The Kentucky Derby is a sporting event immersed in tradition and spirit(s). And when spirits and Derby traditions are in the same sentence, the Mint Julep isn’t far behind. What better way to watch the Run For The Roses than with a chilled adult beverage in hand? The Mint Julep has been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939, although its origins trace back to the first Derby Day in 1875. … Continue reading Making A Mint Julep
The Road to the Kentucky Derby takes the checkered flag on Saturday with the running of the $400,000 dollar, Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. Held over 1 1/16 miles, the race awards Kentucky Derby qualification points on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis to the top five finishers. It’s certainly a diminished prize compared to the past few weeks of 100-50-25-15-10 preps, but it does offer horses on the … Continue reading The History Of The Lexington Stakes
Saturday, Aqueduct Park hosts its signature spring race and the terminus on the New York road to the Kentucky Derby. A field of thirteen 3-year-olds will do battle in the $750,000 dollar, Grade 2 Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles on the main track A total of 200 Kentucky Derby qualifying points are on the line, with the Winner receiving 100 points, and 50-25-15-10 going to the 2nd-place through … Continue reading The Winner Of The Wood Is..?
Only five horses that have participated in the Louisiana Derby have gone on to Win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. They are: BLACK GOLD (1924), GRINDSTONE (1996), FUNNY CIDE (2003), COUNTRY HOUSE (2019) and MANDALOUN (2021), albeit the last two by disqualification. BLACK GOLD and GRINDSTONE both Won the Louisiana Derby prior to their Victories in the Run For The Roses. This year’s competitive … Continue reading Louisiana Derby Field
SPECTACULAR BID, BET TWICE , THUNDER GULCH and ORB are just a few of the well known, modern-era Winners of the Fountain Of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. First run in 1945 and currently contested over 1 1⁄16 miles, the Fountain of Youth has been producing Derby contenders for generations. TIM TAM put the race on the map by completing the Fountain of Youth/Kentucky Derby double in … Continue reading Fountain Of Youth Stakes
The Road to the Kentucky Derby runs through Oaklawn Park Saturday, for the $1.25 million dollar, Grade 2 Rebel Stakes. An ambitious field of 13 entrants is set to line up for this 1 1/16-mile event, with 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 in 1984. That same year, the … Continue reading Do The Rebel (Yell) Stakes
The Kentucky Derby is not only the most anticipated, most watched Thoroughbred race in the world but an essential part of American sports culture. Memories are made with each Run For The Roses that over the passage of time become legend, not only to day-to-day followers of horse racing but to the general public. While the most memorable Derbys usually involve a heavily-favored horse Winning and thus … Continue reading Kentucky Derby Upsets
This years Kentucky Derby is Saturday, May 4th. It is the 150th anniversary for the landmark event. So it stands to reason that this year’s milestone race will be the richest in the history of America’s greatest race. The 2024 Kentucky Derby purse has been elevated to a guaranteed $5 million. The substantial $2 million increase to the 1 ¼-mile race for for 3-year-olds highlights a … Continue reading Derby Purse Increases
There’s one horseracing 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 overstated. That task is such a tall … Continue reading Triple Crown Fascination
Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) Winner ARCANGELO breezed five furlongs in 1:03.25 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.13 over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga on Friday. “Everything was good,” trainer Jena Antonucci said. “It was what we were looking for, it was just a maintenance work today. It’s too soon for serious stuff. He had one previous breeze after [the Travers] and … Continue reading ARCANGELO Ready For Arcadia
