Churchill Downs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' On Time Girl (Not This Time) cut back in distance beautifully for a second graded stakes success in Friday's GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill Downs. Drawn widest of all in post nine, the 9-5 favorite raced in striking distance in sixth through a half-mile in :45.48. She began to catch the eye while winding up four wide on the far turn and powered home down the center to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Luv Your Neighbor (Constitution). A sharp...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kentucky Derby 152 goes through Spendthrift Farm. Further Ado (Gun Runner) will carry Spendthrift's famed orange-and-purple silks seeking a second Kentucky Derby victory for the operation off the heels of a daylight win with a field-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Spendthrift Farm's flagship sire Into Mischief, meanwhile, will have three chances at a fourth Kentucky Derby victory. He will be very well-represented by 4-1 morning-line favorite and GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief), GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment...

'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Cy Fair (f, 3, Not This Time--Remarqued, by Arch) is a big fan of showing her best during the sport's biggest weeks. Following a scintillating win in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over the boys, the bay filly signaled her return as a headliner with a commanding win Thursday of Derby Week at Churchill Downs in the GIII Mamzelle Stakes. In winning, she beat the reopposing Slay the Day (Into Mischief), who spoiled Cy Fair's sophomore campaign kickoff nearly three weeks...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Welcome to primetime, ladies. A fantastic renewal of the GI Kentucky Oaks is on tap, and, for the first time, will be held beneath the lights with an 8:40 p.m. ET post time at Churchill Downs Friday evening. Trainer Brad Cox will be shooting for a fourth Kentucky Oaks trophy with the very promising GII Gulfstream Park Oaks heroine and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Prom Queen (Quality Road). The legendary and much-missed duo of Woody Stephens and D. Wayne Lukas share the record for most...

During the 2023 foaling season, Donamire Farm welcomed a group of nine foals. Among that foal crop were four colts sired by Constitution, Beau Liam, Dialed In and Blame. For the first time since their early days growing up in the field together, three of the four colts born that year—now known as Chief Wallabee (Constitution), Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), and Trouble Calling (Dialed In)—will have a 'reunion' Saturday, May 2 under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief Wallabee, runner-up in the GII...

4th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f&m, 7f, 2:00 p.m. ET. Juddmonte homebred COUPLET (Gun Runner) heads to the post with some strong drills under her belt in Louisville for trainer Michael McCarthy. The farm acquired the first-time starter's dam, Canadian champion 2-year-old & GISW Spring in the Air (Spring At Last), for $1.65-million during the 2015 Keeneland November sale. Couplet's extended female family includes GI Spinaway Stakes winner Sweet Loretta (Tapit) and GSW Nafisa (Quality Road). TJCIS PPS 2nd-CD, $134K, OC80K/N2X, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:00 p.m. ET. A $300,000 2024 Keeneland September...

TDN's Chief Correspondent Bill Finley is joined by Senior Contributing Editor Alan Carasso and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack to handicap Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. FINLEY: The Puma (Essential Quality) is Mage (Good Magic) 2.0. From the same team that won the GI Kentucky Derby in 2023 with Mage, The Puma is following the exact same pattern. He finished an improved second in the GI Curlin Florida Derby and now looks ready to take another step forward, one that can land him in the winner's circle Saturday...

A trio of graded stakes winners will attempt to take the next step up in Friday's GI La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs. Heading the fray is Flying Dutchmen's Shred the Gnar (Into Mischeif), a winner of three straight in 2025 including the one-mile GIII Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15. In her sole start this term, the Brian Lynch trainee finished a troubled sixth as the even-money choice in the 8 1/2-furlong GIII Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Feb. 14. Luis Saez, in the irons for all...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After Jacob West signed the ticket on Renegade (Into Mischief) for $975,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling sale, breeders Robert and Lawana Low weren't quite ready to say goodbye. "We made the decision, reluctantly, to put him through the sale, and by the time the hammer dropped, I was quizzing Jacob," Robert Low said. "'Can we buy half of this horse back?' And Mike was kind enough to do it." Mike, as you've probably figured out by now, is prominent and outspoken owner Mike Repole. West...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Who's been making the best impression during training hours heading into the 152nd Kentucky Derby? Our boots on the ground and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack reveals his top five favorite workouts recorded from the field of 20 beneath the Twin Spires. 1) CHIEF WALLABEE April 20, 2026 | 5F | 1:00.00 (2/11) This is the move that everyone is still talking about. Sporting blinkers for the second straight breeze (he'll wear them for the first time in the Derby), 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief...

The likelihood that Waggley would take the lion's share of the money at the windows in her stakes debut was never really in question. However, the fact that by post time she would only have to face two other competitors to get into the winner's circle almost certainly was. Breaking last and knocked into American Pope by a sharply-crossing over Super Saiyajin, Waggley found herself just behind the latter through an opening quarter mile in :23.26. Pulling her way to the fore approaching the final turn, the errant 1-9 favorite...

Tune in to the 2026 Kentucky Derby edition of the TDN Writers' Room. The crew takes a deep dive into the full field and NBC racing analyst joins in to take a wider look at the Derby, plus Saturday's undercard and Friday's Kentucky Oaks.