Which Horse Races in the Coming Couple Months Catch New Jersey Experts’ Eyes?

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If you follow horse racing at all, or sports betting, on the East Coast, you might not be familiar with the name Joe Wisniewski.

But you sure as heck have heard of the man they call Joe Wiz, who is a staple on the New Jersey horse racing scene. He has a show on ESPN New York 98.7 called the Feinline, and will soon be on the air in Philadelphia and Chicago.

The nomenclature is obvious here (his last name shortened), but it can also apply to his status in the horse racing world; Wiz is a wizard at the various tracks around the Garden State, of which there are more than a few.

So who better to talk to about the upcoming racing calendar than Wiz, who will be gearing up for these last two months of big events all over the country. He has one eye on the upcoming Breeders’ Crown at his home base of the Meadowlands on Halloween weekend, and the other looking at the card for the following weekend in Del Mar, California, for the biggest event of the season.

The 2021 Breeders’ Cup is going to be a two-day festival of racing, showcasing the best horses from around the world with some of the biggest purses on offer. The $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is the main event, and the field is starting to take shape.

Wiz gave a little breakdown of this betting event, which will be on November 6, but he also spoke about one big race that is upcoming at Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA this month, according to the horse race wagering portal Horse.bet.

“There are a lot of big races all over the country in the next two months,” Wiz said. “The Pennsylvania Derby is going to be a big event because we are going to see what happens with Medina Spirit winning Sunday at Del Mar. We could see Medina possibly run there at Parx. That is going to be one of the big races in Pennsylvania.

“Of course, you have the Breeders’ Cup with Essential Quality gearing up for the Classic. Those are the two races I am curious about because Medina Spirit is still the Kentucky Derby winner. Of course, Essential Quality won the Belmont and has won eight of nine in his lifetime.

“It is possible that if Medina Spirit does well at the Pennsylvania Derby, we could see a collision course (at the Classic) that could determine the Horse of the Year.”

So there is still a lot to race for during the season, not just for trophies and notoriety, but mainly for the purses, which are very large for these Grade I stakes. For bettors, these next six weeks should help give us a clearer picture of which horses will go into the Breeders’ Cup Classic near the top of the tote board, and which ones might fall back as also-rans in the tough field.
One thing is for sure: Joe Wiz will be watching, and wagering, on the races, and looking for good value across the board.

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