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 By: Erin Shea, @BH_EShea An hour after Always Dreaming crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), the colt's trainer made an announcement about his Derby prize, a new Ram truck. ''I will definitely take the truck because it has significant sentimental meaning to me,'' Todd Pletcher said. ''But I'd ...

Todd Pletcher and old-school training have never exactly been synonymous. Pletcher is known for being a conservative trainer, preferring long periods of time between races. Pletcher has been known to run impressive maiden winners right back in graded stakes, even in grade 1s, and not using their allowance conditions. Since 2007, Pletcher has not ...

An inside look at a day in the life of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming's dam, Above Perfection, at Dromoland Farm.  Gerry Dilger's Dromoland Farm, home of Always Dreaming's dam Above Perfection. Order This Photo    Above Perfection walking on a farm lane. Order This PhotoAlways Dreaming was ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman During the two-week gap between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, racing fans will get a chance to look ahead to the final leg of the Triple Crown when Belmont Park hosts the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II), a nine-furlong prep race for the Belmont Stakes. Although the ...

As I have done the past several years, I thought it would be interesting to go back week by week and re-live the observations, race reports, workout reports, and any news regarding the eventual Kentucky Derby winner, who in this case first appeared in the Knocking at the Door section on February 28. February 28 With McCraken’s injury, ...

The sport of Thoroughbred racing puts on its best show on the first Saturday in May. While the weather might not have cooperated with those in Louisville during the week, the atmosphere was electric, the racing was spectacular, and the pulse of the game showed it is still strong. Could things be better? Sure, but the weekend showed that the two ...

By: Erin Shea, @BH_EShea On the first Saturday in May in 2006, crossing the finish line 8 1/2 lengths back from the ill-fated Barbaro, a grey runner ran across the wire of the 132nd Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs. In Pennsylvania, Gail Thayer was watching the race, not knowing that one day the horse she saw run ...

Looking back, Brooklyn in the 1950s and ‘60s was a concrete and asphalt Wonderland, a constant whirlwind of activity, a time when sports were born of the imagination, not just on the ball fields and basketball courts. The streets were the arena where stickball, punchball, Johnny on the pony, kick the can, ring-a-levio, and stoopball ruled, and ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman  The stage is set. The horses are ready. The question is, are the handicappers ready? The 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) is the culmination of a long winter of Derby prep races that were at times predictable and at times inscrutable. A maiden won the Blue ...

This has been a day I have dreaded for a while. There is a finality about announcing your final selections and wagers that hits you like the proverbial ton of bricks. For months, you’re coming up with different angles, new horses you like, and longshots and overlays who you feel could surprise. But once you put your money down there is no ...