Wed, 01/28/2026 - 13:30

Burnham Square back on work tab for turf-focused campaign

Barbara D. Livingston
Blue Grass winner Burnham Square will focus on a turf campaign this year, coming off a runner-up finish in the Nashville Derby.

A year ago at this time, Burnham Square was developing into a Kentucky Derby candidate, winning the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes five weeks after romping to a maiden victory. Burnham Square, who went on to win the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes, made it to the Kentucky Derby but had a tough trip and finished sixth.

As a new class of 3-year-old Kentucky Derby hopefuls will attempt the Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, Burnham Square has started gearing up for a 4-year-old campaign, the focus of which will be turf.

Wed, 01/28/2026 - 13:26

Napoleon Solo nearing return as Summers ponders options

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Chad Summers has a trio of Kentucky Derby prep races as spots for Napoleon Solo's return.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Napoleon Solo, unbeaten in two starts as a 2-year-old including a powerful victory in the Grade 1 Champagne at Aqueduct last October, is working his way toward his 3-year-old debut, which will likely come in the next four to six weeks.

On Wednesday, Napoleon Solo breezed a half-mile in 49.05 seconds at the Palm Meadows training center. It was Napoleon Solo’s third breeze of the year and first beyond three furlongs. Trainer Chad Summers said he caught Napoleon Solo’s last quarter in 24 seconds and had him galloping out six furlongs in 1:16.

Wed, 01/28/2026 - 13:26

Colloquial continues to work toward comeback

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer George Weaver is preparing Lafayette winner Colloquial for return to the races.

Colloquial, unraced since winning the Lafayette Stakes last April at Keeneland, is on the comeback trail.

The lightly raced 4-year-old son of Vekoma worked a half-mile in 51.67 seconds on Jan. 23 at the Palm Beach Downs training center, his third breeze of the year and second at the track.

“He’s doing very well, the time off did him very well,” trainer George Weaver said.

Colloquial was scratched from the Grade 1 Woody Stephens last June at Saratoga after developing lameness in his right foreleg.

Wed, 01/28/2026 - 13:05

Continued frigid weather forces Turfway to cancel Friday and Saturday racing

Danielle Eilerman/Coady Photography
Turfway has not held races since Thursday, Jan. 22, and is now scheduled to resume racing on Feb. 4.

Turfway Park announced Wednesday that it will cancel this Friday and Saturday’s live racing cards due to continued subzero wind-chill temperatures forecast in Florence, Ky. 

Turfway has not held races since Thursday, Jan. 22, and also lost several days of local training due to frigid temperatures and a snowstorm last weekend. The track races on Wednesday-Saturday schedule. Officials announced Tuesday that the Wednesday and Thursday cards were canceled, and then, after continuing to monitor conditions, announced the additional cancellations early Wednesday afternoon.

Tue, 01/27/2026 - 11:49

Keeneland set to debut new interior paddock spaces during spring meet

Keeneland Photo
The new paddock building now encompasses the redesigned main entrance to the track.

Keeneland will debut the interior hospitality spaces in its new paddock building during its upcoming spring meet in April. 

Construction began in January 2024 on Keeneland’s new paddock and walking ring, adjacent paddock building, and administrative building. These $93 million in capital improvements marked the largest project undertaken by Keeneland since it opened for racing in 1936. It was also the first major construction project at the track since the Keeneland Library was built in 2002.

Tue, 01/27/2026 - 10:42

Freezing weather leads Turfway to cancel Wednesday and Thursday cards

Coady Media
Track officials will make a decision on Wednesday regarding Friday and Saturday’s scheduled cards.

Bitterly cold weather that has enveloped Kentucky following a weekend winter storm has prompted Turfway Park to cancel its Wednesday and Thursday cards, with officials continuing to monitor conditions before making a determination on the rest of the week's races.

With snow and ice that accumulated across the state from Saturday through early Monday and hazardous road conditions still remaining, the National Weather Service is now forecasting wind-chill values to not rise above the single digits over the next 48 hours, dipping as low as minus-11 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday.  

Mon, 01/26/2026 - 18:01

Aqueduct cancels racing through Friday due to freezing temperatures

Susie Raisher/NYRA
Temperatures Wednesday through Friday will struggle to get into the low 20s, with wind chills in the single digits.

There will be no live racing at Aqueduct until Saturday, as the New York Racing Association announced Monday afternoon that racing programs scheduled Wednesday through Friday have been canceled due to a forecast that calls for extreme cold temperatures and low wind-chill values.

Coming off frigid temperatures and a Sunday snowstorm that dumped nearly a foot of snow in Queens, N.Y., temperatures Wednesday through Friday will struggle to get into the low 20s, with wind chills in the single digits.

Mon, 01/26/2026 - 14:14

Canaletto impresses in debut

Tom Keyser
Kentucky Oaks runner-up Drexel Hill is pointing to the Grade 3, $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream on Feb. 14.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While entries were being taken for Saturday’s Grade 3, $275,000 Holy Bull Stakes for Kentucky Derby hopefuls, a budding star was unveiled Sunday afternoon on Gulfstream’s main track.

Canaletto, a son of Into Mischief and a half-brother to Sandman, a Grade-1 winning 3-year-old of 2025, romped to an eight-length victory in a one-mile maiden race. Canaletto, from the same connections of Sierra Leone, ran a mile in 1:36.28 under Flavien Prat and earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. Canaletto is trained by Chad Brown.

Mon, 01/26/2026 - 14:09

Holy Bull field will scratch down to seven entrants

Barbara D. Livingston
Buetane will not run in the Holy Bull after his Tuesday flight was canceled due to weather concerns.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Nine 3-year-olds were entered Sunday for Saturday’s Grade 3, $275,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, but the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds is going to lose at least two starters.

Mon, 01/26/2026 - 13:36

Weather could impact Withers field

Susie Raisher/NYRA
Aqueduct is among several tracks that have had to cancel racing and training due to brutally cold weather.

The snow and the brutally cold temperatures that forced raceday cancellations in the Northeast over the weekend have also impacted training, as Aqueduct, Parx, and Laurel have all had to cancel training several mornings.

The loss of training is weighing on the minds of several trainers as they decide whether to enter or run in Saturday’s $200,000 Withers Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct.