JUVENILE SPRINT – Merit Man, undefeated winner of the Tim Conway Stakes has the speed, the numbers, and a win over the track, and should be the horse to beat. Bob Baffert is always tough, so you have to give Super Ninety Nine a shot. South Floyd, runner-up in the Tim Conway, has the early speed and is...

Yes, ‘tiz the season to be jolly. Saratoga is here again, and it seems to be getting earlier and earlier. The first half of the year has been a series of emotional ups and downs with issues so hot they burned up the pages of newspapers and network air waves, in good part to the detriment of the sport...

Let’s be honest, this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) needs a boost, especially with Zenyattamania and even a double dose of Curlin still fresh in everyone’s mind. The most obvious boost would be the inclusion of Havre de Grace. Even better would be a showdown between Havre de Grace and Blind Luck...

It is finally time to say goodbye. Mighty Mare Zenyatta has been retired; and this time it is official, as she departs for Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Ky. in early December. Despite having her remarkable 19-race winning streak ended in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I), by only a short head, Zenyatta...

Now that the preps for the Nov. 5 and 6 Breeders’ Cup have been completed, it is time to go over all the races and see who will be and might be showing up. A number of trainers and owners are uncertain in which races their horses will be participating, so expect to see several prominent hopefuls pre...

On Friday, the late Buster Millerick was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Be honest now, before you read about Millerick's accomplishments, how many of you knew anything about him? OK, then, how many knew he trained Native Diver? How many even know who Native Diver is, or the brilliant sprinter Kissin...

Many racing fans are prepared to state emphatically that Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are two of the best, if not THE best, fillies of the past half-century. The list from which to chose, however, is longer than most think. Below is a reminder just how extensive that list is. With almost half the year...

As the sun begins to peek over the Adirondacks, a thin layer of fog still blankets the Oklahoma training track. Cars are pouring into the East Avenue gate to park on the grass near the top of the stretch. Across the street on Union Ave., people have been lined up for hours with their coolers and picnic...

(To all those Zenyatta enthusiasts who cringe at the mere mention of a certain other filly’s name, rest assure that name will not appear anywhere in this blog. She will have her own blog in the near future). Why, you might ask, am I writing yet another blog on Zenyatta? Well, the answer to that question...

Thoroughbred racing in 2010 consists of three universes, all moving in parallel lines. One is the Triple Crown trail, which possesses an aura all to itself and is oblivious to any other existing worlds. The two other realms have been meandering through space, occasionally veering off their axis. On one...