Kentucky Derby

The GI Kentucky Derby has been rescheduled from May 2 to Sept. 5 and the GI Kentucky Oaks has been moved from May 1 to Sept. 4 due to the coronavirus, Churchill Downs announced Tuesday morning. The dates are contingent upon final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission which is expected Mar. 19. CDI's CEO, Bill Carstanjen, stated: "Throughout the rapid development of the COVID-19 pandemic, our first priority has been how to best protect the safety and health of our guests, team members and community. As the situation...

Churchill Downs Incorporated will make an announcement regarding the timing of 146th GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. ET, the company announced Monday. Media, investors and other interested parties may listen to the teleconference by calling (877) 372-0878 and entering the conference ID number 1848836 at least 10 minutes before the appointed time. International callers should dial (253) 237-1169. The Oaks and Derby are scheduled to be run May 1 and 2, respectively, but the feasibility of running them has come into question in...

Derby City Gaming, the Churchill Downs-owned casino in Louisville, as well as simulcasting at Churchill Downs itself, will close for 14 days in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Sunday. In a statement released by Churchill, the company said, "In the best interest of our guests, employees and the community around us amid public health concerns regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, Derby City Gaming and Churchill Downs Racetrack simulcasting has made the difficult decision to voluntarily suspend operations, effective Sunday, Mar. 15 at midnight, for 14 days. There...

Sunland Park in New Mexico has become the latest racetrack to shutter indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic--the GIII Sunland Derby, which offered qualifying points for the GI Kentucky Derby and was scheduled for next Sunday, will not be run. The announcement came within minutes of the release of an overnight for the would-be Sunland Derby card. "Yesterday afternoon we received a call at about 12:30 from [Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham]'s office," Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino GM Rick Baugh said in a video posted on twitter Sunday by Felix...

'TDN Rising Star' Nadal (Blame) made it a perfect three-for-three digging down gamely to deliver as the 4-5 favorite in wire-to-wire fashion in Saturday's $1-million GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park. Removing blinkers for this first two-turn test, the rail-drawn bay was hustled to the front by Joel Rosario and was immediately hounded by unbeaten Louisiana-bred No Parole (Violence) and the returning GI American Pharoah S. runner-up American Theorem (American Pharoah) rounding the clubhouse turn. No Parole backed off, but the two California invaders continued to throw down through sharp...

Churchill Downs issued the following statement regarding COVID-19 and the status of the GI Kentucky Derby Saturday afternoon. "During times of uncertainty, our traditions provide a great sense of comfort. We realize, that for many of you, the Kentucky Derby is a treasured annual tradition, and for others, a bucket-list experience. The time-honored traditions of the Kentucky Derby are as much about the fans as the race itself. We recognize that the impact of this iconic event extends well beyond the historic racetrack of Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is...

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - Last Week's Results - Honor A. P. (+200) was second-best in the San Felipe. Necker Island (Gotham) and Letmeno (Tampa Bay Derby) failed to fire. Bankroll: $1395. GII Rebel S. - The Rebel is as compelling...

Bob Baffert sends out so many impressive 3-year-olds this time of year, it seems like some become forgotten as soon as the next one does something special. After the dazzling performances of Baffert trainees Authentic (Into Mischief) and Charlatan (Speightstown) in recent weeks, that forgotten horse may be the barn's unbeaten Nadal (Blame). Saturday, the $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buy will look to match his talented stablemates as a likely favorite while making his two-turn debut in the $1-million GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn. Debuting as a 6-5 favorite Jan. 19...

King Guillermo (Uncle Mo), who caused a 49-1 upset in the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 7, has been supplemented to the Triple Crown at a fee of $6,000. The late payment having been received from Victoria Ranch, the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard has been updated, with King Guillermo in a share of third with 50 points for his defeat of Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}), who has amasssed 30 points in eighth. Horses not nominated to the Triple Crown at the first entry stage can be...

War Emblem (Our Emblem-Sweetest Lady, by Lord at War), winner of the 2002 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. died early Wednesday morning at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Kentucky. Pensioned at Old Friends since 2015, he was 21. While the cause of death is thought to be the result of a paddock accident, exact details are unknown. However, results from a necropsy report are expected to be forthcoming. In 2015 Old Friends re-repatriated War Emblem from the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Farm in Japan. He was...

Churchill Downs has launched a five-year partnership with Ford Motor Company that would establish the brand as the official truck, SUV, car and van of The Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs Racetrack. "Ford is such a vital part of the Louisville community that this new partnership is a natural fit," said Kevin Flanery, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. "Ford vehicles power so much of our operations at Churchill Downs and many of our breeders rely on Ford Super Duty trucks to transport their precious cargo." The new 2020 Ford F-Series...

During his baseball career, Victor Martinez was known for being cool under pressure and good in the clutch. It appears that he has a horse with the same attributes. It looks like the presence of a former Major League All-Star is going to spice up this year's GI Kentucky Derby. Martinez, who debuted in the majors in 2002 with the Cleveland Indians, played a season-and-a-half for the Boston Red Sox, and retired after playing for the Detroit Tigers in 2018, is the owner of GII Tampa Bay Derby winner King...