Horse Racing

3rd-Pimlico, $50,960, Msw, 5-17, 3, 4, 5/6yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.80, gd, 5 1/2 lengths. VARNEY (c, 3, Vekoma--Summer of Fun {SW & GISP, $306,671}, by Include), who cost a whopping $775,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, got the Preakness program off to a winning start for the Bob Baffert barn, leading every step of the way to break his maiden at career start number four late Saturday morning at Pimlico. Favored at 4-5 at post time stretching out to two turns off a fourth to his 'TDN Rising Star'...

Baltimore, MD--At approximately the time that the GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes was scheduled to run, a severe storm was rolling through the Baltimore area, blackening the sky and kicking up wind and rain that gave those running for cover the impression of an approaching apocalypse. With a steady stream of people dutifully filing out of the infield tents and into the safety of Pimlico's main structure, the rapidly-moving storm made enough of a fuss to have spectators wondering if racing would go on with two races remaining...

BALTIMORE, MD -- In the days leading up to the 150th Preakness, a lot had been made of the one horse that wouldn't make it into Saturday's lineup at Pimlico--Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief). However, those that have been entered in the final renewal of the Classic race before Old Hiltop faces the demolition man are certainly no slouches. Leading the fray, Journalism (Curlin) returns off a runner-up finish in the Run for the Roses. Lest some may have forgotten, however unlikely, he went off post-time favorite for the...

After winning her initial three career starts, she was beaten 2 1/2-lengths in second in Churchill Downs' Fern Creek Stakes, However, she showed that her latest may have been an aberration as she rebounded to score by two lengths in Friday's GIII Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Echo Sound settled in a wide fifth as Hollygrove-with G W's Girl (Munnings) and Family (Sharp Azteca) in pursuit-carved out an opening quarter in :22.95. As You'll Be Back moved into contention along the inside, the pace-setting Hollygrove threw down a :46.14 half....

Play With Fire (Oscar Performance) was produced widest into the Pimlico stretch and steamed down the center of the rain-affected turf course to take out Friday's Hilltop Stakes. Off as the 7-2 second choice in a field scratched down to eight when Complexity Jane (Complexity) dumped jockey Sheldon Russell in the preliminaries, the $85,000 OBS March graduate was content to drop out to the back of the field and was shuffled all the way to last as favored Me Governor (The Factor) took them along at a leisurely clip. Following...

AmWager is offering zero percent takeout on the GI Preakness Stakes, according to the advanced deposit wagering company on Friday. All AmWager customers who opt in and bet the Preakness Win pool will receive a total payout for their successful wagers which is calculated with zero takeout. For instance, when Seize the Grey (Arrogate) won the 2024 edition of the of the big race and paid $21.60 for a $2 bet, the same wager would pay $26.35 this year. Once the Preakness race is made official, AmWager customers will receive...

1st-Pimlico, $54,810, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($50,000-$62,500), 5-16, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.65, ft, 6 1/2 lengths. VERIFIRE (c, 3, Authentic--Ruby Trust {SP, $145,212}, by Smart Strike), named a 'TDN Rising Star' when thrashing Colonial maidens by 6 1/4 lengths on career debut going this distance on the Virginia Derby undercard Mar. 15, easily repeated the dose when pulling clear through the final furlong to take the Black-Eyed Susan Day opener at Pimlico by 6 1/2 lengths. Off at a nickel on the dollar, the $260,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1-million OBS...

In an era when corporate-controlled entities are actively looking for ways to close down much larger racetracks in various areas throughout America, the Humboldt County Fair Association--better known as Ferndale--stood out in recent months for its dogged desire to get approval to run a three-weekend race meet at the Northern California half-miler, even after the other county fairs tracks on the once-robust circuit had abandoned or were forced out of racing for 2025. But against the stated backdrop of a desire to promote "single-circuit" California racing by directing revenue from...

Overcoming a troubled start and getting back in the game before the far turn, first timer Color Comin' In (Rock Your World--Sleepless Dixie, by Dixie Union) handed freshman sire Rock Your World (by Candy Ride {Arg}) an inaugural win on Thursday afternoon at Churchill Downs. The effort netted the filly a 'TDN Rising Star' badge. Off as a 7-1 shot here, Color Comin' In did not have the best beginning, but the Norm Casse trainee was able to resume the chase as short-priced favorite Shez Twisted (Twirling Candy) led up...

Owing to a lack of entries, the live racing program scheduled for Tuesday, May 20 at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack (FLGR) has been cancelled. According to a release from the track, the lingering impacts of a long winter combined with a wet spring resulted in trainers having limited opportunities to sufficiently prepare their horses for the season. The track says it is hopeful that entries will return to a more normal level as the inventory of fit and race-ready horses increases to the point where a Monday-through-Wednesday racing schedule...

Officials at Ontario Racing have launched the new hashtag #betontario in an effort to encourage those that live in the Canadian province to wager on races from Ontario. Ontario Racing is encouraging horseplayers to make use of the hashtag across social media. According to a release from Ontario Racing, Home Market Area (HMA) wagering is the primary source of funding for critical horse breeding programs, but it has declined by 12.6% over the course of the last two fiscal years and dropped 6.5% from $733 million to $686 million in...

1st-PIM, $54K, OC62K/N1X, 3yo, 6f, 11:30 p.m. ET. In what amounted to a smart debut at Colonial Downs Mar. 15, VERIFIRE (Authentic) was confirmed as a 'TDN Rising Star' after the colt won by 6 1/4 lengths and posted a 92 Beyer. Initially a $260,000 Keeneland September purchase, John Stewart went to a $1-million to acquire the chestnut during the 2024 OBS March Sale. Verifire is out of SP Ruby Trust (Smart Strike), whose own dam is GSW Queen Ofthe Castle (Tale of the Cat). Resolute's second out starter is...