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If there was one thing I learned about covering the Kentucky Derby it was to stay objective and don't let personal relationships obscure your vision. It was all about the story and backstories and telling them with a clear thought process. But I have to admit there was one year when I let my personal feelings trickle to the ...

This column is for me and couple of guys from Brooklyn. If anyone wishes to relive it with us you can continue to the reprint of my 2017 Derby recap below. This will always be known as the year the Kentucky Derby went silent…at least for the next four months. But in silence comes thoughts, and for some reason this morning I thought of a cold ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman After five weeks without a single Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race to occupy our interest, the Derby trail will resume on Saturday with two divisions of the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park. Let's dig in! Arkansas Derby Division 1 I'll admit that part of me wants ...

With NBC televising a special on American Pharoah's Kentucky Derby on May 2 I thought it would be a good time to reprint one of my favorite columns that appeared in 2015. That was my last Kentucky Derby after providing lead coverage for Daily Racing Form and Blood-Horse for 23 years. There were many memorable moments, but none quite as special as ...

Thoroughbred racing has been able to endure during the current pandemic—in pockets of the country at least—which is something most other sports have been unable to do. The National Basketball Association and National Hockey League’s 2019-20 seasons remain on hold; Major League Baseball is a long way from opening day; and while the National ...

1 Tiz the Law Barclay Tagg Constitution—Tizfiz, by Tiznow Derby horses normally are geared up to peak on the first Saturday in May and no horse would have been ready for a peak performance more than this horse, who would have gone into the Derby checking off every box. Now, no one really knows for sure where he'll be 3-4 months from now ...

By J. Keeler Johnson Continuing the ''handicapping around the world'' theme we started last week, let's turn our attention this Sunday to the FWD Champions Day card at Sha Tin in Hong Kong, which features a trio of competitive Group 1 races. Most eyes will be focused on Hong Kong's reigning Horse of the Year Beauty Generation, who figures ...

The COVID-19 situation has divided most working Americans into two camps: those who have been fired, furloughed, or shut down and have plenty of time on their hands, or those on the clock who are busier than ever. Those in the Thoroughbred industry fall into the latter category. Although hard at work, we wouldn’t suggest the money is rolling in. ...

1. What horse won a six-furlong stakes in 1:08 1/5 then three weeks later won a mile and a quarter stakes in 1:58 3/5? Turkoman in the Tallahassee Handicap and Widener Handicap 2. In Dr. Fager's world record mile, name the horse in the field who once held the world record for the mile and name the horse in the field who set the fastest ...

1 Tiz the Law Barclay Tagg Constitution—Tizfiz, by Tiznow Just when you thought Tiz the Law was shifting his gears to neutral following the Curlin Florida Derby (G1), breezing an easy :52 4/5 half-mile, he shifts back into drive with a sharp 1:00 3/5 work for five furlongs. That should help set him up for...uh, nothing. With no races on ...