Churchill Downs

Hidden Connection (f, 2, Connect--C J's Gal, by Awesome Again) stalked and pounced her way to a dominating victory in the 'Win and You're In' GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs Saturday evening. Mama Rina (Gormley) was second; Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) was third. The 9-5 favorite got over from her outside draw and was three wide rounding the clubhouse turn. She found an ideal spot to press the early leader from second through fractions of :24.26 and :48.62. She took over within her own restraint approaching the quarter pole...

Hidden Brook Farm and Black-Type Thoroughbreds' Hidden Connection (Connect) marked her career unveiling in style, winning by a 7 ½-length margin going 5 1/2 panels at Colonial Aug. 17 and will try to add another notch to her belt in Saturday's 8 1/2-furlong GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs. "She was really impressive that day when she broke her maiden," said trainer Bret Calhoun. "She's only had this one race under her belt, so it's a test going two-turns. The way she ran last time gives us confidence in her."...

L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Stellar Tap (Tapit) wowed spectators with a TDN Rising Star-worthy performance at Saratoga Aug. 7 and will try to prove that it wasn't a fluke in Saturday's GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs. Out of a half-sister to GISW Nereid (Rock Hard Ten), the $250,000 KEESEP graduate showed early speed for trainer Steve Asmussen navigating seven furlongs in his debut and turned on all boosters late, drawing away to score by 5 1/4 lengths over Keepcalmcarryon (Union Rags), who won at that venue...

Don Alberto Stable's ALMANZO (Tapit) kicks off his career for trainer Brad Cox on Churchill's opening card of the fall meet. Having registered his latest works at Ellis, including a recent four-furlong move in :49 4/5 Sept. 11, the homebred is out of GSP American Story, a $400,000 Fasig-Tipton juvenile purchase. Campaigned by Kaleem Shah and Bob Baffert, the daughter of Ghostzapper is also responsible for SW and MGSP Americanize (Concord Point) and MGISW American Gal (Concord Point), both of whom were also campaigned by Shah and trained by Simon...

Churchill Downs Racetrack will host a public ceremony Sept. 16 at 11:00a.m. to dedicate and unveil commissioned statues that honor the late John Asher and Col. Matt Winn. The statues, sculpted by local artist Raymond Graf, depict Asher sitting on a horse shoe bench and talking with Winn, who oversaw the early growth of the Kentucky Derby into America's greatest race. The statues are positioned on the north side of the saddling paddock in the Plaza area. Churchill Downs officials, Graf and members of the Asher and Winn families will...

In an ongoing dispute over whether Presque Isle Downs (PID) has been steering on-track patrons to make bets through advance-deposit wager (ADW) platforms controlled by its corporate parent and then not counting those bets as on-track wagers that provide better revenue for purses, the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (PAHBPA) swatted back in federal court with a Sept. 7 counterclaim to claw back at least $75,000 in disputed funds. PID had fired the first salvo of litigation on June 24 in the form of a civil lawsuit that sought...

Coming off a dominant win in the GI Whitney S., Horse of the Year contender Knicks Go (Paynter) will make his next start in the Oct. 2 GIII Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs, trainer Brad Cox confirmed Thursday. Knicks Go will be taking a step back in class in the $400,000 race, but Cox has taken that route before. Knicks Go warmed up for the Whitney with a 10 1/4-length romp in the GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows. "It's a mile-and-an-eighth race and he'll be coming right...

The University of Louisville Equine Industry Program (EIP), in conjunction with Horse Racing Nation, released its free Fall 2021 speaker series, which will be held in person this year on the UofL campus. The series includes panel discussions on the "Super Card" trend in racing and growing racing through diversity and inclusion. The final event in the series will be an interview with Houston business owner, philanthropist and horse owner Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale. The events will be held from 5:30-6:45p.m., and will be broadcast live on the Horse Racing...

Churchill Downs will host "Louisville Live," the University of Louisville (UofL)'s annual preseason basketball event, Saturday, Sept. 18. In conjunction with Downs After Dark presented by Budweiser and a theme of "Horses & Hoops," the evening will feature an 11-race night card and live entertainment featuring UofL's men's and women's basketball teams on a portable court. The official DJ for the Louisville Cardinals, DJ K-Dogg, will be on stage and UofL's 1986 NCAA Championship men's basketball team will sign autographs. Specialty cocktails will also be available. Five stakes are scheduled,...

Churchill Downs will feature 22 black-type races worth $7.01 million during the upcoming September and Fall Meets, the storied track announced Friday. With a new $10-million turf course currently being installed, racing will be exclusively on the main track until the Spring Meet. The September Meet, to be held Sept. 16-Oct. 3, will have 11 stakes worth a total of $3.26 million, while the Fall Meet will take place Oct. 31-Nov. 28 and will feature another 11 stakes totaling $3.75 million. The highlight of the second half of the year...

Projected purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races on the Kentucky circuit in September and October will be $135,000 at Kentucky Downs, $125,000 at Churchill Downs, and $78,000 at Keeneland Race Course. Those figures were revealed by representatives of those respective tracks Tuesday during a video meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee. Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' senior vice president and general manager, also said that his all-turf venue will also be raising non-stakes purses across the board by 8% from the amounts that were initially...

Churchill Downs has unveiled plans for three capital investments to the historic Louisville track, beginning with the Homestretch Club for Kentucky Derby 2022 and culminating with a Paddock area redesign for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby in 2024. The Homestretch Club will renovate and update the grandstand area adjacent to the Twin Spires along the track's homestretch. The project will convert what is currently outdoor bleacher seating next to the Winner's Circle Suites and below the Jockey Club Suites into three unique seating options with all-inclusive amenities. Ticketed...