Unless you live in the southernmost and westernmost parts of our country, you had a heck of a winter, and you’re glad that in the last few weeks we’ve occasionally been able to string together a few days of above-freezing temperatures. Unless you’re in Saratoga, which is, as I write this at 7:30 am, 30…
Sunland Park: The Grade III, $800,000 Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles, by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now #1 Bourbonize: Price player didn’t fire when last seen in Oaklawn Park’s GIII Southwest when he closed mildly to be a well-beaten sixth in his graded stakes debut, and he’ll no doubt have to improve to factor…
Eighty-five points on the line at Turfway Park, in the race won by Animal Kingdom in 2011 and his stablemate Went the Day Well a year later. Not sure how much effect it will have on our Derby charity league, but we’re back again tomorrow with the Sunland Derby, and Brian will have his analysis…
As the long-time home of various Law & Order series, Chelsea Piers is no stranger to lawyers, at the least the fictional kind. But last week, dozens of real-life attorneys took over the sports complex’s two ice rinks, not to ply their trade, but to lace up their skates in a charity hockey tournament to raise money for Ice…
Before Secretariat, there was Cicada. A decade before Secretariat became the first colt in 25 years to win the Triple Crown, Christopher Chenery (father of Helen) campaigned a filly who was setting her own records. At two, Cicada started 16 times, winning eleven races and never finishing worse than third; among her victories that year…
This weekend’s prep takes us to Arkansas, and the presence of horses like Strong Mandate, Kobe’s Back, and Hoppertunity offer plenty of chances to earn points in our Kentucky Derby charity league. Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now takes his usual thorough look at the race. Oaklawn Park: The Grade II, $600,000 Rebel at 1 1/16…
There is no sound more exciting to the racetrack customer than the trenchant, nasal exclamation of “They’re off!” by Fred Capossela. With this brief expression, the New York track announcer sums up the promise of clamorous jockeys, flailing whips and eager-to-race horses springing from the starting gate. (Tuite) Capossela was NYRA’s track announcer for 37…
Tampa Bay Downs: The Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 1 1/16 miles, by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now #1 Ring Weekend: Motion runner enters off a MSW win in relatively slow time at Gulfstream Park but drew well and seems to be on the improve, so this is a logical next step up…
Derby points on the line in two races this weekend, in California and Florida, so plenty of opportunities to earn points in our Derby fantasy league. The scratch of Bayern doesn’t leave our players with much in the way of action on the West Coast, but the Tampa Bay Derby might spur some movement on…
It’s not often that Aqueduct Racetrack overshadows its classier siblings, but discussions at the meeting of the New York Racing Association Reorganization board of directors March 5 suggested that the future of Thoroughbred racing in the state may well turn on the fate of the track in Ozone Park. Continue reading at BloodHorse.com…
Brooklyn Backstretch 