Fair Grounds

A study done by the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California-Davis has revealed that a racehorse is likely to show a positive test result for metformin if its groom is taking the diabetes medication and urinates in the horse's stall. After a rash of metformin positives in 2024, anecdotal information surfaced that in many of these cases their grooms handling the horses had been on the drug. Metformin is used to manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. With the uncertainty over the metformin...

After opening his career with a pair of runner-up efforts, Juddmonte homebred Deep Flame (Into Mischief) romped home to his maiden victory at Churchill Downs Sunday. The 2-5 favorite attended the pace of longshot Armet (Practical Joke) through an opening quarter in :22.55. He took the lead out of the turn and was quickly clear as the half went up in :45.08. The result was never in doubt from there as he skipped clear to score by seven lengths. Embry Show (Modernist) chased him home in second. Second on debut...

Back in the States and resurfacing on the worktab for the first time since his G1 Dubai World Cup heroics, Winchell Thoroughbreds's Magnitude (Not This Time) breezed at Churchill Downs Saturday morning. Out to work an easy half-mile, the Steve Asmussen trainee was clocked in :51.20, the 86th fastest move of 96 at the distance. It was his first published workout in North America since returning from Meydan. Also working four furlongs, among others from the barn, was MSW Braken Poppa (Aurelius Maximus), who is undefeated in 2026 from four...

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...

3rd-KEE, $120K, ALW/N1X, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 2:04 p.m. ET. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', and Triple Crown nominee TOUCH OF FIRE (Constitution) comes to Keeneland to contest an allowance race over the Haggin Turf Course. The Juddmonte homebred cleared by seven lengths on debut at Fair Grounds in early January, which earned the colt a commendation from this publication for his effort. After finishing as the runner-up in the Black Gold Stakes in New Orleans in late February, the Brad Cox trainee is tabbed as the 9-5 morning line...

The long run of preps for the GI Kentucky Oaks will come to a close this weekend as the last of the 3-year-old filly preps will be run. All eyes will be on Keeneland Friday as the track will host the only Grade I prep for the Oaks, the GI Ashland Stakes. The favorite will be Zany (American Pharoah), who hasn't been out since the Feb. 7 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Should she win, she will most likely be the favorite come May 1 at Churchill Downs. So,...

The 2025-26 meet at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots concluded with repeat leaders--trainer Joe Sharp and jockey Jose Ortiz--heading the 154th racing season at the New Orleans oval. Trainer Joe Sharp and jockey Jose Ortiz each secured back-to-back titles. Sharp led all conditioners with 47 wins from 211 starts, earning more than $1.7 million in purses while posting a 22% strike rate. He finished ahead of Bret Calhoun, who tallied 31 victories, while Sam David Jr. added 19 wins and veteran Tom Amoss closed out his Fair Grounds career...

And you thought a March Madness-esque upset would be limited to basketball. A proverbial 16 seed nearly took down the favorite in the Louisiana Region when maiden winner and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}), the narrow 2-1 favorite, had to gut out a win over 21-1 longshot Pavlovian (Pavel) to win Saturday's GII Louisiana Derby by a head. Named a 'Rising Star' for his debut win at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 7 that netted him an eye-catching 97 Beyer Speed Figure, Triple Crown-nominated Emerging...

Last year's Rags to Riches Stakes winner, Life of Joy (Gun Runner) booked herself a return trip to Churchill Downs Saturday, taking down the GII Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks and with it, 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Debuted late in her 2-year-old season by trainer Brad Cox, the $375,000 Keeneland September grad was a bit under the radar initially when making her first start at Horseshoe Indianapolis. But, after putting up a devastating 14 3/4-length win going one mile Oct. 2, was anonymous no more and...

Lael Stable homebred Not to Worry (c, 3, Street Sense--Madame Milan, by Bernardini) came charging down the Fair Grounds stretch for a flashy debut win for Cherie DeVaux, good for 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' honors on the Louisiana Derby undercard. The 2-1 favorite was off to a slow start from his outside draw and was outsprinted in ninth through an opening quarter in :22.06. Still with a ton to do one from last on the far turn, he was tipped out and into the clear in the stretch...

Golden Tempo (Curlin), third in the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S. Feb. 14, will race with first-time blinkers in Saturday's GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. The Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' was an eye-catching, come-from-behind winner of his first two career starts, including the GIII Lecomte S. Jan. 17. He rallied from seventh to complete the trifecta in the Risen Star, finishing six lengths behind Paladin (Gun Runner). "He made a really nice run in the Risen Star and...

1st-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7 1/2f, 12:50p.m. Tracy Farmer's homebred TAP THIS WAY (Tapit) kicks off for Mark Casse, who also trained this filly's illustrious brother, Sir Winston (Awesome Again), winner of the 2019 GI Belmont Stakes for Farmer. While dam La Gran Bailadora (Afleet Alex) never managed a win on the turf, she did register her biggest won on the synthetic in the GIII Kentucky Cup Distaff. Chiefwood Stables also unveils Not This Time, an Ontario-bred daughter of Cool Shadows (Munnings). Trained by Katerina Vassilieva, the dark bay...