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Many racing fans today who have lived through nine Triple Crown sweep attempts since 1997 take for granted the 3-year-old media star who reaches out to mainstream America to capture the attention and the hearts of the general public. Over the past 15 years, we’ve been taken on magic carpet rides by Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners Smarty ...

Many years ago I established a successful Thoroughbred training farm in Southwest Georgia. It was truly a triumph of energy and enthusiasm over stupidity and bad judgment. When energy and enthusiasm began to wane, I sold Dogwood Farm.Back in the early days of 1975, we were making some headway, presenting Dogwood, and its mild Georgia winter ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Happy New Year, everyone! There is definitely a bit of sadness in bidding farewell to 2014, as it was a wonderful year with some of the very best racing in recent memory, but the good news is that 2015 promises to be just as good, or maybe even better! One of the reasons that 2015 is shaping up to be such a ...

Not many Thoroughbred breeders have the resources of the top five North American breeders highlighted in the section beginning on page 22.Still, anyone who is trying to catch lightning in a bottle with a couple of broodmares can learn something from the guiding principles and experience that have made Adena Springs, William S. Farish, Juddmonte ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') On December 26th, Santa Anita Park will begin their eagerly-anticipated winter meet with a nine-race card highlighted by three graded stakes races, including a pair of grade I races—the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) and the $300,000 La Brea Stakes (gr. I). It promises to be a very exciting day of racing, so ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') A little more than a week ago, I wrote a blog post sharing early thoughts on the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), and mentioned that the promising allowance winner Dortmund—unbeaten in two starts for trainer Bob Baffert—is my top-ranked Derby horse with five months remaining before the Run for the Roses. On Saturday, ...

The recent New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association election has raised some troubling questions about how horsemen’s organizations are run and also has exposed at least one major pitfall in the ability of this particular organization to work with the state of New York. The NYTHA conducted an election in November, in which its members were ...

California Chrome winning the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Order This PhotoPhoto by Anne M. Eberhardt Assuming I have a vote, I will select California Chrome as Horse of the Year on my Eclipse Award ballot. I believe I have a vote this year as I returned to the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association in the days before the Breeders’ Cup ...