Kelly's Landing

8-year-old Bango (Congrats), Churchill Downs's winningest horse, has been retired, his connections announced on social media Friday. In a video posted to X, trainer Greg Foley said, "Mr. Churchill Downs has blessed Barn 11 in so many ways. Career has been just a testament to what horse racing is all about.  Thanks for everything Bango. Enjoy the next chapter." Retired with career earnings over $1,644,000, Bango raced 42 times, winning or placing in 24 of them. Nearly all of his starts came at Churchill Downs and he became their winningest...

The concept of the super trainer is by no means a new phenomenon in horse racing, but the huge stables run by super trainers have undoubtedly changed the landscape of the sport in many ways, from the backside to the racing entries. Are super trainers bad for the sport?  Are there any benefits for an owner in using a "smaller" trainer? We asked these questions and more to a few trainers who may not be considered super trainers in terms of their stall numbers, but they have made the most...