It all adds up for National Treasure in Preakness Stakes
There are times when those “big” sporting events provide less-than-expected results. That means when you see a thriller and a great plan comes together it produces something special. The 148th running of the Preakness was exactly that…special. Those familiar with...
Taking a look at Preakness 148
Two weeks after the first Saturday in May means another glorious event…the Preakness Stakes! The folks at Old Hilltop in Maryland say they only contest the Kentucky Derby to see who is good enough to run in the Preakness. That rub is a little different this year as...
Baffert looking to strike Preakness gold with National Treasure
The Kentucky Derby is now in the books so it is off to Maryland for the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. The second leg of the Triple Crown could become crowded with some of those “other” horses that did not run beneath the Twin Spires on the first Saturday in May. One...
Kentucky Derby 149 like 1983 NCAA Final Four
Don’t be confused by the headline. There is a shred of sanity here, but just remember we said shred. My loyal readers understand that sometimes I like to compare Thoroughbred racing to more mainstream sports in an attempt to hook the everyday sports fan into this...
Running down Kentucky Derby 149
Life can often be about answering questions. Does my boss approve of my work? How much is that doggy in the window? Will that girl give me the time of day? And what in the world is that smell? But let’s focus on that eternal question we all want to answer. Who is...
Wet Paint has the kick for Kentucky Oaks
When considering your selection for the 149th running of the Kentucky Oaks, what’s the biggest attribute you are looking for? If it’s a closing kick for that long home stretch at Churchill Downs, Wet Paint is certainly your filly. A daughter of Blame, Wet Paint...
Pletcher hopes for Derby score with Phi Slama Jama lineup
Those familiar with the sport realize there are no slam dunks when it comes to winning the Kentucky Derby. There is one trainer from Texas, however, that will be sending a Phi Slama Jama lineup to post on the first Saturday in May. Todd Pletcher is no stranger to...
Southlawn a real Kentucky Oaks contender
Having a horse running in the Kentucky Oaks is a huge accomplishment for any Thoroughbred conditioner. Of course, all the entrants have a chance to win. But if you are sending a real live one to the starting gates, that’s another level. Trainer Norm Casse is very...
Caravel the current Turf Sprint queen at Keeneland
Monarchs come and monarchs go. Currently, there is one atop the turf sprint throne at Keeneland, and she looks fantastic. Caravel has ascended to the top of the heap at historic Keeneland Race Course thanks to three consecutive wins in the Turf Sprint division. It...
Kentucky Derby contender rundown
For guys like me, the day you start thinking about the next Kentucky Derby is the day after the current Kentucky Derby. For the casual sports fan, the time is now as far as considering who you are backing for the world’s most famous horse race. Now that we are about...
Kingsbarns runs like top shelf shine in Louisiana Derby
How does a moonshiner know if his new batch is good? Especially if it is a recipe that has not been tested. Shake it to see how small the bubbles are and of course then a taste test. Kingsbarns came into the March 25 Louisiana Derby unbeaten, but with only two career...
Secret Oath looks fantastic at four
One of the big questions for any athlete is how performance will be affected by age. Some get better as they mature, while others, do not. This is absolutely the case with Thoroughbreds. An impressive three-year-old season does not always equate to success in later...
Forte finds his form in the Fountain of Youth
(photo courtesy Gulfstream Park) The most frequently asked questions this time of year normally revolve around the Kentucky Derby. Many a promising two-year-old has failed to mature into a good three-year-old as the first Saturday in May beckons. So, as these horses...
Angel of Empire looks heavenly in Risen Star Stakes
As the road to the Kentucky Derby widens on the way to Louisville and the first Saturday in May, just what are you looking for? As is the case with any athlete, improvement and being in peak form on THE day is the object. Yes, it is still a long way to those twin...
Rachel Alexandra Stakes has Kentucky Derby implications
Wait a minute…hold the King cake…is that headline right?... The Rachel Alexandra Stakes at the Fair Grounds on February 18 is for three-year-old fillies. So, how could this race impact the Kentucky Derby? The thoughts of a female winning the Kentucky Derby promotes...
Wonder Wheel is rolling towards the Kentucky Oaks
The road that leads to a spot in the coveted Kentucky Oaks can be treacherous. Now that the calendar has turned to February, the wheels are rolling, especially for one talented filly Wonder Wheel enjoyed an ultra-impressive two-year-old season in 2022. Four wins and...
Romans hopes for Cyclone upgrade in Holy Bull stakes
Some may be wondering just when Thoroughbred training mastermind Dale Romans became a meteorologist. Well, it might have been about last September when a Cyclone came into his barn. Cyclone Mischief is a talented three-year-old colt that has perked some ears since...
Art Collector turns in a masterpiece in Pegasus
ART COLLECTOR TURNS IN A MASTERPIECE IN PEGASUS The fact the favorite did not win in the seventh running of the Pegasus World Cup on January 28 was not a real shocker. The horse who happened to fly home first was a bit of a surprise. In what was easily the most...
Pegasus Cup a big opportunity for someone
The sixth running of the Pegasus World Cup may be the most balanced affair in this grade 1 race’s brief history. As twelve evenly matched runners go to post on January 28 at Gulfstream Park, we all are wondering who will claim the largest share of the $3 million...
Amoss might be holding a pocket pair
One of the great things about the Thoroughbred racing game is the year-round excitement. Of course, this part of the calendar can add a little more juice to the poker game pot as the stakes are a bit higher. Everyone with a talented three-year-old hopes to play...
TENNESSEE TURF AWARDS FOR 2022
Each year we like to recognize some noteworthy performers in the wonderful world of Thoroughbred racing. As a native and resident of the Volunteer state, we like to put a little Tennessee twist on the greatest sport in the world. The end goal of any game is all about...
Victory Formation looks like a winner in Smarty Jones
What’s the end-game goal on New Year’s Day?... Of course, it is to be able to line up in a Victory Formation. On a day normally associated with college football bowl games, a very promising three-year-old colt placed himself on that superhighway that leads to the...
Kentucky Downs adds another graded stakes for 2023
Recent announcements have told some what they already knew. The live racing meet at Kentucky Downs is good and just keeps getting better. Last week the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s American Graded Stakes Committee made the Music City Stakes a grade...
The Race for best three-year old male still running
In the eyes of the everyday sports fan, the flagship for the sport of Thoroughbred racing is normally the three-year-old male division. These are the runners that compete in the Kentucky Derby and other Triple Crown races which draw more public eyes. Given that...
2023 Kentucky Oaks might already be shaping up
Speculation is indeed one of the best parts of the sporting world. The excitement created by dreaming of what might be is no doubt one of the finer things in life. The wonderful world of Thoroughbred horse racing often thrives on just that, the speculation that is....
Clark answers questions at Churchill Downs
As is the case with most races, the Clark Stakes provided some answers on November 25. Here is a quick look at what we may have learned from the 148th running of this grade 1 event. Proxy came away with the first place money and his first graded stakes win after...
Rich Strike runs at history in Clark Stakes
When the aptly named Rich Strike goes to post in Friday’s Grade 1 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs he will be running at the history books. Which chapter he will be in is yet to be determined. A fantastic underdog story, this son of Keen Ice was at the center of a...
Justique a WOW in Desi Arnaz Stakes
The thrill of a talented two-year-old horse is something special. The thoughts of future glory makes for excitement, to say the least. When that runner turns in a WOW performance it brings an immeasurable feeling of joy. Justique was more than a looker in the Desi...
Flightline…how does he stack up???
Now that Flightline has been officially sent to the breeding shed, the debate can begin. Where does this unbeaten runner rank as far as the all-time greats are concerned? The great thing about sports is the comparison of athletes from different eras. Who is actually...
Del Mar off to a Dandy start
The Bing Crosby meet at Del Mar is off and running. The first stakes race of the fall meet was a thriller that saw Handy Dandy win by a nose in the Let It Ride Stakes. This Peter Miller-trained three-year-old picked up his third win of 2022 with a courageous effort in...
Flightline provides Rick James answer in Breeders’ Cup Classic
The Breeders’ Cup Classic has answered some questions over the years and the 2022 edition should have done more of the same. For those that inquired about the abilities of Flightline, an old Rick James disco tune was playing in the background after he crossed the...
Forte looks and runs like Tarzan in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Sometimes looks can be deceiving. An athlete might look like a prime timer but then perform like a re-run. The old saying can be “Looks like Tarzan, runs like Jane”. The likely early Kentucky Derby favorite came onto the track for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile looking...
Taking a shot in the Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup will be run on November 4 and 5 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. In all, there will be fourteen races run in these world championships over two days. What does it mean when the best of the best from every division comes...
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile a building block for Curly Jack
The goal for any young athlete is of course to be good at what you do. As time goes by, the ultimate objective is to get better. That means the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on November 4 is important for more reasons than a trip to the winner’s circle. When those...
Golden Pal looks for a Breeders’ Cup alley oop at Keeneland
So, here’s a question for all to consider. Is there really such a thing as a slam dunk in the Breeders’ Cup? Those familiar with these world championships in the Thoroughbred racing game understand the level of competition is indeed quite high. That means a...
And Tell Me Nolies truly a Juvenile Fillies contender
The Breeders’ Cup creates lots of excitement every year. The older horses look for a crowning achievement in these world championships while the youngsters are hoping to establish themselves as a real player in the game. One of the more thrilling aspects of this...
Pletcher launches a grand salami at crunch time
One of the key ingredients to success in the sporting world is performing at the right time. Since it is post-season time in baseball we are going to use an analogy with the grand old game and the wonderful sport of Thoroughbred racing as we spotlight a noteworthy...
Determined Hot Rod Charlie delivers in Lukas Classic
The thrills of the Thoroughbred game can be immeasurable. The excitement generated is off the charts and the adrenaline rush is like no other. Competing triggers all that and more, but winning takes it to another level. Hot Rod Charlie has been one of those...
Hot Rod Charlie revving up for another courageous run
Can a Hot Rod have courage? Pumping pistons, positive traction rear end, turbocharged with racing slicks can equal lots of courage if it is a Hot Rod with the horsepower we are referencing. Hot Rod Charlie has been one of the fan favorites in the Thoroughbred game...
Curly Jack leaves’em all in the back
It has long been established the time to start thinking about the coming Kentucky Derby is the day after the existing Kentucky Derby. The official road to the 2023 Run for the Roses got started on September 17 with the first qualifying points race being run at...
Music City Stakes thoughts from Kentucky Downs
The seven-day live racing meet at Kentucky Downs has been full of dynamic action and huge payouts. For example, the 50-cent late pick 4 on September 10 paid $5525.63 and the 50-cent late pick 5 paid $20,559.61. That, my friend, is some real cheddar. On day six there...
September 10 is a HUGE day at Kentucky Downs
Racing at Kentucky Downs just keeps getting bigger. Turf Cup day 2022 has the makings of a huge day. When we say “huge”, we mean “huge”. Based on grade 1 winners entering some races, the weather-forced re-scheduling of the Winstar Mint Millions, and the already...
Flightline provides a Classic answer
Athletes always face questions, that’s the nature of sports. They answer on the playing field. The 2022 Pacific Classic at Del Mar provided more than just a simple reply to any interrogatives. Flightline came into the 32nd running of this mile and a quarter scamper at...
2022 Pacific Classic could be another classic
The Pacific Classic at Del Mar has long been one of “those” races. You know, one you circle on the calendar and always look forward to. Having featured some of the greatest Thoroughbred athletes since its inception in 1991, this mile and a-quarter drive over the Del...
Kentucky Downs day one Pony Pick
It's opening day at Kentucky Downs !!! Always a great place to make money if you are guessing right, this track has offered up some HUGE payouts in the past. With that in mind, here are a few quick thoughts on the headline event, the FanDuel Tapit stakes. The...
Nest making it look easy
How do you determine who is a supreme talent in the world of sports? What is a way to figure out who stands taller? Hard-fought wins certainly are a testament, but when it’s made to look easy, it’s time to bust out the measuring stick. Nest is a brilliant...
Walsh adds it up in the Arlington Million
If you really think about it, sports are not hard to figure. In some games like football, basketball, and baseball, you simply score more than your opponent. Simple plan it is, right? If we think about horse racing, that’s simple too. If you want to win a race like...
Life Is Good is really good
Athletes are often placed in categories based on potential. Then they compete and we find out what they are made of. After the Whitney on August 6, 2022, everyone should know about a really “special” competitor. Since the day he first toed the track, Life Is Good...
San Diego and Bing provide positive results at Del Mar
The magnificence that is the Del Mar meet provided another positive test result on the second Saturday of operation in 2022. Wait a minute…don’t get too excited in the wrongly manner. This is a positive-positive result. The beauty of racing at the Seaside Oval is...
Cyberknife looks sharp in the Haskell
In the quest to determine who is the best three-year-old male of 2022, the Haskell Stakes on July 23 may have provided a clue. Cutting up the rail, Cyberknife made the lead late and held off the talented Taiba in this grade 1 run at Monmouth Park. So what tells us...