Brian Robin

Muck Rack profile
Santa Anita Park's revamped spring stakes schedule could use a Zenyatta-like performance to help the beleaguered track. (Image: Jae C. Hong/AP)

Santa Anita Park Releases Full Stakes Schedule, Pending Resumption

With its plan to safely resume racing on May 15 officially in the hands of local legislators, Santa Anita Park laid out its revamped spring stakes schedule – a schedule featuring the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks on June 6. That day sets up as the revamped meet’s […]

Combatant pulled off a mild upset in winning March's Santa Anita Handicap. The 5-year-old is a 4/1 favorite to win the Oaklawn Handicap. (Image: Benoit Photo for AP)

Older Horses Show Off Newest Tricks in Deep Oaklawn Handicap Field

This is scheduling as brilliant as the race its talent promises. In between the split Arkansas Derby divisions on Oaklawn Park’s dynamic closing day card rests the $600,000 Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap – a race punching far above its Grade 2 status. Put the grade aside. Far aside. This year’s […]

Bob Baffert's unbeaten Nadal is the 5/2 favorite in the tougher of the two Arkansas Derby divisions. (Image: AP)

Deep End of Arkansas Derby Pool is Smack Dab in Second Division

With the Arkansas Derby’s split divisions, here runs the talent. The Arkansas Derby’s second division features your graded-stakes winners, your low-odds Kentucky Derby futures picks and the horses owning Derby prep victories. Here is the Arkansas Derby’s varsity division – the second division. This is where you find your Louisiana […]

Rarely has Charlatan had to stare down his opponents. He faces his first true test in the first division of Saturday's Arkansas Derby. (Image: Mark Terrill/AP

Arkansas Derby’s First Division Features Charlatan — and Not Much Else

If you picture Saturday’s Arkansas Derby’s two divisions as a high school sport, the first division would be the junior varsity. And not just because it goes to post an hour and 44 minutes before the second division. With few exceptions, the first division is the JV. There’s no other […]

While racing will soon return to Churchill Downs, the surreal sight of empty stands will stick around for the foreseeable future. (Image: Pat McDonogh: Courier-Journal)

Kentucky, New York Officials Cautiously Plan Return to Live Racing

Government officials in two of the country’s biggest horse racing states, Kentucky and New York, opened the doors for live, spectator-free racing to begin amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcements came separately and, in both cases, contained few details on exactly when live racing would begin again. But in the […]

Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert and his wife, Jill, took part in a pro-racing demonstration in front of the LA County Board of Supervisors building. (Image: I Am Horse Racing)

Baffert, O’Neill Lead Protest for California Racing at LA County Board

Bob Baffert and Doug O’Neill built a rivalry among the Santa Anita Park training colony, fueled by the fact that they’ve trained a combined four Kentucky Derby winners since 2012. But the two training mainstays put aside their rivalry on Tuesday to lead a demonstration outside the Los Angeles County […]

The annual Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale often brings in more than $40 million. Due to the coronavirus. it was canceled and merged with two other sales this year. (Image: Donna Abbott-Vlahos)

Fasig-Tipton Combines Three Major Horse Auctions Into One Showcase

Recognizing a sagging market for yearlings amid the coronavirus pandemic, renowned thoroughbred auction house Fasig-Tipton announced plans to consolidate three yearling sales into one. The company merged the Saratoga and New York Bred sales scheduled for July into the 2020 Selected Yearlings Showcase, scheduled for Sept. 9-10 at its Lexington, […]

Charlatan, seen here winning a March allowance by 10 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita, enters his first stakes race Saturday. He's in the Arkansas Derby's first division. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Split Decisions: Arkansas Derby Breaks Into Two Divisions

Given the intense interest in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby amid the coronavirus pandemic, the move was as expected as it was unprecedented. And Oaklawn Park made it official Sunday, splitting Saturday’s final scheduled Kentucky Derby prep into two divisions. Both 11-horse divisions will race for a $500,000 purse, and […]

The renovated, ParisLongchamp Racecourse outside Paris won't have fans in its futuristic grandstands when and if racing resumes May 11. (Image: Getty)

Anticipating a Return to the Track, French Racing Officials Issue Schedule

Two days after laying out plans to resume horse racing amid the coronavirus pandemic, French officials released a schedule of Group (Grade) 1 races that provide a different look from a traditional French racing calendar. France Galop, the country’s racing governing body, announced the schedule pending the planned resumption of […]

Tampa Bay Downs welcomes 12 new post times after the state granted the track an extension to May 27. (Image: Tampa Bay Downs)

Tampa Bay Downs Granted Racing Extension Into Late May

Tampa Bay Downs became the latest American racetrack to extend its meet after Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering officials approved the track’s application for an extension to May 30. The track’s original closing date was May 3. After that date, Tampa Bay Downs will shift from a four-day schedule of […]

Storm the Court was a 45/1 shot to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November. He'll face shorter odds, but tougher competition in the Arkansas Derby. (Image: Eclipse Photography)

Storm the Court Ready to Conquer New Turf in Arkansas Derby

Juvenile champion Storm the Court will storm a non-California track for the first time at next week’s $750,000 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, trainer Peter Eurton announced this week. The 1 1/8-mile race at Oaklawn Park remains the only official Kentucky Derby prep currently on the schedule, which explains its popularity. […]

California Sen. Kamala Harris won't look surprised if she is named Joe Biden's running mate. Neither should bettors. (Image: Chris Carlson/AP)

Kamala Harris is Undisputed Betting Favorite to be Joe Biden’s VP

When presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Wednesday laid out plans on “The Late, Late Show with James Corden” for forming an vice presidential advisory committee, one of the most-watched political decisions of the year kicked into another gear. At least 15 sportsbooks around the world are now offering […]

Fonner Park will continue to attract record handles into May. The suddenly popular Nebraska track received an extension for another season of racing. (Image: Grand Island Independent)

Nebraska’s Fonner Park Receives Extension, Will Race Through May

Horseplayers from around the world get another 12 days of Fonner Park races after Wednesday’s announcement that the Nebraska State Racing Commission unanimously approved the track’s extension for a second season of racing. Originally set to end its racing season April 29, Fonner Park gets an additional 12 days of […]

More racing coming at fans could be on the agenda if Tampa Bay Downs receives an extension of its season. (Image: SVPhotography)

Tampa Bay Downs Might Extend Racing Meet Well Into May

Welcome news greeted horsemen as they read Friday’s overnight entries list for one of the few North American racetracks still running live racing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Attention horsemen: We are seriously considering extending the meet. We need everyone to adhere to the protocols for COVID-19 that were handed out […]

The heir apparent to the Saudi throne, 34-year-old Mohammed bin Salman is the financial engine behind the Newcastle United sale. (Image: AP)

Amnesty International Pushes EPL to Block £300M Newcastle Sale

Amnesty International entered the Newcastle United takeover saga this week, writing a letter to the Premier League raising concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. The letter followed reports that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley’s £300 million sale of the club to a Saudi-backed syndicate involving Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman […]