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I love a good longshot. In this year’s Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), the one that particularly stands out to me is St. John’s River, who was most recently a runner up to Daisy Devine in the March 26 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II). Dismissed at morning line odds of 30-1 in the Oaks, this bay daughter of Include is a homebred for Dede McGehee, who also ...

From a $5,500 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase to grade II winner, Daisy Devine has proven to be a brilliant investment for owner James Miller’s two-horse stable. The retired oil company salesman now may just be in for the biggest ride of his life if the daughter of Kafwain were to cross the wire first on Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) day. “It ...

Like last year, I decided to do a post on some of the Kentucky Oaks contenders and their name meanings, so you can get to know these fillies a little bit better. After reading these meanings, just for fun, tell me which filly out of this group you would bet on solely based on the name factor. Then tell me who you’re really rooting for. :) I ...

As I previously warned you, from here through early May, it’s going to be all Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), all the time on my blog. Throughout the next few weeks, I hope to provide you with some insight into the Oaks contenders and their connections, as well as some behind-the-scenes views of the spectacle leading up to the first Friday in May. One of ...

As I mentioned last week, I would like to share an interview I composed with Karma Kitaj, author of the book “Women Riders Who Could…and Did: Life Stories of Top Level Equestriennes.” The book features the stories of women professionals from various areas of the equine industry, including the now retired jockey Julie Krone. Krone became the ...

Dear Beyond the Blinkers readers, As you know, Triple Crown and Kentucky Oaks season is upon us, and from April 1-May 6, I will be switching the focus of this blog to the Kentucky Oaks. Like last year, I will be covering this race for the magazine, and through Beyond the Blinkers, I will be updating you with fun features, and behind-the-scenes ...

Sometimes it seems that certain horse-rider combinations were just meant to be. Such was the case for Stephanie Church, editor-in-chief of The Horse magazine, and her sister, Sarah, video intern for The Blood-Horse, who will always cherish the good memories they had with their Thoroughbred ex-racer Icy Edge. Stephanie and Sarah, who ...

Jackie Cross of Maryland wrote me a few weeks ago to tell me about her 14-year-old cousin, Gabby Gordon, who recently adopted a retired Thoroughbred racehorse named Felicity. The 9-year-old daughter of Tarakam, who raced under the name Susies Cameo Girl, made 48 starts on the Texas circuit, winning seven times, with seven seconds, and six thirds. ...

I have a special treat for you all this week. Kelsey Riley, former intern at The Blood-Horse and current Darley Flying Start student, agreed to write about her experiences trimming the hooves of some of the equine stars at Michael Blowen’s Old Friends retirement farm near Midway, Ky. I happened to be out at Old Friends the same day as Kelsey ...

Maryland resident Miranda Prather, a lifelong horse lover who adopted a retired Thoroughbred named Blue Blue Sea, has an amazing story to tell about how her horse overcame odds by surviving a malabsorbtion disorder and several other health issues. I decided to do a little question-and-answer session with her to find out more about Blue Blue Sea, ...