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With NBC televising a special on American Pharoah's Kentucky Derby on May 2 I thought it would be a good time to reprint one of my favorite columns that appeared in 2015. That was my last Kentucky Derby after providing lead coverage for Daily Racing Form and Blood-Horse for 23 years. There were many memorable moments, but none quite as special as ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman With another spectacular and memorable renewal of the Breeders’ Cup in the history books, the calendar pages have turned to November, the clocks have gone back an hour, and Thanksgiving is practically right around the corner. This can only mean one thing… it’s time to get started on the ...

There is a method to the madness that follows in the next several paragraphs. You just have to bear with me and my indulgences for a short while. For the past five decades, I have witnessed live many of racing’s historic moments, from Triple Crowns to Breeders’ Cups to record-breaking performances to memorable stretch battles to arch ...

Eyebrows rose in August 2014 after Breeders' Cup announced the 2015 World Championships would be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington. Many wondered how a racetrack with an attendance record of nearly 40,700 was going to host an international event that had drawn more than 65,000 at other venues in the past. The worst was expected regarding ...

With a police escort, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was transported by a Brook Ledge van from Keeneland to Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., where he will begin his stud career. Bob, Jill and Bode Baffert also were in the entourage along with Jimmy Barnes, Eduardo Luna, Jorge Alvarez and others. Barnes walked the champ off the van and ...

At 2 a.m Sunday morning, America turned the clocks back an hour. Approximately eight hours earlier, the Thoroughbred racing world turned the clocks back 40, 50, 60 years, back to the Golden Era of the sport when there were Triple Crown winners who would go on to earn their place among the truly greats.There have been many great colts and geldings ...

  By TimeformUS Analyst Justin Finch The Breeders’ Cup Classic has a field of 9 horses going a mile and 1/4 on the dirt. The clear favorite on the morning line is American Pharoah.The TimeformUS Pace Projector shows American Pharoah (#4) on a clear and comfortable early lead, but it's even clearer now that Beholder has scratched. He is now ...

This is going to be short and hopefully sweet Saturday JUVENILE FILLIES – You can either look at this race as Songbird’s to lose or an East-West showdown between Songbird and Rachel’s Valentina. Or there is a third way to look at – more wide-open than most people think. After all, if you like Rachel’s Valentina you have to like Tap to It. If ...

As always, there are a number of solid favorites in this year’s Breeders’ Cup, some of whom are going to be very tough to beat. But as is also the case every year, there will be several longshots that come in, some at huge prices. The toughest past of the Breeders’ Cup is finding them among the morass of top-class horses who will be ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman This is it, folks! The post positions have been drawn, the fields are set, and it’s time to try to find the winners of the thirteen Breeders’ Cup races! Without further ado, here are my choices… Juvenile Turf (gr. I) Top Selection: With the talented European shippers Cymric and Hit It ...