Brian’s Derby Preps: The Rebel

Oaklawn Park: The Grade II, $600,000 Rebel at 1 1/16 miles #2 Carve: Lightly raced gelding looked like a new horse last time off the Asmussen claim, when he exploded in deep stretch with the addition of Lasix in an optional claimer to run his career mark to 2-for-2, with both wins coming over the…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The San Felipe

Santa Anita: The Grade II, $300,000 San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles #1 Carving: The first of two from Baffert gets back to conventional dirt after a three-race synthetic campaign that started with a win in Hollywood Park’s Real Quiet in November and ended last month with a meek fourth in the GIII El Camino…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The Tampa Bay Derby

Tampa Bay Downs: The GII, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 1 1/16 miles  #1 Eton Blue: Lightly raced colt chased Saturday’s  heavy favorite Verrazano around one turn in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park last month, but as a son of Giant’s Causeway out of Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town, he should move forward in…

In search of Millenials, Thoroughbred racing meets SXSW

In August of 2011 at its annual Round Table conference in Saratoga Springs, New York, the Jockey Club presented the findings of a McKinsey study it commissioned on the state of Thoroughbred racing in the United States. Titled “Driving sustainable growth for Thoroughbred racing and breeding,” the report focused on a variety of negative indicators…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The Gotham

Aqueduct: The Grade III, $400,000 Gotham at 1 1/16 miles #2 Champion Boy: Maiden actually didn’t run poorly to be fifth in his two-turn debut behind a few of these in the local GIII Withers last month but steps way up again and is up against it. There’s a lot of talent here and he…

For David Wilkenfeld and Vyjack, the year of the horse?

In 1998, David Wilkenfeld—who describes himself as “kind of entrepreneurial”– approached his father about starting a business. His father had been in the garment industry for decades, and the then-40-year-old David suggested that they begin selling dresses on the internet. His father agreed, and with a partner, they started an on-line business. “After a year,”…