BloodHorse.com

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The final day of 2023 brings the $150,000 Queens County S. at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile contest isn't the richest or most prestigious race taking place over the holiday weekend, but it does contain a horse I believe could make a lot of noise in 2024: #5 Signator, an ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman It's too early to have definitive feelings about the most likely winner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1), but I believe a colt entered in Saturday's $100,000 Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds has to be part of the conversation. I'm thinking of #6 Nash (7-5), a Godolphin ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman An intriguing Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier is taking place at Remington Park this Friday. The $300,000 Remington Springboard Mile S. has drawn nine entries, and I believe there's an opportunity to cash nice payoffs in exotic wagers. For starters, I'm confident #8 Otto the ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman No trainer has enjoyed more success in the $200,000 Starlet (G2) than Bob Baffert. The Hall of Fame conditioner has won the Starlet a record nine times, including the last six editions in a row. Three of Baffert's last six winners exited victories in the Desi Arnaz S., a ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman After spending the vast majority of its history as a Grade 1 race, the $500,000 Cigar Mile H. (G2) at Aqueduct has been reduced to Grade 2 status for its 2023 renewal. The change is already having an impact. Saturday's running of the one-mile contest has drawn a lighter field than ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman From 2010 through 2022, the historic Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs carried Grade 1 status, and the roster of winners included future Horses of the Year Wise Dan (2011) and Gun Runner (2016) plus Preakness (G1) winner Shackleford (2012) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) runners-up ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman More often than not, the $100,000 Bob Hope S. (G3) at Del Mar is a straightforward race to handicap. Because more often than not, the seven-furlong dirt dash for juveniles is won by a short-priced Bob Baffert trainee. Let's crunch some numbers. Since 1996, Baffert has won the Bob ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Every year, after the Breeders' Cup is over, I like to highlight a handful of promising two-year-olds with the potential to develop into Kentucky Derby (G1) and Triple Crown contenders. Not every horse I feature turns into a stakes star, but some of them do. Last year's list ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Get ready, racing fans! The 2023 Breeders' Cup is taking place on Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita, and the 14 championship races are looking as competitive as ever. Let's dive in and handicap the fields: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Top Selection: Pacesetters have won four out of ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Pre-entries for the 2023 Breeders' Cup were released on Wednesday, and four winners from 2022 are back to defend their titles. They are Caravel in the Turf Sprint (G1), Cody's Wish in the Dirt Mile (G1), Elite Power (G1) in the Sprint, and Goodnight Olive (G1) in the Filly & ...