The 1 1⁄16-mile Tampa Bay Derby (G3) is Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. The race has long existed in the shadow of richer Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races at neighboring Gulfstream Park. But despite facing fierce competition to attract the best three-year-olds in Florida, the Tampa Bay Derby has more than held its own as a productive prep for the First Saturday in May. First held in 1981, the … Continue reading The Tampa Bay Derby
This is the time on the calendar when Derby hopefuls should be concentrating on two-turn preps and qualifying points. The Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct Park on Saturday is a bit counter intuitive to this thinking. The Gotham is contested as a one-turn mile; however, the winner does receive 50 Derby qualifying points, a total that should be good enough for a spot in The Run for … Continue reading Who Wins The Gotham Stakes?
This weekend’s lone stateside Derby qualifier is the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park. The race honors John Battaglia, former general manager at Latonia (now Turfway) and other tracks. His son, oddsmaker and retired announcer Mike Battaglia, called the Kentucky Derby from 1978-1996. Inaugurated in 1982, the John Battaglia Memorial was added to the Road to the Kentucky Derby series in 2021, and the 1 … Continue reading The John Battaglia Stakes
The man who trained ZENYATTA to a Hall of Fame career and saddled longshot 2005 Kentucky Dery winner GIACOMO has passed away. John Shirreffs died in his sleep February 12th at his home in Arcadia, California. He was 80 years of age. Known for his patience and individualized attention to his horses, Shirreffs left his mark in some of Thoroughbred racing’s greatest events. “The industry … Continue reading One Of The Good Guys
Since the humble beginnings of the sport in the United States, African Americans have made significant contributions to horse racing. African American jockeys dominated the Winner’s circle in racing’s first three decades. They were the first black superstar athletes in the United States, and Won 15 of the first 28 Kentucky Derby‘s. In fact, 13 of 15 jockeys at the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875 were African American. … Continue reading Racing Pioneers
Saturday is the 37th running of the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds offers a purse of $275,000 dollars and a total of 42 qualifying points for the May 2nd Kentucky Derby, distributed on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers. Here is a brief look at the field: 1. INCREDIBOLT [ML 9-2] Jockey: Jaime Torres. Trainer: Riley Mott. The only … Continue reading Who Wins The Holy Bull ?
The Derby Trail is open for business this weekend with three Kentucky Derby prep races. The winner in each of their respective races will earn twenty qualifying points in hopes of drawing a spot in the gate the first Saturday in May. These three contests are the feature events for Saturday: The Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Park. Inaugurated in 1874, one year before the Kentucky Derby, … Continue reading Road To The Kentucky Derby Getting Busier
Prior to 2013 the traditional qualifying factor for horses wanting to participate in the Kentucky Derby was total Graded Stakes purse earnings. The more money an eligible horse won, the increased chance of entering the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. But beginning in 2013 Churchill Downs scratched the classic earnings method in favor of a points-based system which totally revamped the traditional Prep Races. These Prep … Continue reading When ‘The Road’ Began
There is no horse race more iconic in the United States than the Kentucky Derby. A race that has been contested every year without a miss since 1875. The contest is traditionally held on the first Saturday in May, with the exceptions of 1901, 1945 and 2020. Taking place at Churchill Downs, the prestigious race is the first leg of the Triple Crown and is often considered to be the … Continue reading The Kentucky Bunbury ?
Nine days into 2026 and, as always, there is plenty of excitement being generated for what’s ahead this year in the wonderful world of horse racing. A plethora of exhilarating races, memorable moments, and great times at tracks all across the country await us. Everyone (even horseplayers) make New Year’s resolutions; and as most resolutions go, some are more successful than others. That said, the Daily Racing … Continue reading 2026 Wish List
