Industry News

Rockridge Stud will hold a foal naming contest, in honor of America's upcoming 250th anniversary, the farm announced. Hi Holiday (Harlan's Holiday), the 250th mare Americanrevolution bred, foaled a filly on May 7th at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater. The mare and foal are owned by Mill Creek Farm and Fortune Farm--partners in the stallion. Rockridge Stud is hosting a naming contest for this foal; for every name suggestion submitted via their website, the Americanrevolution Syndicate will donate $1 to Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Name submissions will be accepted through July...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on-site at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Saturday, June 6 for Empire of Hope, an annual Caesars Entertainment Racing initiative supporting aftercare. Launched in 2019, Empire of Hope brings together racetracks across the Caesars Entertainment Racing portfolio to raise awareness of and support Thoroughbred and Standardbred aftercare organizations supporting racehorses following their racing careers. During the event, Horseshoe Indianapolis will feature organizations including Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption, Race for Aftercare, Horse-Angels, Inc., Friends of Ferdinand, Second Stride, Tri State Thoroughbred, and Rehab and Rehome....

Enrollment for the 2024 New York-bred foal crop, which will be 2-year-olds in 2026, is now open at a one-time lifetime payment of $600 and must be completed by June 19, 2026. Enrollment makes horses eligible for both the Belmont Park and Woodbine legs of the Empire-Trillium Series. There are no nomination fees to the individual races, this is covered by the $600 payment. Enrollment for older New York-bred crops wishing to compete only in the Woodbine portion of the series is available for $350 and must be completed by...

Trainers Cherie DeVaux, Tom Morley, and Graham Motion have joined the Belmont Pledge, committing a portion of their Belmont Festival earnings to benefit the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the hundreds of retired Thoroughbreds in its care, according to a TRF release on Tuesday. The trainers join trainers Michael McCarthy, George Weaver, Whit Beckman, and Amelia Green. "Thoroughbred aftercare is a cause that is incredibly important to me. These horses have blessed my life in countless ways, and we have a responsibility to ensure they are cared for long after their...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. and the Elmont Chamber of Commerce will host the return of the Paul Sapienza Elmont/Belmont Parade, which will be held on Saturday, May 30, NYRA announced Tuesday. This year marks the 18th edition of the parade, which serves as the traditional kickoff to the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and celebrates the Elmont community. The parade is named in honor of the late Paul Sapienza, a lifelong Elmont resident and former president of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce. This year's parade will posthumously honor Nassau...

Jockey Johan Rosado has moved his tack from Oaklawn Park to Kentucky, and has started picking up mounts at Churchill Downs, the track announced Friday afternoon. The son of Roberto Rasado, the 1997 Eclipse Award Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, Johan Rosado is represented by Ruben Munoz. He reportedly plans to ride in Kentucky throughout the spring and continue in the summer at Ellis Park. "My father was a jockey for 25 years," Johan Rosado said. "I always looked up to him. I grew up at the racetrack and have a lot...

With the possibility of heavy rain over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Monmouth Park has preemptively moved two black-type races scheduled on the turf to Saturday, May 30. The 1 1/16-mile Cliff Hanger Stakes, which offers the winner a free berth into the GII United Nations Stakes, and the 1 1/16-mile Miss Liberty Stakes, which gives an entry into the GII WinStar Matchmaker Stakes, will move from May 23 and 24, respectively, and will now run on the same card as the May 30 Jersey Derby. "It's unfortunate, but the...

With all eyes soon to be on Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will open two new special exhibitions, as well as offer several public events. Capturing and Preserving Greatness: A Life's Passion (The Photography and Historic Collections of Barbara D. Livingston, presented by Daily Racing Form) and A Discerning Eye: The Art of Sir Alfred Munnings (Selections from a Private Collection) will both open Wednesday, June 3. The former chronicles the photography career and historic collections of six-time Eclipse...

The Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC) will return in 2027 with a record $400,000 guaranteed prize pool as TwinSpires also unveiled the second season of the TwinSpires Tour, which will award $50,000 in prizes throughout the year. The KDBC, scheduled for Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday, May 1, 2027, will feature a guaranteed $400,000 prize pool following the addition of $50,000 in seeded cash from TwinSpires. Kentucky Oaks Day on Friday, Apr. 30, 2027, will offer a $1,000 First Chance/Last Chance KDBC Qualifier with $25,000 in added cash from TwinSpires....

Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer for Breeders' Cup Limited, will be honored May 28 by Midway University with the Pinkerton Vision Award. This award honors Dr. L.L. Pinkerton, whose vision of the Kentucky Female Orphan School in 1847 established it as the first formal education for orphaned girls on the site that is now Midway University. Pinkerton Vision Award recipients must have had a direct impact on improving the lives of women, served as an outstanding role model, or have displayed great leadership, innovative thinking, and...

The New York Racing Association has created the Belmont Stakes Scholarships, a new initiative that will award five $3,000 scholarships annually to graduating seniors pursuing higher education, NYRA announced Tuesday. The students will be selected from the Sewanhaka Central High School District, which includes Sewanhaka High School, Elmont Memorial High School, Floral Park Memorial High School, H. Frank Carey High School, and New Hyde Park Memorial High School. Applications for the scholarship are now open, with awards supporting students who will attend an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or...

The ballot for the 2026 election of 22 Breeders' Cup Member positions was released Tuesday by Breeders' Cup Limited. Per their release, the Member election website will open at 9:00 a.m. ET Monday, May 25, and closes at 5:00 p.m. ET Monday, June 1. Of the 26 candidates on the ballot, 18 are incumbent Members standing for re-election. There are eight new individuals seeking election. The 20 individuals receiving the most votes will each serve four-year terms. Additionally, as the result of two vacancies, two terms lasting two years will...