Trainer Larry Jones will offer a stiff one-two punch in the $400,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I), with stablemates Joyful Victory and Believe You Can both entered for the May 27 event at Belmont Park.
21 hours ago
Grade II winner Kauai Katie will stretch out to take on Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) also-rans Midnight Lucky and Close Hatches while those two turn back in distance in the $300,000 Acorn Stakes (gr. I) May 27 at Belmont.
23 hours ago
Trainer Ian Wilkes sent 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Fort Larned through a five-furlong breeze in :59 4/5 May 24 at Churchill Downs, continuing preparations for the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I).
23 hours ago
Defending Horse of the Year Wise Dan will likely target the Firecracker Handicap at Churchill, trainer Charlie LoPresti said May 23. His half brother, Successful Dan, is on track for the June 15 Stephen Foster there.
Yesterday
Four strong turf fillies will tangle May 25 in the $200,000 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park. Hessonite, Strathnaver, Starformer, and Mystical Star all share status as 120-pound highweights in a field of eight.
2 days agoAdmiral Kitten leads 12 sophomore contenders in the $150,000 Arlington Classic (gr. IIIT) at Arlington Park on May 25, Illinois Derby (gr. III) runner-up Fordubai also in the mix.
2 days ago
Hall of fame trainer Shug McGaughey shares his thoughts on Orb's fourth-place finish in the May 18 Preakness (gr. I) on the morning of May 19, and speaks of plans for the future including a potential Bemont Stakes run.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas supervises the loading of Preakness winner Oxbow at Pimlico May 19.
Running for the first time in 2013, Michael Dubb's Sage Valley earned his fourth straight victory when he took the $150,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap (gr. III) at Pimlico Race Course May 18.
6 days ago
Summer Applause ground her way to the lead and held off Sea Island in the $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes Presented by Toyota (gr. III) at Pimlico Race Course May 18.
6 days ago
Can the Kentucky Derby winner hold off eight challengers -- including five wheeling back from that race two weeks ago -- in the May 18 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico? Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey thinks so.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Rosie Napravnik remembers galloping horses at Pimlico Race Course before she even earned her jockey's license. On May 18 aboard Mylute, she'll become just the third woman to ever ride in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Jockey Joel Rosario's remarkable run continued May 17 when he cleverly brought Fiftyshadesofhay from off the pace to win the $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) at Pimlico Race Course.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. says throw out the Kentucky Derby...and asks the Archbishop of Baltimore for a favor.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has three starters in the May 18 Preakness Stakes and five in races on the undercard, including Optimizer and Skyring as part of a 13-horse field for the Longines Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT).
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Illinois Derby winner Departing on the backside of Pimlico on May 16.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Grade II winners Brushed by a Star and Summer Applause tangle with local stakes contenders in the $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (gr. III) at Pimlico Race Course May 18.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Everything finally went right for Freedom Child May 11 at Belmont Park. Romping in the slop by 13 1/4 lengths to take the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II), he punched his ticket to the June 8 Belmont (gr. I).
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Fear the Kitten will take on Bay Shore Stakes winner Declan's Warrior and Illinois Derby fourth-place finisher Abraham in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park May 11.
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
A familiar name appeared on the worktab at Calder Casino & Race Course on May 5: dual grade I-winning millionaire Jackson Bend is back in training.
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Jen Patterson leads the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner, followed by trainer Shug McGaughey, to a horse van bound for his base in New York.
Kentucky Derby winner Orb will van to Shug McGaughey's New York base May 5 and train there until the week before the May 18 Preakness, the Hall of Fame trainer said. The colt exited his May 4 Derby victory well.
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Sitting in the Churchill Downs interview room after finally winning an edition of the Kentucky Derby, Hall of Fame horseman Shug McGaughey savored the victory.
Saturday, May 04, 2013
Stephanie's Kitten came back of the layup and got the job done May 4 in the Distaff Turf Mile (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs. Hungry Island, winner of the same race in 2012, was second by a neck.
Saturday, May 04, 2013
Florida Derby winner Orb has Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey excited about the May 4 Kentucky Derby--more excited, said McGaughey, than he's ever been. But 19 other 3-year-olds also have their sights on the Derby.
Saturday, May 04, 2013
Trainer Pat Byrne had Take Charge Indy sharp for the Alysheba Stakes (gr. III), but even he did not expect the overpowering 6-length performance the 2012 Florida Derby (gr. I) winner turned in May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Prominent equine surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage was hospitalized May 2 after falling from the back of a golf cart and hitting his head in the barn area at Churchill Downs.
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez sent Kentucky Derby contender Vyjack through a three-furlong breeze at Churchill Downs May 2.
Last year's Kentucky Derby (gr.I)-winning trainer Doug O'Neill talks about post 8 for Goldencents, and also about his golf game.
Trainer Shug McGaughey talks about 7-2 Kentucky Derby (gr.I) favorite Orb's post-position draw, and also about the colt's behavior when a horse flipped on May 1 as he was schooling in the paddock at Churchill Downs.
Wise Dan and Point of Entry face off May 4 at Churchill Downs in the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT), the race immediately preceding the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Cyber Secret has not won on the dirt at Churchill Downs, but fresh off a 5 3/4-length victory in the April 13 Oaklawn Handicap, trainer Lynn Whiting is willing to put his unbeaten season on the line.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
West Point Thoroughbreds' Flashy Gray has been scratched from the May 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott told Churchill Downs racing secretary Ben Huffman May 1.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Trainer Dallas Stewart talks about Kentucky Derby contender Golden Soul.
Trainer Tom Amoss on Louisiana Derby runner-up Mylute's preparations for the Kentucky Derby (gr.I).
Dreaming of Julia, the remarkable 21 3/4-length winner of the March 30 Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II), drew post 8 of 11 sophomore fillies and was installed the 3-1 favorite for the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Giant Finish has 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, and bumped Fear the Kitten to the also-eligible list for the 20-horse field when it was announced he will run April 30.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Trainer Chad Brown brings 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Noble Tune to the May 3 American Turf (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs after making a decision not to run him in the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I).
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
For the 28-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, a mount aboard highly-regarded Florida Derby victor Orb in the May 4 Kentucky Derby is a natural progression after a whirlwind month.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Giant Finish, third in the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (gr. III) last month, will enter the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), trainer Anthony Dutrow confirmed April 30.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. talks about Kentucky Derby (gr.I) contender Itsmyluckyday at Churchill Downs April 30.
D. Wayne Lukas-trained contenders circle at the gap before working April 29 at Churchill Downs. Jockey Gary Stevens is in the irons on Oxbow.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas sent Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders Oxbow and Will Take Charge through their final pre-race moves April 29.
Monday, April 29, 2013
A face-off between 2012 Horse of the Year Wise Dan and multiple grade I-winning turf star Point of Entry is on for the Woodford Reserve (gr. IT) on Derby Day, trainer Charlie LoPresti confirmed April 29.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Last year's Kentucky Derby winners arrived at Churchill Downs with 2013 contender Goldencents on April 27. The duties of unloading are documented herein.
Trainer Bob Baffert sent out Kentucky Oaks hopeful Midnight Lucky and potential Kentucky Derby starter Code West together April 28 at Churchill Downs. He expects to make a call April 29 on his Derby starters.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Two-time Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) winner Flat Out reaffirmed his affinity for the Belmont Park surface April 27, winning the $150,000 Westchester Stakes (gr. III) by a hard-fought head.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
The Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner brings Team O'Neill back to Churchill Downs one year after their victory with I'll Have Another. Assistant trainer Jack Sisterson leads the colt into barn 45.
Trainer Tom Amoss said he only wanted a maintanance work from Louisiana Derby (gr. II) runner-up Mylute April 27 at Churchill Downs, and that was exactly what jockey Rosie Napravnik delivered.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Wood Memorial (gr. I) runner-up Normandy Invasion has been getting 'sharper and smoother every day he's been here,' trainer Chad Brown said at Churchill April 27, after the Tapit colt breezed five furlongs in :59 flat.
Saturday, April 27, 2013