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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman If there has been one trend in the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races this winter, it's been the trend of upset victories. Recent years have seen a high number of winning favorites in winter Derby preps, but 2019 has been noticeably different. A 29-1 upset in the Fountain of Youth, ...

The spike of fatal injuries at Santa Anita Park since the meet opened Dec. 26 has been horrific to say the least. The closure of one of racing’s most important and iconic racetracks has cast a pall on the sport and takes an already fragile industry closer to the brink. For years we have been faced with the question, “How can we grow the sport?” ...

In horse racing, as in life, timing is everything. When we think of Pioneerof the Nile, it naturally is as the sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. That is enough of a legacy for any horse. But if Pioneerof the Nile were a human athlete he would always have regrets - regrets of what might have been. Success, as impactful as it might ...

1 Omaha Beach Richard Mandella War Front—Charming, by Seeking the Gold Yes, I’m well aware Game Winner probably should still be No. 1, but I have been enamored with this colt since his second in a maiden race and am willing to take a shot with him as opposed to the logical choice. The facts are he defeated a three-time grade 1 winner and ...

In a change that never should have occurred in the first place, Kentucky lawmakers eliminated the ability of gamblers to claim losses up to the amount of their winnings for tax year 2018 as part of a major tax reform that aimed to simplify the code by eliminating many deductions. While one certainly can question why Kentucky lawmakers would ...

At this week's National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association convention in Clearwater Beach, Fla., Arkansas HBPA president Bill Walmsley explained his thought process when Oaklawn Park management outlined a possible plan this month to split the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) into two divisions. The track's plan was to offer a pair of ...

When you reach a certain age, at least in my case, you have this desire to release feelings inside you. You don’t want them silenced for eternity. You want people, mostly the ones you love, to know exactly how you feel and who you really are. Several years ago, I wrote a column thanking my wife Joan for everything she has done for me, mainly ...