Horse Racing

Honor A.P. and Mike Smith enhanced their stallion value with their stretch-drive Santa Anita Derby win earlier this month. Honor A.P. will stand for stud at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Honor A.P. Will Join His Sire at Stud, Breeding Rights Sold to Lane’s End

The frenzy to acquire the breeding rights of star 3-year-olds continued Friday when Kentucky’s Lane’s End Farm announced Honor A.P. will stand at stud there when his racing career ends. The Santa Anita Derby champion, Honor A.P. sits at +545 on Circa Sports’ Kentucky Derby Futures board. He is +350 […]

Tom's d'Etat seeks his fourth consecutive stakes victory in Saturday's Stephen Foster. The 7-year-old is your even-money morning line favorite. (Image: Churchill Downs)

Favored Tom’s d’Etat Not a Revolutionary Pick in the Stephen Foster

You can’t call what Tom’s d’Etat did in the Oaklawn Mile a coup d’etat, not when he was the 4/5 favorite. Nor can you call his previous two races revolutionary. All of which explains why Tom’s d’Etat is the even-money favorite for Saturday’s Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. The Grade […]

Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (left) and Justify, who flank their trainer, Bob Baffert. This is the company awaiting Tiz the Law when he starts his stud career at Ashford Stud in Kentucky. (Image: Coolmore America)

Tiz the Law’s Breeding Rights Sold to Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud

Right on the heels of his impressive Belmont Stakes victory, Tiz the Law’s connections sold his breeding rights to Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud, where he will stand at stud upon his racing retirement. In the meantime, Tiz the Law will continue racing for current owners Sackatoga Stable. The price was […]

The Kentucky Derby infield brings out a smorgasbord of party-goers. While fans are allowed inside this year's Derby, don't expect the same raucous infield crowds for a typical Derby. (Image: Jamey Price/Getty)

Kentucky Derby Will Run with Spectators, Limited Access, Strict Rules

Churchill Downs officials announced Thursday that the 146th Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks will run with a limited and yet unspecified number of spectators, a decision made in consultation with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and state public health officials. In so doing, Churchill Downs is trying to make a concerted […]

At one time, Gouverneur Morris was a top-10 Kentucky Derby prospect. A bout of colitis made him the Derby Trail's latest casualty. (Image: Eclipse Sportswire)

Colitis Claims Latest Derby Trail Hopeful — Gouverneur Morris

In the latest illustration of the perils found along the Kentucky Derby trail, Gouverneur Morris suffered a bout of colitis that will take him out of the Sept. 5 Derby. He is expected to recover at the Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center in New Jersey, where he went Monday after suffering […]

Yes, the bloodline is strong in this one. Cafe Pharoah, the son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, qualified for the Kentucky Derby. (Image: Yuki Shimono)

Like Father, Like Son? Cafe Pharoah Qualifies for Kentucky Derby

There could be another Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. Café Pharoah, a son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, captured the Group 3 Unicorn Stakes in Japan, securing enough points on Japan’s Road to the Kentucky Derby to earn a spot – should his connections claim it. […]

New Jersey's Monmouth Park will open with 25% capacity July 3 for 37 days of racing. (Image: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)

Monmouth Park Reopens Next Week, Limited Spectators Allowed

Monmouth Park joins the American racetrack opening parade next week, announcing it will open its track and in-house William Hill sports book Thursday, July 2. What sets Monmouth Park apart from its top-tier track brethren in this COVID-19 era is that the New Jersey track will allow fans inside. Under […]

His easy Belmont Stakes victory illustrates why Tiz the Law (No. 8) is an easy Kentucky Derby futures favorite. (Image: Al Bello/Getty)

Tiz the Law Takes Sole Command of Kentucky Derby Futures Odds

Even in a backward Triple Crown year like 2020, a performance like Tiz the Law’s Belmont Stakes victory Saturday means his Kentucky Derby futures odds can go only one direction. And down they went, to +275 at Circa Sports and +250 at William Hill-Nevada. This inevitable drop from 4/1 was […]

The Breeders' Cup Distaff is Midnight Bisou's season goal. Winning Saturday's Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs will get her into the field for the Nov. 7 Distaff. (Image: Scott Serio/Eclipse Sportswire)

Midnight Bisou Returns With More to Prove in Fleur de Lis

You could make a credible case that Midnight Bisou isn’t just the best filly or mare in the world, but that she’s the best horse in the world. And Midnight Bisou will further that case at Churchill Downs in Saturday’s Grade 2 Fleur de Lis. Waiting for her in a […]

Tiz the Law and Manny Franco captured the 2020 Belmont Stakes in front of an empty Belmont Park grandstand. His next race is expected to be the Aug. 8 Travers Stakes at Saratoga. (Image: Getty)

Tiz the Law Rules Again, Captures 152nd Belmont Amid Falling Handle

Even with Tiz the Law passing the “Test of a Champion” with flying colors, the all-sources handle for the 152nd Belmont Stakes and its stakes-packed undercard declined by 33.7% — yet another byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic. Belmont Park normally welcomes nearly 100,000 people for Belmont Saturday, usually the first […]

This is what a 150/1 shocker looks like at the finish line. Nando Parrado pulled off the biggest upset in Royal Ascot history when he won the Coventry Stakes at 150/1. (Image: The Sporting Life)

Crash Survivor Namesake Nando Parrado Pulls 150/1 Royal Upset at Ascot

The horse was named for a survivor of the infamous 1972 plane crash in the Andes, which made Nando Parrado such an international celebrity that Ethan Hawke played him in the movie. And the horse Nando Parrado became an instant celebrity Saturday, becoming the biggest longshot to win a race […]

Veteran trainer Barclay Tagg and Tiz the Law are the team to beat in Saturday's 152nd Belmont Stakes. Tagg, 82, seeks his first Triple Crown title since Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2003. (Image: NY Jockey Club)

Breaking Down The 152nd Belmont Stakes, Worst To First

Yes, it’s condensed to 1 1/8 miles, instead of its typical hearty 1 ½ miles, meaning the Belmont Stakes goes from the longest Triple Crown race to the shortest. Yes, the Belmont Stakes leads off the Triple Crown season, rather than batting in the power-hitting three-hole. And yes, even in […]

Sharing and jockey Manny Franco took home the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last year. Trainer Graham Motion will be even more excited should she win Saturday's Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes. (Image: Horsephotos.com)

Greedy for Victory, Sharing Seeks Motion’s First Royal Ascot Triumph

Graham Motion understands the complexity of what lies ahead for him and his star filly, Sharing, in Saturday’s Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. It’s one thing to beat two of Europe’s best juvenile fillies on your home turf in America. It’s quite another to tangle with some of […]

Keen Ice (left) beat Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers Stakes. The historic race moved up three weeks this year to Aug. 8. (Image: Dan Heary/For the Boston Globe)

Saratoga Schedule Features 39 Stakes, Tiz the Law Expected in Travers

The New York Racing Association put one of the final Kentucky Derby Trail pieces in place on Friday, releasing its Saratoga Race Course summer stakes schedule. It puts the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Saturday, Aug. 8, four weeks before the Kentucky Derby. That date conveniently fits Tiz the Law’s […]

Four times in her six-race career, Kimari prompted jockey celebrations -- like this one from Channing Hill in April. She goes for her first Royal Ascot victory in Friday's Commonwealth Cup. (Image: Coady Photography)

Fleet Filly Kimari Takes On the Boys at Royal Ascot’s Commonwealth Cup

In the horse trainer word association game, Wesley Ward’s name usually associates with his wondrous work training 2-year-olds. That is, when it’s not associated with being the American in England – the primary American presence at the yearly Royal Ascot meet. Due to the coronavirus Ward remains in the US […]

Trainer Mark Casse lifted the Belmont Stakes trophy courtesy of Sir Winston last year. He could do it again this year with Tap It To Win. (Image: Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday)

History Calling Trainer Casse; Can Tap It To Win Answer the Call?

While 10 trainers can claim Triple Crowns – Jim Fitzsimmons and Bob Baffert have two apiece – no one has ever accomplished what Mark Casse could achieve should Tap It To Win capture the Belmont Stakes. To better understand what Casse can achieve at this Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes […]

Tiz the Law and Manny Franco can afford to relax right now. Tiz the Law is the 6/5 morning-ione favorite for Saturday's Triple Crown-opening Belmont Stakes. (Image: Ryan Thompson/Gulfstream Park)

Starting From Post 8, Tiz the Law Tabbed Belmont Stakes Favorite

To nobody’s surprise, Tiz the Law opened as your healthy 6/5 favorite for Saturday’s 152nd running of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. He’ll do so out of the eight post in the 10-horse field, drawn Wednesday afternoon at Belmont Park. And Tiz the Law will do so as the only […]

Frankie Dettori's trademark flying dismount signifies another victory for the standout Italian jockey. He and Stradivarius run for a Gold Cup three-peat in Thursday's Royal Ascot featured race. (Image: Racing TV)

Stradivarius, Jockey Dettori, Play a Beautiful Tune at Royal Ascot

If you’re ever fortunate enough to gain entrance to the Royal enclosure at Ascot, you’ll see a statue of jockey Frankie Dettori, who rides Stradivarius in Thursday’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. The monument commemorates his “Magnificent Seven” victory performance at Royal Ascot in 1996 when he took a multi-million-pound […]

Mike Smith, who rode Bob Baffert's Justify to the 2018 Triple Crown, once again has the confidence of the Hall of Fame trainer. Smith will ride Authentic in July's Haskell Invitational. (Image: Sean M. Haffey/Getty)

‘Big Money Mike’ Smith Takes Authentic’s Reins for the Haskell

Mike Smith didn’t earn the nickname “Big Money Mike” for his gambling acumen, although the 54-year-old jockey has earned owners nearly $330 million over his nearly 40-year riding career. He earned the name because Smith is one of the most clutch jockeys in the world, which is why he’ll take […]