Brian Robin

Muck Rack profile
Country Grammer and Frankie Dettori pulled away for a 1 3/4-length victory over Hot Rod Charlie to win the $12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup. (Image: Dubai Racing Club/Cedric Lane)

Country Grammer Writes a Brilliant Finish to Dubai World Cup

Country Grammer left clues in last month’s Saudi Cup he was just about back. In Saturday’s Dubai World Cup, he announced in rousing fashion he was all the way back. The 5-year-old Bob Baffert charge and 9/1 offering in international odds ran down front-running 2/5 favorite Life Is Good over […]

Epicenter pulled away from his rivals in last month's Grade 2 Risen Star. He is the 7/5 morning line favorite for Fair Grounds' signature race: the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. (Image: Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir)

Louisiana Derby Sets Up as the Epicenter Kentucky Derby Prep

Until the last few years, the Louisiana Derby has never been known as a catapult to the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle. That is, unless you were connected to Black Gold (1924), Grindstone (1996) and Funny Cide (2003). Until 2019, those were the only three Louisiana Derby alums wearing roses the […]

Life Is Good works out this week before Saturday's $12 million Dubai World Cup. He is the 4/5 international morning line favorite. (Image: Erika Rasmussen)

Life Is Good Leads Strong American Parade Into Dubai World Cup

The Dubai World Cup features Life Is Good and his better-than-good speed, Hot Rod Charlie and his better-than-good tenacity, Country Grammer and his better-than-good ability at this distance and Midnight Bourbon and his better-than-good money finishes. All competing for a better-than-great $12 million purse at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Post […]

After this Grade 2 victory in the Adirondack last summer, Wicked Halo brings in the most impressive resume of any Cross Country Pick 5 competitor this week. (Image: NYRA Photo/Susie Raisher)

This Week’s Cross Country Pick 5 Takes on a Wicked Halo

This week’s New York Racing Association Cross Country Pick 5 doesn’t involve any graded stakes from Aqueduct, Oaklawn Park, or Tampa Bay Downs, but it does include a Steve Asmussen-trained Grade 2 winning filly and three Listed stakes filled with intriguing fields. That Asmussen filly is Wicked Halo, who, on […]

Trainer Tim Yakteen has worked for two Hall of Fame trainers in Bob Baffert and Charlie Whittingham. He has never trained a Kentucky Derby horse, a streak that may end this year with the transfer of three Baffert prospects to his barn. (Image: Yakteen Racing)

It’s on: Baffert Transfers Four Derby Prospects to Other Barns

With a tick more than six weeks remaining until the Kentucky Derby, suspended trainer Bob Baffert finally moved four of his Derby prospects to other trainers. Provided the horses receive enough points in their impending final Derby preps, the move makes them eligible for the May 7 Derby. The Los […]

PInehurst and Flavien Prat won the Saudi Derby a month ago. They'll go for the Middle East double in Saturday's UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. (Image: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia/Douglas de Felice)

UAE Derby: The Kentucky Derby Prep With an Unenviable History

Since 2000, 16 UAE Derby alums have come to the US for their shot at the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle and a blanket of roses. That group included trendy dark-horse picks like Mubtaahij in 2015 and Mendelssohn in 2018, two horses who drew plenty of money on Derby Day. Mubtaahij […]

Grindstone won three of six lifetime races, including the 1996 Kentucky Derby. The sire of more than 300 winners died at 29. (Image: Oakhurst Equine Veterinary Services)

Grindstone, the 1996 Kentucky Derby Champ, Dies at 29

Barely two weeks after he inherited the title as oldest Kentucky Derby winner, Grindstone passed away at his retirement home in Oregon. The 1996 Derby winner was 29. The son of 1990 Derby winner Unbridled was retired and living at the Oakhurst Equine Veterinary and Thoroughbred Farm in Newberg, Oregon. […]

Olympiad showed his speed with a record performance in February's Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes. He seeks his third win of 2022 in Saturday's New Orleans Classic. (Image: Hodges Photography/Lou Hodges Jr.)

Olympiad Seeking Another Gold-Medal Performance in New Orleans Classic

There’s a compelling and easy-to-understand reason why Olympiad took an 8/5 morning line favorite status into Saturday’s Grade 2 New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds. That compelling, easy-to-understand reason doubles as a record-setting reason. That’s exactly what Olympiad did the last time he traveled to Louisiana from trainer Bill Mott’s winter […]

The last time Echo Zulu ran came in this Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies romp at Del Mar in November. She returns Saturday as the 3/5 morning line favorite for the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. (Image: Benoit Photo)

She’s Back: Champion Echo Zulu Returns for Fair Grounds Oaks

Echo Zulu was the 2-year-old everyone couldn’t wait to see run at 3. Now, the four-month wait to see the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly will end on Saturday when Echo Zulu leads a six-filly contingent into the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. From a betting standpoint, horseplayers are likely to either […]

Bob Baffert may have to clear out his deep Santa Anita Park barn if his appeal is turned down. He suffered another legal blow Monday when his stay for a suspension was rejected. (Image: Zoe Metz Photography)

Bob Baffert’s Latest Appeal Denied by Kentucky Court

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert suffered another legal setback Monday in his bid to keep his considerable stable running when a Kentucky judge denied a stay of his 90-day suspension. The suspension, $7,500 fine, and forfeiture of Kentucky Derby winnings by Amr Zedan, the owner of the late Medina […]

Plainsman (left) held off Thomas Shelby to win February's Grade 3 Razorback Handicap. Plainsman is the 3/1 favorite to win Saturday's Grade 3 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park. (Image: Coady Photography)

With Cox Duo, This Essex One of Saturday’s Best Races–Anywhere

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox is skilled at keeping his front-row charges apart from each other – a skill he abandoned for Saturday’s Grade 3 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park. Cox sends out a pair of millionaire multiple Grade 3 winners: Plainsman and Warrior’s Charge, for the 1 1/16-mile […]

Hollis ran one of the fastest Beyer Speed Figure numbers of 2021: a 109 in an allowance victory. He is one of the featured horses in this week's Cross Country Pick 5 wager. (Image: Coady Photography)

Two Deep Oaklawn Stakes Headline This Week’s Cross Country Pick 5

Two stakes races from Oaklawn Park, including one featuring a horse who clocked a 109 Beyer Speed Figure in his last start, headline this week’s New York Racing Association Cross Country Pick 5. The weekly wager offers up races from Oaklawn, Aqueduct Racetrack and Tampa Bay Downs. Consider it a […]

Clairiere returned for the first time since her fourth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November with an easy allowance win at Fair Grounds. (Image: Hodges Photography)

Eclipse Finalist Clairiere Returns with a 6 1/2-length Flourish

Clairiere’s 4-year-old debut at Fair Grounds on Wednesday came in an allowance optional claimer. From a class standpoint, it wasn’t the typical race you’d see a multiple graded stakes winner run. But the chance to ride an Eclipse Award finalist brought Eclipse Award-winning jockey Joel Rosario to the Louisiana track. […]

Tiger Roll, one of the most beloved horses in the UK, fell just short of going out a winner in his farewell race at the Cheltenham Festival. (Image: Gordon Elliott/Twitter)

Tiger Roll Leaves Cheltenham Fans in Tears After Farewell Runner-Up Finish

Finishing second to stablemate Delta Work in the Cross Country Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival didn’t provide the storybook ending everyone wanted for the renowned chaser, Tiger Roll. Even so, the 12-year-old gelding left tears in the eyes of his connections as he rode off into retirement. “He’s been […]

Churchill Downs presents a record 53 stakes races in 2022. That includes the Grade 1 Arlington Million, which it brought over from the shuttered Arlington Park. (Image: Coady Photography)

Churchill Downs’ 2022 Stakes Schedule Includes Arlington Million

Churchill Downs announced a 2022 stakes schedule for its spring/summer meet featuring a record 53 stakes worth a record $20.37 million. But, it’s a special stakes race Aug. 13 that drew the attention of horse racing fans. The Arlington Million. Yes, that Arlington Million, the marquee race at the now-late Arlington […]

Summer at Saratoga features 77 stakes races worth $22.6 million over 40 days. (Image: Chelsea Durand)

Saratoga Offers Up 19 Grade 1 Stakes, Increased $22.6 Million Purse

Along with a purse boost of $1.1 million from 2021, the New York Racing Association announced Saratoga Race Course’s 2022 stakes schedule Tuesday. The schedule features 77 stakes spread over the 40-day meet, where horsemen and women will race for $22.6 million in purses. Headlining that stakes schedule as always is the […]

Classic Causeway won his second Tampa Bay Downs Kentucky Derby prep Saturday, winning the Tampa Bay Derby on a record handle day at Tampa Bay Downs. (Image: SV Photography)

Classic Causeway Helps Tampa Bay Downs Pull Record Handle

With Tampa Bay Derby winner Classic Causeway sweeping his way into the Kentucky Derby Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs destroyed its previous single-day record for total handle. Saturday’s total handle of $20,778,222 blew away last year’s previous mark by more than $5.5 million and by 36%. On the rare day that […]

South Carolina has a horse racing tradition that state's fans see in such events as the Carolina Cup. Two state legislators introduced a bill to legalize horse race wagering on ADW platforms. (Image: Carolina Cup Racing Association)

South Carolina Considering ADW Bill Allowing Horse Race Wagering

Legislators in both South Carolina state houses proposed bills legalizing advance deposit wagering (ADW) apps allowing the state’s residents to wager on horse races. Rep. Russel Ott (D-Calhoun) introduced the proposal at a Monday news conference, according to the Associated Press. The bills filed in the House by Ott and State […]

Smile Happy is the 6/1 individual favorite for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4. (Image: Coady Photography/Churchill Downs)

The Field Takes Back Favorite Status in the KDFW Pool 4

The de-facto option for bettors not happy with the individual offerings of 3-year-olds: “All Other 3-Year-Olds,” a.k.a. the Field, closed as the 4/1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Pool 4. With eight weeks to go before the May 7 Kentucky Derby, that fourth of five pools sponsored […]