After writing the Hangin' With Haskin column for 12 years and the Derby Dozen, numerous features and columns, and providing lead coverage of all the major stakes for 22 years, I no longer will be writing for the Blood Horse and Bloodhorse.com due to my contract coming to an end. So this is my final column. As most of you know, I resigned from my regular job at BloodHorse in 2015 and have been working...
Read More
Let's look at this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) realistically. After the top three it is a study in futility trying to rank the rest of the horses. There simply isn't enough to go by, as these horses keep beating each other and the vast majority of performances have been fairly ordinary....
Read More
The 133rd Kentucky Derby was about a king, a queen, and a bunch of country boys....
Read More
Here we are heading to Saratoga with its two important Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) preps and only days away from the Haskell Invitational (G1). And we still have the Ellis Park Derby, which is likely to attract several Derby hopefuls based in Kentucky....
Read More
With the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) being run on Sept 5 this year you would think we would have a firm grasp on who the leading contenders are, but for various reasons-one, of course, being the pandemic-we really don't know who these 3-year-olds are?...
Read More
We've all heard or used the expression, "No one would have beaten him today." Throughout history, there have been numerous horses who, for one or two races, turned in performances so extraordinary, you can't imagine anyone beating them. Often, these horses were meant for great things, but were hampered by a variety of problems, such as unsoundness, breathing problems, mental issues etc. When everything came together perfectly, however, that potential greatness surfaced, and pity anyone who happened to cross paths with them on that day....
Read More
This reprint from six years ago is to commemorate the 45th anniversary of one of racing's darkest days, the death of the legendary Ruffian. But it is not just about the Ruffian--Foolish Pleasure match race. It is about Ruffian's life and career....
Read More
The word 'remarkable' is defined as: "notably or conspicuously unusual; extraordinary." The first horse that comes to mind that fits that description is Forego. ...
Read More
