The road to the Kentucky Derby is nearly at an end, and with it our Kentucky Derby charity league. John Perotti has taken a commanding lead, but remember that the points in our league go to the top 5 Derby finishers (300-120-60-30-15), leaving plenty of participants in striking distance. Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now takes…
The International Conference for the Health, Safety, and Welfare of Jockeys held at Monmouth Park last September lived up to its name, and featured presentations about racing in England, Ireland, France, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Germany, Uruguay, and the United States. The program highlighted one of the major differences between the U.S. and many international…
Few images at a racetrack still a crowd like the sight of a jockey down on the track, and few elicit heartier cheers than seeing him get up on his own. Seemingly indestructible, these athletes are often called the bravest in sports, perched atop a speeding animal that outweighs them by a factor of ten.…
Keeneland: The Grade I, $750,000 Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles #1 Asserting Bear: One of the longer shots in the field has some ground to make up on a few of these who beat him when he was fourth in the GIII Spiral at Turfway Park last month and looks a bit out of…
California Chrome’s win in the Santa Anita Derby last weekend solidified John Perotti’s spot at the top of our Derby charity league standings; Adam Wiener, one of only two players with Wicked Strong in his stable, made a strong late run to move into second place. This weekend offers 340 points to both horses and…
As reported by Daily Racing Form’s David Grening, Eric Wing announced last week that he would be leaving NYRA at the end of the current Aqueduct meet, putting the organization in need of a new director of communications and media relations. Posted on the NYRA website, the qualifications for the position are: 10+ years of strategic…
When Wicked Strong entered the starting gate for the Wood Memorial on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack, he was racing for more than the chance to run in the Kentucky Derby. The 3-year-old colt is owned by Centennial Farms, whose president Don Little hails from Boston. Last year, when it was time to name the colt…
The New York racing calendar is full of races named for the men instrumental in bringing the sport to life in our state. The roles in racing history of Belmont and Travers, Jerome and Dwyer are well documented, and these men leave an easy-to-follow trail for contemporary race fans to follow. Not so Mr. Eugene…
Several of our contestants made a huge move last weekend in the Derby preps, and I’m not even talking about the horses. Sure, Constitution went from zero to 100 in winning the Florida Derby and earning a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, but some of our charity league players were equally impressive, notably…
Santa Anita: The Grade I, $1 million Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles, by Brian Nadeau #1 Rprettyboyfloyd: One of two maidens in the field has been beaten in photo finishes in each of his last two starts and steps way up in the Great Race Place’s premier event. Son of Bluegrass Cat was third…
Brooklyn Backstretch 