Kentucky Derby weekend is as good as it gets for horseplayers. Kentucky Oaks Day on Friday May 5th kicks things off with a 13 race card featuring six graded stakes including the Grade 1, $1 Million Kentucky Oaks. On Derby Day itself, Saturday May 6th, Churchill Downs plays host to 14 races, including 7 stakes races, a $1 million Guaranteed Pick-6 pool and of course, the $2 Million Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.… Continue reading
Virginia-bred horses continued an Easter weekend streak that saw victories every day at tracks around the county, all the way through April 22nd.
Virginia-bred Just Call Kenny scored a 1 1/4 length victory April 21st in a $47,000 allowance optional claiming race at Laurel. Bred by Althea Richards, the 6 year old Jump Start horse won by 1 1/4 lengths over Double Whammy after coming three wide in the turn. The winner pushed pushed in ’17 bankroll… Continue reading
Virginia wagering figures on horse racing have been tabulated for the month of March 2017 and the first quarter itself, and handle placed via the four partner Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) sites continues to rise.
TVG, which handled $2,724,759 in bets from Virginians last month, continues to lead the way in activity. TwinSpires and XPressBet though, each had their best month of the first quarter, handling $2,093,806 and $1,135,952 respectively.… Continue reading
Virginia-breds had a solid Easter weekend, bagging five wins over Saturday and Sunday then for an encore, collected additional wins the immediate Monday and Tuesday after.
Horses bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin reached the winners circle three times in that span — Lovin d’Cause, Talk Less and the hot American Dubai. The wins came respectively at Mountaineer, Mahoning Valley and Sunland Park. The first two broke their maidens while the… Continue reading
American Dubai was on the Derby trail early in 2016 and has blossomed at the current Sunland Park meet as a 4 year old. Bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, the E Dubai colt has won 4 straight at Sunland including the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap Easter weekend. Here’s the recap from the Daily Racing Form.
American Dubai won his fourth consecutive race Sunday when he darted home by four lengths over Neck ‘n Neck in the… Continue reading
Stellar Wind and Victor Espinoza, left, hold off Beholder and Gary Stevens to win the Grade I $300,000 Zenyatta Stakes Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016 at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA.
©Benoit Photo
Oaklawn Park’s Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) has been an ideal springboard for West Coast-based fillies and mares for some time—think two-time winner Zenyatta and three-time winner Azeri. The 2017 running of the 1 1/16-mile race April 14 in Hot Springs, Ark., puts another California-based champion in the… Continue reading
A day after the 2017 Santa Anita Derby (G1), the race’s 2015 winner officially ended his racing career.
Dortmund, who won the Santa Anita Derby with a relentless effort two years ago, has been retired, owner Kaleem Shah said April 9.
“He’s been so good to us,” Shah said. “It’s time to take care of him.”
After his determined victory in the Santa Anita Derby, the massive chestnut son of Big Brown rolled into the Kentucky Derby… Continue reading
