Kentucky Horse Racing Picks and Tips

We were introduced to “Judge” Fletcher McCoy by a customer of ours from Paris, KY. It seems that the “Judge” took a liking to our customer's Storm Cat hat and wanted to get one for himself. The Judge does not fool with computers, the internet, cell phones, credit cards or bank accounts. He is a “cash money” man, so we arranged to meet him at Keeneland due to the demands of his rigorous schedule. We brought a few hats for him and decided to take in a few races on the simulcast card.

Very shortly after meeting the Judge it became obvious that he was a true handicapping genius. His methods, mannerisms, and language were strange – but his skill was indisputable.

Fletcher was born in Eastern Kentucky some 40 plus years ago and earned his nickname - “Judge”- as a very young man. There has never been a person, horse, dog, or topic that the Judge hasn't had a strong opinion about and his constant judging and commentary earned him his nickname.

After determining that his formal education was complete at age 16, the “Judge” hitch-hiked to Lexington to embark on a career as a horseman. The early hours and hard work required of a horseman prompted the Judge into his present career as a professional handicapper. For over 20 years “Judge” McCoy has been earning a living betting on horses, and he just might be one of the best handicappers alive. Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Belmont and Gulfstream are some of the race tracks he focuses on.

In exchange for some free hats and a public forum for his various opinions, the Judge has agreed to share his insights with us. From time to time - and as long as it does not interfere with his schedule - the Judge will provide us with some “Steamers” and “Waggles”, an occasional “Lead Pipe”, and the ever elusive “Big Gizmo”.



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			About "Judge" McCoy	Today's Free Pick from the Judge.
			We were introduced to “Judge” Fletcher McCoy by a customer of ours from Paris, KY. It seems that the “Judge” took a liking to our customer's Storm Cat hat and wanted to get one for himself. The Judge does not fool with computers, the internet, cell phones, credit cards or bank accounts. He is a “cash money” man, so we arranged to meet him at Keeneland due to the demands of his rigorous schedule. We brought a few hats for him and decided to take in a few races on the simulcast card. Very shortly after meeting the Judge it became obvious that he was a true handicapping genius. His methods, mannerisms, and language were strange – but his skill was indisputable. Fletcher was born in Eastern Kentucky some 40 plus years ago and earned his nickname - “Judge”- as a very young man. There has never been a person, horse, dog, or topic that the Judge hasn't had a strong opinion about and his constant judging and commentary earned him his nickname. After determining that his formal education was complete at age 16, the “Judge” hitch-hiked to Lexington to embark on a career as a horseman. The early hours and hard work required of a horseman prompted the Judge into his present career as a professional handicapper. For over 20 years “Judge” McCoy has been earning a living betting on horses, and he just might be one of the best handicappers alive. Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Belmont and Gulfstream are some of the race tracks he focuses on. In exchange for some free hats and a public forum for his various opinions, the Judge has agreed to share his insights with us. From time to time - and as long as it does not interfere with his schedule - the Judge will provide us with some “Steamers” and “Waggles”, an occasional “Lead Pipe”, and the ever elusive “Big Gizmo”. Enjoy. And please remember – take his advice (and anyone else's) - at your own risk. Read the Judge's Handicapping Page and FAQ Horse Betting Systems	May 2nd and 3rd Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby What a mess. I was all set to place a super-sized wager on BIG BROWN to win the Kentucky Derby, then he got stuck out in the 20 hole. I damn near cried. I still think he's the best horse in the race and one of only a handful that can claim to be called "Derby Horses", but he might have too much to overcome to win it all from the grandstand side of the track. I may still make him my win bet, but I will have to get 5:1 or better to take that plunge. That may happen. I'll make my bets about 20 minutes before post and reverse my 1st and 2nd choices based on the odds. 1. BIG BROWN - could beat this field with a steamship anchor tied to his tail and a cement jockey on his back, but the 20 hole makes him second choice unless we get 5:1 or better. 2. COURT VISION - The same folks that own BIG BROWN bought into this cat and they ain't messing around. Looks like Mott has him peaking and he owns a win over the CD track. 3. PYRO - I remember when Thunder Gulch went from Derby favorite to 25:1 after a bad Bluegrass race. Pyro hates the plastic at Keeneand and I do too. I can't hold that against him. If he had won the Bluegrass he'd be your 5:2 favorite, but now we'll get him at about 12:1 and he'll sweeten up our trifectas. 4. ANAK NAKAL - Yes, I am sober. I bet this horse in the futures and he'll probably go off at a higher price than that on race day. So did Giacomo. He is coming around nicely, ran a better race in the Wood that people give him credit for and he has Bejarano up. If the race falls apart he could be the one to find his way home first. 5. Z FORTUNE - Arkansas Derby performance was impressive, like his running style and believe that Albarado and Asmussen might be able to get back into the trifecta like they did last year. 6. SMOOTH AIR - Ran second to BIG BROWN in the Florida Derby so why can't he do it again? Never off the board, don't like the fever he spiked last week but I trust the trainer wouldn't be running if the horse wasn't right. I'm boxing these 6 in exactas, trifectas, and superfectas. My win bet will be on either BIG BROWN or COURT VISION depending on the odds. In addition to my 6 horse exacta box, I will play an exacta BOX bet on Court Vision / Big Brown that will be so big the ticket seller will ask me if I'm serious. KENTUCKY OAKS - I'll be playing Awesome Chic to win and place, and in exactas with Pure Clan and Country Star. I will also use those three in Oaks/Derby doubles with my 6 Derby picks. April 5th Ashland Stakes In the ASHLAND at Keeneland you have a virtual match race with COUNTRY STAR and PROUD SPELL. Both are super fillies and will be a pleasure to watch run. I won't bet the race, but if I get overserved enough loud mouth soup I might be inclined to try and beat them both with LITTLE BELLE. If she ends up winning I will tell you all that it was because of my skill as a horseplayer that I bet her. If she gets beat you better know that the only reason I bet her was because I had too much bourbon and wasn't thinking clearly. February 29th Gulfstream Park, March 1st Santa Anita 9th Race Gulfstream #8 Motor Patrol 9th Race Santa Anita (March1) #10 Heatseeker I have a very sophisticated filing system that I use to track horses. When I'm watching a race and something catches my eye I write down that information on a cocktail napkin which I stuff in my coat pocket. When I get home I transfer the information on the napkin to one of my spiral notebooks. The green book is for horses to bet next time out, the red book is used for racetrack contacts, and the yellow book is for all the phone numbers the women give me. I know its supposed to be black, but when I bought them at the Right Aid all they had was yellow. If I was smart I'd throw away the yellow one and save myself all kinds of money and aggravation. Anyway - I have two green book horses running this weekend. MOTOR PATROL today at Gulfstream and HEATSEEKER Saturday at Santa Anita in the Santa Anita Handicap. Chavez is riding back on Motor Patrol (2nd race off layoff) and should have all the speed. Unless one of the maidens to his inside has some gas he will wire this group. I bet HEATSEEKER in the San Antonio in his last race and thought I had a winner. He nearly got up that day and galloped out so far past the winner that he looks like he will relish the extra 1/8th of a mile. Bejarano on board again and I am going to play him to win and place and in an exacta box with AWESOME GEM, another horse who loves to run 2nd time back from a layoff. February 24th Gulfstream Park 1st Race Gulfstream #3 Fiumes 9th Race Gulfstream #9 Elysium Fields My public pickin has been a bit off lately and I know some of you folks out there have been mean-mouthing me. Hell, my grandmother still loves me. Fiumes is a horse that I played and touted last year and I think that he is going to break through to the winners cirlce today in the first at Gulfstream. Ward has brought him back into this race with a couple of sharp moves and will have him ready to fire. In the big race, the Fountain of Youth (which by the way is not water but a mixture of water and Makers Mark) I like a horse that will be coming from off what I expect to be a hot pace. This should be a great betting race, and if you have the winner you should be able to make a pretty fair haul. ELYSIUM FIELDS will be under the radar with a morning line of 15:1. He romped in his maiden win on this track and has been firing bullets in the mornings ever since. He can be rated and Coa will have him ready to pounce as this race falls apart. I will be betting him to win and place and in exactas with ANAK NAKAL and COURT VISION. I will also box those three in the trifecta. I'm adding HALO NAJIB into the mix in the Superfecta and I'll need an accountant and a wheelbarrow to handle all of the money when this race is over. October 6th Keeneland The fall meet at Keeneland is here and I'm about as excited as a three-balled tom cat. Back in September Wicked Style ran a big one for us at Arlington and showed what a horse with heart can do. He was tough as nails getting to the wire in the Arlington Washington and he is in again today at Keeneland in the Futurity. He gets the 12 post and is facing a much stronger field than the one he got macho with in Chicago. Keeneland is his home track, and (#12 Wicked Style 8th race Keeneland) ) is 8:1 on the morning line. Give it to me one more time! If you saw Country Star win the Alcibiades yesterday at Keeneland, you know she is a nice filly. It won't take a brain surgeon to figure out that the horse that just beat her, (Backseat Rhythm # 4 8th race Belmont) is a rock-solid play. She's 8:1 morning line as well and if both of these babies come in for me I'll need a wheelbarrow and a mule to cary my cash off the track tonight. CHOO CHOO CHA CHING. September 15th Belmont Park We've all heard about the Green Monkey, the 16 million dollar colt by Forestry that didn't start at 2. Well he is going to make his debut today in the 4th race at Belmont. You have to figure that they wanted to make damn sure he was ready before starting him. He's even money on the morning line, and for 16 million he should probably be 1-9. I'm not a big fan of monkeys, Jerry Clower used to say that they "looked to much like folks", and I agree with him. I don't like him in this spot and will beat him with a $100,000 yearling by Holy Bull named Holla Bend (#5). He had some trouble in his debut at Saratoga and came back to finish 2nd at 37:1. He will need some speed to run at, and I figure he will get that with a jacked up Green Monkey that Velasquez will have going pedal to the metal from the gate. This race runs at about 2:30 - I'll play it then head on over to Commonwealth to tailgate. For those of you inclined to wager on football - I'm taking Kentucky and the points. September 8th Arlington Park In the Arlington- Washington Lassie (race 10 ), #11 Dreaming Of Liz is listed at 4:1 on the morning line for Catalano and Calabrese. We hit the colt edition of this race last week with Wicked Style and I feel as strongly about this filly as I did about that colt. Catalano and Calabrese teamed up last year to win the Breeder's Cup filly race with Dreaming of Anna and I think they aim to repeat that feat this year with Dreaming of Liz. She ran strong and true last time out at Arlington drawing off to win by 7 and she looked like a world beater. If we get anything close to 4:1 on her today I'll be dreaming of easy money and one hell of a Saturday night! September 1st Ellis Park and Arlington It's been a hot summer and I've spent most of it on the road in Saratoga and Vegas and I've finally come back home to rest up, watch some Kentucky football, and make a fist full of dollars betting a couple of races today. In the 8th race at Ellis Park #3 CHINCHILLA should be ready to beat this bunch. I don't set too long in front of the Animal Channel, but I think a Chinchilla is like a weasel only faster. The Chinchilla in this race should be running late and should have no trouble besting this field at 2:1. At Arlington Park we aim to take a stab at the Arlington Washington futurity with a son of Macho Uno named Wicked Style (#4). South of the border they call me Macho Uno and up here around Lexington they call me Mucho Uno or the "Big One". Anyway, I saw this colt break his maiden at Arlington back in July and I thought that he split horses and drew off like a serious horse. I made a mental note to bet him big next time he ran. I hoped to get down on him in an allowance race, but his handlers must have liked what they saw as well as I did. He is stepping up into graded company today and at a 15:1 morning line I will not be scared off him. I'm going to bet him to win and place, cash my tickets, then head out to the KY football game. Look out Lexington, I'm back in town and ready for some action....