Brian Robin

Muck Rack profile
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo explained why he approved horseracing's resumption during his Saturday coronavirus briefing. (Image: WRVO)

New York Racing Resumes in June After Governor’s Approval

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo put his state back in the horseracing game Saturday when he announced during his daily coronavirus briefing New York may resume spectator-free racing June 1. Along with Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields resuming in California and Churchill Downs resuming in Kentucky, this is […]

Monomoy Girl, seen here nipping Wonder Gadot to win the 2018 Kentucky Oaks, returns to racing for the first time in 18 months Saturday. She is a 4/5 favorite in an allowance race. (Image: Churchill Downs)

She’s Back: Standout Mare Monomoy Girl Returns After Lengthy Absence

Adding more prestige to Churchill Downs’ long-awaited Spring Meet opening on Saturday, champion 3-year-old Monomoy Girl returns to action for the first time in 18 months. In terms of class and competition, Monomoy Girl won’t be running against the elite fields she’s used to competing against. She’s entered as the […]

Starting June 6, with provincial government approval, horses will hit the first turn at Canada's Woodbine Racetrack. (Image: Woodbine)

Canada’s Woodbine Joins the Racetrack Reopening Parade

The reopening momentum sweeping across racetracks in the United States caught a wave in Canada with the announcement that Woodbine outside Toronto will reopen June 6. Woodbine Entertainment said it plans to open Mohawk Park for harness racing on June 5, and Woodbine for Thoroughbred racing the following day. Due […]

Newmarket's Rowley Mile track won't be grounded if UK racing resumes June 4. Two Classics: the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, are tentatively scheduled. (Image: Festivals of Racing)

UK Racing to Return with Major Races Out of the Gate

Nonplussed by the British Government’s announcement that live sports won’t resume until June 1, at the earliest, the British Horseracing Authority released a tentative schedule of major races that gets matters going in a hurry. The UK racing schedule opens with the first two Classics – the 2,000 Guineas and […]

Horses breaking from the Santa Anita starting gate won't be seen live by fans. But the iconic Southern California racetrack reopens for business Friday. (Image: Southern California News Group)

Approval Arrives: Santa Anita to Reopen for Spectator-Free Racing

After a seven-week lobbying effort that, only a day ago seemed in jeopardy, Santa Anita Park received approval from the Los Angeles County Health Department to resume spectator-free racing this Friday. The approval came one day after county health officials extended the “safer-at-home” directive that seemed to put the track’s […]

Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas (left), Ruth Bader Ginsburg (center), and Stephen Breyer (right) are favorites as next to give up their lifetime appointment to the highest bench in the land. (Image: AP)

Ginsburg, Thomas, Breyer … Who’s Next to Leave Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court is back in session. With America’s highest court live-streaming oral arguments for the first time ever, the public is hearing the nine justices ask questions of historic import. For bettors, it’s the first time they get to hear from the protagonists in one of the quirkier wagers […]

Santa Anita Park officials want a return to finishes like this in the 2019 Monrovia Stakes. The track's proposed Friday reopening is in limbo pending approval from the health department. (Image: Mark Ralston/AFP-Getty)

Order Sends Santa Anita’s Planned Reopening Into Limbo

The tug-of-war between Santa Anita Park and Los Angeles County Health Department officials continued Tuesday when county officials extended their “safer at home” order that was due to expire Friday. That extension slams into Santa Anita’s planned resumption of live racing, but track officials say they intend to proceed as […]

Victor Espinoza aboard American Pharoah ended the 2015 Road to the Kentucky Derby. The new Derby Trail resumes at Churchill Downs May 23. (Image: AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Churchill Downs Fills Out Derby Trail With New Qualifying Race List

The Kentucky Derby Trail now has a visible path forward after Churchill Downs released a preliminary list of races offering Derby qualifying points, pending host track approval. One of the most interesting elements of the preliminary Derby Trail concerns the other two legs of the Triple Crown – the Preakness […]

Until fans are allowed back inside, Minnesota horse racing fans can't watch Canterbury Park races. They can't bet on them via remote apps, either. (Image: Explore Minnesota)

Minnesota Race Fans Can’t Attend, Can’t Bet on State Races

Minnesota horse racing fans find themselves in the strange place of not being able to bet on races at state tracks after a bill provision allowing advance deposit wagering (ADW) for in-state races failed in the state legislature. The amendment allowing in-state ADW came out of a bill just as […]

The pomp and pageantry of Royal Ascot could be3 on hold if the British government further postpones racing's resumption. It pushed openings back until June 1 at the earliest. (Image: Getty)

UK Racetracks Slated for Stage 2 Reopening in June (No Fans Allowed)

With some European countries already reopening racetracks across the Continent, British government officials announced Monday that tracks in the UK won’t reopen until June 1, at the earliest. The announcement curbing British racing came after a Sunday night speech by Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlining plans to reopen the UK. […]

The grandstands and boxes at ParisLongchamp will be empty for Monday's racing return outside the French capital. (Image: Vincent Fillon)

After Near Reversal, French Racing Resumes on Monday

Overcoming a late-arriving challenge from entities inside the French government, horse racing will resume as planned in France Monday, according to an announcement by France Galop. Edouard de Rothschild, the president of the French governing body for racing, tweeted early Saturday morning that French President Emmanuel Macron signed off on […]

As racetracks reopen, the NTRA issued extensive safety procedures for everyone from executives to veterinarians and their assistants. (Image: iStock)

As Tracks Reopen, NTRA Issues Extensive Guidelines for Safe Racing

With racetracks around the world beginning to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety and Integrity Alliance issued an extensive blueprint for tracks to conduct safe, spectator-free live racing. The 33-page document carries the title “Best Practices Related To Coronavirus Mitigation When Conducting Live Racing […]

Charlatan has a fruitful future in the breeding shed after he finishes beating his fellow thoroughbreds like he did here in the Arkansas Derby. (Image: Coady Photography)

After Three Races, Charlatan’s Breeding Rights Sold to Kentucky Farm

He has all of three races and one stakes victory under his tack. And now, Charlatan has a new home once his racing career is finished. Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, KY. announced it bought Charlatan’s breeding rights for an undisclosed amount. The announcement came less than a week […]

American Pharoah is just beginning to make his mark on the racing world as a stallion. His prolific career won't be affected by The Jockey Club's new limits on stallion breeding. (Image: Coolmore Farm)

The Jockey Club Introduces New Limit on Stallion Breeding

In a significant effort to reduce overbreeding among thoroughbred horses, The Jockey Club implemented a new rule limiting stallions to covering (or mating with) 140 broodmares per year. The new rule, which The Jockey Club said is “to preserve the health of the Thoroughbred breed for the long term…” goes […]

As one of five open tracks in April, Arkansas' Oaklawn Park enjoyed a 242% increase in April handle compared to 2019. (Image: AP)

April Racing Handle Tells Two Different Stories on COVID-19 Effects

When Equibase released its monthly report of Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing earlier this week, the numbers told two different stories about the COVID-19 effect on handle. And by default, the effect on the sport itself. The first: that total wagering dropped 24.4% in April 2020 compared to April 2019. […]

After six weeks on COVID-19 enforced hiatus, Golden Gate Fields opens its gate to horses again May 14. (Image: Billy Poon Photos)

Golden Gate Fields Gets Approval to Reopen Next Week

The beleaguered California racing industry received a booster shot Wednesday when Golden Gate Fields announced it will resume live racing on May 14. The announcement came after the Northern California track received provisional approval from Alameda County Health officials. The west Berkeley track closed for live racing on April 2 […]

It's still up in the air when Preakness horses will come down the Pimlico stretch in 2020. A Wednesday report on an Oct. date was refuted shortly after. (Image: Patrick Smith/Getty)

Despite Earlier Report, Preakness Stakes Date Remains in Limbo

Refuting a Wednesday morning report from Baltimore’s WBAL-TV that the Preakness Stakes would run on Oct. 3, The Stronach Group said a new date for the postponed race is not yet finalized. TSG, which owns Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and its sister track, Laurel Park, was forced to put […]

Wise Dan won 23 races and finished second twice in 31 starts. (Image: SI.com)

Three Centuries of Racing Represented in 2020 Hall of Fame Class

One of the most accomplished older horses of the last decade, the reigning winning trainer in the Preakness and Belmont, a record-setting former jockey. and the son of a Titanic victim who became one of the pillars of the sport. Those are four of the seven new members of the […]

In winning the tougher second division of the Arkansas Derby, Nadal remained unbeaten. The Bob Baffert-trained cold also took over the Kentucky Derby points lead. (Image: Coady Photography)

What Did We Learn About Major Kentucky Derby Hopefuls?

The Arkansas Derby is behind us and a work-in-progress Kentucky Derby Trail lies in front of us. With tracks around the country beginning to open again in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and Churchill Downs officials still mapping out prep races, it’s a good time to see where the […]

Fans won't see the gates wheeled into place at Churchill Downs, but horses and jockeys will starting May 16. (Image: Christopher Fryer)

Churchill Downs Announces New Race Schedule, Key Spring Stakes

After not hosting the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May for the first time in 75 years, Churchill Downs officials released its first condition book of races and its entire stakes schedule for its spring meet. The proposed slate features 16 stakes races and offers $2.25 million in […]