The 38th Breeders’ Cup Championships are set for November 5-6 at Del Mar Race Course. Ever since the late John Gaines’ vision became a reality back in 1984 with the inaugural Breeders’ Cup at Hollywood Park, the event has brought together the best of the best in the horse world to compete in a group of races that offer both money (huge purses) and prestige (influencing the year-end Eclipse … Continue reading Breeders’ Cup Is Special
Trained by Todd Pletcher protégé Michael McCarthy, ROMBAUER was an afterthought in a Preakness week dominated by headlines of doping and disqualifications. Well, this afterthought switched on his afterburners and became the talk of the town. The 12-1 shot blasted by favorites MEDINA SPIRIT and MIDNIGHT BOURBON at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday to win by 3 ½ lengths. ROMBAUER with his big outside move … Continue reading ROMBAUER Wins Preakness
As promised, here is an analysis of the field for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course. The feature event is race 13 on a card of 14 with a scheduled Post Time of 6:50. 1. RAM [ML 30-1] Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas. Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. Hall of Fame trainer Lukas loves running in the Preakness, a race he has Won five … Continue reading Preakness Picks
The Ringling Brothers, Baffert & Medina Circus is coming to Baltimore. The $1 million Grade 1 Preakness Stakes is this Saturday. The second leg of the Triple Crown, takes place just two weeks after the fabled showdown under the twin spires at Churchill Downs, but what a difference two weeks makes in how horseplayers approach handicapping the two races. The Kentucky Derby is typically dissected from … Continue reading Preakness Predictability
The Preakness Stakes has been around for 146 years. Yet it has the vibe of a modern event. The combination of horse racing and live music had given it a festival feeling. The Preakness had become one of the biggest parties of the spring since the inception of InfieldFest in 2010, which combines a two-day-long music festival with some of the best horse racing in … Continue reading The Preakness
Entering the Kentucky Derby MEDINA SPIRIT had two Wins and three 2nd place finishes. His speed as well as his connections made him out to be a solid competitor- on paper. However back-to-back races in which he was well-beaten made him difficult to back as a Win contender. MEDINA SPIRIT seemed like a horse that could run a solid race – because he always shows … Continue reading Funky Colt Medina
A.P. INDY was seemingly born to greatness. He was sired by Triple Crown Winner SEATTLE SLEW. His successful dam (mother), WEEKEND SURPRISE, was no surprise, as she was sired by SECRETARIAT, another Triple Crown Champion. Wealthy, ambitious owners will pay massive sums for such regal bloodlines, so it was no surprise that Japanese owner Tomonori Tsurumaki went to $2.9 million dollars before the auctioneer’s hammer … Continue reading A.P. INDY
Nick Zito grew up near Aqueduct Racetrack. His father would take him to the track as a young lad. But back in the day there were age restrictions on admission to the track. So the elder Zito would leave young Nicholas with a friend of his, who just happened to be a security guard at the Big A. It was there and then that Zito … Continue reading A Classic New York Bred
There are numerous reasons to explain why a long list of outstanding horses were thwarted in their bid to become a Triple Crown Champion. Some are predictable; others are surprising. Premature moves, suicidal paces, injuries, medications, exhaustion and bad trips have all played a role in the Triple Crown drought that stood at 37 years until AMERICAN PHAROAH completed the sweep in 2015. There was … Continue reading Hi-Yo SILVER
There is at least one racing term that immediately inspires respect, and even awe, from people within the racing industry, long-time railbirds, and even from those with little knowledge of the sport – the Triple Crown. The difficulty of capturing the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, at three different distances, on three tracks, all in the span of five weeks can not be … Continue reading Triple Crown Mystique
