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Kentuckyderby.com Web Site Launched

Churchill Downs has launched www.KentuckyDerby.com, the official Web site for the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I)

Steve Haskin's Derby Dozen: Feb. 8, 2010

With Winslow Homer off the Kentucky Derby trail, which new 3-year-old has entered the top twelve? Presented by Darby Dan Farm.

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Bim Bam Lowers Boom in Hallandale Beach

Front-running Bim Bam surged late to upset odds-on choice Interactif by a nose in a terrific finish to the $125,000 Hallandale Beach Stakes on the turf Feb. 7 at Gulfstream Park.

Eightyfiveinafifty Mending Well

Eightyfiveinafifty should be able to return to training in a week after receiving 14 stitches to repair a cut suffered during his premature departure from the racetrack during the running of the Feb. 6 Whirlaway

Early Triple Crown Nominations Total 366

Lookin At Lucky and She Be Wild, the champion 2-year-old male and female, respectively, of 2009, top the list of 366 early nominees to the 2010 Triple Crown races.

Peppi Knows Wins Troubled Whirlaway Stakes

Odds-on favorite Eightyfiveinafifty blew the first turn and was pulled up by jockey Jorge Chavez, leaving the door open for Peppi Knows to win the $100,000 Whirlaway Stakes Feb. 6 at Aqueduct.

THS: Robert Lewis & Donn

Jason, Tom, and Les Instone of brisnet/Twinspires.com preview the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) and the Donn Handicap (gr. I). Plus, quick picks for the Gulfstream Park Turf and the Hallandale Beach.

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Fountain of Youth Nominations Close Feb. 6

The 1 1/8 mile-event for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park is the key prep for the Florida Derby (gr. I).

Winslow Homer Off the Derby Trail

Fox Hill Farm's Winslow Homer, winner of the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III), has been sidelined with a stress fracture.

Kentucky Derby Trail: Party Scene

WinStar adds another Kentucky Derby hopeful in Drosselmeyer, winner of an allowance race at Gulfstream Sunday.

Derby Hopeful Piscitelli Sidelined

Sophomore Piscitelli will be sidelined 90 days after sustaining an injury during the running of the Jan. 23 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.

Steve Haskin's Derby Dozen: February 1, 2010

There's not much change in this week's top 12, but several of the Derby Dozen are gearing up for this weekend's preps. Presented by Darby Dan Farm.

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Two Topweighted on Experimental

Vale of York and Lookin At Lucky, the one-two finishers in the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), share the high weight assignment of 126 pounds on the 2009 Experimental Free Handicap.

Pedigree Profile: Buddy's Saint

Buddy's Saint rose to the top of the eastern-based 2-year-olds at the end of the season with impressive November wins in the Nashua and the Remsen - two solid performances for that upcoming journey on the Triple Crown Trail.

Kentucky Derby Trail: Battle Stations!

Trainers Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher hold the most firepower as Steve Haskin takes his first look at the trail to the 2010 Triple Crown.

Quality Road Works Toward Donn

Edward P. Evans' homebred colt Quality Road worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 Sunday morning for trainer Todd Pletcher as he continues preparation for his next start in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1) Feb. 6.

Churchill Reverts to Traditional Derby Draw

Churchill Downs is abandoning the two-tiered process that has been used since 1998 to determine the starting field for the Kentucky Derby and will revert to a traditional post position draw this year.

Churchill Shortens Period for Future Wagers

Churchill Downs will offer three Future Wager Pools for the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and one Future Wager Pool for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). Each wagering period will be for three days.

Kentucky Derby Trail: Things to Do Tips

Here are several items trainers should include on their list of things to do.

NBC, Churchill Partner to Show Derby Preps

Churchill Downs Inc. is partnering with NBC Sports to televise three, one-hour programs of key prep races on the Triple Crown trail in 2010, it was announced Jan. 11.

Lookin at Lucky Works in Blinkers

Wearing blinkers for the first time, Lookin At Lucky worked four furlongs on Pro-Ride at Santa Anita Jan. 9 in preparation for his 3-year-old debut, probably in the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) on March 13.

3,000 Derby/Oaks Tickets Go Quickly

Churchill Downs reported that its online sale of 3,000 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) reserved seat packages sold out Jan. 6 in 48 minutes.

Eclipse Award to ESPN for Belmont Program

ESPN's telecast of the 2009 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) has won the Media Eclipse Award for National Television - Live Racing. The Belmont Stakes program was aired on ABC on June 6, 2009 from Belmont Park.

Lookin At Lucky Collects in CashCall Futurity

Heavy favorite Lookin At Lucky wrapped up divisional honors as the nation's top 2-year-old after his convincing win in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity (gr. I) at Hollywood Park Dec. 19.

Conduit to Stand in Japan

Ballymacoll Stud has reached an agreement with Shigeyuki Okada of Big Red Farm in Japan to sell its homebred Conduit for stud duty.

Together Again: Borel Works Mine That Bird

Jockey Calvin Borel was back on board Mine That Bird on the morning of Aug. 31 as the winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) worked a half mile in :51.16 over the main track at Saratoga Race Course.

Mine That Bird Back; Charitable Man Works

Trainer Chip Woolley sent Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird back to the main track at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 21 following a clean endoscopic examination performed by Dr. James Hunt.

Spa Holding Drawing to Visit Classic Winners

Saratoga is already the only racetrack in the country where fans can catch a glimpse of all three 2009 classic winners, and on Friday, Aug. 21, three lucky individuals will win a chance to meet one of these great horses face-to-face.

Work Continues at Flood-Damaged Derby Museum

Cleanup crews are continuing the process of cleaning up water damage at the Kentucky Derby Museum, which is closed indefinitely, and items from the museum's collection that were damaged are being readied for shipment to a conservator in Chicago.

On the Road Again: Mine That Bird to WV

A trailer carrying Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Serte Equine's Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), departed Churchill Downs the morning of July 24 on an approximately seven-hour journey to West Virginia's Mountaineer Racetrack Casino and Resort.

Mine That Bird in Strong Five-Furlong Work

Mine That Bird continued his preparation for a return to competition in the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) with a strong five-furlong work July 13 at Churchill Downs.

Indian Blessing Out of Princess Rooney

A treatment of procaine penicillin for an infected hind foot more than two weeks ago will keep Hal and Patti Earnhardt's Indian Blessing out of the July 11 Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. I) during Summit of Speed Saturday at Calder Race Course.

Mine That Bird Looks 'Sharp' in Workout

Mine That Bird continued his progress toward the West Virginia Derby (gr. II) when he breezed four furlongs in :49 2/5 July 7 at Churchill Downs. The time was co-sixth fastest of the day among 66 horses working the distance over a fast track.

Quality Road Continues on Comeback Trail

Edward P. Evans' Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Quality Road continued on the comeback trail as he breezed July 5 for the first time since being transferred to the stable of trainer Todd Pletcher on June 15.

Haskell Contenders Work at Monmouth Park

Two leading contenders for the $1-million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Aug. 2 worked five-eighths of a mile over a fast track at Monmouth Park the morning of July 6.

Wet Track Delays Mine That Bird's Workout

A wet track July 6 prompted trainer Chip Woolley to delay by a day a scheduled work at Churchill Downs for Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

Mine That Bird's Jockey Situation Unresolved

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine's Mine That Bird remains without a confirmed rider for the West Virginia Derby (gr. II) on Aug. 1 at Mountaineer.

Mine That Bird in 'Easy' Half-Mile Breeze

In his first workout since finishing third in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), Mine That Bird went an easy half-mile in :51 at Churchill Downs on June 29 in preparation for his next start in the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort. Jockey Calvin Borel was aboard for the breeze.

Summer Bird to Skip Weekend Breeze

Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird will not breeze this weekend as originally planned in preparation for the $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) on Aug. 2, according to trainer Tim Ice.

Woolley's Brother Keeping Order in New Mexico

Bill Woolley is handling his brother's stable while the Derby-winning trainer is on the road with Mine That Bird

Rachel Alexandra Works Under Lights

Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Rachel Alexandra was among the horses working at Churchill Downs on the morning of June 15 as horses trained under lights for the first time in the track's 135-year history.

Both Birds, Charitable Man Eye Travers

Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird, Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird, and Peter Pan winner (gr. II) winner Charitable Man are all targeting the Shadwell Travers (gr. I) later this summer at Saratoga, but will take different paths to the "Mid-Summer Derby."

Dunkirk Resting Comfortably After Surgery

Dunkirk, a brave second to Summer Bird in the June 6 Belmont Gr. I), continues to recuperate nicely in his stall from surgery to insert a screw in a non-displaced condylar fracture in his left rear cannon bone.

Belmont National TV Ratings Tumble

Without a Triple Crown on the line, this year's TV coverage of the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) attracted approximately half the number of viewers as last year, when Big Brown was attempting to win the Triple Crown at Belmont Park.

Mine That Bird Returns to Track

Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird returned to the racetrack for the first time since finishing third in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) by leisurely back-tracking once around the Churchill Downs oval June 11 under exercise rider Charlie Figueroa.

Haskin's Triple Crown Wrap: Final Thoughts

All the obvious thoughts on this year's bizarre, but memorable Triple Crown have been discussed regarding the major players. But there were unsung heroes as well who did not wind up in the winner's circle, yet contributed to the memories.

NYRA Confirms One Winning Pick 6 Ticket

There was only one person who correctly selected the winners of all six graded stakes races for the Pick 6 on Belmont Stakes (gr. I) Day, June 6, resulting in a payout of $969,345.

Haskin's Belmont Wrapup: Avian Adventures

One of the strangest Triple Crowns in memory has come to an end, leaving being a flood of memories and wild and wacky moments.

Surgery on Dunkirk for Condylar Fracture

Dunkirk, the front-running, second-place finisher in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), will undergo surgery today for a condylar fracture of the left hind cannon bone.

Mine That Bird Back at Churchill

Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), arrived back at Churchill Downs Monday morning after his third-place finish in Saturday's Belmont Stakes (gr. I).