Churchill Downs

A fixture in the highest level grass events on racing's biggest days, Chad Brown offers a three-pronged attack in Saturday's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. Listed at 7-2 on the morningline is Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), a close-up second in Santa Anita's GII Charles Whittingham S. May 23, but subsequently demoted to third, followed by another runner-up finish in Belmont's GI Manhattan S. July 4. Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) has proven consistent if not sparkling since his arrival in the U.S. last season. Second in...

Talented 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing returned to winning ways back on this side of the pond as the public's pick. Beaten a neck in third in her Saratoga unveiling last July, the well-bred chestnut romped in a seven-furlong off the turfer there in August before justifying heavy 1-2 favoritism in Laurel's Selima S. in September. She was let go at 13-1 for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1, but the result was the same, and she picked up right where she left off when...

Sconsin had been comfortably beaten by both favorites--Four Graces and Mundaye Call (Into Mischief)--in her previous two outings, but benefitted from a duel between the chalks Friday to earn a breakthrough first graded success while representing the same connections as GI Kentucky Derby longshot Major Fed (Ghostzapper). Away well enough, the bay dropped back to last of five down the backstretch as Mundaye Call sped off to post fast fractions of :22.11 and :44.14 with Four Graces breathing down her neck. Sconsin popped out for clear sailing as the chalks...

LOUISVILLE, KY--After a four-month delay, the world spotlight finally shines again on Churchill Downs. While Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby has certainly lost some of its luster due to a number of high-profile defections along this seemingly never-ending Triple Crown trail, tensions remain extremely high in Louisville--which at times of late has felt like the epicenter of concurrent national crises. COVID-19 cases in Kentucky have continued on an upward slope while the overall U.S. graph trends downward, and the commonwealth's largest city has remained in the headlines as the community has...

Serengeti Empress (Alternation) sparkled in a front-running display in the Aug. 8 GI Ballerina S. at Saratoga and will try to make it two straight with a win in Saturday's GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs. While the Ballerina's opening fractions of :21.75 and :43.74 would have been enough to incinerate most rivals, they merely served as a stepping stone to victory for the speedy filly as the 2019 Kentucky Oaks heroine finished one length clear of the hard-trying yet second-best Bellafina (Quality Road), who returns to re-oppose...

OXO Equine's Travel Column (Frosted) sailed to an impressive 4 1/4-length debut win at Churchill Downs Friday and was quickly awarded the 'TDN Rising Star' label. Sent off at 9-2, the gray filly was third in the early strides as Off We Go (Air Force Blue) jumped out to the early lead. Off We Go briefly had a clear advantage, but Travel Column, racing keenly, rushed up to press the pacesetter through fractions of :21.27 and :44.42. She surged to the lead at the top of the stretch and was...

2nd-Churchill Downs, $99,290, Msw, 9-4, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.79, ft. SALTY AS CAN BE (f, 2, Into Mischief--Theycallmeladyluck {SP}, by Dixie Union), a half-sister to 2018 GI La Troienne S. winner Salty (Quality Road), GISW, $688,500, was purchased by Team Casse for $850,000 out of last year's FTSAUG sale from the Baccari Bloodstock consignment, but her worktab yielded few clues and she was no better than 11-1 despite her impeccable pedigree. Settled in about fifth spot early and punching the breeze three wide, Salty As Can Be rolled up to...

Arnaldo Monge and trainer Rey Hernandez's Finnick the Fierce (Dialed In), a 50-1 shot on the morning-line for the GI Kentucky Derby, has been scratched from the 1 1/4-mile classic. The one-eyed gelding, third in the GI Arkansas Derby, was seventh last out in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11. "Because he's blind on the right eye, he carries himself a little funny," Monge said. "And we always knew that. But ever since he arrived, the vets have been keeping an eye on the horse and...

If he comes close to replicating his last two speed figures, it's going to be pretty tough for anyone to best 'TDN Rising Star' Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) in Churchill's GIII Iroquois S.--which offers a "Win and You're In" berth for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The Stephen Fidel homebred was second to Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) going five panels here June 19 before breaking through by 8 1/4 lengths at Keeneland July 11, good for an 85 Beyer Speed Figure. He was most recently second to Jackie's Warrior in...

One-turn mile graded races always attract intriguing fields, and Saturday's GII Pat Day Mile S. for sophomores at Churchill is no exception. Favored on the morning line is the Coolmore contingent's $3.65-million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buy Cezanne (Curlin). A debut winner sprinting at Santa Anita June 6, he added a first-level allowance tally going this distance (but around two turns) at Los Alamitos July 2. The Bob Baffert trainee didn't necessarily win like his 1-9 odds that day suggested he might, however, and then could only manage fourth--albeit while earning a...

Cannon Thoroughbreds homebred Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) seeks his third consecutive victory as he returns to Churchill Downs for the $500,000 GII American Turf S. Saturday. A winner of last December's GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. Dec. 1 at Del Mar, the bay returned to winning ways three starts later in the War Chant S. going a sixteenth shorter here May 23. He was last seen annexing the GIII La Jolla H. back in San Diego Aug. 9 over champion juvenile and GI Kentucky Derby entrant Storm the Court...

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - Bankroll: $5480 - Pegasus Result - Skyscanner made no impact at a big price. GI Kentucky Derby - Tiz the Law is my pick to win the GI Kentucky Derby. He is the most likely winner,...