Road to the Kentucky Derby

The voice of the GI Kentucky Derby, Travis Stone, will be on the mic to announce the Virginia Derby meet at Colonial Downs, the track announced Wednesday. Stone will call all three days of the meet, set for March 13-15, headlined by the Virginia Derby, a Kentucky Derby points race, Saturday, March 15. "I'm really looking forward to being part of the Virginia Derby meet at Colonial Downs," Stone said. "It's exciting to see the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' go through Virginia and to be involved in such an...

Norman Stables' Coal Battle (Coal Front) scored one for the little guy Sunday at Oaklawn Park, overtaking pacesetting California invader Madaket Road (Quality Road) in upper stretch and leaving favored Sandman (Tapit) in his wake while striding home a 1 1/4-length winner of the GII Rebel Stakes. Sandman, who famously broke in a tangle before finishing a valiant second in the GIII Southwest Stakes a month ago, had most of the eyes on him as he broke professionally Sunday, but was unhurried and settled well off the pace as Madaket...

We don't often see 43-1 shots winning graded stakes by 9 3/4 lengths, and when we do, those victories are often subsequently proven to be flukes. If you go by the numbers, an off-the-charts, outlier effort like the one orchestrated by Magnitude (Not This Time) in Saturday's GII Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds--in which his 108 Beyer Speed Figure equated to a walloping 34-point improvement off his last race--is more likely to be met with pari-mutuel skepticism than enthusiasm when this colt races next, most likely in the GII...

Three years ago, a colt by the emerging Not This Time campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen named Epicenter controlled the pace in the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes and reported home an easy winner, returning $9 to his backers. On Saturday, a colt by the now-boom Taylor Made stallion followed in Epicenter's hoofprints for the same connections, as Magnitude (Not This Time) was sent hard to the lead by Ben Curtis from the outside gate in a field of 12 and left them all in his...

Stretching out to two turns for Saturday's Sam F. Davis Stakes, downgraded to listed status but still offering 20 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s John Hancock (c, 3, Constitution--Scribbling Sarah, by Freud) would not be denied in the early march to the First Saturday in May. The chestnut earned a solid 81 Beyer Speed Figure in leading every step of the way to break his maiden at first asking over three-quarters of a mile locally on Jan. 8 and...

If the countdown on their website is any indication, Colonial Downs can't wait to put on a show come Virginia Derby weekend during an inaugural three-day Spring meet held March 13-15. The New Kent, VA-based track, though known primarily for it's famous Secretariat Turf Course, stands ready to host a new dirt feature on the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' in the Virginia Derby which will see a field of Triple Crown hopefuls travel 1 1/8 miles with Derby points being awarded to the top five finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5...

NBC Sports will broadcast eight live races, including the GIII Robert B. Lewis as champion juvenile Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) kicks off his 2025 campaign, Saturday from 4-6:00 p.m. as part of the "1S/T Racing Tour presented by MyRacehorse", the Florida track announced Friday evening. Coverage will include the GIII Holy Bull and GIII Forward Gal Stakes as well as the Listed Swale and Kitten's Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Santa Anita coverage will comprise of the GIII Robert B. Lewis, GIII Mergahertz, and GII Santa Monica Stakes. It...

Saffie Joseph, Jr. has had some big days since he came to the U.S. from his native Barbados in 2011, but perhaps none bigger than last Saturday at Gulfstream Park. He had three stakes wins, including a score with Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhahaarar ({GB}) in the GII Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes and a win with Mystic Lake (Mo Town) in the GII Inside Information Stakes. But the one that really mattered was the victory by White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes....

Sent off at odds of 9-5 to take his career record to three wins from as many appearances in Saturday's GIII Lecomte Stakes at a sloppy Fair Grounds Race Course, Juddmonte's Disco Time (Not This Time) was hung out to dry somewhere on the banks of the Mississippi turning into the long straight, but he closed resolutely through the final eighth of a mile to earn 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. In a bit tight at the break, the homebred was able to get down into...

The condition book for Colonial Downs' three-day spring meeting which runs from Thursday, Mar. 13 through Saturday, Mar. 15 is available (click here). The meet is highlighted by the $500,000 Virginia Derby and $250,000 Virginia Oaks on Mar. 15, which for the first time are points races on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" and "Road to the Kentucky Oaks," respectively. The Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks have been moved to the dirt track and repositioned to March to serve as prep races for the Derby and Oaks. The Virginia...

The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks purse has been raised to a record high $777,000, making it the richest race in the history of Turfway Park, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Monday. Set to run Saturday, Mar. 22, the marquee day of the Turfway season will feature a 12:45 p.m. ET first post and tickets have now been released for sale. As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the contest awards qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale, which makes it a vital path to a...

Already a two-time stakes winner with 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in his possession, Coal Battle doubled that total Saturday and made it three in a row with a strong win in Saturday's Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Clearly a horse that can take his track with him (he's now made six starts over six different surfaces and on slop, mud, grass and fast going), the son of MGSW Coal Front jumped up last time out to upset the Remington Springboard Mile Dec. 13 at...