Horse Racing

As a former professional jockey, I reached a point where I had to step away from the sport and change professions to prioritize my mental health. Because I know what it feels like to be in that position, I never want another jockey to feel they are without support or options. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month--a time to shine a light on mental health, share hope, and remind people that reaching out for help is a sign of strength. I've been working with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority...

Of course, my Dad introduced me to the Thoroughbred business. Both of my parents did. They met each other in the Thoroughbred business at Walmac where my Mom worked. I remember from my childhood, if only vaguely, running around Johnny Jones's offices, pretending to be a cowboy like he was. I dressed as Zorro for Halloween one of those years and couldn't wait to show off to Johnny! My Dad was working at Vinery or maybe Watercress at that time. I remember his red Toyota truck and I remember his...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, and Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY -The only thing that could slow down the momentum of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale was a brief interruption in Wednesday's action when the fire alarms late in the day caused the evacuation of the pavilion. "We joked in the back ring the market was so hot, it set the fire alarms off," Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said with a chuckle after the dust had settled on another competitive day of bidding at the first of two...

The unique Kentucky Downs meet featured on its Wednesday closing day card the GIII Blackwood Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes, which was won in circuitous fashion by the late-running exploits of Fionn (Twirling Candy--Gaelic Gold, by Giant's Causeway). Never out of the money across seven prior starts, the filly christened her stakes run with a victory in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Mar. 8. Turning in a respectable third to the stellar Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 8, the...

Chris Heyde is the founder of Blue Marble Strategy and is a Washington D.C. lobbyist who has dedicated his career to animal welfare issues. Along the way, he has had some important successes, including effectively ending horse slaughter in the U.S. But one main goal remains and has been elusive. Heyde has been fighting for passage of the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, which would prohibit the slaughter of horses in the U.S. as well as ban the shipping of them to slaughterhouses in the Mexico and Canada. Heyde...

Fred Maas, who has served in myriad roles in industry, politics, sports and development and is a self-proclaimed horse racing fan, has been named the 10th member of the Board of Directors of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the track announced in a release Wednesday. Maas, 68, is the current Chief of Staff and Counselor for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League, overseeing all business and legal functions. A cum laude graduate of Syracuse University, he has worked in state and local politics alongside the likes of...

Backside, an observational documentary that honors the primarily immigrant workforce that helps sustain the horse racing industry, will be screened at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville. Filmed over five years by an all-LatinX team, Backside 'offers an intimate look at the lives of workers who begin their days before dawn, seven days a week, caring for some of the world's most prized racehorses' in the barns behind Churchill Downs—known as the "backside." According to a release, the documentary 'goes beyond the pageantry of the [Kentucky] Derby to reveal the...

The 2025-2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby kicks off this weekend with the running of the GIII Iroquois Stakes going the one-turn mile at Churchill Downs on Sept. 13. The Road to the Kentucky Derby, launched in 2013, awards a scale of points to the top five finishers in selected qualifying races between September and April. The leaderboard determines the preference list for entry into the GI Kentucky Derby, limited to 20 runners. Up to three horses from overseas may qualify for the Derby. In addition to the 36-race Road...

Looking to stay perfect and attain his first graded win for the trophy case, Hey Nay Nay (Ire) (No Nay Never) ran on nicely to capture the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes on Sunday afternoon at the seaside oval. The $300,000 Keeneland September grad made his debut a winning one going from pillar to post while sprinting over the Santa Anita turf course June 1. The Irish-bred shipped across the country to contest the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and he passed that test with flying colors when he...

A record-shattering total of $25,385,003 was wagered on Saturday's 12-race card at Kentucky Downs, a press release from the track said late on Saturday. Six of the races were stakes. Each race featured at least 10 starters, and 10 races had 11 or more. The previous Kentucky Downs wagering record was the $21,184,941 wagered last year on the corresponding day, reflecting an increase this year of more than $4.2 million.

Godolphin took home both the National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year prizes at the 40th annual TOBA National Awards in Lexington, Kentucky, which were presented across two days of ceremonies, according to a press release from the organization on Saturday. The National Awards Luncheon honored 2024 state and Canadian breeders at Godolphin Sept. 5, while the 2024 National Awards Dinner was held at Fasig-Tipton Sept. 6. TOBA 2024 award winners included: National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year: Godolphin; National Small...

Celebrating 10 Years of Connecting People to the Horse Horse Country, Inc. will celebrate its 10th anniversary in October 2025. Our first tours across Horse Country were offered during the inaugural Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, which also saw the first-ever Grand Slam winner, American Pharoah. You may call that timing good luck, but in truth Horse Country's launch is the perfect example of what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Horse Country's story began with a call to action. In 2011, The Jockey Club's McKinsey Report revealed some concerning findings about...