Tag: Maximum Security

Trainer Jorge Navarro became the highest-profile defendant pleading guilty in a wide-ranging, government indictment. He faces up to five years of prison and millions of dollars in restitution payments. (Image: Gulfstream Park)

Disgraced Trainer Navarro Pleads Guilty to Horse Doping Charge

Trainer Jorge Navarro, one of the central figures in the blood doping and drug adulteration scandal that rocked horse racing in a long-running scheme starting in 2016, changed his plea to guilty Wednesday. In doing so, Navarro could spend up to five years in prison. Navarro changed his plea from […]

Monmouth Park could offer fixed-odds wagering during its upcoming season if a bill passed in the state assembly makes its way to Gov. Phil Murphy's desk. (Image: Sarah Andrew)

New Jersey Assembly Passes Fixed-Odds Horse Wagering Bill

New Jersey horseplayers tackling the upcoming Monmouth Park season received a gift from the state’s Assembly on Friday when that body voted 74-0-1 to permit fixed-odds wagering at Jersey’s racetracks. That sends the bill to the state senate. Should it clear that body, as expected, it goes to Gov. Phil […]

Trainer Bob Baffert and his prize Triple Crown charge, American Pharoah. In the wake of Baffert's latest failed medication test, Spendthrift, the large Kentucky breeding farm removed some horses from Baffert's barn. (Image: Susie Raisher/NYRA)

Breeding Goliath Spendthrift Farm Pulls Horses from Baffert’s Barn

The fallout from trainer Bob Baffert’s latest failed medication test took a troublesome turn for the Hall of Fame conditioner when breeding colossus Spendthrift Farm removed several horses from his barn. The Daily Racing Form reported that Spendthrift’s Following Sea was transferred to Todd Pletcher’s barn. Along with that, Spendthrift […]

Bettors wagering on 26/1 Mandaloun to win the Kentucky Derby won't get rewarded if winner Medina Spirit is disqualified. Pari-mutuel payouts stand once a race is ruled official. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Can Mandaloun Bettors Profit From a Medina Spirit DQ?

One of the first questions many novice horseplayers asked when the news of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s positive drug test for excessive amounts of an anti-inflammatory medication was: “If he’s DQed, can I cash my Mandaloun ticket?” The answer is an emphatic “no.” Bettors holding Mandaloun tickets deserve props […]

Rock Your Work brings an undefeated record and the best Beyer Speed Figure into the 2021 Kentucky Derby. But under Jon White's Derby Strike System, he brings two strikes to the Run for the Roses. Only seven horses since 1973 won the Derby with two strikes. (Image: Benoit Photography)

The Derby Strike System: Does Your Horse Strike Gold or Strike Out?

That Jon White would come up with something like the Derby Strike System (DSS) makes sense when you consider its creator spent hours surreptitiously handicapping races during his high school classes. “I’d hide it from my teachers. But I’d hide it from my fellow students as well,” said White, Santa […]

Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, the chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said in a Saturday TV interview he hopes the final dispersal of the 2020 purse will happen soon. (Image: Doug De Felice/Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Cup Official Said 2020 First-Prize Payout Near Resolution

In a short television interview before Saturday’s Saudi Cup, Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia Chairman Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal said the final $10 million purse distribution for the 2020 Saudi Cup should come within six weeks. Prince Bandar addressed the elephant in the room regarding the world’s richest […]

Accelerate won the Pacific Classic by 12 1/2 lengths. Along with winning the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup, this would have brought a $1 million bonus 
under a new program from Santa Anita and Del Mar. (Image: Lane's End Farm)

Santa Anita, Del Mar Form Posse for $1 Million Wild West Bonus

Seeking to keep their top Western horses home – while luring Eastern horses west – Santa Anita Park and Del Mar created the $1 Million Wild West Bonus. That bonus goes to the connections of any horse who sweeps the three Southern California elite races for older horses, the Santa […]

Winning the Breeders' Cup Classic two months after capturing the Kentucky Derby likely made Authentic the Horse of the Year. The 50th Eclipse Awards will be announced Jan. 28. (Image: Horsephotos.com)

Authentic, Improbable, Monomoy Girl Head Eclipse Awards Finalists

Horse of the Year candidates Authentic, Improbable, and Monomoy Girl headline the finalists for the 2020 Eclipse Awards, announced Saturday by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), and the Daily Racing Form. The Eclipse Awards get their name from the iconic 18th-century racehorse and […]

Mucho Gusto won one Grade 1 and finished second in two others in his 13-race career. He retired Tuesday after suffering a tendon injury. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Defending Pegasus Champ Mucho Gusto Suddenly Retired After Injury

Illustrating once again the fragile nature of modern Thoroughbred horses, defending Pegasus World Cup champion Mucho Gusto was suddenly retired Tuesday after suffering a soft tissue injury. Bob Baffert, Mucho Gusto’s trainer, said the injury happened Tuesday. He told Horse Racing Nation that due to the nature of the injury […]

Midcourt's last victory came in February's San Pasqual Stakes. He is odds-on to repeat as Native Diver Stakes champion. (Image: Benoit Photo)

With Better Rivals Retired, Midcourt Ready to Hold Court in Native Diver

There is no Maximum Security or Improbable to trouble Midcourt this time. This time, being Saturday’s Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar, where Midcourt is the trouble. Midcourt is the one to beat in the $100,000 Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes. The 1-1/8-mile jaunt for older horses sends a condensed […]

Indicted trainer Jason Servis, seen here sweating out the steward's inquiry in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, now faces a charge of wire fraud along with his horse doping charges. (Image: Lexington Herald Leader)

New Indictments Handed Down in Servis-Navarro Horse Doping Case

Federal prosecutors handed down superseding indictments Tuesday in the alleged horse doping scandal involving trainers Jason Servis, Jorge Navarro, and 12 other defendants. The new indictments tack on a charge of wire fraud to Servis and veterinarians Alexander Chan and Kristian Rhein. All three pleaded not guilty to the new […]

Maximum Security won 10 of his 14 races, including six in a row at one point. He retires with more than $12.4 million in career earnings and a wild career of ups and downs. (Image: Matthew Stockman/Getty)

Maximum Security Retires: Closes Book On Wild, Accomplished Career

Three days after finishing off the board for only the second time in his career, Maximum Security retired from racing. The Eclipse Award 3-year-old Champion of 2019 heads to Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud, where he’ll begin his stud career in 2021 standing for $20,000. The move comes after Maximum Security […]

Improbable was nothing short of awesome in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes. The 5/2 favorite rides into the Breeders' Cup Classic on a three-race win streak. (Image: Alex Evers)

Breeders’ Cup Classic: Picking a Winner in this All-Star Field is a Puzzle

If you’re grasping to understand how good the field is for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic truly is, it’s easiest to picture what an All-Star horse race would look like. The Mid-fall Classic, as it were. If the Mid-fall Classic offered a $6 million purse, two Triple Crown race winners, […]

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 […]

Improbable stands out as a 5/2 favorite in what is one of the deepest Breeders' Cup Classic fields in the history of the event. (Image: AP)

Improbable Takes Favorite Status, Outer Post in Breeders’ Cup Classic

The last time Bob Baffert turned loose a Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite at Keeneland, that horse – American Pharoah – won him his second of three consecutive Classics. Now, Baffert has more than an outside chance of winning his fourth. He has three outside chances. That’s because his three mainstays, […]

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 […]

Uncle Mo, the standout 12-year-old stallion, bucked the trend of stud-fee reduction. Coolmore American increased his fee, while lowering most of its roster for 2021. (Image: Coolmore America)

Coolmore Lowers Stud Fees on Triple Crown Winners AP and Justify

Following breeding farm trends in this depressed economic climate, Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud lowered its fees on the majority of its roster, including Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. American Pharoah, the 2015 Triple Crown champion, will stand for $100,000. That’s a 42.8% reduction from his $175,000 fee in […]

Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Improbable to his second of three Grade 
wins at August's The Whitney. His current form makes him the favorite in Circa Sports' Breeders' Cup Classic futures betting. (Image: Daily Gazette)

Circa Sports Makes Improbable the Breeders’ Cup Classic Futures Favorite

One day after opening the first domestic Breeders’ Cup Classic futures board, Circa Sports puts Improbable as the favorite to capture the $6 million Breeders’ Cup’s marquee event on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Improbable opened at +380, then moved up slightly to +410. His best odds overseas are 4/1. The […]

Improbable turned aside Mr. Buff to win the Whitney at Saratoga. He'll find winning his third consecutive Grade 1 a bit tougher in the Awesome Again Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita. (Image: NYRA/Dom Napolitano)

Stakes, Stakes, and More at Stake this Weekend at Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Park’s postponed opening created a bettor’s bonanza this weekend. The Southern California track will open with 12 stakes races – 11 of those graded stakes events. Officials pushed opening weekend at the iconic track back a week due to air-quality concerns from the nearby Bobcat Fire. One of […]