Kentucky Derby

A three-judge panel of a federal appeals court Friday upheld a district court's decision from last November to dismiss a lawsuit by Gary and Mary West, the owners of Maximum Security (New Year's Day), which sought to overturn the colt's controversial disqualification from first place in the 2019 GI Kentucky Derby. "What should have been the fastest two minutes in sports turned into over a year of litigation," wrote Judge John K. Bush in the opinion accompanying the judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit....

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - With a mix of optimism and respect, trainer Gustavo Delgado and his son and assistant, Gustavo Delgado Jr., have gone about their primary task of the summer: preparing Caracaro (Uncle Mo) of the GI Kentucky Derby. The Delgados are based in South Florida at Gulfstream Park West, but brought Caracaro to Saratoga Race Course in July with the goal of earning enough qualifying points to make the 20-horse Derby. Following second-place finishes in the GIII Peter Pan S. July 16 and the Aug. 8 GI Travers...

Keeneland's drive-thru betting will be open Friday, Sept. 4 and Saturday, Sept. 5 to accept wagers on the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby, as well as the rest of the races on those two days from Churchill Downs. Drive-thru betting will be located behind the Keeneland Entertainment Center, which can be accessed via Gate 1 at Man o' War Boulevard. All patrons will complete a health screening and temperature check at Gate 1. The drive-thru betting will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with six windows...

In a sport crying out for more strict, no-nonsense regulators and administrators, Maryland Jockey Club president Sal Sinatra fits the bill. Just in the past week and a half, Sinatra has made major waves in the industry, first by calling for the eventual end to claiming races at The Jockey Club Round Table and then by busting Wayne Potts for "paper training" for a banned trainer in Maryland. Wednesday, Sinatra joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland as the Green Group Guest of the Week to discuss an array...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Every morning when Tiz the Law (Constitution) goes out to the track for his exercise, there is a Smullen from Oxford, PA on his back. Most days the likely favorite for the GI Kentucky Derby is carrying Robin Smullen, trainer Barclay Tagg's longtime assistant and life partner. Once a week, when the colt has his timed workout, though, Heather Smullen, Robin's 38-year-old niece, has the assignment. It is a challenge, she acknowledges, to keep the four-time Grade I winner to the task while not getting in...

In advance of GI Kentucky Derby week, Churchill Downs has administered 1,823 tests to its staff, vendors and horsemen from Wednesday, Aug. 19 through Monday, Aug. 24. Since that time, there have been a total of 47 positive tests from the group for a 2.58% positivity rate. Testing is on-going at Churchill Downs. Any individual that is permitted entrance into the Stable Area will receive a one-time, FDA-approved PCR test. Those who do not pass the test or medical screening will be denied entry onto the premises and asked to...

   Usually held the first weekend in May, the Kentucky Derby has been viewed as the unofficial start of the summer season and the U.S. Open on Labor Day weekend has been a fitting bookend to this season. This year, due to COVID, sports fans will have the opportunity to enjoy these events which transcend their respective sport at the same time. Both mainstream cultural phenomena will be held with zero spectators this year, however the U.S. Open made the decision early on to go spectator free and their partners...

Max Player (Honor Code), third in both the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. behind expected GI Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution), worked in company Monday morning at Churchill Downs as he continued his preparations for the Sept. 5 Derby. Under jockey Florent Geroux, Max Player completed a five-eighths work in :59.60 during the 15-minute window set aside exclusively for Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks contenders. Off at approximately 7:30 a.m., Max Player began the move two lengths behind his stablemate, Allege (Uncle Mo), and finished...

Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law (Constitution), a looming prohibitive favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby, recorded his second-to-last breeze before the Sept. 5 Run for the Roses when covering five furlongs in a bullet :59.47 (1/39) over the Saratoga main track Sunday morning. The Barclay Tagg trainee was scheduled to breeze Saturday at the Spa, but had his work pushed back a day after a sudden downpour drastically changed the track conditions. Working under cover of darkness at 5:30 a.m. Sunday under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law clicked...

On a cloudless August morning in Goshen, Kentucky, a steady stream of horses step on and off the synthetic track at Skylight Training Center. It's a tranquil, scenic drive along Liberty Road to get to Skylight, and quiet still upon pulling into the training center's drive. But at a barn towards the far end of the property, there's a certain effervescence at Tom Drury's stable. The magnetic energy is palpable even in watching the staff go about their daily tasks. "It's a lot busier around here lately," Drury said with...

GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P. (Honor Code), expected to be no worse than third choice on the morning line for the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby, tightened the screws with a five-furlong work in 1:00.20 (see below) before the first race at Del Mar Saturday. Regular rider Mike Smith, wearing the colors of C R K Stable, was in the irons. Honor A.P. clicked off fractions of :12, :24, :36.20, and :47.60, galloping out three-quarters in 1:12.20 and seven furlongs in 1:25.40. The bay ridgling worked under...

'TDN Rising Stars' Gamine (Into Mischief) and Improbable (City Zip), each victorious in Grade I company at Saratoga in their most recent appearances, tuned up for their next engagements at Del Mar Saturday morning. Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine, towering winner of the GI Longines Test S. Aug. 8, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 (XBTV video) in the company of her stakes-winning stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Quality Response (Quality Road). With Juan Ochoa in the saddle, the $220,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sales topper was timed...