A few posts ago we discussed various race track announcers, and I specifically pointed out Mr. Tom Durkin and described the joy of watching him call Arrrrr's races especially. Well, with Durkin's exciting encouragement Arrrrr won the second race at Saratoga for July 28, 2008! It was a great run, and...

He talked the talk and he walked the walk. Well, actually, Big Brown walked the walk for him, but you get the point. The week prior to the Derby, I wrote on this blog that trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. had gone too far in proclaiming that he didn't see "how his horse could get beat." While I still believe...

Well, we are finally here. Time to make Derby selections. Considering the inconsistency of many of the top 3-year-olds, inexperience of some of the contenders (mainly Big Brown), and trying to decipher how these synthetic track horses will run on the Churchill dirt, this year's handicapping challenge...

Courtesy of The New York Times Dean Keppler, author of Betting the Kentucky Derby: How to Wager and Win on America’s Biggest Horse Race from DRF Press, discussed his approach to betting the Derby earlier this week. Now with the post positions set, he gives us his picks: 1) PYRO 2) ADRIANO 3) Z FORTUNE...

Noon Street Party Between the paddock and the Paddock Pavilion, there’s a “Street” party going. Signing copies of the book “Kentucky Derby” are jockey Calvin Borel , trainer Carl Nafzger , and breeder/owner James Tafel . The team won last year’s Kentucky Derby with Street Sense . Also with them is Churchill...

My first experience with advising a friend on how to bet held glory and shame all in one. I had been working here at Blood-Horse for several months when the Keeneland 2007 fall meet started. I had been laying out a lot of stories for the daily PDF/News and knew who was hot and who was not. My friend...

Below is a list of the last 20 Kentucky Derby winners and where they finished in their final prep race: 2007 - Street Sense, 2 nd Blue Grass Stakes 2006 - Barbaro, 1 st Florida Derby 2005 - Giacomo, 4 th Santa Anita Derby 2004 - Smarty Jones, 1 st Arkansas Derby 2003 - Funny Cide, 2 nd Wood Memorial...

Has anyone been watching the prices at Keeneland so far? Through five days of the spring meet, there have been 16 horses that have paid $20 or more, and nine exactas totaling at least $200. As usual, it has been bombs away in Lexington, and there is no reason to think that the longshots won't continue...

With less than four weeks left until Derby day, and only a couple of important preps remaining, things are finally beginning to take shape. What did we learn last weekend? Well, for one, Colonel John is legit. The son of Tiznow quieted all those who claimed El Gato Malo would have won the Sham had it...

This weekend I have seven horses racing from my virtual stable at www.roadtotheroses.com. It is the last chance for a few of my horses to make a convincing move for the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum Brands! Show me the money (so they qualify). War Pass, Court Vision, Giant Moon, Tale of Ekati, Anak...