The Arkansas Derby – Oaklawn Park – Grade II – $1,000,000 – 1 1/8 Miles, by Brian Nadeau Captain Cherokee: Wasn’t disgraced in the Rebel and considering that that was his first start against stakes foes, he might be able to build off that run. Still, he meets a deeper cast in here and he’s…
The last big weekend of Derby preps sees the Blue Grass and Arkansas Derby draw deep and competitive fields. Both races figure to send at least a few on to the Derby, so with precious graded stakes earnings up for grabs look for the screws to be tightened on the main contenders. Let’s take a…
As we pulled into Keeneland early Thursday afternoon on a glorious spring day, I was fretting. Having been in the car since dawn, I had dressed for comfort, a wise decision at 6 am, but on the hallowed grounds of Keeneland, perhaps a dubious one. I contemplated my jeans (pretty nice by jeans standards, if…
Reviewing last weekend’s Derby preps, by Brian Nadeau Well, one big weekend down and one to go. The true favorite for the Kentucky Derby has emerged, and judging by I Want Revenge’s performance in the Wood Memorial, it’s going to take a serious horse to beat him. A weird and wacky Santa Anita Derby took…
Thanks to Jim Barber of Capital OTB for writing in regarding Saturday’s NYRA program on MSG+: Producing 2 TV programs at once with the same crew and the same equipment is difficult. You must keep pace with the normal simulcast product as well as keep pace with an hour program that probably had commercials. An…
Saturday marked the maiden voyage of the collaboration between NYRA and the Madison Square Garden network, the first of six scheduled broadcasts devoted to New York stakes racing. Saturday’s show was broadcast on MSG+, as will be this summer’s shows; the channel is available throughout much of New York on regular cable, and nationally on…
It wasn’t even fun while it lasted. Standing near the winner’s circle on Saturday afternoon after the Wood, I watched I Want Revenge’s connections exult; I listened to the crowd cheer; I overheard conversations in which spectators marveled at the colt’s impressive win following a terribly troubled trip. This is a racehorse; this win didn’t…
A friend at Aqueduct on Saturday remarked that the stakes races were like the ghosts of Derby Trails past, with horses like Atoned, Cool Coal Man, and Kodiak Kowboy making appearances on the track. Restricted to three-year-olds, Sunday’s renewal of the Bay Shore featured ghosts of Derby Trails present, Capt. Candyman Can and Taqarub returning…
On Saturday, the hockey and the horse racing gods collaborated to allow fans like me to indulge both of our passions without too much conflict. The Rangers-Bruins game started at 1:00, and barring overtime, would be finished well before the scheduled 4:13 start of the stakes races at Aqueduct. I thus took advantage of the…
The Santa Anita Derby – Grade I – $500,000 – 1 1/8 Miles, by Brian Nadeau Finally the long anticipated meeting between West Coast leaders The Pamplemousse and Pioneerof The Nile, but there are a few others signed on that have thoughts on spoiling the party and making a case for a Derby berth. Let’s…
Brooklyn Backstretch 