The California Horse Racing Board revealed that another one of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s charges, Merneith, tested positive for a banned substance. Merneith tested positive for dextromethorphan, a common ingredient found in human cough syrups. The test came after Merneith finished second in the fourth race at Del […]
Tag: horse racing
Santa Anita Park Enjoys Fatality-Free Fall Meet
Santa Anita Park, which became a poster track for horse fatalities after a nightmarish 2018-2019 season, completed its Autumn Meet without a racing or training fatality. The iconic Southern California track just concluded its 16-day Autumn meet, sending 1,106 horses racing over the dirt track and turf course. In addition, […]
Coolmore Lowers Stud Fees on Triple Crown Winners AP and Justify
Following breeding farm trends in this depressed economic climate, Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud lowered its fees on the majority of its roster, including Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. American Pharoah, the 2015 Triple Crown champion, will stand for $100,000. That’s a 42.8% reduction from his $175,000 fee in […]
Keeneland Wraps Fall Meet with Modest Handle Decline
With the Breeders’ Cup looming in two weeks as Keeneland’s worldwide close-up, the Lexington, KY, track ended its Fall Meet Saturday with a modest 7.5% drop in all-sources handle from 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Keeneland ran its 17-day Fall Meet without spectators. Yet the track recorded $148,229,708 in […]
He’s Back: Two-Time Grand National Champ Tiger Roll is on the Prowl
Over the past decade, Tiger Roll illustrated he has his jump counterparts by the tail. Now, the two-time Grand National champion returns to flat racing for the first time in 4 ½ years on Thursday, taking on nine other horses in the Flower Hill Maiden at Navan. The keyword in […]
Lone Horseplayer Finds Gold with $249,204 Rainbow 6
A single bettor picked the lock of Gulfstream Park West’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 Sunday, cashing the lone winning ticket for $249,204. This followed on the heels of Gulfstream Park West’s sister track – Santa Anita Park – yielding a nearly half-million dollar Rainbow 6 last week. The Gulfstream Park West […]
Decorated Invader Looking for More Wins at Less Distance in Hill Prince
Those extra three-sixteenths of a mile Decorated Invader tackled in his last race apparently did what few other horses could do to the standout 3-year-old — slow down the son of noted sire Declaration of War. This explains why Decorated Invader cuts back to a mile for Sunday’s Grade 2 […]
Single Bettor Hits Santa Anita Park’s Rainbow 6 for $450,706
A horse named New Heat brought new riches to one lucky ticket holder who held the lone winning ticket for $450,706.96 in Friday’s Santa Anita Park 20 cent Rainbow 6 Jackpot. New Heat went off at 14/1 in the maiden special weight eighth race. The 3-year-old, Cal-bred daughter of Unusual […]
Stradivarius Searches Again for the Right Note in Long Distance Cup
The British Champions Long Distance Cup is where dominance ended for Stradivarius last year. And after his seventh-place finish in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the British Champions Long Distance Cup is where Stradivarius seeks to regain it this year. And bettors think he will. The standout Irish stayer […]
Gulfstream Park Will Allow Limited Fans Inside for Championship Meet
Gulfstream Park announced Monday it will allow fans inside for its Championship Meet, which begins Dec. 2 at the South Florida track north of Miami. Bill Badgett, the executive director of Florida racing for track owner The Stronach Group, told Thoroughbred Daily News Gulfstream Park will cap attendance at 50% […]
Two-Time Horse of the Year Champion Enable Retires
Record-breaking mare Enable retired on Monday when her Juddmonte Farms connections announced she would begin her breeding career next year. The announcement came in a written statement from Juddmonte Farms early Monday. The statement announced that Enable’s first date next spring is with the stallion Kingman. “After consulting her trainer […]
Serengeti Empress, McKinzie Take Different Paths to Breeding Shed
Serengeti Empress has one more race before the breeding shed awaits. McKinzie is headed to stud immediately. And so drops the curtain on two of the more prominent Thoroughbreds of the last three years. Serengeti Empress will make her final start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. […]
Decorated Tacitus Seeks Elusive Grade 1 Win in Jockey Club Gold Cup
Once again, even-money Tacitus is your favorite in a Grade 1 race – the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. And once again, Tacitus enters a Grade 1 favored – without a Grade 1 victory. In this race, he has plenty of company in the latter category, even if […]
Champagne Stakes Uncorks Juvenile Horses in Vintage Race
The Champagne Stakes dates to 1867, making this a vintage race if there ever was a non-American Classic vintage race. Yet, it holds its vintage status while turning loose 2-year-olds upon the racing world. Call it a vintage race with fledgling racers. But while you’re at it, call Saturday’s Grade […]
Belmont Park Takes the Stakes Spotlight This Weekend
Two weeks ago, Santa Anita put on a stakes-packed weekend card that sent seven horses to various Breeders’ Cup races. This weekend, Belmont Park captures the spotlight, featuring five graded stakes races on Saturday, including four Grade 1s. Among Belmont Park’s 11 Saturday races are four Breeders’ Cup “Win and […]
September Derby Brings Bettors, Handle Boost to Racing Economic Totals
A September Kentucky Derby produced stronger third-quarter numbers in 2020 vs. 2019, according to the Equibase Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing. Horseplayers wagered more than $3.2 billion in the third quarter. That represents a 12.7% bump from 2019’s figures of $2.92 billion. At the same time, America’s most wagered upon […]
Winning Preakness Complicates Swiss Skydiver’s Breeders’ Cup Plans
She’s run with the boys. Now, with her Preakness victory last Saturday, Swiss Skydiver beat the boys. So what’s the next challenge for one of the great North American fillies of her generation? That would be the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland. That much, we know. But what are […]
Swiss Skydiver Wins Epic 2020 Preakness Stakes Amid Plunging Handle
Not even one of the most exciting Preakness finishes in memory prevented a 48.7% drop in betting handle from 2019’s record figure, according to Equibase. Pimlico’s 12-race Preakness handle checked in at $51,252,631, a nearly 50% drop from last year’s $99,852,653 record handle. That 2019 handle came on a 14-race […]
Speed, Breeding, Competitive Fire Produces an Authentic Champion
When he races, Authentic doesn’t show a lot of patience on the track. He’s developed a well-earned reputation as the proverbial front-runner, a horse who likes the lead and a horse who relishes a challenge. This, however, contrasts with the connections and background of the Kentucky Derby champion and 9/5 […]
Love Conquers None After O’Brien Scratches Star Filly From Arc
With rain pelting the Paris area and more expected this weekend, trainer Aidan O’Brien scratched standout 3-year-old filly Love from Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. In so doing, O’Brien dropped the favorite’s tag on two-time Arc champion Enable. O’Brien’s decision came after weather forecasts predicted more rain for the […]