The Risen Star Stakes

This year’s running of the Grade 2, $400,000 dollar Risen Star Stakes will be Saturday at Fairgrounds. The Winner of last year’s Risen Star– MANDALOUN may yet wind up as the Winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby if the late MEDINA SPIRIT is disqualified for a failed drug test. That remains an apple of discord, involving regulators and lawyers – and a possibility that could … Continue reading The Risen Star Stakes

What Is A Graded Stakes race?

When we preview races here at the Daily Racing Blog we often refer to the horses’ past performances and as such we indicate some of the races in which they have participated. Which for many of the upper echelon of horses means Graded Stakes races. We indicate those races as such; Travers Stakes (G1). But for those unfamiliar with the sport, the G1 probably doesn’t … Continue reading What Is A Graded Stakes race?

Who Wins The Sam F. Davis?

A field of twelve 3-year-olds are scheduled to go in Saturday’s Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs competing for their share of the $250,000 purse. The top four finishers get qualifying points (10-4-2-1) in this 1 & 1/16 mile Kentucky Derby prep race. The race is listed as race 10 on a card of 11 with a scheduled Post Time 4:45. Here then is … Continue reading Who Wins The Sam F. Davis?

The Sam F. Davis

The Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs is the Florida racetrack’s traditional prep for the Tampa Bay Derby and has become an increasingly important winter prep for the Kentucky Derby. The Sam F. Davis, contested at 1 1/16 miles over Tampa  Bay Downs’ main dirt track, earned Grade 3 status in 2009. The race was not initially included in Churchill Downs’ Road to … Continue reading The Sam F. Davis

Who Wins The Holy Bull?

Gulfstream Park kicks off their series of three official qualifying races for the 2022 Kentucky Derby with the Grade 3, $250,000 dollar Holy Bull Stakes.  The nine 3-year-olds that drew into the field will have to go around two turns at a distance of 1 1/16 miles. The top four finishers will earn qualifying points (10-4-2-1). The Holy Bull is listed as race 11 on a … Continue reading Who Wins The Holy Bull?

The Holy Bull Stakes

Gulfstream Park’s  Road to the Kentucky Derby begins this Saturday with the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes. The race offers ten qualifying points to the Winner as top 3-year-olds look to accumulate points and earn a place in the Derby starting gate. Inaugurated in 1990 as the Preview Stakes, the race was re-named in 1996 to honor the 1994 Horse of the Year HOLY BULL. It has … Continue reading The Holy Bull Stakes

Pegasus A Two Horse Race

Saturday’s $3 million dollar, Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Stakes at Gulfstream is one of racing’s big success stories over the past several years. The 1 1/8-mile race for older dirt horses was introduced in 2017 and since then has featured some of the sport’s most popular and accomplished runners. It’s become one of the annual highlights of the racing calendar and a great way to kick off … Continue reading Pegasus A Two Horse Race

Pegasus Turf Races

The headline race- the $3 million dollar Pegasus World Cup will feature some of the country’s top older horses. The field is headlined by last year’s Winner, KNICKS GO, who then went on to Win the Breeders‘ Cup Classic  in November. His chief rival Saturday is LIFE IS GOOD, who is coming off an impressive Win in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.   But Pegasus … Continue reading Pegasus Turf Races

The Lecomte Stakes

Saturday at Fairgrounds is the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes, a Kentucky Derby qualifying race that awards points on a 10-4-2-1 scale for the top four finishers. The field of nine will race at a distance of a mile & 1/16 for a purse of $200,000 dollars. It is the final contest on a card of 14, with a scheduled Post Time of 7:20. 1. SURFER DUDE [ML … Continue reading The Lecomte Stakes

Irad Back In The Saddle

Top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will return to the irons this weekend at Gulfstream Park, after missing two weeks due to a knee injury suffered in the starting gate at Gulfstream on January 7th. The injury was initially diagnosed as a fracture and expected to keep Ortiz from riding for up to a month, but a second opinion has cleared the jockey for a gradual return … Continue reading Irad Back In The Saddle