Thu, 04/25/2024 - 12:30

Todd, Husbands, Vella head 2024 Canadian Hall of Fame inductees

Barbara D. Livingston
Channel Maker, who was the Sovereign-winning 3-year-old male of 2017 and the male turf Eclipse champion in 2020, was elected in the male horse category.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Glen Todd, Patrick Husbands, and Danny Vella are among the 2024 inductees into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Thu, 04/25/2024 - 09:52

Appeals court denies injunction to get Muth into Kentucky Derby

Coady photo
Muth, winning the Arkansas Derby, will now be pointed to the Preakness on May 18.

The Kentucky Court of Appeals has denied a motion for temporary injunction that would have allowed Muth, owned by Amr Zedan, to start in the Kentucky Derby despite a ban on the horse’s trainer, Bob Baffert.

The ruling, issued late on Wednesday, upheld a decision last week by a Circuit Court judge to deny the injunction. Zedan filed his initial lawsuit on April 3, two days after Muth won the Arkansas Derby, in a last-ditch bid to get a court to allow the horse into the Derby field.

Wed, 04/24/2024 - 16:41

Churchill horse racing revenue up, casinos down in first quarter

Revenue from historical horse-racing machines operated by Churchill Downs Inc. in Kentucky and Virginia continued to grow in the first quarter of 2024, while revenue from the company’s traditional casinos in maturing markets stagnated, according to financial documents released by the company on Wednesday.

Wed, 04/24/2024 - 14:35

2024 Kentucky Derby: Forever Young will be needing a different kind of clean trip

Barbara D. Livingston
Forever Young (left) gets in a six-furlong drill over the Churchill track Wednesday. He wears a specially fitted hood in training and races to deal with his dislike of kickback.

When looking beyond the obvious two horses – Fierceness and Sierra Leone – as potential winners of the Kentucky Derby, the Japanese-based Forever Young is top of mind among a lot of handicappers.

This colt’s undefeated record (5 for 5) and the ever-growing success of Japanese horses on the international stage could combine to make Forever Young the third betting choice in Derby 150 run on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Wed, 04/24/2024 - 14:05

2024 Kentucky Derby Clocker: In first U.S. work, Forever Young goes slow six furlongs

Forever Young works at CD April 24 2024
Barbara D. Livingston
Forever Young was timed in 1:19.68 for six furlongs while only asked to run down the stretch. He is expected to have one more work before the Kentucky Derby.

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Wednesday, April 24
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 54
Track: Fast

Wed, 04/24/2024 - 11:20

Kentucky Derby: Who's hot, who's not for April 24, 2024

Barbara D. Livingston
Grand Mo the First became the last horse to get into the Kentucky Derby field after Deterministic was declared out of the race.

WHO’S HOT

Form prevailed in major Kentucky Derby preps this season – 16 of the last 17 graded stakes were won by the first or second favorite. Turnover has been minimal, and the final Derby Watch prior to the Derby draw on Saturday is similar to the first Derby Watch. Eight of the top 12 candidates listed on the Feb. 9 Derby Watch remain on the list; 11 of 20 overall.

Tue, 04/23/2024 - 12:42

2024 Kentucky Derby: Dettori picks up mount on Society Man

Barbara D. Livingston
Frankie Dettori's only previous Derby mount was in 2000, when he rode China Visit to a sixth-place finish.

Frankie Dettori will ride Wood Memorial runner-up Society Man in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Danny Gargan said Tuesday.

This will be Dettori's first Derby mount since 2000, when he rode China Visit to a sixth-place finish in the Run for the Roses.

"I'm excited to have him," Gargan said. "He's riding great. I know it's a race he wants to be in and a race he wants to win."

Dettori typically rides in Europe at this time of year but, after postponing retirement at the end of last year, he moved his tack to America beginning last December.

Tue, 04/23/2024 - 10:37

Kentucky Derby: Churchill presses Kentucky Court of Appeals to deny Zedan request

Benoit Photo
Time is running short on Amr Zedan's legal efforts to get Muth into the Kentucky Derby. All Derby runners must be on the grounds at Churchill by Saturday when entries for the race will be taken.

Churchill Downs Inc. urged the Kentucky Court of Appeals to reject a request for temporary injunction filed by the horse owner Amr Zedan by leaning heavily on a previous ruling in circuit court last week.

Tue, 04/23/2024 - 09:29

Rosario, Gun Runner, Justify top 2024 Racing Hall of Fame inductees

Barbara D. Livingston
Justify becomes racing's 13th Triple Crown champion winning the 2018 Belmont Stakes.

Thoroughbreds Justify and Gun Runner and the jockey Joel Rosario head the nine-member class elected for induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, it was announced Tuesday.

The class of 2024 also includes the longtime Daily Racing Form columnist Joe Hirsch, who, along with Clement L. Hirsch (no relation) and Harry Guggenheim, was chosen for induction by the Pillars of the Turf Committee. Jockey Abe Hawkins and Thoroughbreds Aristides and Lecomte were selected for induction by the Pre-1900 Historic Review Committee.

Mon, 04/22/2024 - 13:45

Kentucky Derby: Prat wants to experience how winning really feels

Susie Raisher
Flavien Prat’s Kentucky Derby mount is the late-running Louisiana Derby winner Catching Freedom.

Flavien Prat has come closer to finishing first in the Kentucky Derby in each of the last three years than he did when he actually won the race in 2019.