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While we wait for more two-year-old racing to start, Brisnet.com pedigree handicapper and blogger Doug Salvatore will profile each of the expected Kentucky Derby starters in terms of classic breeding and current form/speed. This final installment of three looks at the top contenders ranked in the bottom third of the prospective field by points on ...

There are heavy rains, torrential rains, and the rain that all but drowned Churchill Downs Monday morning. The lightning came fast and furious; one bolt knocked out light, and the flooding came just as fast. Some of the thunder claps were so loud and strong, several horses became noticeably spooked. But not at Todd Pletcher’s barn, where “spooked” ...

By Tom LaMarra For the record, the final Polytrack race run at Keeneland was won by Longitude Farm's Contessa B., trained by Al Stall Jr., ridden by Rosie Napravnik, and bred by Patricia Morange. The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Good Reward many end up being a historical footnote, but the synthetic Polytrack employed by Keeneland since the ...

It sounds as if this could be the last nice morning we get in a while, and fortunately, most of the Derby works have been completed. As typical of Derby works, the good ones drew waves of excitement, while others were overblown as bad works. And some were, well, just works.What separates Derby works from your typical works is that most people have ...

From Kentucky to New York to California to Maryland, there were Kentucky Derby works galore the past two days.But before we get to the works, the highlight moment of the day came at 5:45 a.m. when General a Rod went out for a gallop with blinkers n. Because of the colt’s slow work several days earlier when he became distracted by the giant ...

Many skilled handicappers treat pedigree analysis as though it should be left for those whose primary aim is the buying, selling, or breeding of horses. There are countless examples, new and old, of the maddening uncertainty associated with this subject. One hundred years ago, Roamer was the champion three-year-old and is credited with 1914 Horse ...

Welcome to the 2014 Kentucky Derby. There were showers this morning and the forecast is for showers next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I just thought I’d get that out of the way so you can get an early start on your mud handicapping and begin moping over another wet track Derby. So, get it out of your system now and hope the forecast is ...

FRIDAYThe G2 Elkhorn StakesKeeneland, Race 9By Alan MannThe Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes has drawn an overflow field of 14 on Friday's closing day card at Keeneland.  Hangover Kid (10-1) stretches out to a mile and a half after returning from a 105-day layoff to race at a mile and a sixteenth. This somewhat lightly raced (record of 21-6-6-3) ...

By Nicole Sauer Not since Apollo in 1882 has a horse that was unraced at age 2 gone on to win the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). The famed ''Curse of Apollo'' will be put to the test once again this year, this time by Rebel Stakes (gr. II) winner Hoppertunity. Many argue that the right horse just hasn't come along yet, and it's only a matter of time ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') This Saturday, racing returns to Churchill Downs with a ten-race program that is highlighted by the $150,000 Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III). In recent years, the Derby Trial has been little more than an enjoyable opening-day feature race, with little to no effect on the Derby itself. But thanks to the presence ...