Horse Racing

April 30 - Ready to race for riches? SPORTSBETTING.com’s FREE $100,000 Triple Crown Contest gives you a front-row seat as this year's crop of three year olds race for glory this spring. As with all of SPORTSBETTING.com’s contests, again, it's free to play.

Put your handicapping skills (or luck) to the test and you could win $100,000, a 42” HDTV and Blu-ray Player, Apple iPhone or one of many other prizes.

This free contest, the $100,000 Triple Crown Contest is played over the course of the three 2009 Triple Crown races to be held on May 2, May 16 and June 6. You can play one or you can play them all. Prizes are awarded for each leg, and the big prizes are given to those with the best picks over the course of all three races.

Picks can be set after the field is set and the post positions have been assigned, during the official entry period for each race:

• The Kentucky Derby: 7:00PM EDT, April 29 to 6:00PM EDT May 2, 2009
• The Preakness Stakes: 7:00PM EDT, May 13 to 6:00PM EDT May 16, 2009
• The Belmont Stakes: 7:00PM EDT, June 3 to 6:00PM EDT June 6, 2009

The first leg in the Crown - the 13th running of the Kentucky Derby - hits the track this weekend at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky Derby betting odds have been set for a while now. Early favorites to win the Derby include I Want Revenge (5-to-2) and Dunkirk (5-to-1), with Friesan Fire and Pioneer of the Nile nosing behind at 6-to-1 each.

There is a chance of thundershowers Saturday and soggy conditions can have a big affect on the race’s outcome so be sure to keep tabs on the forecast closer to race day. Post time is scheduled for 9 pm EST so be sure to get your picks or bets in.

Win one of the first two legs and you'll earn a shot at winning $100,000 in the third and final leg. Every race is another chance to win great prizes so it's never too late to join the field. You can also create your own pool within the main pool and invite your friends or coworkers to join, and trashtalk in your group’s Private Message Board.

You can catch up on your handicapping by reading the Kentucky Derby Betting Guide before registering for the $100,000 Triple Crown contest or checking out all the Kentucky Derby odds.

Author: Mike Gratton placed his first wager on a horse race in the mid-80s. It was a 2-1 horse to show… and it came in fourth. Mike has progressed to be a successful horse racing handicapper and sports betting mind over the years. He loves to impart the knowledge he has garnered over the years in his articles focused on helping others with their sports betting and horse handicapping.