Derby Day is perfect time to swing for fences

The Kentucky Derby is the toughest race of all to handicap. The enigma starts with a 20-horse field, a size we see only once a year.

That greatly increases the luck factor. Good horses have bad trips in the Derby all the time and lose. A so-so horse can have a perfect trip and win.

So what is a horseplayer to do?

To use a baseball analogy, you must expand your strike zone.

The Derby is a great race to try to hit a home run. But you must relax the discipline you normally show. That means including borderline horses who, with a perfect trip, can pull an upset. In Derby wagering, you have to widen your scope because chaos will probably reign in the final result.

In horse racing, the two best times to swing for the fences are Derby Day and the Breeders' Cup. So don't be afraid to strike out a few times on the Churchill Downs card. Believe me, you will be rewarded generously if you can figure things out a couple of times.

Derby help is on the way next week in free handicapping seminars for the May 7 Triple Crown race.

The first session begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at Palace Station, where Richie Saber of Gaming Today, Ralph Siraco of Race Day Las Vegas and Palace race book supervisor Vic Viveo will appear.

Three seminars will take place May 6.

Dan Shapiro of Lucky's, Dave Tuley of viewfromvegas.com and I will be at Terrible's on Flamingo at 6 p.m.

John Kelly of the Track Talk radio show, in-house handicapper Patrick McQuiggan and Tom Quigley of The Horseplayer Magazine will be at the South Point at 6 p.m.

Jerry Jacovitz of Jerry J's Power Page will be at Texas Station at 6:30 p.m.

Finally, Jon Lindo of the Lindo Report and Siraco will be at The Orleans at 10 a.m. May 7.

Also on Derby Day, two free parties will be open to the public: at The Orleans' Mardi Grass ballroom and in the South Point Sonoma ballroom.

■ LUCKY'S -- The Lucky's Twin Quinella minimum pool has been doubled to $2,000. The bet will be offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

■ DERBY TWIN Q -- Station Casinos will have a special $20,000 twin quinella May 7 featuring the Kentucky Derby and one other race.

■ PICK THE PONIES -- The Las Vegas Hilton will host its annual Pick the Ponies handicapping tournament Wednesday through Friday.

Richard Eng's horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.