One day before post positions draw for the 154th Belmont Stakes, connections for both Ethereal Road and Howling Time said their charges won’t run the final jewel of the Triple Crown. That leaves the field for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes at eight probables. D. Wayne Lukas, Ethereal Road’s Hall of Fame […]
Tag: Dale Romans
The Sam F. Davis: A Derby Prep Where Also-Rans Matter
Tampa Bay Downs’ first stop on the Kentucky Derby trail, Saturday’s Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes is one of those races where you’re best served paying more attention to the horses outside the winner’s circle. Take last year. Candy Man Rocket won the race in typical Davis fashion. He […]
Holy Bull! Mo Donegal, Giant Game, Tiz the Bomb Keys in Derby Prep
Dale Romans was talking about his horse, Giant Game. But he spoke for all his fellow trainers in Saturday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull when he distilled the meaning of this Kentucky Derby prep. “Like we say every year, this is the time for the 2-year-olds to turn into men and grow […]
Independence Hall, Coastal Defense, Ride a Comet Grab Pegasus Invites
With Charlatan and Mucho Gusto passing up Pegasus invites, Independence Hall and Coastal Defense became the latest two invites for the Jan. 23, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational. They’ve earned spots on the also-eligible list for the Grade 1 race. Along with that, Ride a Comet parlayed his victory […]
You’ll See a Lasix-Free Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks in 2021
The 2021 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks will mark the first time in the history of those prestigious races that horses may run without furosemide, better known by its brand name Lasix. The ban on the powerful anti-bleeding medication, widely employed at tracks all over the country, extends to the […]
Get to Know These 2-Year-Old Future Kentucky Derby Hopefuls
Say “hello†to Jackie’s Warrior, Dr. Schivel, Freedom Fighter, and Sittin on Go. You may not know much about them right now, but you’ll be hearing a lot more about these four — and other 2-year-olds — over the next seven months. Ignore for the moment the 2020 Kentucky Derby […]