Thu, 05/21/2026 - 09:57

Monmouth postpones Cliff Hanger, Miss Liberty to May 30 due to 'inclement weather'

Nikki Sherman / EQUI-PHOTO
Monmouth will run the Cliff Hanger and Miss Liberty on the May 30 card with inclement weather expected this weekend.

Monmouth Park will postpone two $100,000 turf stakes this weekend because of “inclement weather.” The Cliff Hanger Stakes and Miss Liberty Stakes, which were scheduled to run on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, will instead be run on Saturday, May 30, alongside the $100,000 Jersey Derby.

The track drew its Saturday card before it made the announcement regarding poor weather conditions, leaving the Cliff Hanger off the card. Both stakes are set at 1 1/16 miles, with the Cliff Hanger running with 3-year-olds and up and the Miss Liberty featuring fillies and mares.

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 15:07

Hernandez closing in on 3,000 wins

Barbara D. Livingston
Juan Hernandez has six mounts on Monday, including all three graded stakes.

Jockey Juan Hernandez begins the four-day Santa Anita racing week on Friday with five mounts on the nine-race program. Five is a convenient figure for Hernandez, the precise number of wins he needs to record his 3,000th victory in the United States.

“Let’s do it on Friday,” he said on Wednesday morning. “Why wait until Saturday?”

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 14:45

Water leak washes out this week's racing at Charles Town

Coady Media
Charles Town is likely to resume racing on May 28.

Charles Town will cancel all three days of live racing this week, from Thursday to Saturday, due to “a water line leak near the main track.” Racing is expected to resume on Thursday, May 28, while plans are currently being made to potentially reschedule the canceled race dates.

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 13:21

Baffert still pondering next starts for stable stars

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Bob Baffert said Splendora, the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner, will start next in the Shawnee at Churchill Downs.

Bob Baffert has a bunch of talented horses who have posted May workouts at Churchill Downs. It’s just that Baffert either doesn’t yet know or isn’t willing to publicly state where many of them will next race.

The $3 million auction horse Brant might or might not run in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens next month at Saratoga. Crude Velocity, brilliant winner of the Pat Day Mile last out, could run in the Stephens or try two turns in the Matt Winn at Churchill.

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 13:16

Wilkes planning to run Burnham Square in Chorleywood next

Coady Media
After easily winning the Louisville, Burnham Square is likely to start next in the Chorleywood at Churchill Downs.

Burnham Square appears to be in great shape following his easy win in the Louisville Stakes on Saturday night at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old gelding now has put up triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures winning the first two 1 1/2-mile grass races of his career – the Elkhorn at Keeneland preceded the Louisville – by 14 1/2 combined lengths.

For an encore, trainer Ian Wilkes plans to run this blossoming grass star June 13 at Churchill in the $225,000 Chorleywood, a listed race over 1 3/8 miles on grass.

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 13:12

Meaning has first work since Oaks; sets sights on revenge in Acorn

Barbara D. Livingston
Meaning, second in the Kentucky Oaks, will likely meet Oaks winner Always a Runner in the Acorn at Saratoga.

After a half-mile workout May 16 at Churchill Downs, the 3-year-old filly Meaning probably is bound for Saratoga for the Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn on June 5.

Meaning’s drill, officially listed as 48.40, marked her first breeze since a second-place finish May 1 in the Kentucky Oaks.

“We’ve got a circle around the Acorn – that’s what we’re thinking,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “Seems like she bounced out of the Oaks well, and she’s been an easy horse to read all along.”

Meaning won the Santa Anita Oaks on April 4 and trained fabulously into the Kentucky Oaks.

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 13:05

Brion well-stocked for Fair Hill Turf Showcase

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Keri Brion has a combined 14 starters across the two cards Sunday and Monday.

Live racing in Maryland will shift away from Laurel Park to the Fair Hill Turf Showcase on Sunday and Monday. The newly renovated racecourse at the Fair Hill Training Center will host its second event since reopening, offering an eight-race flat racing card on Sunday and a nine-race steeplechase card on Monday.

It’s hard to argue that anyone is taking better advantage of the move to Fair Hill than trainer Keri Brion, who has been waiting for racing there for years. She and many others were forced to sit through the pandemic and a lengthy renovation process going back to 2019.

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 11:08

Meet opens with Quarter Horse trials after absorbing entire Ruidoso season

Coady Media
The Friday and Saturday programs consist of 13 350-yard trials for the Ruidoso Futurity, which will be run on June 7.

For the third consecutive year, the Downs at Albuquerque will host the Ruidoso Downs race meeting in New Mexico that begins on Friday. Unlike in 2024 or last year, when only part of the Ruidoso Downs meeting was held in Albuquerque, the entirety of this year’s season will be conducted at the northern New Mexico venue.

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 10:39

Independence Rise re-routed to Iowa Derby

Coady Media
Independence Rise easily scores in the Turf Paradise Derby.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Independence Rise, who was a dominant winner of the Turf Paradise Derby, could make his next start in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows, according to his trainer, Robertino Diodoro.

Independence Rise is now based at Lone Star Park. He had been working toward an intended start in the Texas Derby, which will be run Monday,

Wed, 05/20/2026 - 10:35

The Hell We Did heads to Lone Star

Barbara D. Livingston
The Hell We Did finished seventh in the Preakness for trainer David Fincher.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – The Hell We Did, the Grade 3 Lexington runner-up who finished seventh of 14 in the Preakness Stakes, is scheduled to arrive at Lone Star Park on Thursday, according to trainer Todd Fincher.

Fincher has a division of horses at Lone Star.

He said the The Hell We Did emerged from the Preakness in excellent condition and that plans for his next start are to be determined. The Hell We Did is a half-brother to $12 million earner Senor Buscador.