Kentucky Derby

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced that the state of Maryland has matched the $85-million bid from Churchill Downs for the intellectual property and branding rights to the Preakness, which will now be held by the state. The story was first reported by the Baltimore Banner. Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement provided to the Banner that his administration has made "historic investments" to ensure the future of Maryland's racing industry, and that the $85-million decision will secure a "vital asset for our state." It will "preserve Maryland's position...

Stark Contrast (Caravaggio), an impressive 2 1/4-length winner of the GI American Turf S. with a career-high 99 Beyer Speed Figure on Kentucky Derby day, is being aimed at the GI Belmont Derby at Saratoga July 4. The Amerman Racing homebred has worked three times at trainer Michael McCarthy's Santa Anita base since, including a four-furlong breeze in :50.20 (27/31) June 11. C R K Stable's 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Remember Mamba (Kitten's Joy), winner of the GIII UK HealthCare Transylvania S. at Keeneland and runner-up in the...

Book Value became the first winner for the elevated 2021 GI Kentucky Derby winner and freshman sire Mandaloun with a 3 3/4-length debut victory at Thistledown Tuesday. The Ohio-bred is owned by Marion F. Gorham Revocable Trust and was bred and trained by Robert Gorham. Mandaloun, also the winner of the 2021 GI TVG.com Haskell S., stands for $10,000 at Juddmonte Farms. 4th-Thistledown, $33,900, (S), Msw, 6-16, 2yo, 5f, :59.62, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. BOOK VALUE (g, 2, Mandaloun--Wall Street Lady, by Speightstown) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $20,340. Click for the...

With Hong Kong sensation Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) continuing his dominance of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, American Grade I winner Nysos (Nyquist) jumped to a co-rated fifth at 125 pounds following his win in the June 6 GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap. The 5-year-old, campaigned by Baoma Corp. and Coolmore partners and trained by Bob Baffert, also finished second behind Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) (ranked at 123 pounds) in the G1 Saudi Cup in February. Nysos had previously been rated at 121 pounds....

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At 7:30 Sunday morning, Cherie DeVaux stood in front of a couple dozen media types and talked all things Golden Tempo (Curlin). There was plenty to say. Moments before, she had brought the big horse out of his stall and Golden Tempo stood in the shedrow, gawked at the horse racing paparazzi and hammed it up. While DeVaux held him with a shank, Golden Tempo stuck his long neck past his trainer and took a bite out of the blanket of white carnations that was draped...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Just about a half hour after the fact, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez gave 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Golden Tempo (Curlin) his flowers. At the age of 54, Johnny V. seems to get better as he ages and when he sees a performance worthy of some praise, he'll give it. Even if he is on the wrong side of the result. That was the case early Saturday evening at Saratoga Race Course following the 158th running of the GI $2-million Belmont Stakes. Velazquez,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - You better get used to failure and you better get used to losing if you're striving to do something historic or epic. Those are the words of Mike Repole after coming within a neck of winning his first GI Kentucky Derby with Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. "I probably take losing better than I take winning," said Repole, who campaigns the $975,000 Keeneland September graduate in partnership with breeders Robert and Lawana Low. "If you ask me...

TDN's Chief Correspondent Bill Finley is joined by Senior Contributing Editor Alan Carasso and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack to handicap Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. FINLEY: Picking Renegade (Into Mischief) to win the Belmont is a no-brainer. After he was knocked silly at the start of the GI Kentucky Derby, he overcame the trouble and ran a big race to finish second, beaten only a neck. Did his problems at the start cost him the race? Probably. Todd Pletcher is a master at having his horses ready for...

The field for the GI Belmont Stakes, ranked in "likeliest winner" order (program number after each horse's name). 1) RENEGADE #4 (c, Into Mischief--Spice Is Nice, by Curlin). O-Robert Low, Lawana L. Low, and Repole Stable; B-Robert Low & Lawana Low (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales history: $975,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime  record: GISW, 6-2-3-1, $2,031,500. Last start: 2nd May 2 GI Kentucky Derby. Renegade overcame all sorts of trouble when beaten a neck as the 5.65-1 second choice in the GI Kentucky Derby, and the bet here is that...

Todd Pletcher will have the likely favorite in the GI Belmont Stakes in GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade (Into Mischief) and a live longshot in Powershift (Constitution). He knows how to win the race--he's done it four times. Might this be his fifth? Those were among topics Pletcher addressed when he joined the team on this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. Breaking from the dreaded post one in the Derby, Renegade was slammed at the start and it took...

Trainer Aggie Ordonez had a glittering prognosis for Om N Joy (Om) the day after her upset victory in the GII Santa Margarita Stakes where she collected a second graded win, and added that her stable star will now point to the GI Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar. "She's wonderful." Short and sweet, but words all connections want to hear. Ordonez reported the filly was no worse for wear Sunday morning, and that she would have an 'easy 30 days' of training before focus shifted to Del Mar. The...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Flash back to the fall of 2025. By then, trainer Chad Brown had a good idea that the new batch of young horses that had come into his powerhouse barn had promise. Plenty of promise. The future, he thought, was very good indeed. "I knew we had a really good group of dirt colts heading into their 3-year-old year,'' Brown said outside his barn this week on the Oklahoma Training Track. The leader of the pack was a solid looking chestnut named Paladin (Gun Runner), a $1.9 million...