Even with tracks emerging from coronavirus shutdowns throughout May, Thoroughbred racing handles for the month plummeted compared to their 2019 totals, according to Equibase’s monthly report on horse racing’s economic indicators. The biggest individual culprit for May’s decline was easy to pinpoint: no Kentucky Derby and no Preakness Stakes. The […]
You can call what transpires today at Belmont Park a serendipitous collision of circumstances. Belmont Park opens for spectator-free racing Wednesday – 5 ½ weeks later than planned due to the coronavirus pandemic. And the star of the third race of a COVID-19-delayed meet is a 2-year-old horse named Fauci. […]
After receiving unanimous approval by the Maryland Racing Commission on Thursday to resume racing, Laurel Park will waste little time reopening its starting gates. It joins the racing resumption parade Saturday. Laurel Park’s summer meet opens with three days of live racing from Saturday through Monday, and will run every […]
Officials from the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, which operates Del Mar Race Track north of San Diego, announced they will open their 2020 summer meet eight days earlier than planned. In addition, the racetrack plans on running three days per week instead of its customary five. Del Mar will open […]
As of now, nine horses are probable for the June 20 Belmont Stakes, a total that includes four Grade 1 winners. But how is the New York Racing Association setting Belmont Stakes guidelines for what is the first leg of the Triple Crown? What happens if more than 16 horses […]
Sole Volante is off to the Belmont Stakes. His stablemate, Ete Indien, heads to the Haskell Stakes. And Honor A.P. stays home for the Santa Anita Derby. These three Kentucky Derby contenders illustrate how many different paths have emerged on the Derby Trail during the COVID-19 era. Even in a […]
Adding to the other racetracks opening or reopening around North America, horseplayers get another option Friday when Texas’ Lone Star Park begins its spring/summer meet. At the outset, the track will run spectator-free. Located north of Dallas in Grand Prairie, Texas, Lone Star Park was scheduled to open April 16 […]
After all is said and done, standout 3-year-old filly Swiss Skydiver won’t parachute into the 1,000 Guineas. Instead, the likely favorite for the Kentucky Oaks will drop into Santa Anita for next month’s Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks. Swiss Skydiver in the English Classic would have turned heads for several […]
The final jewel to the 2020 Triple Crown fell into place Tuesday morning when the New York Racing Association announced the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes will run Saturday, June 20. With that date, the 152-year-old race opens the Triple Crown for the first time in history. That’s not the only […]
Texas is about to become the first state in the COVID-19 era to reopen racetracks with fans in attendance, courtesy of Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that allows facilities to reopen at up to 25% of capacity. Abbott signed executive order GA-23 Monday afternoon. It opens the state’s simulcast facilities […]
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 […]
After going public last month, DraftKings saw its stock rise sharply today, despite posting a net loss of more than $68 million in the first quarter. DraftKings reported $88.5 million in revenue for the quarter, a 30% increase from last year. Analysts believe the company is poised for rapid growth […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Ten Hag Says Ronaldo’s Decision to Leave Rayo Match Early is ‘Unacceptable’ 
Consecutive NBA Titles: Celtics 8 Straight, Phil Jackson Three-Peats with Bulls and Lakers 
OG’s Complete List of Every No. 1 NBA Draft Pick from Alcindor to Zion 
Basketball Movies: ‘Blue Chips’ with Nick Nolte, Shaq, and Penny 
Baseball Movies: ‘Bull Durham’ (1988) with Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon