There is at least one racing term that immediately inspires respect, and admiration from people in the racing industry and 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 distances, on three tracks, all in the span of five weeks is not hyperbole. The task is such a … Continue reading The 1970’s- A Decade Greatness
SECRETARIAT, arguably the greatest racehorse of all time, passed away in 1989. Just last year (36 years later) the jockey of BIG RED– Ron Turcotte also shipped into the big Winner’s Circle in-the-sky. One cannot celebrate the greatness that was SECRETARIAT without recognizing Turcotte as a vital member of that dynamic Triple Crown winning team. Watching replays of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes … Continue reading Ronnie & Big Red
Over four decades (can that be right?) removed from his sensational jockey career, Steve Cauthen lives the life of a typical Thoroughbred insider in his hometown of Verona in Northern Kentucky. Best known for capturing the 1978 Triple Crown aboard AFFIRMED, Cauthen had established himself as a potential superstar in his first full year as a jockey in 1977. He was honored for that season with three Eclipse Awards—outstanding apprentice and journeyman … Continue reading Quite A Ride Kid
The New York Yankees face off against the Boston Red Sox next week in an American League Wild Card series. So, what better occasion to write about rivalries. There are a lot of so-called rivalries in sports. But there are few whose status lives on and can stand up to the test of time. It is one small three letter word that is the barometer … Continue reading AFFIRMED and ALYDAR
The Grade 1, $1.25 million-dollar Travers Stakes is Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The Mid-Summer Derby drew a field of 10 that features the winners of all of the Triple Crown races. Here is a brief look at the field: 1. EMERGING MARKET [ML 15-1] Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. Trainer: Chad Brown. Won his first two starts, including the Louisiana Derby (G2), which put him in the … Continue reading Who Wins The Travers Stakes?
Saturday is the 45th edition of the Stephan Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs. Since the turn of the century, it has been one of the most prestigious races for older dirt horses, and this year is no different. Late last month, track officials announced that the Stephen Foster purse would be doubled from $1 million to $2 million, and that increase has helped to attract … Continue reading Who Wins The Stephan Foster?
For more than a century, Saratoga Race Course has earned one of the most famous monikers in horse racing: the Graveyard of Favorites. The historic track has a long tradition of humbling champions, turning seemingly unbeatable horses into victims of stunning upsets. While favorites win their fair share of races at Saratoga, the track’s history is filled with shocking defeats that have become part of … Continue reading The Graveyard of Favorites
No Horse swept through the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes with the same dramatic fashion, style and power as SECRETARIAT. And it’s fair to say that we will never witness such dominance again. He won 16 of 21 races, graced the covers of national magazines and was twice named Horse of the Year. But it was the Belmont Stakes that SECRETARIAT is best remembered. … Continue reading Belmont G.O.A.T.
This year’s Belmont Stakes is Saturday, June 6th. For the third consecutive year the final jewel of the Triple Crown will be hosted by Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The race is traditionally run at Belmont Park and is scheduled to return there in 2027 after the renowned racetrack completes its major renovation. Here are seven furlongs of fun facts about the Belmont Stakes: 1. Longevity: The … Continue reading Belmont Stakes Fun Facts
In the autumn of 2025 NAPOLEON SOLO was a leading prospect for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. He won his first two starts in New York by a combined 11 ¾ lengths, including a Grade 1 win in the Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct. After a nearly five-month break, he finished a well-beaten 5th in his 3-year-old debut in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He put … Continue reading Napoleon Was Dynamite
