Handicapping seminars set for Derby weekend

The Kentucky Derby, with a 20-horse field, is the hardest race of all to analyze. Plus, the Derby day undercard at Churchill Downs on May 5 will offer one great betting race after another.

Fortunately, help is on the way.

Next weekend, four free handicapping seminars will take place, so make plans to attend. I subscribe to a premise put forth by radio host John Kelly: “Listen to everyone; follow no one.”

That means listen to the experts but formulate your own betting plans. It’s your money. You should not be blaming others for winning or losing it.

These Derby seminars will take place May 4:

At Sam’s Town, the Track Talk radio crew of Gordon Jones, Kelly and Patrick McQuiggan will start at 6 p.m. Santa Anita publicity director Mike Willman will be a guest.

At Sunset Station, Jerry Jacovitz of Jerry J’s Power Page will begin at 6:30 p.m.

At Planet Hollywood, trainer Nick Hines, Jon Lindo and Ralph Siraco of Race Day Las Vegas will start at 7:30 p.m. on the mezzanine level.

Then on May 5 at the Orleans at 7 a.m., Lindo and Siraco will do a seminar in the Mardi Gras ballroom. Drawings will be held for free Derby bankroll vouchers.

If you’re wondering why I’m not involved, I’ll be a guest handicapper at the Mohegan Sun Casino Derby party in upstate Connecticut. I’ll handicap the Derby in next week’s column.

There will be lots of casino Derby parties around town. You’ll need to ask early to reserve seats and find out what casinos are giving away.

Two betting items of interest:

Planet Hollywood is offering fixed-odds Derby betting starting Wednesday after the draw and morning line comes out. If you think you’re smarter than Churchill oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, you might try betting at morning-line odds before the public gets involved.

And Station Casinos will be offering a $20,000 Twin Quinella wager. The Derby will be one of two races used. Last year, there was no winner, creating a huge TQ carry-over into Sunday racing.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.