Randy Moss

The Triple Crown schedule must be adjusted as trainers will no longer run horses on two weeks' rest

The Preakness is a classic... but they think it is counterproductive to bring [Mystik Dan] back in just two weeks... It's gonna happen more and more frequently in the future until such time as the Triple Crown races become further apart on the calendar.

Clever Again is a strong play to beat the favorite Mystik Dan in the Preakness

There's another horse in the race called Clever Again, trained by Steve Asmussen... he's got speed. He's coming off a really strong race. He's had plenty of rest... I think to take a shot against [Mystik Dan] on the theory that [Mystik Dan] might not perform quite as well in the Preakness as he did in the Derby.

Fierceness is two to three lengths better than any other horse in the Kentucky Derby field

I think [Fierceness] is two to three lengths better than any other horse right now in the field... I think if he's ridden properly, I think [Fierceness]'s, you know, clearly, clearly the horse to beat.

A prime Secretariat could not win a race with a 235-pound Big Cat in the saddle

No shot, Big Cat, no shot. I'm sorry to tell you that. [You would finish] probably dead last. Even if you were an accomplished equestrian, at that weight riding Secretariat? No. He'd be up the track.

Secretariat was likely racing on anabolic steroids

I think a pretty strong possibility that Secretariat was racing on anabolic steroids. But here's the deal. So were the other horses he was running against. It doesn't really taint his legacy in any way to me because he was an incredibly dominant race horse at a time when pretty much all the horses were running on that stuff.

Mystic Dan is a bet-against in the Preakness Stakes

I think he is a bet against. He got a perfect trip [in the Derby], which he's probably not gonna get Saturday. He's coming back in two weeks. For all those reasons, from a betting standpoint, I think he's a bet against.

Tuscan Gold is the best bet to win the Preakness Stakes

To me, the bet in the Preakness is a horse called Tuscan Gold, trained by Chad Brown. On numbers, he's just as good as Mystic Dan in my opinion... and he should be a higher price.

Fierceness is the best horse in the Kentucky Derby by three or four lengths

If all the horses run their best races, Fierceness wins the race, hands down. Talent wise, Fierceness is probably three or four lengths better than any other horse in the field.

Forever Young has travel and track concerns heading into the Derby

Forever Young is the most accomplished Japanese horse that's ever come over here... but I've got two concerns... the travel bothered him... the other thing, the trainer seems to be borderline obsessive about keeping this horse out of this kickback spray in his face.

National Treasure will win the Preakness Stakes

I'll take National Treasure. I think he's gonna control the pace... to me that gives him the edge.

Faiza is the standout favorite for the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes

I think Faiza is a standout in the Black-Eyed Susan... Peterson said no, I'm staying loyal to [Baffert]... she's undefeated.

Derma Sotogake will win the Kentucky Derby

There are two Japanese horses in the Derby this year. One of them is my pick to win the Derby. He's probably gonna be 7, 8, 9, 10 to one. His name is Derma Sotogake. And in my eyes, not only do you have the Japanese dominance right now, but he, to me, he looks like the fastest horse in the race.

Flightline was a better horse than American Pharoah

Secretariat was the best... The four best horses that I've seen... were Secretariat, Flightline, Spectacular Bid, and American Pharoah... I would put 'em in that order. And I know some people think it's heresy to say that Flightline was better than American Pharoah... but I just think that Flightline was better.

Early Voting has a rest advantage that could challenge Epicenter in the Preakness

I agree with you. I think that [Epicenter] stands out in the field on paper, but Early Voting would have an edge he'll he'll probably set the pace. Epicenter should be right behind him. And Early Voting does have the edge of rest having not run since the Wood Memorial. So that will help his chances.

The Preakness is historically a better race for fillies than the other Triple Crown races

I do think that the Preakness is usually a better race for fillies. We haven't had a Kentucky Derby, a Philly that's won the Kentucky Derby since winning colors in 1988... But we saw Rachel Alexandra, for example, beat the boys in the Preakness. I think that was 2009, very impressively.

The Japanese horse Crown Pride is a legitimate threat in the Kentucky Derby

Every day in the last two weeks, big cat, it is looking more and more possible... He has been sensational here in Churchill Downs. And this morning he had a workout... everyone was like, holy crap, did you see that Japanese horse work this morning? I mean, the horse looks great.

Epicenter is my pick to win the Kentucky Derby

Epicenter is the perfect horse to take advantage of an inside post position because he has tactical speed... I think it's a great post position for Epicenter, probably why that's why I'm picking him.

Medina Spirit will almost certainly be disqualified from the Kentucky Derby

If the split sample comes back, the second sample that Baffert is sending out to verify the presence of beta-methasone in the horse's system, if it comes back positive, the horse is going to be disqualified almost certainly from the Kentucky Derby... I feel pretty confident in saying that the horse will probably be disqualified.

The medication in Medina Spirit's system made zero difference in the Kentucky Derby outcome

The amount of beta-methasone that he had in his system absolutely positively in my opinion and according to the opinion of some of the top veterinarians that I've talked to made zero difference whatsoever in the way the horse ran in the derby. It was one one millionth of a gram... There's no way that it had any impact at all on the way he ran.

Jockey changes among elite riders make zero difference in major races

When you're betting and you get into a race like the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness, the jockeys involved are all so good and so competent that the difference between jockey A and jockey B, jockey B and jockey C is negligible... just ignore the rider and focus on the abilities of the horse.

Bet on a Sacred Life and Some Like It Hot Brown exacta in the Dinner Party Stakes

Chad Brown has a horse in there named Sacred Life that looks like an absolute standout... I think if you hook him up in an exacta with the number one horse, Some Like It Hot Brown... I like the 5-1 Exacta, Sacred Life and Some Like It Hot Brown in the race before the Preakness.

Essential Quality is a machine but hasn't run a fast race yet

He's just a machine so far... The one knock on him... [is] he's yet to run what most people would consider to be a fast race by Kentucky Derby favorite standards.

Bob Baffert is the most successful horse trainer of all time

When Bob retires, I think he's in his late 60s, but he's going strong. He'll be the most successful horse trainer of all time.

The #1 post position at the Kentucky Derby is not a disadvantage

There's this bs out there that's been out there for years that the number one post position is this horrible disadvantage and it's not... the advantage of saving ground being on the inside around the turns makes the horse run better than his odds would indicate.

Essential Quality will NOT win the 2021 Kentucky Derby

I can't tell you who I'm going to pick, but it's not Essential Quality.

Bet on Endorsed in the 10th race at Churchill Downs on Saturday

There is a horse running Saturday in the 10th race... His name is Endorsed and I will endorse betting on Endorsed... I think the horse is an excellent play.

Bet against Bellafina in the Kentucky Oaks

She looks in those races in California... like a man against boys... [but] she doesn't look very good [at Churchill]. For a horse to have those negatives and to be the favorite, I think it's a good horse to bet against.

Maximum Security's Florida Derby win was 'phony' because he wasn't pressured

Let's make Maximum Security into the villain... there should be kind of an asterisk by his last win in the Florida Derby because the competition in that race just basically handed him the race... Everybody else just decided to take back, and all of a sudden this horse is just cruising.

Justify may be running low on energy heading into the Belmont Stakes

In the Preakness, he wasn't quite as good as he was in the Kentucky Derby... Energy level might be getting a little bit low. He really needed that wire to come up when it did in the Preakness... How much he's got left in the tank is the big question.

Hofburg and Vino Rosso are the best horses to bet on to beat Justify

I think the two best horses to be betting on in this Belmont are Hofburg and Vino Rosso... Ten of the last 18 years, the Belmont has been won by horses that ran on Kentucky Derby weekend, skipped the Preakness, and waited for the Belmont to be rested.

Gronkowski the horse does not have much of a chance in the Belmont Stakes

We talked to the trainer, and he doesn't even know what to expect... It's like he's been going up against Class A pitching, and now he's got to go against the Yankees. So you have no idea what to expect. Big, nice, good-looking horse. I don't think he has much of a chance.

The Curse of Apollo in the Kentucky Derby is absolute BS

To be honest with you, 2018, it's absolute BS. It should have gone up in flames six years ago with a horse named Bodie Meister... now this year there are two horses, Justify... and Magnum Moon... it matters not even a little bit.

Justify is the most likely winner of the Kentucky Derby

I think Justify is probably the most likely winner, although he's going to be the favorite.

Midnight Bisou will win the Kentucky Oaks

I think the winner of the Oaks is going to be a horse named Midnight Bisou... She comes from behind, makes this electrifying move from off the pace.

Rushing Fall is the horse to watch in the Friday Breeders' Cup races

There's a horse named Rushing Fall, trained by Chad Brown... She's had two starts. She won them both. Last time out, she looked like an absolute superstar. I think she is on her way to maybe some spectacular things.

Gun Runner has the best chance to beat Arrogate in the Breeders' Cup Classic

I think this is Gun Runner's race to lose... Gun Runner's got better, Arrogate seems to have gotten a little bit worse and I think this is Gun Runner's race to lose.

Winning the Belmont Stakes is less valuable to horse breeders than winning the Derby or Preakness

The mile and a half distance of the Belmont Stakes is such a rarity in American racing that winning the Belmont doesn't mean nearly as much to breeders if you're going to retire to stud than winning the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness. You've got a grand total of one grade one stakes in America running a mile and a half on dirt, and that's the Belmont.

Tapwrit is a must-play for the Belmont Stakes trifecta

I think [Tapwrit] is a must play in the trifecta. Absolute must play and maybe even must play in the exactas. Todd Pletcher has this thing figured out... They come into the Belmont, his home track. They're really rested, ready to roll.

Irish War Cry is the logical favorite to beat in the Belmont Stakes

If [Irish War Cry] runs his best race, he's a daylight winner. You can't say that about any of the other horses in the race. So even though he's the favorite, I think he's the horse to beat.

Only Always Dreaming or Classic Empire can win the Preakness

In my opinion, only two horses can win the race, Always Dreaming and Classic Empire. Those are the only two that can win the race. The other horses are various confidence levels of playing in the exotics. I think Cloud Computing is a horse that can be a part of the exotics.

Don't bet on Ben's Cat in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint because he is too old

Don't bet Ben's Cat. He's a real popular horse that's going to run in the Jim McKay turf sprint. He's 11 years old, which is like playing in the NFL at age 70... Ben's cat being 11 would probably be the equivalent of a 45, 46-year-old player in the NFL.

Shimmering Aspen will lead from start to finish in the Black-Eyed Susan

Shimmering Aspen, the horse that's won three races and four starts... I think is probably going to go wire-to-wire in the Black Eyed Susan at about four or five to one.

Classic Empire is bad value for the Kentucky Derby

He's going to be the favorite, and he might be the favorite, and he's not going to be worth the shorter price. [No bet on Classic Empire].

Hence is a strong value play at 20-1 for the Kentucky Derby

Whether it's muddy or whether it's not muddy, you want a horse that's got a good chance at a decent price. His name is Hence... He's going to be 20 to 1... Steve Asmussen has never won the Kentucky Derby, but he's one of the best trainers in America, and he's overdue.

Destin is a better play to win the Belmont Stakes than Exaggerator

Destin, who ran in the Kentucky Derby, didn't have the best of trips... Todd Pletcher trains him. Now he gives him five weeks off, and he brings him back to the Belmont fresh. And I think that makes a horse like Destin a much better play than a horse like Exaggerator.

Nyquist is not a slam dunk to win the Preakness due to weather

There's a probability that it's going to be a hellaciously rainy day on Saturday. [Nyquist] has never run in conditions like that before... Whereas Exaggerator, the horse that he beat in the Derby, has, and he won very impressively in conditions like that.

The horse Lani is a good play for third place in the Preakness

There is a horse that is going to be double digits that I think is set up to run pretty well here and is a good play for third behind the top two, and that would be the Japanese horse, Lani.

American Pharoah was more talented than Nyquist

American Pharoah was a brilliant kind of horse... American Pharoah [was] like a wild horse. Nyquist is sort of like the consummate professional... I think at this point, I would take American Pharoah. I think he has more overall talent than Nyquist.

Danzing Candy is a possible upset pick to lead the Kentucky Derby from start to finish

On the front end, a horse that's going to be about 20, 30 to 1 and has a shot is a horse called Danzing Candy... He'll be on the lead. They'll probably leave him alone on the lead. ... that's a recipe for a possible upset.

Sudden Breaking News will be running faster than any other horse at the finish line

There's a horse... his name is Sudden Breaking News. I promise you, he may not win, he may not finish second, he may not finish third. But when the horses cross the finish line, he'll be running faster than any horse in the race.