BloodHorse.com

When Churchill Downs changed its qualifying standards for the Kentucky Derby (G1) ahead of the 2013 edition of the race from graded stakes earnings to points earned in its designated Road to the Kentucky Derby series races, this is the type of season those racing executives surely imagined. While before the points system there were years where ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman It's been a long journey, but the 2018-19 Road to the Kentucky Derby will come to an end this Saturday with the running of two final prep races at Oaklawn Park and Keeneland. The highlight of the day is undoubtedly the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) at Oaklawn, which will pit ...

The Thoroughbred industry caught a slight breather April 6 as the actual subject of racing and the Triple Crown series took the main stage. Splendid racing returned to Central Kentucky as Keeneland hosted a gaggle of graded stakes with its Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) as its centerpieces, and Aqueduct ...

1 Omaha Beach Richard Mandella War Front—Charming, by Seeking the Gold His exceptional works continued with a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 3/5, fastest of 18 works at the distance, followed by a strong six-furlong gallop-out. Mike Smith watching the work, was so impressed he told Mandella, “That was my work of the meet.” It is apparent ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The penultimate weekend of prep races on the Road to the 2019 Kentucky Derby is also the biggest and most exciting weekend, with three huge races to be held across the country at Santa Anita, Keeneland, and Aqueduct. If you're not a fan of playing favorites, then you're in luck, ...

March went out anything but like a lamb. Following a record-breaking sale at Fasig-Tipton’s The Gulfstream Sale of 2-year-olds March 28, Meydan delivered a splendid day/night of international racing in Dubai, and Maximum Security ran off a nifty wire-to-wire win in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) on a stakes-packed card in South ...

1 Omaha Beach Richard Mandella War Front—Charming, by Seeking the Gold You couldn’t have watched his last work, a bullet half in :47 4/5 without feeling very good about this horse and the progress he’s been making. He was just cruising off a workmate and when set down inside the eighth pole he took off opening seven lengths in a flash and ...