Churchill Downs

Chip Honcho (Connect), winner of the Gun Runner Stakes and a close second in the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds will bypass the GI Kentucky Derby in favor of the May 16 running of the GI Preakness Stakes, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. With the defection of Chip Honcho, GSW Litmus Test (Nyquist) will now drawn in for the big race. The colt's Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was asked early on Saturday morning what "Plan B" was if...

Jethorse LLC paid $375,000 for General Graham (Omaha Beach), a 3-year-old undefeated ridgling who won in starter allowance company Keeneland on April 8, to post the highest price of Friday's April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale which followed the races on closing day of the Spring Meet. Consigned by Kenneally Racing, agent, General Graham is from the family of Horse of the Year Sovereignty. He is out of Grade I-placed Giant's Causeway mare Flying Spur. "We're delighted with General Graham," consignor Eddie Kenneally said. "Two for two, hasn't done...

With one week to go until next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, contenders began putting in their final works Friday. At Keeneland, Golden Tempo (Curlin) had his final timed drill for first-time Derby trainer Cherie DeVaux. Working inside of MGSW Brilliant Berti (Noble Mission {GB}), the GIII Lecomte Stakes winner clocked a half-mile in :47.40 (2/72). "He's had different company, and he's outworked each one," DeVaux said. "This was just a maintenance work and Brilliant Berti is a pretty good workhorse and he's older. We didn't want him (Golden Tempo) doing...

A busy Thursday for GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks hopefuls was lead by a trio of Mark Casse trainees, and the presumed 'Run for the Roses' favorite Renegade (Into Mischief) put in his final drill in Florida before shipping to Louisville. John Oxley's Silent Tactic (Tacitus), with jockey Cristian Torres aboard, worked a half-mile in :48 on a picture-perfect Thursday morning for Casse at Churchill Downs. On the tab as a single at 7:15 a.m. ET, Silent Tactic clicked off fractions of :12, :24, :48 and galloped out...

Two days after Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) announced its intent to acquire the intellectual property rights to the GI Preakness Stakes and the GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for $85 million, the firm's chief executive officer, Bill Carstanjen, said Thursday during a quarterly earnings conference call that the state of Maryland remains "in control" of the overall Thoroughbred racing product and its infrastructure, but that CDI's "real team of experts" is ready to assist if asked to help grow those assets. Although Carstanjen detailed the annual fee structure for licensing the...

A trio of California-based Kentucky Derby 152 hopefuls were on the track in Kentucky Wednesday morning after arriving from the West Coast Tuesday. Norman Stables and Saints and Sinners' GI Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy (Runhappy) jogged a mile under Gustavo Alvarado during the 7:15-7:30 training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners. Also at the same time, Reddam Racing's Pavlovian (Pavel) jogged a mile under Tony Romero and Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures' Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) jogged two miles under Alejandro Galindo. Trainer Michael McCarthy sent out...

Second Stride plans to honor Mary Nixon with the Industry Champion Award, and Jan and Joan Carstanjen with the Volunteer Award, the non-profit said via a press release on Tuesday. Both will be presented at the organization's Champions Night at Valhalla Golf Club on Monday, Apr. 27. Mary Nixon has been named the third recipient of Second Stride's Industry Champion Award, an honor given to someone within the racing community who has shown distinguished support and transformative dedication to the horses of Second Stride. Additionally, Jan and Joan Carstanjen, parents...

Churchill Downs Incorporated has entered into an agreement to acquire the intellectual property, including all trademarks and associated rights, of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan from 1/ST Maryland LLC, the company announced Tuesday morning. The purchase price was $85 million and the deal is subject to customary closing conditions. Under the terms of the deal, CDI will license to the state of Maryland the intellectual property rights necessary to conduct the running of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes in exchange for an annual fee. "This acquisition adds...

Edited Press Release Kentucky Derby week kicks off Saturday at Churchill Downs as the track opens its 44-day Spring Meet offering sizeable pools and new wagers for the meeting, the track announced Monday. Annually, Derby Day produces some of the largest betting pools in the sport. Last year's Derby race win, place and show pool totaled $122.4-million, while the exacta pool reached $30.1-million, the trifecta pool handled $35.5-million and the superfecta pool totaled $15.5-million. New on the Oaks and Derby programs in 2026 will be a 50-cent all turf Pick...

Mike and K.K. Ball's Chief Wallabee (Constitution) worked five furlongs in company in 1:00 on a crisp Monday morning at Churchill Downs. Working during the special training period for Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses from 7:15-7:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) with recent maiden winner Gilded Bandit (Charlatan), Chief Wallabee produced fractions of :24.80, :36.60, :48.20 and 1:00 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 and seven-eighths in 1:26.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Jockey Junior Alvarado was in the irons. "It was a good work," Alvarado said. "We...

White Abarrio (Race Day) and Sovereignty (Into Mischief) both exited their one-two finish in the GII Oaklawn Handicap Saturday in fine shape and connections were considering next steps Sunday morning. White Abarrio, the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner, beat reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty by two lengths, with Journalism (Curlin), the 2025 GI Preakness Stakes winner, finishing 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third. "It's rare you get to see something like that," White Abarrio's co-owner Mark Cornett said as the 7-year-old veteran was munching hay in his...

GI Florida Derby runner-up The Puma (Essential Quality) put in his final local breeze at Gulfstream Park Saturday morning in advance of shipping out to Churchill Downs for an anticipated tilt in the GI Kentucky Derby. Working five furlongs with Javier Castellano aboard, the chestnut clicked off 1:00.77 (5/15) over a fast track in his second work since being defeated by Commandment (Into Mischief) in a desperate photo in the Florida Derby. Clockers caught his six-furlong gallop out in 1:12.85 and a mile in 1:37.88. "[The work] went really well....