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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman A stellar field has turned out for Sunday's $100,000 Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar. The seven-furlong sprint for juveniles has drawn a promising group of up-and-comers plus one tried-and-true Grade 1 campaigner. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won the Bob Hope 13 times, including ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman It's that time of year again! With the Breeders' Cup complete, our attention can turn to the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1), which is about six months away. I've been watching out for up-and-coming Derby contenders who haven't joined the stakes ranks yet. Here are five maiden winners ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The wait is nearly over. On Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar, elite racehorses from around the globe will square off in 14 races at the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Which horses will visit the winner's circle at California's famous seaside racetrack? Opinions vary, but here's how I see ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Japan is rising to prominence at the Breeders' Cup. The country picked up its first two Breeders' Cup wins in 2021 and is fielding its largest contingent of contenders thus far for 2024: 19 horses, including six two-year-olds pre-entered in four different races. Japan hasn't found ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) are two of the most important Breeders' Cup events. They frequently producing thrilling results and regularly determine year-end champions. Strong fields are expected to enter the 2024 Classic and Distaff. But we aren't ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Three weeks out from the Breeders' Cup, there isn't a whole lot of graded stakes action taking place in North America. But Keeneland does have one major highlight for us: Saturday's $750,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), which has drawn a strong field of 10 three-year-old ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman On Aug. 23 at Saratoga, we witnessed one of the most exciting races so far in 2024. The Personal Ensign (G1) for fillies and mares racing 1 1/8 miles drew a stellar field. Reigning champion older dirt female Idiomatic started as the 4-5 favorite against multiple Grade 1 winner ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Five weeks out from the Breeders' Cup, an action-packed Saturday at Santa Anita is highlighted by the $1 million California Crown (G1). The California Crown is a rebranding of the Awesome Again, coupling a new name and a dramatically richer purse with the date, distance, and Grade ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman I've puzzled over handicapping Saturday's $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing. The reason? For the most part, the 11 horses entered in this 1 1/8-mile race haven't run especially fast on the Beyer Speed Figure scale, suggesting a longshot won't need much improvement to ...