Tag: Chad Brown

Essential Quality follows up his Southwest Stakes victory here with next week's Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. He opens as the 3/1 favorite in the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool Friday. (Image: Coady Photography)

Essential Quality Opens as KDFW Final Pool Favorite

- 3 min read

Essential Quality opened Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager as the favorite. Now, the undefeated Tapit colt opens the fifth and final KDFW pool as the 3/1 favorite. Pool 5 of Churchill Downs’ plunge into the Derby futures market opens Friday at 9 am PT and closes Sunday […]

Highly Motivated set the 6 1/2-furlong Keeneland track record with this victory in the Nyquist Stakes. He opens his 3-year-old season Saturday in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. (Image: Coady Photography)

Highly Motivated Finds His Motivation Returning for Gotham

- 3 min read

While the rest of the front-page Kentucky Derby futures favorites spent the winter winning races from California to Florida – and all points in between — Highly Motivated spent his winter hanging out in New York. This was Highly Motivated’s winter: working out here and there, watching stablemate Risk Taking […]

Candy Man Rocket parlayed his Sam F. Davis Stakes victory into a spot on Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager's Pool 3. (Image: SV Photography)

New Entries, Same Favorites in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3

- 3 min read

Nine new offerings entered the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3 picture, but two familiar names continue holding court as the KDFW favorites. Essential Quality and Life Is Good opened as individual 8/1 morning-line favorites in the third of five KDFW pools. As expected, however, the overall favorite is “All […]

Jockey Dylan Davis had plenty of high-fives to deliver after delivering a 6 3/4-length victory aboard Capo Kane in the Jerome. Davis and Capo Kane are the 3/1 second-favorite in Saturday's Withers Stakes at Aqueduct. (Image: Janet Garaguso/NYRA)

The Withers: A Derby Prep Running on History

- 4 min read

The Withers predates the Kentucky Derby by one year, a testament to its one-time status as one of the country’s prestigious spring races. This race once held court just below the Triple Crown races in terms of status and prestige. Man o’ War? Won the 1920 Withers. Native Dancer? Your […]

Between them, Todd Pletcher (left) and Bob Baffert own eight Kentucky Derby victories. Pletcher (45) and Baffert (23) have the most Triple Crown early nominated horses for 2021. (Image: Doug Engle/AP File)

Essential Quality Leads 326-Strong Triple Crown Nomination Parade

- 3 min read

Getting your horse a Triple Crown nomination used to be so simple that connections to this year’s 3-year-old hopefuls nominated 326 horses to compete in the three American Classic races this spring. Those 326 nominations represent a slight, 6.1% dip from last year’s 347 early nominees. Those connections paid $600 […]

Tarantino, seen here in an October workout, finished a solid second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull. That earned him a prominent odds cut on this week's Kentucky Derby futures boards. (Image: Ernie Belmonte)

Derby Futures: Tarantino Shows Even Reservoir Dogs Have Their Day

- 3 min read

It wasn’t a case of pulp fiction that Tarantino was sitting at 225/1 when he debuted on the Circa Sports and William Hill Nevada Kentucky Derby futures boards last week. Even the Jackie Browns and Inglorious Basterds of the world stared juicy odds in the face before Tarantino entered the […]

Known Agenda (inside) beat Greatest Honour in this November maiden special weight at Aqueduct. He returns to Derby prep action this weekend in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct. (Image: Coglianese Photo)

Weekend Stakes: Not Every Good 3-Year-Old Race is a Derby Prep

- 4 min read

We’ll see several Kentucky Derby hopefuls return this weekend when two East Coast Grade 3 Derby preps headline the stakes races. And, we’ll meet some Kentucky Oaks contenders in two Oaks preps – one on each coast. At the same time, we’ll see a Grade 2 for 3-year-olds that isn’t […]

Saudi Prince Khalid bin Abdullah created a breeding powerhouse on both sides of the Atlantic. One of the most respected owners and breeders in the world, Prince Khalid died Tuesday at 83. (Image: Trevor Meeks)

Powerhouse Owner, Breeder Prince Khalid bin Abdullah Dies at 83

- 3 min read

Tributes from all over the racing world poured in Tuesday, remembering Prince Khalid bin Abdullah, who died Tuesday of undisclosed causes. The Saudi prince and nine-time Eclipse Award winner as owner and breeder was 83. A member of the Saudi Royal Family, Prince Khalid owned Juddmonte Farms, which announced the […]

Fighting Mad captured the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes last May over Hard Not To Love. The two meet again in Saturday's Grade 2 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita Park. (Image: Benoit Photo)

The Older Set Takes Over the Stakes Spotlight at Santa Anita, Gulfstream

- 3 min read

Last week, the sophomores stole the stage. Now, it’s the older horses’ turn to seize the stakes spotlight, dim as it may be this weekend. This weekend’s stakes schedule doesn’t scream “high profile.” After all, 2021’s first Grade 1s are still two weeks away. But, it does raise its voice […]

Todd Pletcher usually has a reason to smile around Gulfstream Park. He sends a quarter of the 12-horse field into the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. (Image: Coglianese Photography)

Pletcher’s Trio Leads Pegasus World Cup Turf Invite List

- 4 min read

Todd Pletcher’s considerable depth at Gulfstream Park manifested itself again when the Hall of Fame trainer snagged three of the 16 invites to the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, the companion race to the Pegasus World Cup Invitational. The Grade 1, 1-3/16-mile Pegasus Turf runs Jan. 23 as […]

Santa Anita Park' debuted its new turf chute Saturday. Highly Distorted won the 6 1/2-furlong race at 11/1. (Image: Benoit Photography)

Santa Anita Park’s New Turf Chute Makes an Early and Successful Debut

- 2 min read

Highly Distorted became the 11/1 answer to a trivia question when he won the first race run from Santa Anita Park’s new turf chute on Saturday. The 6-½-furlong allowance race was Santa Anita’s sixth of 11 on its Saturday Winter/Spring Meet opening day card. Santa Anita Track Surfaces Consultant Dennis […]

Trainer Graham Motion's Sharing already owns a Grade 1 win at the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She goes for her second as the 3/1 favorite in the American Oaks at Santa Anita Park. (Image: Horsephotos.com)

Sharing Plants the Seed of Familiarity as American Oaks Favorite

- 4 min read

Let no one accuse Sharing of dodging either travel or terrific competition. And the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita Park provides the 3-year-old filly both elements for her considerable resume. Run on the turf, the 1 ¼-mile American Oaks is the final Grade 1 event of the year […]

Instilled Regard won his first graded stakes race on the turf in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes last December. He turned into a standout turf horse over his career. (Image: Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo)

Instilled Regard Reinvents Himself Again, Retires to Stud

- 2 min read

Instilled Regard, a horse who illustrated the upside of redefining himself, retired Tuesday, his owners OXO Equine LLC announced. And, according to OXO Equine, Instilled Regard already has his first date. That would be Blue Prize, the three-time Grade 1-winning Argentinian mare. She is currently in foal to Into Mischief, […]

Viadera (6) stuck her nose in front of stablemate Blowout to win the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar. The exciting finish capped aa record handle for Del Mar's Bing Crosby Meet. (Image: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club)

Bing Crosby Season Meet Croons Record Handle for Del Mar

- 2 min read

Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic that eliminated spectators for its Bing Crosby Season Fall Meet, Del Mar reported a 33% handle increase from 2019. The San Diego-area seaside track checked in with a $195.9 million handle for its five-week fall meet, a byproduct of robust fields, more races, and strong, […]

With three of the Matriarch Stakes favorites coming from his barn, turf maestro Chad Brown has three chances to smile in Sunday's Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar. (Image: Benoit Photo)

With Three Contenders, Matriarch Stakes Could Feature a Brown-Out

- 3 min read

One of the headline attractions of Del Mar’s Bing Crosby Turf Festival is the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes. And, the Matriarch being a top-tier turf race, you know Chad Brown’s training handiwork can’t be far behind. Brown owns three Eclipse Awards as the country’s top trainer. And he owns those […]

Domestic Spending beat Gufo, Decorated Invader and Get Smokin in August's Saratoga Derby. He comes west and faces all three foes again in Saturday's Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. (Image: Coglianese Photos/NYRA)

Del Mar’s Hollywood Derby Provides a Good, Old-Fashioned Turf War

- 4 min read

The first thing savvy racing fans notice about Saturday’s Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar is the clash between East and West horses, trainers and jockeys. If there was ever a turf war over where North America’s best turf runners reside, well, the Hollywood Derby should provide the answer. […]

Unbeaten in three races, including this Saratoga Special win, Jackie's Warrior is the favorite for Saturday's Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. (Image: Coglianese Photo)

Champagne Stakes Uncorks Juvenile Horses in Vintage Race

- 3 min read

The Champagne Stakes dates to 1867, making this a vintage race if there ever was a non-American Classic vintage race. Yet, it holds its vintage status while turning loose 2-year-olds upon the racing world. Call it a vintage race with fledgling racers. But while you’re at it, call Saturday’s Grade […]

Gretzky the Great won the Soaring Free Stakes to give his sire, Nyquist, his first progeny stakes winner. Gretzky the Great goes for his hat trick in Sunday's Summer Stakes. (Image: Michael Burns)

Gretzky the Great Gunning for Hat Trick in Summer Stakes

- 3 min read

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse won the Grade 1 Summer Stakes three consecutive years from 2013-2015. Now, he sends Gretzky the Great out in search of his own hat trick in one of Woodbine’s two Grade 1 races Sunday. The Grade 1 Summer Stakes sends seven 2-year-olds a mile […]

Whitmore, seen here winning his fourth consecutive Hot Springs Stakes, goes for his second Forego Stakes title in three years Saturday. (Image: Coady Photography)

Whitmore Returns to Take On High-Grade Field in Forego Stakes

- 4 min read

Do you go with the crafty veteran, Whitmore, he of the 14 wins in 35 races? Or do you forego that lukewarm favorite in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes and bet on Funny Guy? What about foregoing Funny Guy and playing betting brain games with Mind Control or Complexity? The […]

Newspaperofrecord won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs two years ago. She returns to Churchill Downs as the expected favorite in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile on Derby Saturday. (Image: Edward Whitaker)

There’s More to Kentucky Derby Saturday than the Derby

- 3 min read

On Kentucky Derby Saturday, horseplayers and fans get Tiz the Law, Honor A.P., Art Collector and the rest of the Derby Trail survivors. However, to steal a phrase from late-night TV – but wait, there’s more — to Derby Day than the Derby. Not only do you get prohibitive favorite […]

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