TDN Writers' Room

Scott Daruty, the President of Elite Turf Club, joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss both frustrations and misconceptions surrounding CAWs. The Writers' Room team also examined the latest court decisions on HISA, talked all things Royal Ascot, and looked ahead to this weekend's racing.

While the spotlight was rightly focused on Cherie DeVaux last week at Saratoga as she wrapped up two-thirds of the Triple Crown with Golden Tempo (Curlin) with the win in the GI Belmont Stakes, the week that Mark Casse had should not be overlooked. Casse won four stakes races, including three Grade I's. The stars were GI Ogden Phipps Stakes winner Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), GI Just a Game Stakes winner Classic Q (Classic Empire) and GI Acorn winner Counting Stars (Honor A.P.). Casse was the Gainesway Guest of the Week...

Todd Pletcher has a heavy hand in this weekend's Belmont Stakes with morning-line favorite Renegade and stablemate Powershift. The Hall of Fame trainer discusses the sophomore duo, relives Belmont wins from years past, and shares his thoughts on changing the schedule of the Triple Crown.

John Heims joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to talk about the future of racing at Monmouth Park. The Writers' Room team also discussed highlights from Memorial Day weekend racing and looked ahead to Belmont Stakes weekend and what is likely to be a star-studded GI Stephen Foster.

On this week's TDN Writers' Room, HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus discussed recent developments like the Lasix vote, the controversy over regulatory vet scratches, and the historically low injury rates under HISA.

Is the Triple Crown losing its relevance? On this week's TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland, Bill Finley, Randy Moss and Zoe Cadman dive into the state of the series and how it might be fixed. While the team agrees that the upcoming GI Preakness Stakes may offer some excellent betting opportunities, they discussed why the field is lacking "star quality." Donna Barton Brothers joins the crew as this week's Gainesway Guest of the Week. The jockey-turned-racing analyst is currently on her farewell tour of the Triple Crown. Saturday's Preakness...

The TDN Writers' Room crew sits down ahead of this weekend's GI Preakness Stakes to handicap the race, but also lament the quality of the field. Donna Barton Brothers joins the show on her last Triple Crown trail as an NBC racing analyst.

The TDN Writers' Room team had so much to say and so many people to talk to when it came to this year's GI Kentucky Derby, that we decided that one podcast was not enough. Our traditional podcast features winning trainer Cherie DeVaux (watch that here), but how could we overlook jockey Jose Ortiz or co-owner Daisy Phipps Pulito? We couldn't, so we gave each of them a podcast of their own. It was a memorable couple of days for Ortiz, who won both the Derby on Golden Tempo (Curlin)...

Jose Ortiz is one of the nation's best jockeys, but he had never won the Kentucky Derby until he steered Golden Tempo to victory on May 2, 2026 at Churchill Downs. Jose talks to the Writers' Room team about the experience on this Overtime episode.

Daisy Phipps Pulito, the Racing Manager for Phipps Stables, co-owner of the 2026 Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, appears on the first edition of the TDN Writers' Room Overtime.  

There was little question as to who would be the primary Gainesway Guest of the Week on this week's edition of the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Trainer Cherie DeVaux not only won the GI Kentucky Derby with Golden Tempo (Curlin), she also became the first female trainer to win the race. But there were so many good storylines out of this year's Derby, that the podcast split off into three parts. In what we are calling the "TDN Writers' Room Podcast Overtime" we also featured in-depth interviews...

The TDN Writers' Room was ecstatic to be joined by Cherie DeVaux, who made history as the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby. The trainer discussed her thoughts on Golden Tempo's performance, what the ride has been like post-Derby and what the win meant to her.