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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Two weeks out from the Breeders' Cup, we'll take a brief respite from analyzing prospective fields and instead turn our attention to a pair of intriguing races on the immediate horizon. An allowance race at Keeneland and the Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine have captured my attention. ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Six weeks ago, the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) was expected to be something of a two-horse showdown. Pacific Classic (G1) winner Maximum Security, the champion 3-year-old male of 2019, was supposed to cruise through the fall and enter the Breeders' Cup as a standout among older ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Who's ready for another exciting weekend of racing? Four weeks out from the Breeders' Cup, there are plenty of high-class events to anticipate across North America. No fewer than 11 graded stakes events are on the agenda, including a quartet of Grade 1 races on Saturday at Belmont ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Some 4 1/2 months after its originally scheduled date, the 145th running of the Preakness (G1) will take place on Saturday at Pimlico without spectators in attendance. The historic 1 3/16-mile race will serve as the final leg of a unique Triple Crown restructured due to COVID-19. ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Five weeks out from the Breeders' Cup World Championships, there are so many high-profile races on the agenda that it's difficult to keep track of them all. The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is really heating up with 11 ''Win and You're In'' qualifiers spread throughout the U.S. ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman There are plenty of competitive graded stakes races on the agenda this week. Woodbine alone is hosting four such events, including the Woodbine Mile (G1), Natalma (G1), and Summer (G1)—all ''Win and You're In'' qualifiers for the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup World Championships. Belmont ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The lucrative race meet at Kentucky Downs is underway, with the Saturday card shaping up to be a major highlight. Five stakes events worth a combined $3.2 million are on the slate, including the $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup (G3) and the $700,000 Runhappy Turf Sprint (G3). Both ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Four months later than originally scheduled, the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs. For the first time since 2003, less than 20 horses have been entered in the 1 1/4-mile ''Run for the Roses,'' and the field has ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman It seems like every year, I write a preview of the potential Kentucky Derby pace scenario and reach the same inevitable conclusion—''the pace won't be particularly strenuous, and forwardly-placed runners will thrive.'' So far, this conclusion has been pretty much spot-on. ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The title of this week's post has multiple meanings. If you've examined the field for Saturday's Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at Del Mar, then you might already know which filly I'm keen to play. But the title is also a reference to my opinion of Saturday's prestigious Pacific ...