Keepmeinmind entered the mind of bettors this past weekend when he won the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. That plunged his future odds in William Hill Nevada’s latest Kentucky Derby Futures Board to 50/1 from 75/1. On the futures front, however, it’s worth keeping in mind that […]
Bing Crosby Season Meet Croons Record Handle for Del Mar
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, […]
Canadian Horseracing Benefits From Removal of Fixed-Odds Provision
Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson, one of Canada’s most powerful horseracing executives, praised Canadian legislators for removing a provision in a sports betting bill that would leave racetracks out of revenue earned from fixed-odds wagering on horseracing. The element in question would have legalized fixed-odds wagering on horseracing without revenue-sharing […]
With Three Contenders, Matriarch Stakes Could Feature a Brown-Out
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 […]
Del Mar’s Hollywood Derby Provides a Good, Old-Fashioned Turf War
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. […]
Kentucky Jockey Club Provides Another Glimpse of Derby Hopefuls
The Kentucky Jockey Club was the only race Tiz the Law lost as a 2-year-old. It’s also the race that gives 2-year-olds a needed trip around two turns and horseplayers a good glimpse of what juveniles could be live come next spring’s Kentucky Derby. Along with that, Saturday’s Grade 2 […]
Derby Sire Future Wager: You Can Bet on the Derby Winner’s Dad
You can make Kentucky Derby futures bets at William Hill Nevada and – starting Thursday and running through Sunday – Churchill Downs through its first Kentucky Derby Futures Wager pool. But now, you can also wager on Kentucky Derby sires through the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager. That’s right. You […]
Recognizable Names, Deep Field: The Clark Stakes Has it All
Together, the $500,000 Clark Stakes field owns 22 stakes victories, 60 overall wins, and more than $12.6 million in earnings. And even in this topsy-turvy, runaway-roller coaster year, the traditional Black Friday headliner at Churchill Downs remains one of the most popular races on the late-season schedule. For the first […]
Horseplayers, Fans Give Thanks for These Strong Thanksgiving Races
Even with COVID-19 wreaking scheduling havoc among many of the country’s marquee races, the traditional Thanksgiving weekend races provide comfort-food wagering opportunities for horseplayers, and intriguing races for food coma-recovering fans to savor. Churchill Downs plays host to one of the best end-of-year races anywhere, along with another glimpse at […]
Code of Honor Seeking Salvation in Clark Stakes
He is almost certain to be overbet, based on his 3-year-old campaign. But in Friday’s Grade 1 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs, the question is, will we see the sophomore sensation Code of Honor or the jittery, junior Code of Honor? Code of Honor owns the biggest name of the […]
The Bluegrass Will Be Greener on Churchill Downs’ New Turf Course
One week after closing its turf course, Churchill Downs Racetrack announced plans to build a new $10 million turf course designed to increase the track’s durability – along with the number of turf races. Don’t expect the project to be ready anytime soon. Track officials announced that construction will begin […]
Life Is Good Certainly Proves it on William Hill Derby Futures Board
It took exactly 75-½ seconds for Life Is Good to live up to his name, throw his hoof into the Kentucky Derby futures picture, and become the latest horse rocketing up William Hill Nevada’s Kentucky Derby Futures Board. After the Into Mischief progeny destroyed an over-classed quartet of maidens by […]
Into Mischief Again Proves He’s a Breed Above the Rest
Into Mischief illustrated again why he is the most sought-after sire in North America when his suddenly hot 2-year-old, Life Is Good, won his Del Mar debut Sunday. With the victory, Into Mischief broke the North American single-season progeny earnings record. When Life Is Good romped home by 9-½ lengths […]
Weather, COVID-19 Puts an Early End to Woodbine’s Racing Season
Mere hours after announcing the premature end of its Thoroughbred meet due to provincial COVID-19 restrictions, Woodbine Racetrack abruptly ended its meet on Sunday due to inclement weather rolling through the Province of Ontario. Track officials canceled the last seven races after a storm front brought snow and mixed precipitation […]
Santa Anita Park Raises Purses, Announces Robust Stakes Schedule
Officials at Santa Anita Park announced a 10% bump in daily purse totals for its 2020-21 Winter/Spring Meet, lifting the daily average purse money available to more than $533,000 at the Southern California track. This is significant for the iconic track. Unlike many other tracks, Santa Anita doesn’t have a […]
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 […]
Golden Gate Fields Extends Closure After COVID-19 Outbreak Worsens
Golden Gate Fields officials extended their closure at least another two weeks after another coronavirus outbreak ravaged the Northern California track’s backstretch workers. According to the Los Angeles Times, at least 100 workers were infected. That’s a four-fold increase from the 24 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported last week when the […]
Churchill Downs Closes Turf Course For Remainder of Fall Meet
Citing an “abundance of caution,†Churchill Downs closed its turf course for the duration of its fall meet, scuttling two Grade 2 turf races. The move was in the offing, considering the track announced Nov. 14 it would move all turf races to the main track through Nov. 22. This […]
Get the Geritol: Red Smith Handicap Features Three Older Favorites
Two of the contenders for Saturday’s Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct are 7-year-olds. One of the other favorites is 6-years-old, confirming that the 60th Red Smith Handicap is the race where older horses head before heading out to pasture. Or not. There’s 7-year-old Sadler’s Joy taking on his fellow 7-year-old […]
Keeneland November Sale Brings Stability, Slight Dip to Sales Market
One of the biggest horse sales in North America, the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, ended its 10-day run Wednesday with a modest, COVID-19-related drop in sales from 2019. At the same time, nine horses sold for at least $1 million each. The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale is one […]