Horse Racing

Vequist and Luis Saez raised their profile winning the Grade 1 Spinaway last month. Now, they try validating that victory in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes Saturday at Belmont Park. (Image: Janet Garaguso/Coglianese Photos)

Vequist Skips Baby Steps Trying for Second Grade 1 Win in the Frizette

Vequist didn’t bother with a slow procession up the class ladder as the usual baby steps just wouldn’t work for the juvenile daughter of a Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup champion. The daughter of Nyquist did this whole maiden-breaking thing backward. She finished second in her first race – a […]

Sistercharlie won her sixth consecutive race at last year's Flower Bowl. That is one of four Grade 1 races on Belmont Park's Saturday card. (Image: Coglianese Photo/NYRA)

Belmont Park Takes the Stakes Spotlight This Weekend

Two weeks ago, Santa Anita put on a stakes-packed weekend card that sent seven horses to various Breeders’ Cup races. This weekend, Belmont Park captures the spotlight, featuring five graded stakes races on Saturday, including four Grade 1s. Among Belmont Park’s 11 Saturday races are four Breeders’ Cup “Win and […]

The playful Into Mischief is all business in the breeding shed. The sire of Kentucky Derby champion Authentic will command a $225,000 stud fee in 2021. (Image: Coyle Photo/Spendthrift Farm)

The Stud of Studs: Into Mischief’s Fee Raised to $225,000

One of the many byproducts of Authentic’s Kentucky Derby win came this week when Spendthrift Farm increased Into Mischief’s stud fee to $225,000 for the 2021 breeding season. The sire of Authentic, Into Mischief’s 2020 published stud fee was $175,000. To give you an idea of how sizzling hot Into […]

Authentic and John Velazquez's Kentucky Derby stretch duel with Tiz the Law came in front of an empty Churchill Downs. Yet, a September Derby boosted the month's and quarter's racing handle. (Image: Horsephotos/Getty)

September Derby Brings Bettors, Handle Boost to Racing Economic Totals

A September Kentucky Derby produced stronger third-quarter numbers in 2020 vs. 2019, according to the Equibase Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing. Horseplayers wagered more than $3.2 billion in the third quarter. That represents a 12.7% bump from 2019’s figures of $2.92 billion. At the same time, America’s most wagered upon […]

Swiss Skydiver trainer Kenny McPeek congratulates jockey Robby Albarado for winning the 145th Preakness Stakes. That complicates McPeek's Breeders' Cup plans for his star filly. (Image: Mitch Stringer/USA TODAY)

Winning Preakness Complicates Swiss Skydiver’s Breeders’ Cup Plans

She’s run with the boys. Now, with her Preakness victory last Saturday, Swiss Skydiver beat the boys. So what’s the next challenge for one of the great North American fillies of her generation? That would be the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland. That much, we know. But what are […]

Swiss Skydiver got her head in front of 3/2 favorite Authentic to win a Preakness Stakes stretch duel for the ages. (Image: Nick Wass/AP Photo)

Swiss Skydiver Wins Epic 2020 Preakness Stakes Amid Plunging Handle

Not even one of the most exciting Preakness finishes in memory prevented a 48.7% drop in betting handle from 2019’s record figure, according to Equibase. Pimlico’s 12-race Preakness handle checked in at $51,252,631, a nearly 50% drop from last year’s $99,852,653 record handle. That 2019 handle came on a 14-race […]

Enable used the September Stakes as a tune-up for her fourth consecutive Arc de Triomphe. She's going for her third victory in those four Sunday at ParisLongchamp. (Image: Eclipse Sportswire)

Possibly Tainted Feed Scratches Four as Enable Seeks Third Arc Crown

Controversy rocked the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on the eve of Europe’s richest race when standout trainer Aidan O’Brien withdrew his four remaining horses after all four failed drug tests. O’Brien pulled the four: Mogul (16/1), Serpentine (16/1), Japan (18/1) and Sovereign (100/1) after they tested positive for trace […]

The venerable Pimlico Race Course clubhouse will play host to a small group of owners for Saturday's 145th Preakness Stakes. (Image: Getty)

The Triple Crown Ends Here: Breaking Down the 2020 Preakness Stakes

It’s October 2020, which in this bizarre of all bizarre years, means it’s Preakness Stakes time. That there is no Triple Crown at stake does not mean there is nothing at stake in the third and final jewel of a wild, 15-week Triple Crown campaign. The 2020 American Classics trail […]

Who says horses don't play to the camera? Authentic's playful side came out earlier this year outside his barn. Just don't expect him to play around at Pimlico during Saturday's Preakness Stakes. (Image: MyRacehorse.com)

Speed, Breeding, Competitive Fire Produces an Authentic Champion

When he races, Authentic doesn’t show a lot of patience on the track. He’s developed a well-earned reputation as the proverbial front-runner, a horse who likes the lead and a horse who relishes a challenge. This, however, contrasts with the connections and background of the Kentucky Derby champion and 9/5 […]

Love, seen here winning the Epsom Oaks in July, will likely race in America next. Trainer Aidan O'Brien scratched the standout 3-year-old filly from the Arc de Triomphe Thursday. (Image: Bill Selwyn/Reuters Pool)

Love Conquers None After O’Brien Scratches Star Filly From Arc

With rain pelting the Paris area and more expected this weekend, trainer Aidan O’Brien scratched standout 3-year-old filly Love from Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. In so doing, O’Brien dropped the favorite’s tag on two-time Arc champion Enable. O’Brien’s decision came after weather forecasts predicted more rain for the […]

A broken bone in her right fetlock means Champion mare Midnight Bisou has her eyes on retirement now.  (Image: Skip Dickstein/For the Albany Times Union)

Midnight Bisou Retires After Fracturing Bone In Her Leg

After suffering a sesamoid bone fracture during a workout on Monday, Midnight Bisou, one of the most accomplished mares in North American racing, suddenly retired late Wednesday night. The news came via a release from Bloom Racing Stable, one of Midnight Bisou’s owners. According to the release, Dr. Larry Bramlage […]

Serpentine made winning the Epsom Derby look like a romp in the park. His connections paid big bucks to supplement his entry into the Arc de Triomphe. (Image: Getty)

Surprise Derby Champion Serpentine Winds His Way Into Arc de Triomphe

Epsom Derby winner Serpentine joined the field of Sunday’s Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after connections of the surprise Derby winner paid €72,000 to supplement the horse into the field. That gives standout trainer Aidan O’Brien five candidates in the current 16-horse field for France’s marquee race. Even […]

Irad Ortiz Jr. ranked No. 1 in North American jockey wins the last three years and earnings the last two. He became the latest prominent jockey testing positive for COVID-19. (Image: Gregory Bull/AP)

Top Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Latest Rider Testing Positive for COVID-19

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. became the latest high-profile jockey testing positive for COVID-19. As a result, Ortiz goes back on the shelf for at least 10 days. The Daily Racing Form reported that Ortiz took the test Monday at his current Saratoga Springs, New York, residence. His […]

Art Collector has taken trainer Tommy Drury Jr. on the ride of his life this year. He's the 5/2 second choice in Saturday's Preakness Stakes. (Image: Wendy Wooley)

Trainer Tommy Drury Takes Big Picture View with Art Collector

Art Collector was the biggest “what-if” surrounding this year’s Kentucky Derby. “What if” the multi-dimensional speedster ran the Derby? Would Authentic have run first at every call, like he did en route to his victory? Would he have had run first at the most important call of all – the […]

One-eyed Mighty Heart made his rivals see dirt en route to his dominant Queen's Plate victory. He is the 7/5 favorite for the Canadian Triple Crown's second leg -- the Prince of Wales Stakes. (Image: Michael Burns/Woodbine)

Queen’s Plate Winner Mighty Heart Made Prince of Wales Stakes Favorite

Mighty Heart’s days of sneaking up on rivals have ended after he blew his rivals away on Saturday in the Queen’s Plate. That explains his 7/5 favorite status for Tuesday’s Prince of Wales Stakes. the second leg of Canada’s Triple Crown. The marquee event at Fort Erie Racetrack in Ontario, […]

Authentic and John Velazquez found the Kentucky Derby winner's circle. They are the 9/5 favorite to find the Pimlico winner's circle in Saturday's Preakness Stakes. (Image: MyRacehorse.com)

Preakness Stakes Draw: Derby Winner Authentic Takes Favorite Spot

While Preakness Stakes favorite Authentic was wrapping up his final pre-race workout, the 9/5 favorite for Saturday’s 145th Preakness drew post 9 at Monday morning’s post draw in Baltimore. In what’s already been a wild and unpredictable Triple Crown season, at least one reliable standby remains true. The Kentucky Derby […]

Jockey Tomas Mejia piloted 158/1 shot Andrez Conquist to victory in Monmouth Park's 13th race Saturday. The $319.80 payout broke a 69-year-old Monmouth Park record. (Image: Equi-Photo)

Record 158/1 Shot Andrez Conquist Conquers Monmouth Park Foes

Trainer Melvin Ovando owns only three victories in his career. But his third career victory etched his name in the Monmouth Park record book when 158/1 long shot Andrez Conquist captured Saturday’s 13th race at the New Jersey track. Andrez Conquist’s surprisingly easy four-length victory in the maiden claimer produced […]

Kentucky Downs Director of Marketing John Wholihan plays one of the facility's HHR machines. One type of machine was ruled illegal in a state Supreme Court ruling. (Image: Grace Ramey/Bowling Green Daily News)

Kentucky Supreme Court Rules Against Purse-Fueling HHR Machines

While horseplayers and horse connections from Santa Anita to Belmont Park were prepping for a huge weekend of stakes races, a decision by the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled some historical horse racing (HHR) machines are illegal, sending a chill through Kentucky racing. A chill that depressed Churchill Downs Inc. stock […]

Swiss Skydiver will be the first filly running the Preakness Stakes in six years. (Image: Coady Photography)

It’s Official: Swiss Skydiver Jumps into Preakness Stakes

Swiss Skydiver’s trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed Saturday his star filly will take on the boys in next Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. McPeek told the Daily Racing Form that the decision to run Swiss Skydiver in the final Triple Crown race of 2020 “was one of the toughest decisions of my career.” […]