GI Kentucky Derby

We knew it was going to be a battle of the big three, and so it was late with White Abarrio (Race Day) pulling rank to claim the GII Oaklawn Handicap over Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief). Understandably and unsurprisingly, the seasonal debuts of both MGISW Sovereignty and MGISW Journalism (Curlin) dominated the front pages in the days leading up to this contest. For many in the editorial community, as it went for the betting public, the best horse in 2025 was the horse to beat here and...

Maybe a touch earlier than expected, the rematch that the horse racing world pined for has arrived as reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will once again square off against the 2025 GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) in the GII Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday. Both colts will be making their much-anticipated 4-year-old debuts in Hot Springs. Sovereignty turned in a spectacular season last year when he won the GI Kentucky Derby, GI Belmont Stakes and GI DK Travers Stakes. The Bill Mott trainee came down with a...

With two weeks remaining until the first Saturday in May, trainer Brad Cox's Barn 22 was active Friday morning at Churchill Downs where his trio of contenders recorded their penultimate works for the GI Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile down in Florida on Thursday, Renegade (Into Mischief) got his preparations for the big day underway with his first move since winning the GI Arkansas Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher last month. In Louisville at 5:15 a.m. (all times Eastern), Wathnan Racing's GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) breezed five furlongs...

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 143 offerings for its April Digital Sale, which includes a pair of broodmares closely related to Derby and Oaks contenders. Bidding is now open through Tuesday, Apr. 21, when the online event begins to close at 2 p.m. ET., the auction company said in a press release on Thursday. "With more than 140 catalogued, up more than a third from last year's catalogue, the April Digital Sale catalogue shows the continued strength and popularity of our digital platform," Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron said. "Offerings...

Gary and Mary West's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Prom Queen (Quality Road) continued her preparation for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, according to a press release from the track on Thursday morning. Prom Queen, a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', breezed at 9:15 a.m. ET with Edvin Vargas in the irons. She completed an opening quarter-mile in :25.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. "It was a solid move...

The biggest news about the GI Kentucky Derby trail last week had nothing to do with the current crop of contenders, because with all of the points-awarding, nine-furlong preps having been run four weeks before America's most historic and important horse race, the lead-up to the Triple Crown season essentially goes into "sleep mode" for the middle part of April. But that could change for 2027. According to news first reported Apr. 7 by Mary Rampellini of Daily Racing Form (DRF), Oaklawn Park management is considering a schedule tweak that...

The 2025 GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) will ship to Hot Springs for the Apr. 18 running of the GII Oaklawn Handicap where the colt could face reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief), according to a Friday post on X by co-owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The tweet read, "JOURNALISM turned in a strong 5-panel move at Santa Anita Park in 1:00 3/5 this a.m. and has been declared all set by Michael McCarthy to make his seasonal debut in next Saturday's GII $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap with...

In what was no doubt a difficult decision, jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. has committed to riding GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief) in the GI Kentucky Derby. Ortiz was also the regular rider of GI Blue Grass Stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Further Ado (Gun Runner). It's possible that the two will be, in some order, the first and second choices in the Derby. The news on Ortiz's pick, as well as other jockey commitments made to other key Derby contenders, was first reported by...

There may not be a harder-working man in racing journalism that Nick Luck. In addition to his work on NBC's racing broadcasts, he hosts the podcasts Nick Luck Daily and Nick Luck on Sunday, and has covered major racing events for networks in the U.K. Australia, Hong Kong, and throughout the Middle East. In 2017, he became the BBC Equestrian commentator, and has since covered the Olympia Horse Show, Badminton Horse Trials, Burghley Horse Trials, and the Olympic Games for the BBC. Luck has been named Horserace Writers' & Photographers'...

Mike Battaglia, who has served as Churchill Downs's morning line oddsmaker for more than five decades, will retire from the role ahead of the 44-day spring meet and be replaced by Nick Tammaro, according to a press release from the track on Friday. Battaglia was responsible for setting the odds at Churchill Downs since 1974. He also served as the track's announcer from 1977-97 and later as a simulcast host from 1997-2007. "I'm very appreciative of everyone at Churchill Downs for the opportunity over the years," Battaglia said. "It's been...

Among a list of 25 nominations in the Sports Emmy Award category, NBC Universal has landed three for NBC Sports' presentation of Kentucky Derby 151, the organization announced via press release. The three categories are Outstanding Live Sports Special: Non-Championship Event; Outstanding Sports Camera Work: Short Form; and Outstanding Sports Writing: Short Form. It was the third consecutive year that the network has garnered more than 10 nominations and it marks the eighth time in the past 16 years that an NBC Sports' horse racing presentation has been nominated for...

It's a busy time for NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney as there are some important issues facing horse racing that are being addressed in the nation's capital. Most notably, is the provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill that allows gamblers to deduct only 90 percent of their losses from their winnings. If nothing is done to change that, it will likely have a serious impact on the sport and drive many big bettors out of the game. Bills have been introduced that would allow gamblers to again write...