When last we saw Brooklyn Strong, the New York-bred gelding was finishing an uninspiring fourth in June’s Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park. But now, the Kentucky Derby contestant returns after a six-month hiatus for Saturday’s Alex M. Robb Stakes at Aqueduct. The $100,000 Robb sends its state-bred 3-year-olds and up […]
Tag: Brooklyn Strong
Mandaloun Looms Large and Fast in This Pegasus Stakes Field
Last year, the Pegasus Stakes ran as the final stop on the Kentucky Derby trail. As such, it enjoyed a large field, serious betting interest and more than casual interest from racing fans. This is a different Pegasus Stakes. Yes, it takes its five candidates – only five, mind you […]
Belmont Stakes Field Remains in Flux as Connections Ponder Options
While the Belmont Stakes field remains an early work in progress, several trainers with possible sights on the final jewel of the Triple Crown have either indicated interest or put their horses through workouts with that June 5 race in mind. The Belmont Stakes field of possibles starts with Kentucky […]
Almost Back to Normalcy: Breaking Down the 2021 Kentucky Derby
Welcome to the 2021 Kentucky Derby. And welcome back to what a normal Kentucky Derby looks like. Almost. The crowds? Well, they’re back – about 40,000. That’s a quarter of what normally turns Churchill Downs into a sporting bacchanalia. But there’s people in the stands. We’ll take it. The horses? […]
Three Kentucky Derby Long Shots You Can Cross Off Right Now
Here’s what finding the right Kentucky Derby long shot means to your exotic tickets. Last year’s Kentucky Derby $1 trifecta paid $1,311.80, for which you can thank 46/1 Mr. Big News and his unobtrusive third-place finish. Let’s look at 2019, asterisk and all. The $1 trifecta, starring 65/1 Country House, […]
Essential Quality Opens as 2/1 Favorite for 147th Kentucky Derby
As expected, Essential Quality checked in as the 2/1 morning-line favorite for the 147th Kentucky Derby. And Tuesday’s post-position Derby draw sends the undefeated colt and his favorite status into post 14 for Saturday’s 2021 Triple Crown opener. As he watched the posts fill up on Tuesday morning, this put […]
Derby Dominoes: King Fury, Keepmeinmind In, Three Others Out
Two weeks ago, King Fury needed a miracle of falling Kentucky Derby dominoes to get him into the 2021 Kentucky Derby field. On Friday, the Lexington Stakes champion got that miracle. After the defections of Dream Shake and Hozier Friday and Get Her Number’s Saturday defection, King Fury sits comfortably […]
Wood Memorial Replaces Recent Derby History With Wide-Open Plot
Let’s dispense with the Wood Memorial history out of the gate. There are 13 Triple Crown winners, and this Grade 2 Kentucky Derby prep claims four of them: Gallant Fox, Count Fleet, Seattle Slew, and Secretariat. Eleven horses pulled off the Wood Memorial/Kentucky Derby double. You’ve probably heard of a […]
Essential Quality Leads 326-Strong Triple Crown Nomination Parade
Getting your horse a Triple Crown nomination used to be so simple that connections to this year’s 3-year-old hopefuls nominated 326 horses to compete in the three American Classic races this spring. Those 326 nominations represent a slight, 6.1% dip from last year’s 347 early nominees. Those connections paid $600 […]
In a New York Minute, Brooklyn Strong Moves Up Derby Futures Board
They ran the Remsen Stakes, a Grade 2 race for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct on Saturday. Forget that the Remsen hasn’t produced a Kentucky Derby winner in 25 years because, despite that, the race impacted this week’s Kentucky Derby futures markets. How big an impact? Not only did Remsen winner Brooklyn […]