The Road to the Kentucky Derby makes a stop at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, with the running of the $1.25 million dollar, Grade 2 Rebel Stakes. This 1 1/16-mile event typically draws a deep, competitive field, buoyed by a massive purse plus 50 qualifying Derby points going to the Winner. The race was inaugurated in 1961 as the Rebel Handicap, and was changed to the Rebel Stakes … Continue reading Rebel History
The Road To The Kentucky Derby is open for business as the qualifying prep races have began in earnest. So, it seems a good time to talk about the pilots of the Derby hopefuls. More specifically, a charity that is near and dear to their hearts. The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) is a public charity that provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered … Continue reading A Tasty Way To Donate
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 R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
On Saturday, Fair Grounds will host the $500,000 dollar, Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes. It’s the first race of the season to offer the Winner 50 qualifying points toward a spot in the Kentucky Derby. The contest will award a total of 105 points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale. The race was first held in 1973 as the Louisiana Derby Trial Stakes. In 1989, it was renamed in honor of … Continue reading Risen Star Stakes Historic Stars
Tampa Bay Downs hosts its first Kentucky Derby points race Saturday with the1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis Stakes. A springboard to the March 8th Tampa Bay Derby, the Sam F. Davis is also a solid first step toward a starting spot in the May 3rd Run For The Roses as it awards 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points to the top 5 finishers. Here’s a brief look at … Continue reading Who Wins The Sam F. Davis Stakes?
The $265,000 dollar Holy Bull Stakes is Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/16-mile dirt race is the first of three Road to the Kentucky Derby stops at the Hallandale facility, followed by the Fountain of Youth on March 1st and the Florida Derby March 29th. The Holy Bull offers qualifying points for the 151st Run for the Roses to the top five finishers, distributed on … Continue reading Who Wins The Holy Bull?
The Road to the Kentucky Derby makes the first of three stops at Gulfstream Park Saturday with the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes. The race will offer 20 qualifying points to the Winner as top 3-year-olds compete to accumulate points and earn a place in the gate for the first Saturday in May. Inaugurated in 1990 as the Preview Stakes, the race was re-named in honor of … Continue reading Holy Bull !
The Road to the Kentucky Derby makes a stop in Arkansas on Saturday with the running of the million dollar, Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Aside from the $1 million purse, the contest will also award 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers. Last year’s Southwest Stakes Winner MYSTIK DAN used the race as a springboard on his way to Win the Run … Continue reading The Southwest Stakes
Saturday is the Grade 3, $250,000 dollar Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. The race is the second of four stops at the New Orleans venue on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. For a race that carried a mere $40,000 purse as recently as 1996, it’s impressive how quickly this contest has developed into an important stop on the Derby Trail. The race is named in honor of … Continue reading The Lecomte Stakes
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. But beginning in 2013 Churchill Downs refined the classic earnings method in favor of a points based system which revamped the traditional prep races. These prep races were officially … Continue reading Ease On Down The Road (To The Kentucky Derby)
