Tag: Steve Asmussen

While Jackie's Warrior is the clear favorite to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Essential Quality is a viable second favorite at 20/1. (Image: Coady Photography)

William Hill Makes Jackie’s Warrior 2021 Kentucky Derby Futures Favorite

William Hill Nevada opened the first domestic futures pool for the 2021 Kentucky Derby, installing Jackie’s Warrior as the top choice among the 115 2-year-olds listed on its futures board. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite, Jackie’s Warrior opened at 15/1. He’s currently 14/1 at Bovada, which opened the Steve Asmussen-trainee […]

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 […]

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

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 […]

The venerable Pimlico Race Course clubhouse will play host to a small group of owners for Saturday's 145th Preakness Stakes. (Image: Getty)

The Triple Crown Ends Here: Breaking Down the 2020 Preakness Stakes

It’s October 2020, which in this bizarre of all bizarre years, means it’s Preakness Stakes time. That there is no Triple Crown at stake does not mean there is nothing at stake in the third and final jewel of a wild, 15-week Triple Crown campaign. The 2020 American Classics trail […]

A gutty, home-bred with good early speed, Rowdy Yates seeks to become only the third Oklahoma-bred to win the Oklahoma Derby. (Image: Coady Photography)

Oklahoma Derby Unveils an OK Field in the State’s Biggest Race

Two Kentucky Derby ex-pats won’t answer the bell, but the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby brings its share of recognizable names and decorated 3-year-olds to Remington Park for Sunday’s 32nd edition of the state’s biggest race. You won’t find Major Fed and Necker Island in the field. The two Derby runners […]

Max Player's owner said he looked like a hose who wanted to keep running. He'll make his next appearance in the Preakness Stakes. (Image: Coady Photgraphy)

Three New Entries Bring Preakness Stakes Probables to 10

Enter Max Player and Excession to the Preakness Stakes field. Along with Country Grammer, the two Steve Asmussen-trainees bring the field for the third and final jewel of the 2020 Triple Crown to 10 horses. They join Pneumatic, bringing Asmussen’s Preakness contingent to an appropriate three. The Hall of Fame […]

Steve Asmussen became only the second trainer to win 9,000 career races. (Image: Dustin Orona/Remington Park)

Hall of Fame Trainer Asmussen Wins 9,000th Race, Top Spot In Sight

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen won his 9,000th race last weekend at Remington Park, becoming only the second trainer in history breathing that rarefied air. But illustrating how fluid these things are, and how prolific Asmussen is, by the end of the weekend, he sat on 9,004 victories. Troy […]

Clayton, seen her prevailing by a head in the Plate Trial Stakes, is the 2/1 morning line favorite to win Canada's Queen's Plate. (Image: Michael Burns Photography)

Will Clayton Pick Up Queen’s Plate? Or Will One of the Girls Steal It?

Think of the Queen’s Plate as Canada’s Kentucky Derby. It’s got the century-and-a-half pedigree, the same 1 ¼-mile distance, and the same historical entrée and bragging rights for the 3-year-old who wins the $1 million race at Woodbine. For Canadian-breds, this is the race everyone wants on their resume. Even […]

Throw These Three Derby Hopefuls Off Your Betting Tickets

Picking a Kentucky Derby winner this year may seem easy on paper. Or chalk, as Tiz the Law and his generational-low 3/5 morning line odds illustrate. But while there’s plenty of value underneath, there are also plenty of minefields – horses you want to avoid stuffing underneath in those trifectas […]

Kentucky Derby hopeful Max Player is on the move, from Linda Rice's New York barn to Steve Asmussen's Kentucky barn. (Image: Skip Dickstein)

Derby Hopeful Max Player Moved to Steve Asmussen’s Kentucky Barn

Three days after Max Player finished third to Tiz the Law in his second consecutive Grade 1 effort, owners for the horse switched trainers, moving him from Linda Rice to Steve Asmussen. The move came after Max Player finished third – 7 ½ lengths behind Tiz the Law at Saturday’s […]

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 […]

Silver Prospector, ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr., won the Southwest Stakes and is the horse to watch this weekend. (Image: Coady Photography)

Derby Preps: Silver Prospector Looking Golden

Two lesser Kentucky Derby prep races last weekend –  the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields and the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park — both yielded 10 Derby Qualifying Points to their winners, Azul Coast and Silver Prospector, respectively. But the process leading to those results couldn’t have […]