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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman It's an exciting time for racing fans! In a year turned upside down due to COVID-19, it's reassuring to see the Breeders' Cup World Championships taking place as scheduled on Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland, with talented horses from around the globe vying for victory in 14 rich races. In my ...

All sports have had to adapt on the fly since mid-March as COVID-19 caused closures, shutdowns, and lockdowns around the globe. Professional sports rely on attendance—and food and beverage service—as a revenue stream, and with that component missing or greatly reduced, along with lower ratings on television/streaming services, not every venture ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Pre-entries for the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup were released on Wednesday, with final fields due to be drawn on Monday. After taking a day to review the prospective fields for the 14 championship events, here are a few of the first handicapping thoughts to cross my mind: Brad Cox ...

The news cycle in the Thoroughbred business moves like an opening quarter-mile in :21 and change this time of year. In the past two weeks we’ve been inundated with announcements from nearly all of the stallion operations with new deals for the incoming class of 2021 as well as the fees for the coming season—most of them having been reduced due to ...

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. ...

Not everyone likes to be first out of the box. Being first sometimes has its advantages while introducing a new product line or setting pricing, but being in front can also leave a business out in the cold. Back in the formative days of the commercial bloodstock world, “Cousin” Leslie Combs II, master of Spendthrift Farm, wanted to be out front. ...

There are few mountains left for trainer Todd Pletcher to scale. While the veteran horseman is not yet in the Hall of Fame—he’s sure to be a first-ballot entrant when he becomes eligible in 2021—he ranks first among trainers all-time with more than $395 million in earnings. He’s won two Kentucky Derbys (G1): Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming ...

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 ...