Horse Betting World

Looking for a Hot Trainer? Look No Further Than Englehart

By Mike Dempsey

Horseplayers are always looking for that hot jockey or trainer, and if you happen to be on the Chris Englehart bandwagon the past week, you are cashing plenty of tickets.

The New York based trainer has now won seven races in a row at Aqueduct after winning with both of his starters on Sunday.

The trainer won back-to-back in races five and six on Sunday with Isn’t She Grand ($3.60) and Furhlang ($5.50).

Englehart has been the dominant trainer at Finger Lakes, having won the last eight trainer titles, but he is finding plenty of success on the bigger circuit.

He has always fared well at the big tracks. Going back one year the trainer has won at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga combined at a 20% clip.

Just over a month ago, Englehart had a horse die of equine herpesvirus, and his stable at Finger Lakes and Belmont Park along with his farm was placed under quarantine for three weeks.

The time off for his horses, which were not allowed to ship and run during the quarantine, appear to have done them wonders.

His streak at Aqueduct began on Dec. 30 when he won with Who’s the Cowboy ($18.00) in the first race, Smokin Artie’s Gal ($3.30) in the second race, and Budge Man ($11.20) in the seventh race.

On Dec. 31, the trainer won with Iberian Gate ($2.90), his only starter on the day, then won with Run Warrior Run ($9.40) on New Year’s Day.

He goes for his eighth consecutive win with Who’s the Cowboy in the fifth race on Wednesday. The trainer has three entered on Thursday.

According to the New York Racing Association, four modern day trainers have saddled eight consecutive winners at New York tracks: John Parisella in 1973, Angel Penna, Sr., in 1982, Oscar Barrera in 1983, and Edward Kelly in 1983.

More recently, trainer John Kimmel won seven in a row at Saratoga in 2008.

Gulfstream Park opens on Wednesday
Racing in South Florida shifts to Gulfstream Park on Wednesday, as the Hallandale track hosts a nine race card including the opening day feature, the $100,000 Old Hat (G3) for three-year-old fillies.

Many of the top horses, trainers, and jockeys in the nation will make their way south for the meeting, which runs until April 24.

Several key Kentucky Derby preps will be run including the 60th running of the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on April 3.

There are 45 stakes on the calendar including 33 graded stakes over the course of the meeting.

Horseplayers will get a new challenge, a Pick 5 wager with just a 15% takeout, along with Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagering at a 20% takeout, which is 3-6% lower than most other major racing jurisdictions.

There will be a 10-cent Pick 6, which will only be paid out of there is one winner. On days there are multiple winners, 60% of the pool will be shared equally, while 40% goes back into the jackpot for the following day.

Gulfstream Park will race five days a week, from Wednesday through Sunday with a first post of 12:55 ET.