Horse Racing

By winning his first race in spectacular fashion, Charlatan drew comparisons to former Bob Baffert trainee Justify. Can he justify those comparisons? (Image: Ernie Belmonte)

A Charlatan has Joined the Kentucky Derby Futures Board

- 3 min read

With five victories, the name “Bob Baffert” is synonymous with Kentucky Derby success. Accordingly, the Hall-of-Fame trainer rarely has a Charlatan in his endless barn of 3-year-old Derby hopefuls. Until now. Say hello to Charlatan, the newest top-10 member on the Kentucky Derby Futures Odds board. In his racing debut, […]

Azul Coast, seen here at Santa Anita before his runner-up finish in the Sham Stakes, is the favorite for Saturday's El Camino Real Derby. (Image: OG News)

El Camino Real Highlights Under-the-Radar Derby Hopefuls

- 3 min read

We’re flying below the usual Kentucky Derby prep radar, with a race not held on one of America’s A-list tracks. Therefore, chances are you’re not going to see a horse that will win all three Triple Crown races come out of Saturday’s El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields […]

Will Enforceable's jockey Julien Leparoux, seen here after winning the Lecomte Stakes, give another thumbs-up after the Risen Star? (Image: Holly Smith/The Pressbox)

Raising Stakes at Risen Star: (More than) Double Derby Points on the Line

- 4 min read

Now, the points get real, which mean the stakes get real, and the slope gets really slippery for horses that don’t quite measure up to the demands of the Kentucky Derby Trail. That becomes apparent at Louisiana’s Fair Grounds Saturday with the first of the big-point races – the Grade […]

Sole Volante surprised the competition and proved he could be a Kentucky Derby contender with a strong finish at last week's Sam F. Davis stakes. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

Sole Volante Joins the Kentucky Derby Futures Board

- 3 min read

Sole Volante, a proverbial dark horse, has added his name to the Kentucky Derby futures board by way of a strong stretch run at last week’s Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Downs in Florida. Who is Sole Volante and where did he come from? A strong stretch run that […]

Tiz the Law was throttled back after building a commanding lead by jockey Junior Alvarado to win the 5th race on the card at the Saratoga Race Course waiting to watch one of his horses to work Thursday Aug. 8, 2019 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Managing partner of Sacktoga Stables who owns Tiz the Law said in the winnerÕs circle that this horse was second best horse he has had in the stable. Sackatoga was the owner of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide who was also trained by Barclay Tagg. Photo Special to the Times Union by Skip Dickstein

Three Ways to Clear Up a Cloudy Kentucky Derby Picture

- 3 min read

The Holy Bull, Robert B. Lewis, and Withers sound like answers to random trivia questions, which actually isn’t far from the truth they will reveal Saturday about several of this year’s Kentucky Derby favorites. The three are actual Derby prep races taking place at three tracks around the United States, […]

Mucho Gusto set for Mucho Dollars After Invite to $20 Million Saudi Cup

Mucho Gusto set for Mucho Dollars After Invite to $20 Million Saudi Cup

- 2 min read

Want your thoroughbred to earn an invitation to the world’s richest horse race? Mucho Gusto found the key. Just win a $3 million race, like he did last Saturday at the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park, and the invitation will follow. After capturing last Saturday’s race by five […]

Three-year-old Club Aspen is the favorite for Saturday's Cal Cup Derby. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

California Cup Derby Offers Peek into Future Talent of 3-Year-Olds

- 2 min read

This is the race that introduced a feisty, charismatic colt named California Chrome to the world back in 2014. And while Chrome is the only winner of the California Cup Derby to also win the Kentucky Derby, Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Park does give you […]

It's hard to forget BodExpress dumping jockey John Velazquez right out of the gate and running the entire Preakness without a rider, but is it the one defining moment that captures 2019 in horse racing? (Image: Jonh McDonnell/AP)

Hashtag Horserace: Clock Ticking on Choice for 2019 Moment of the Year

- 4 min read

In a wild year that seemed to upend conventional wisdom with twists, turns and, unfortunately, too much tragedy, 2019 will be remembered as one of the most turbulent stretches in the history of thoroughbred racing. Part of how it will be remembered falls on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association naming […]

With morning-line odds at 7/2, Scabbard is a favorite that opens up many exotic betting opportunities at Lecomte. (Image: Coady Photography)

Lecomte Stakes Offers Early Derby Points, Value Betting Opportunities

- 3 min read

Remember War Emblem? The 2002 Kentucky Derby champion ridden by Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza? That’s not today’s trivia question, but the answer to another question: Name the only horse to run the Lecomte Stakes and win the Kentucky Derby. Perhaps War Emblem will have more company this year. Saturday’s […]

Churchill Downs pressured Turfway Park's pending sale and ended up with the raceway for $46 million (Image: Trufway Park)

Churchill Downs Plays Hardball, Buys Turfway Park for $46M

- 2 min read

After weeks of playing a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, Churchill Downs announced its purchase of Turfway Park on Oct. 3. Along with the $46 million price tag, Churchill Downs plans to spend more than $100 million on a new grandstand and gambling facility. Everybody in Kentucky racing knew […]

Higher Power sends eastern invaders home with tails between their legs in the 2019 Pacific Classic. (Image: AP)

Higher Power Crushes Atlantic Challengers to Win 2019 Pacific Classic at Del Mar

- 3 min read

Trainer John Sadler and owner Kostas Hronis are taking home the cash and trophy as their California-based horse Higher Power won the 2019 Pacific Classic this weekend. If the names sounds familiar, its because the same trainer/owner combination also were victorious in last year’s edition of the $1 million, 1 […]

Bricks and Mortar, Iran Ortiz, Jr. up, coast home the easiest kind of winner in the Arlington Million ( Coady Photography/Arlington Park)

Bricks and Mortar Trainer Chad Brown Wins Four at Arlington Million Day

- 3 min read

With startling ease, Bricks and Mortar won the 37th Arlington Million. Yet somehow trainer Chad Brown managed to steal the limelight from his top horse by sweeping the final four races on the Arlington card. Brown is also the winning conditioner of the first place finishers in both the Beverly […]

Where the turf meets the ice. Iconic moments like Mike Boy Hall of Fame sniper, who racked up 64 goals during the regular season and 17 more in the playoffs, terrorized the Canucks with seven in the Islanders' sweep of the series. Here, the 1982 playoff MVP exults after beating Vancouver goalie Richard Brodeur for one of his two power play tallies in the Isles' 3-1 win in Game 4 that made them the first U.S.-based team to win three consecutive Stanley Cups.

New York Approves $1.3B Belmont Park Arena Project for New NY Islanders Home

- 3 min read

Belmont Park, the venerable metro New York City Thoroughbred racetrack, now has key government approval as the site for the new home of the NHL’s New York Islanders. On Thursday, the Empire State Development board unanimously approved a $1.3 billion project that will bring the NHL’s New York Islanders back […]

Sand from construction projects at Los Angeles In terminational Airport provides the surface for So. Cal racetracks including Santa Anita (Image: LAX)

Santa Anita to Install New Drainage System in Safety Prep for Fall Season

- 3 min read

Santa Anita Park, the epicenter of attention over the increase in equine injuries and subsequent euthanizations earlier this year, is installing a new drainage system. Maintenance consultant Dennis Moore told the Daily Racing Form about the track’s new drainage system, which will be installed under the main dirt track beneath […]