TDN Writers' Room

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella looks to have a great chance of saddling his first GI Kentucky Derby starter since the mid-2000s with a major contender in GII San Felipe S. romper Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah), and Tuesday, Mandella sat down with the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to talk about his electric speedster, the impending Hall of Fame induction of former trainee Beholder, his view on the state of California racing after its trials of the past few years and more. "Truly excited," Mandella, calling in via...

Fresh off an exciting weekend with Forbidden Kingdom's win in the GII San Felipe S., trainer Richard Mandella joins the TDN Writers' Room to discuss the Derby hopeful and his enthusiastic connections, Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse.

Heading into the GII Rebel S. a lot of people may not have known the name Ricky Courville, but they know him now. Courville pulled off the upset of the year when winning the Rebel with 75-1 shot Un Ojo (Laoban). This week he joined the TDN Writers' Room to share his story.

Heading into the GII Rebel S. a lot of people may not have known the name Ricky Courville. That's the way it is when you're a small-time trainer based in Louisiana who, going into the Rebel, had never had a graded stakes winner, let alone one in a $1-million race. They know who he is now. Courville pulled off the upset of the year when winning the Rebel with 75-1 shot Un Ojo (Laoban), a one-eyed horse who now has enough points to make it into the field for the...

This week, 296 days after the race was run, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission ruled on the case of the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby, officially disqualifying winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) and elevating Mandaloun (Into Mischief) into first place. Additionally, the KHRC suspended trainer Bob Baffert for 90 days and Baffert's legal team quickly promised appeals to an administrative law judge. Bob Heleringer, a lawyer, law professor and the author of "Equine Regulatory Law", joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Tuesday as the Green Group Guest of the Week...

Trainer Brian Lynch joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss recent GIII Sam. F. Davis winner Classic Causeway and his journey on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper's Classic Causeway stamped himself as a major GI Kentucky Derby contender Saturday when convincingly taking the GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Brian Lynch, and Tuesday, Lynch joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland. Sitting down with Joe Bianca and Bill Finley as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Lynch talked about his colt--one of the final horses by late superstar sire Giant's Causeway--provided updates on other top horses in his barn, reminisced about his time spent...

The undefeated sensation Flightline (Tapit), last seen thumping his rivals in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. at Santa Anita Dec. 26, may return to the races sooner than later and one possible spot where he could have his next start is the seven-furlong GI Churchill Downs S. May 7, the day of the GI Kentucky Derby. Appearing on this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast, trainer John Sadler said he did not think the injury suffered by the 'TDN Rising Star' would keep him sidelined for long. Sadler announced last week...

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Tuesday fresh off of a pair of seven-figure wins at Gulfstream and amid one of the hottest streaks of his training life. Sitting down with Joe Bianca, Bill Finley and Jon Green as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Pletcher talked about Life Is Good's dazzling win in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and what's next for the superstar son of Into Mischief, a planned Dubai trip for MGISW turfer Colonel Liam (Liam's...

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss superstar Life Is Good and his top three-year-old trainees.

It was an eventful few months for three-time Eclipse champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Shortly after scoring a hat trick of victories at the Breeders' Cup, Ortiz was suspended 30 days for careless riding at Aqueduct. Upon his return, the 29-year-old picked up where he left off at Gulfstream, piloting winners left and right and over the weekend, added two more seven-figure Grade I wins to his trophy collection with victories in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. on back-to-back winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) and Pegasus World Cup...

Red hot jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss superstar Life Is Good, plus recent suspensions and rise to the top of the game.