Tag: Keeneland

Magical is a worthy 5/2 favorite to put stellar trainer Aidan O'Brien atop the Breeders' Cup Turf mountain. (Image: Simon Cooper/PA Wire)

Despite Slump, O’Brien Casts a Magical Spell Over the Breeders’ Cup Turf

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien enjoys a wonderfully magical training career, generally free of moguls or other bumps. But as he sends Magical and Mogul out in search of his seventh Breeders’ Cup Turf title, O’Brien does so along an uncharacteristically bumpy road on this side of the Atlantic. Whatever Irish […]

Maximum Security didn't even run his best Beyer Speed Figure in this Pacific Classic victory from August. But he owns the fastest Beyer and Equibase speed figures in the Breeders' Cup Classic field. (Image: Coolmore America)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Looking at an Instant Classic

As you parse the speed figures for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, you understand there is truth in advertising to this year’s edition of the Breeders’ Cup’s flagship race. Putting aside the eight Grade 1 winners in the 10-horse field, these speed figures should make this Classic well … an instant […]

Breeders' Cup Distaff favorite Monomoy Girl knows Keeneland from her Ashland Stakes victory in 2018. She owns the most consistent speed figures in the Distaff field. (Image: Keeneland)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Everyone Chases These Two in Distaff

Preakness Stakes champion Swiss Skydiver will bypass the Breeders’ Cup Classic and run with her gender in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. And with that, she and 2018 Distaff champion Monomoy Girl will separate themselves from the rest of the field, according to their speed figures. The $2 million Breeders’ Cup […]

Magical missed last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita due to a fever. But the 2020 three-time Group 1 winner is the likely favorite for the Breeders' Cup Turf. (Image: Caroline Norris)

Baffert’s Classic Trio, O’Brien’s Turf Duo Head Breeders’ Cup Pre-Entries

Bob Baffert has six entries, including three in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Aidan O’Brien counters with 10 entries. And just like that with Wednesday’s pre-entries, lineups for the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championships races are falling into place. All told, 201 horses pre-entered into the Nov. 6-7 racing festival at […]

Even without spectators, Keeneland managed more than $148.2 million in handle during its just-concluded Fall Meet. It plays host to the Breeders' Cup in two weeks. (Image: David Coyle/Team Coyle)

Keeneland Wraps Fall Meet with Modest Handle Decline

With the Breeders’ Cup looming in two weeks as Keeneland’s worldwide close-up, the Lexington, KY, track ended its Fall Meet Saturday with a modest 7.5% drop in all-sources handle from 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Keeneland ran its 17-day Fall Meet without spectators. Yet the track recorded $148,229,708 in […]

Keeneland played host to the Breeders' Cup World Championships for the first time in 2015. It gets the 2022 Breeders' Cup along with this year's event Oct. 6-7. (Image: John Snell/Team Coyle)

Keeneland Gets 2022 Consolation After Breeders’ Cup Goes Fan-Free

The Breeders’ Cup became the latest major racing event going spectator-free, announcing it will go without fans for its upcoming event, Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland in Lexington, KY. At the same time, the Breeders’ Cup announced Keeneland will play host to the 2022 event. This means that all four major […]

The start to the Breeders' Cup Classic is like watching an all-star race. This year's Preakness Stakes sends its winner to the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland. (Image: Breeders' Cup World Championships)

For the First Time, Preakness Joins Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series

For the first time in the Breeders’ Cup’s nearly 40-year history, a Triple Crown race will be part of its “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series of races. The 145th Preakness Stakes became one of 44 Challenge Series races offering spots in the Breeders’ Cup field over the next two […]

Florent Geroux became the latest high-profile jockey testing positive for the coronavirus. (Image: Pat McDonogh/Courier-Journal)

Florent Geroux Latest High-Profile Jockey Testing Positive for COVID-19

Florent Geroux joined the lengthening list of prominent jockeys testing positive for COVID-19 over the past week, revealing his positive test results on Twitter Tuesday morning. Unlike Martin Garcia, Luis Saez, Victor Espinoza, and Flavien Prat – all of whom tested positive in the last week — Geroux didn’t ride […]

Rushing Fall and Javier Castellano make a dynamic team. The 5-year-old mare won her second stakes race in as many months Saturday, repeating as Jenny Wiley Stakes champion. (Image: Chelsea Durand/Coglianese Photography)

Rushing Fall Tumbles Into Elite Company With Jenny Wiley Victory

As the 4/5 favorite, Rushing Fall brought no rush of value to bettors in Saturday’s Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland. But when the chalky favorite defended her Jenny Wiley title, she brought a record rush to what is already a glittering resume. Rushing Fall became only the third […]

Luis Saez was set to rejoin Maximum Security on July 18. Instead, he's off to quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus. (Image: Getty)

Breakout Rider Luis Saez Tests Positive for COVID-19

Standout rider Luis Saez became the latest jockey testing positive for COVID-19 Friday, ending his run at Keeneland’s five-day summer meet and sending him into immediate quarantine. The jockey learned of the positive test after riding Fortuna to a second-place finish in a $70,000 maiden special weight race Friday. He […]

Swiss Skydiver exercised proper social distancing turning back Venetian Harbor in May's Fantasy Stakes. She is the 3/1 morning line favorite to beat the boys in the Blue Grass Stakes. (Image: Coady Photography)

Swiss Skydiver Takes on the Boys, History in Blue Grass Stakes

Last month, Kenny McPeek was a coronavirus odyssey away from sending Swiss Skydiver to England for the 1000 Guineas. So why wouldn’t he turn the standout filly loose against the boys in Saturday’s Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland? “This has already been one of the weirdest years ever. […]

As chaos befell his chief rivals, Raging Bull enjoyed a perfect trip in May's Shoemaker Mile. Three of his rivals from that race try turning the tables in Friday's Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Distilling the Talent in the Maker’s Mark Mile Produces Raging Bull

Maybe it’s the bourbon talking, but it’s easy to confuse Friday’s Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland with May’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita Park. Yes, the tracks are 2,000 miles and three time zones apart. Details. The similarities go beyond the fact both are Grade […]

Tom VanMeter is one of the most prominent owner/breeders in Thoroughbred racing. He apologized Tuesday for racist comments he made on social media last week. (Image: Keeneland)

Amid Industry Heat, Noted Horseman VanMeter Apologizes for Racial Slurs

In the face of fallout from across the racing world, Tom VanMeter, a prominent Kentucky horse owner and breeder, apologized Tuesday for racist remarks he made last week on social media. A well-known figure in the Kentucky horse industry, VanMeter owns Stockplace Farm, the birthplace of 2015 Triple Crown champion […]

Mike Smith and Swiss Skydiver rolled to such an easy victory in June's Santa Anita Oaks that her connections may send her into Saturday's Blue Grass Stakes against the boys. (Image: AP Photo)

Swiss Skydiver Looking to Leap into Blue Grass Stakes

Will Swiss Skydiver run with the boys? Will the talented filly who doesn’t need Kentucky Oaks points enter Saturday’s Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland – a Kentucky Derby prep? Or will Swiss Skydiver enter the Grade 1 Ashland Oaks and tangle with her usual fellow filly suspects? These […]

Beginning Thursday, a limited number of fans will see the sight of horses making the turn at Ellis Park. The Kentucky track announced seven backstretch workers tested positive for the coronavirus. (Image: Coady Photography)

On Eve of Meet, Seven Ellis Park Workers Test Positive for COVID-19

Less than a week before Ellis Park Race Track’s most historic season is set to begin, the track announced that seven backstretch workers tested positive for COVID-19. Track officials announced their summer meet will begin as scheduled on Thursday, with limited fans in attendance. Of the seven Ellis Park backstretch […]

Keeneland will open its starting gate this summer for a limited, but loaded, July meet. (Image: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

Keeneland Receives Approval for Stakes-Packed Summer Meet

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission unanimously approved Keeneland’s request to run a five-day, spectator-free summer meet in July, giving the Lexington racetrack back five days from its original 16-day spring meet. That meet became a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeneland’s abbreviated meet is scheduled for July 8-12 and is […]