Hat Creek Racing's Nootka Sound started strong and finished even better, going nearly gate-to-wire to notch her first career stakes win in the $100,000 Soaring Softly (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park May 19.
Gary Barber's Miss Mo Mentum chased down 8-5 favorite Dixie Moon in the stretch of the $125,000 Selene Stakes (G3) to win her first graded race by a neck May 19 at Woodbine.
Cutting through dense fog over a sloppy track at Pimlico Race Course, 3-year-old Ax Man led at every point of call to capture the May 19 $100,000 LARC Sir Barton Stakes and take home his third win of the season.
In an intense, white fog at Pimlico Race Course, Justify and Good Magic, the top two finishers in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), dueled for the second prize in the Triple Crown.
Vettori Kin (BRZ) rallied past stablemate Harlan Strong (ARG) in the final furlong to win the $100,000 Louisville Handicap (G3T) by a widening 2 1/2 lengths May 19 at Churchill Downs.
Alex Campbell Jr.'s homebred Ultra Brat unquestionably got a hold of the tiring, boggy turf course May 19 in the $150,000 Gallorette Stakes (G3T). The others? Not so much.
Hat Creek Racing's Abyssinian made it a one-horse race to become the first winner for her sire, Cairo Prince, in a Belmont Park $100,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies May 19.
Mitole earned his fourth career victory in what has become his trademark blowout fashion, when he headed every point of call of his 6 1/4-length cakewalk in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes May 19 at Pimlico Race Course.
The connections of Fire Away were looking forward to running in the $250,000 Dixie Stakes (G3T) May 19 at Pimlico Race Course even before champion male turf horse World Approval scratched in rainy Baltimore.
Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Tap Daddy went gate-to-wire for a commanding 6 1/2-length victory in the off-the-turf James W. Murphy Stakes on the Preakness Stakes (G1) undercard May 19 at Pimlico Race Course.
Slathered in mud and bounding for home, Song of Spring proved that a sloppy track was no issue as she sprinted from last to get up in the final strides of the $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (G3).
Souper Striking turned the six-horse $100,000 Hilltop Stakes into a one-woman show during her frontrunning 6 1/4-length victory over the soft Pimlico Race Course turf Friday.
With a dream trip on a surface she loves, the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) could not have gone any better for Red Ruby May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.
On a rainy day at Pimlico Race Course, a year removed from the Triple Crown campaign that resulted in a runner-up finish in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), Irish War Cry came through in the $300,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3).
Imprimis remained unbeaten in four starts when he raced just off a tepid pace set by Rocket Heat and took over at the head of the lane on his way to capturing the five-furlong test over boggy going at Pimlico Race Course.
For all the greats that have laid claim to the Woodlawn Vase in the 143-year-old history of the Preakness Stakes (G1), no trainers in the modern era have worked the 1 3/16-mile race the way Hall of Famers Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas have.
Entering the $150,000 Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes (G3), Happy Like a Fool had never encountered a wet track in three starts on dirt, but thrived on the off track May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.
Vertical Oak found the sloppy going at Pimlico Race Course to her liking May 18, as the 4-year-old filly wore down pacesetter Ms Locust Point to post a 1 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 Skipat Stakes.
For the third time in the past four years, the weatherman says there is an excellent chance the Preakness Stakes (G1) will be run in the muck and mire. That was also the case when American Pharoah (2015) and Exaggerator (2016) came splashing home.
Justify went out for his final pre-Preakness Stakes (G1) gallop in the dark May 18 at Pimlico Race Course, about three hours earlier than he hit the track the day prior, and Bob Baffert had a simple explanation as to why he changed things up.
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' homebred Six Pack Gal was the first starter and first winner for the stable's freshman sire Boisterous when she rolled to an impressive debut score at Santa Anita Park May 17.
Bringing Diamond King to Baltimore has been very different than when Smarty Jones made his bid in 2004. The atmosphere at Servis' base in Bensalem, Pa., leading up to the Preakness was that of everyday business.
Cambodia, a 6-year-old homebred by War Front, won the Gallorette last year by two lengths. The victory launched a strong campaign that saw her win a pair of grade 2 races followed by a third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T).
Trainer Mark Casse said Live Oak Plantation's 6-year-old Northern Afleet gelding, who won the 1 1/16-mile Dixie on good going last year, isn't bothered by a rain-softened course.
Barely a decade into his career, jockey Florent Geroux is running low on significant obstacles still to conquer—save for three big stumbling blocks designed to make the best of the best question if they've met their match.
Dodging the worst of the weather, Justify had as ideal a morning as possible in his first trip over the Pimlico Race Course surface since arriving for his expected run in the middle leg of the Triple Crown.
After securing the top bonus from Pimlico Race Course last year in its program that rewards trainers who support its Preakness (G1) weekend stakes races, Steve Asmussen appears well-positioned for another run.
Apologynotaccepted will attempt to break through the graded ranks when she heads the $100,000 Matron Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up May 19 at Arlington International.
After just missing in last month's Mizdirection Stakes, Africa (FR) will try to secure her first stakes score May 19 in the $100,000 Soaring Softly Stakes (G3T) on the Widener course at Belmont Park.
The May 18 $100,000 Louisville Handicap (G3T) will feature a field divided, as trainer Ken McPeek sends out his trio of South American-bred contenders against Michael Maker's Kentucky-breds.
John Gosden's Roaring Lion and Crossed Baton head a field of nine 3-year-old colts declared for the May 17 Betfred Dante Stakes (G2) at York.
China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing, and WinStar Farm's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Justify drew post 7 at the Preakness Stakes (G1) draw May 16 at Pimlico Race Course.
Sure, the season's second classic will highlight the weekend's racing, but the Preakness Stakes (G1), as the Mid-Atlantic region's biggest race of the year, also provides some attention to the relaunch of the MATCH Series.
Nicholas Jones' Give And Take outdueled Dancing Brave Bear late to land the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (G3) at York May 16. The race is a key trial for the June 1 Investec Oaks (G1).
Champion sprinter Harry Angel made a perfect start to his 4-year-old campaign in the May 16 Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (G2). The Clive Cox-trained colt will go next to the June 23 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.
Merriebelle Stable's Blue Prize (ARG) will be able to tick off another state in her travel roster May 18, when she travels to Maryland to headline a field of eight in the $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.
The New York Racing Association has announced Joe Bravo as the 2018 recipient of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award, the honor awarded to jockeys who exemplify extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship.
"The game is bigger than we are," said Zito, who supports the Horseracing Integrity Act.
The D. Wayne Lukas-trained pair of Bravazo and Sporting Chance didn't do any exerting training May 16 at Pimlico Race Course, because their Hall of Fame conditioner didn't like the wet track in Baltimore.
In this year's Triple Crown chase, a frequent topic of discussion has been ownership groups with multiple horses in the series.
Members of the Parx Racing jockey colony gathered in the winner's circle after the sixth race May 15 to congratulate winning rider Edgar Prado, who secured the 7,000th victory of his career aboard Thefundsarelow in the one-mile claiming race.
Scat Daddy filly worked four furlongs in :48 4/5 at Keeneland May 15 as she prepares to defend her title in the June 19 King's Stand Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.
The whole field for the second leg of the Triple Crown isn't on the grounds yet, but the three who arrived May 14 took their first trips out to the Pimlico Race Course main track May 15.
After a fourth-place start in her seasonal debut, grade 3 winner Happy Like a Fool figures to deliver her best in the $150,000 Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.
What might make Kasey K Racing Stable, Michael Day, and Final Turn Racing Stable's Goodonehoney something special is that she's won her two races without much going her way, and the results have been more than impressive.
The Guild on May 14 forwarded a Feb. 6 letter outlining its concerns about the alliance and its decision to withdraw from the group, which carries no regulatory authority but attempts to bring some level of consistency in safety policies to tracks.
If Untrapped can channel his best form May 18, a second graded stakes victory could be his for the taking when he faces eight others in the $300,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.
With trainer Bob Baffert in attendance and a gaggle of media looking on, Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Justify continued his preparations for the May 19 Preakness Stakes (G1) with an energetic 1 1/2-mile gallop May 14.
Tenfold put in the standard week-of exercise the Steve Asmussen barn is known for, covering an easy half-mile in :49 2/5 at Churchill Downs May 14 in preparation for his expected start in the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 19 at Pimlico Race Course.
Five Churchill Downs-based Preakness Stakes (G1) contenders continued their final preparations May 13 prior to shipping to Baltimore for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
