The West Virginia Legislature has passed a bill legalizing fixed-odds wagering on horse and greyhound races, becoming the third state to authorize the practice. 

According to legislative records, the bill passed out of the State Senate on Saturday after being amended on Friday in the House. Under the bill, West Virginia racetracks will be able to offer fixed-odds betting on their races with the consent of groups representing trainers and owners. Five percent of the “adjusted gross” revenue from the betting will go towards purses at the tracks. 

Extra Anejo having finally won his first stakes race, the Grade 3 Commonwealth on April 8 at Keeneland, he’ll try to win another next month at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Extra Anejo, off his 1 1/2-length tally in the seven-furlong Commonwealth, will be pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Churchill Downs Stakes on May 3. Another good showing there could lead to the $1 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 5 at Saratoga.

Weep not for Chad Brown, a multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer whose starters, dating to his career debut in 2007, have earned nearly $310 million in purses, and who, barring the unforeseen, has many good years still ahead of him. Nor is it necessary to shed a tear for John Stewart’s Resolute Racing. Stewart, a private equity baron, owns more than 200 Thoroughbreds.

Jockey Forest Boyce was transported to a medical center after she was thrown from a horse during the post parade of the first race at Laurel Park on Sunday.

Tests revealed no severe injuries.

Boyce was riding 3-year-old gelding Z Bogdan during the post parade of the first race when the first-time starter reared up and fell on top of her before running off loose around the track. Medical staff tended to Boyce while outriders worked to contain Z Bogdan, leading to a slight delay.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna appears to be sitting on another exceptional season after taking down the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap on Saturday at Oaklawn Park in just her second start at 4.

“She came out of it great,” trainer Kenny McPeek said Sunday. “I’m working on getting her to Kentucky. She’ll probably leave tomorrow.”

Thorpedo Anna went 6 for 7 last year at 3 to earn Horse of the Year honors. Her campaign included five Grade 1 wins – including the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff.  

Justifreak makes his 2025 debut in a Wednesday allowance at Keeneland a little more than a year after surviving a horrific van accident that killed several stablemates.

But he'll be returning to the races as a winner.

“He worked really good here this morning,” trainer Eddie Kenneally said on Saturday. “We’re real happy with him. He’s training great.”

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan is scheduled to make his next start in the $200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes at Oaklawn Park after turning in a sharp work Sunday morning, trainer Kenny McPeek said.

The Lake Ouachita is a 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up and will be run on Kentucky Derby Day, May 3. It’s the final card of the meet at Oaklawn. Last year, Mystik Dan spent the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, winning the Kentucky Derby for McPeek and an ownership group based in Arkansas.

ARCADIA, Calif. – California-based Baeza is not in the Kentucky Derby field yet, but he is getting close. Saturday morning at Santa Anita, trainer John Shirreffs outlined plans to train Baeza toward the Run for the Roses.

Baeza earned 37.5 Derby points finishing second to Journalism on April 5 in the five-runner Santa Anita Derby. It’s not enough to make the Kentucky Derby field. At least not yet. As of April 12, Baeza ranks 24th on the Derby points list. Only 20 can start. Shirreffs prefers not shipping to Kentucky if Baeza is on the also-eligible list.

Led by Louisiana Derby winner Tiztastic at Churchill Downs, four Kentucky Derby hopefuls turned in breezes around Kentucky on Saturday morning, with three weeks until their big engagement.

Flood Zone, the winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in March who finished seventh in the U.A.E. Derby on April 5, will not run in the Kentucky Derby, according to Case Clay, the U.S. racing manager for the Wathnan Racing operation of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. 

“He ran uncharacteristically flat compared to his first three races,” Clay said Friday night. “It would be too tall an order to come back here after running flat to go in the Kentucky Derby. Had he hit the board and ran well, closed well, we would have considered it.”