscripts include numeric lengths (e.g., 51 1/2, 22 1/2) and hd (head). No no (nose) superscripts appear in this chart by design.
Visualized Race Chart:
30 August 2025; 1 3/8 Miles on Firm Turf; The Del Mar Handicap G2
Gold Phoenix (Ire), four straight Del Mar Handicaps is just an incredible story. I didn't realize it was four because I just have his last ten races with me as I'm handicapping, but wow! That truly is special and really encapsulates why I love older horses and turf racing is general, as its so rare to get such longevity and brilliance with dirt runners. I miss Brass Hat and Commentator just to name a few, they just don't come around very often
I was betting against what I thought was going to be a three-peat for the 7 YO, but he won and I'm happy to lose that one. I think my handicap was pretty spot on and the Superfecta was in there to be had along with the exacta.
As a handicapper, it's about current form to me. Gold Phoenix (Ire) sort of defies that in many ways, but he's an except to the rule. I will be keeping my eyes out again for Stay Hot, Atitlan and Truly Quality, as all three acquitted themselves well.
Race Chart
Del Mar — Del Mar Handicap (G2) • Aug 30, 2025
Horse
PP
1/4
1/2
3/4
1
Str
Fin
Jockey
Odds
Gold Phoenix (IRE)
9
4nk
41 1/2
51/4
51
3nk
1no
Prat F
2.10
Stay Hot
2
51 1/2
51/2
41/2
41
41
2nk
Smith M E
6.60
Atitlan
3
71
71
6nk
61
61/2
3no
Berrios H I
4.30
Truly Quality
5
9
9
9
7nk
71
4no
Rispoli U
4.80
Mondego (GB)
4
6nk
61
71/4
81/2
81/2
5hd
Kimura K
34.30
Final Boss
6
11
11/4
11
11
11/2
6no
Hernandez J J
4.50
City Exile (GB)
8
21/4
21
21/2
2nk
21/2
7hd
Lopez P
25.90
Balnikhov (IRE)
1
81/2
8nk
8nk
9
9
8nk
Fresu A
14.50
Endlessly
7
31 1/2
31/2
31
31/2
5nk
9
Velazquez J R
15.70
Superscripts show lengths behind leader (fractions or whole+fraction), plus hd = head, no = nose, nk = neck.
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