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1 Classic Empire Mark Casse Pioneerof the Nile—Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief Any of the top four horses could have been a legitimate No. 1, but it was decided on the champ because of one of my favorite handicapping tools for a winning horse – a huge gap between second and third in a large classy field, as was the case in the Breeders’ Cup ...

There is no doubt America has a love affair with California Chrome, with his hardcore worshippers proudly calling themselves Chromies.  They have formed what can best be described as a sub culture in the world of Thoroughbred racing. They love him in his victories and they love him every bit as much in his defeats, as rare as they have ...

Keeneland’s January sale is, well, the January sale. It has always been considered to be more the last mixed sale of the previous year than the first sale of the new year. Its results are hard to measure from one year to the next due to varying factors, mainly the appearance or scratch of a few “name” horses or stock that are part of major ...

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming and all meaningful and timely topics to bring you the latest news on the ever-growing dreaded “Haskin Curse” that has quietly plagued the Sport of Kings for well more than a decade. For years, I have made numerous references to the racing gods and their main servants of sin, the Derby gods. ...

I have to admit, I have no idea what the inaugural Pegasus World Cup Invitational was intended to be, what it actually is, how it is going to play out this year, and what the future holds. Although many have knocked its concept on social media, no one who cares about racing should be openly knocking anything that is innovative and might help ...

The outside temperature registered single digits the night of Jan. 7 in the Bluegrass, but there was a warm glow inside the Keeneland Entertainment Center during the 27th annual Thoroughbred Charities of America stallion season auction and celebration. The feel-good event and fundraiser gave everyone in attendance optimism for the future of the ...

Last week I wrote about the 50th anniversary of Damascus and my introduction to Thoroughbred racing. While on the subject of anniversaries, I feel it is only appropriate to write about the 40th anniversary of one of the most emotional and memorable races I’ve ever seen. It has been established that Damascus’ feats of total domination, ...