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Trackside: 2024 Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at Ellis Park
TwinSpires races to the track this weekend to bring you exclusive content surrounding this week's Kentucky Down Preview Weekend at Ellis Park.
Expert Picks
Faded Glory: Forgotten Kentucky Derby Winners (Jet Pilot, 1947)
In a year sandwiched between Triple Crown winners, Jet Pilot capitalized on his good fortune and brought home a rosy victory for his famous owner and Hall of Fame trainer.
History
Breeders’ Cup WAYI Sussex among key clashes at Glorious Goodwood
Wednesday’s Sussex (G1) is the lone Breeders’ Cup Challenge event during the five-day festival at Glorious Goodwood, but implications for the championships at Del Mar will abound throughout the week.
International
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem July 29, 2024
Jason discusses the announcements and results ahead of this year's Travers S. (G1) and why we like horses to try new things.
Features
TwinSpires annual series continues with five freshman sires to watch in 2024
For the fourth consecutive year, the stable of writers at TwinSpires will offer thoughts and analysis on five of the most compelling freshman sires whose offspring hit the track for the first time this year.
Pedigree
Thousand Words states his claim as a top freshman stallion
A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but first-crop sire Thousands Words is worth a whole lot more to Spendthrift Farm, where he retired to stud in 2021 following a successful nine-race career.
Pedigree
How champion three-year-old campaigns have changed over time
Every year, a champion three-year-old male is crowned. But in the decades since the creation of the Eclipse Awards in 1971, the typical campaign for these champions has changed significantly.
Analysis
Complexity dashes to early lead among 2024 first-crop sires
As a hotshot debut winner at Saratoga and hero of the 2018 Champagne (G1), Complexity had the right profile to make a splash with his first-crop two-year-olds.
Pedigree
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem July 22, 2024
Jason discusses this past weekend's Haskell (G1) at Monmouth and the surprises it brought.
Features
Coming to You Live: A History of Broadcasting the Kentucky Derby
The 150 years of the Kentucky Derby have seen this famous test follow the evolution of media, where this racing experience has gone from words on a page to images on our screens, creating a day at the races unlike any other.
Education
2024 Haskell Weekend Coverage: Odds, Breaking News, Analysis, Expert Picks, and More | July 20, 2024
Prepare for a busy Saturday of stakes racing as we travel between Del Mar, Woodbine, Saratoga, Colonial Downs, and of course Monmouth for Haskell Stakes weekend. Find out expert analysis, picks, upcoming events, results, replays, and more! Check out our schedule below so you don't miss a thing!
Live
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Jul. 18, 2024
In today's Thursday Thoughts, Jason looks at his exposure to steeplechase racing since coming to Colonial Downs.
Features
5 technological advancements propelling horse racing forward
Technology advances at a dizzying pace, influencing seemingly every aspect of life. Even a sport as old as Thoroughbred horse racing is changing with the times.
Aftercare
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem July 15, 2024
Jason looks back at the Diana (G1) from Saratoga and more from the weekend in his Monday Morning Message.
Features
Tall Tales of the Track, Kentucky Derby Edition: Taking a (Long) Shot at Roses
Though the early list for the 1972 Kentucky Derby featured names like Riva Ridge and No Le Hace, as the race grew closer, a maiden named One Eyed Tom grew closer to making his owner’s Derby dreams come true. However, to make his shot at rosy glory a reality, the gelding needed to pass one very important test: the gate test.
History
Sprint great Groovy deserving of a Hall of Fame nod
Groovy, arguably the most significant Texas-bred since the days of King Ranch, was a powerhouse. When he was allowed to specialize at what he did best, that is.
History
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem July 8, 2024
Jason discusses another big win from Next and why he's the coolest horse in training.
Features
Faded Glory: Forgotten Kentucky Derby Winners (Gallahadion, 1940)
Bimelech entered the year as Colonel E.R. Bradley’s best hope for a fifth Derby win, his undefeated record making a win on the first Saturday in May a veritable certainty. In the wings waited a surprise for the overwhelming favorite, Gallahadion, an unheralded contender who would deliver a sweet victory for a familiar name.
Kentucky Derby
Breeders’ Cup betting handle keeps growing through the years
The Breeders’ Cup has ranked among the most important events in horse racing since its inaugural running in 1984. It’s also one of the biggest betting days.
Breeders Cup
Tournament Strategy: Interview with Mike VanRyckeghem, winner of Twinspires $2,500 NHC Qualifier Feeder #5
After seven feeder tournaments offering $2,500 each this past fall, the day has finally come for NHC seats to be on the line in the Twinspires $5,000 NHC Qualifier.
Tournaments
Top 10 takeaways from Royal Ascot 2024
How do you distill five fantastic days of racing, at a sun-baked Royal Ascot? Very subjectively! Here are my main impressions from the week:
Royal Ascot
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem June 24, 2024
Jason looks back at some of the top stories from the weekend in his Monday Morning Message.
Features
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Jun. 20, 2024
We all have those mediocre horses that we loved when we were young. Jason writes about a couple of his.
Features
Free 2024 Royal Ascot Betting Guide: Picks, Analysis, Tips, and Trends
Find out everything you need to know for betting the five-day Royal Ascot meeting beginning on Tuesday, June 18! Download our FREE 2024 Royal Ascot Betting Guide.
Royal Ascot
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem June 17, 2024
Jason discusses Father's Day and horse racing, and their intersection.
Features
A Battle of Titans: The 1917 Brooklyn Handicap
On June 25, 1917, another memorable clash played out at old Aqueduct Racetrack, as three Kentucky Derby winners and three Hall of Famers made that dirt oval their arena in a historic battle of titans. In this epic saga, the finale yields a surprising twist as these superstars play off each other over nine furlongs on the Gotham stage.
History
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Jun. 13, 2024
Jason shares some memories of Golden Gate Fields and its recent closing.
Features
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem June 10, 2024
Jason looks back at the end of the Triple Crown season as the Belmont Stakes is now in the books.
Features
2024 Belmont Stakes horses: trainers, jockeys, owners competing in the race
Discover everything you need to know about the trainers, jockeys, and owners competing in the 2024 Belmont Stakes.
Belmont Stakes
2024 Belmont Stakes odds, betting strategy, cheat sheet
TwinSpires brings together our expert racing analysts to provide authoritative insight and analysis to form the best bets for the 2024 Belmont Stakes.
Belmont Stakes
2024 Belmont Stakes Picks: Predictions and Odds for All Horses
The 156th Belmont Stakes will soon add the last jewel to the Triple Crown. The field is packed with familiar talent, with many of the 2024 Belmont Stakes contenders coming fresh out of the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, or the Preakness (G1) at Pimlico.
Belmont Stakes
2024 Belmont Stakes: Weather forecast, chance of rain for the day of the race
Weather predictions are an important aspect to consider when handicapping any race. Stay up-to-date with the race day's weather.
Belmont Stakes
Tall Tales of the Track, Kentucky Derby Edition: Watch Out!
The maiden colt Great Redeemer became a part of Derby history thanks to his unconventional connections and inauspicious Run for the Roses, including a close call of the photographic kind.
Kentucky Derby
Jason Beem's Thursday Column for June 6, 2024
Jason looks back at the 20th anniversary of Smarty Jones' 2024 Triple Crown bid and gives his picks for this year's race.
Belmont Stakes
Free 2024 Belmont Stakes Betting Guide: Picks, Analysis, Tips, and Trends
Find out everything you need to know for betting the Belmont Stakes on Saturday! Download our FREE 2024 Belmont Stakes Betting Guide.
Belmont Stakes
Stats and storylines for the 2024 Belmont Stakes
The 2024 Triple Crown concludes with a bang at Saratoga this Saturday. The 156th Belmont S. (G1), the final leg of the three-race series, has drawn a strong field of 10 horses.
Triple Crown
Faded Glory: Forgotten Kentucky Derby Winners (Lawrin, 1938)
While the majority of the 150 winners of the Kentucky Derby were born in the Bluegrass State, 14 other states boast Derby victors of their own, with seven producing one each. New York has Funny Cide, Maryland gave us Kauai King, and in 1938, Kansas got its lone victory with a colt named Lawrin.
Features
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem May 30, 2024
Jason shares some thoughts on the Saturday Early Pick 5 at Churchill Downs and the discusses the topic of the "default two deep leg" in multi-leg wagers.
Features
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem May 23, 2024
In this week's Thursday Thoughts column Jason opines on the Preakness (G1), Ghostzapper, new racecallers, and more!
Features
Who is Preakness-winning jockey Jaime Torres?
“Can you guys imagine when you are watching a movie and you have this horse, like it's the main character in the movie and you see the last race and he wins and you feel that emotion..."
Preakness Stakes
Double the Joy: Trainer/Jockey Duos Who Won Roses and Lilies
The 150th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby were memorable for more than the milestone anniversaries for both classics. When Thorpedo Anna took the Oaks and then Mystik Dan eked out a Derby victory, they gave Kenny McPeek and Brian Hernandez, Jr. a rare double victory, just the third trainer/jockey combo to win both races in the same year. The previous pairs include multiple Hall of Famers, each leaving their mark on the sport through their achievements under the Twin Spires.
Kentucky Derby
2024 Preakness Stakes Coverage; Breaking News, Odds, Analysis, Expert Picks | May 18, 2024
TwinSpires will be here LIVE starting at 10:30 AM EST giving you the latest race entries, replays, odds, and more for the second leg of the Triple Crown!
Live
Meet the jockeys and trainers of Preakness 149
Following the scratch of Muth, eight horses are slated to contest the 2024 Preakness (G1) at Pimlico. Seven trainers and eight jockeys will help those horses run to their full potential in the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Triple Crown
Top 5 storylines for 2024 Preakness Stakes
The scratch of morning line favorite Muth dominated the headlines on Wednesday of Preakness Week. Moreover, it removed a pivotal talking point: would Muth confirm the form of his Arkansas Derby (G1) victory over next-out Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Mystik Dan?
Preakness Stakes
2024 Preakness Stakes Latest News and Notes
The 149th running of the Preakness S. is quickly upon us. Our Preakness News and Notes offers all our coverage in one place to act as the ultimate guide to aid in your betting experience.
Preakness Stakes
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem May 16, 2024
Jason discusses the Preakness (G1), how it changes with Muth scratched, and more!
Features
Tall Tales of the Track, Kentucky Derby Edition: Close Encounters of Unlucky Kind
Sometimes the difference between winning and losing is nothing more than a bit of bad luck, as jockey Charley Kurtsinger discovered in the 1936 Kentucky Derby.
Features
Faded Glory: Forgotten Kentucky Derby Winners (Whiskery, 1927)
The history of the Kentucky Derby is rich with names that have left their mark on this classic race: Bradley, Woodward, Chenery, and Whitney, owners who all celebrated more than one victory of their own. The Whitney family’s connection to the Run for the Roses spans more than a century with four wins from their long list of starters.
Kentucky Derby
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem May 6, 2024
Jason looks back at the success of the Kentucky Derby weekend and how important it is to build off of that.
Features
2024 Kentucky Derby winner: Mystik Dan (18-1) wins the 150th Kentucky Derby
In the closest Kentucky Derby (G1) finish in more than a quarter-century, Mystik Dan surged up the rail and turned back late challenges to win the 150th edition of the historic race by a nose.
Kentucky Derby
Storylines to watch for 2024 Kentucky Derby
The 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) promises to be a vintage renewal, befitting the special historical occasion.
Kentucky Derby
Top 10 Most Successful Trainers in Kentucky Derby History
Based on overall number of victories, as well as second- and third-place finishes, here are the 10 most successful trainers in Kentucky Derby history.
Kentucky Derby
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem May 2, 2024
Jason gives his final thoughts and picks for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1).
Kentucky Derby
Jockeys and weight in the Kentucky Derby
Being the most identifiable human participants on average in Thoroughbred racing, jockeys will be a major focus in this week’s 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby
How has the winning time of the Kentucky Derby changed over time?
Below we explore how the average winning Kentucky Derby time has transformed over history.
Kentucky Derby
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem April 29, 2024
Jason looks ahead to this week's Derby festivities and looks back at some of his Derby memories.
Features
The 10 best Kentucky Derby winners of all time
The greatest Kentucky Derby winners didn’t just run the race of their lives as three-year-olds on the first Saturday in May. They built resumes, often as older horses, that stand the test of time.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Mugatu
After finishing fourth in the John Battaglia Memorial S. and fifth in the Blue Grass (G1) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Mugatu enters the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) as the second also-eligible entrant in an overflow field of 22 horses.
Pedigree
The human and the horse
As the 150th Kentucky Derby approaches, we want to honor the beautiful connection that occurs between the horse and the human that cares for them.
Aftercare
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Apr. 25, 2024
Jason shares some Thursday Thoughts on Keeneland's meet wrapping up, Churchill's getting underway, and more!
Features
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Epic Ride
Which racing surface is best for Epic Ride? And can he handle the Kentucky Derby’s testing 1 1/4-mile distance? His pedigree hints at the answers.
Pedigree
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem April 22, 2024
Jason looks back at the weekend including the Illinois Derby win for Patriot Spirit and that horse's journey through his racing career.
Features
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Common Defense
Top-five finishers in the Louisiana Derby (G2), Rebel (G2), and Southwest (G3) have launched Common Defense into the Kentucky Derby (G1) picture, even though his pedigree is geared toward success on turf more than dirt.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Grand Mo the First
A glance at the pedigree of Kentucky Derby (G1) contender Grand Mo the First reveals the source of his multi-surface versatility.
Pedigree
Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Apr. 18, 2024
Jason discusses racing fans who came to the sport during the pandemic and the excitement of marketing to people who are new in the game.
Features
150 years of Kentucky Derby winners: 1975-2023
Kentucky Derby 150 is just around the corner! Celebrate by exploring the rich history of Derby winners and Kentucky Derby Results.
Kentucky Derby
150 years of Kentucky Derby Winners: 1925-1974
Kentucky Derby 150 is just around the corner! Celebrate by exploring the rich history of Derby winners and Kentucky Derby Results.
Kentucky Derby
150 years of Kentucky Derby winners throughout the years: 1875-1924
Kentucky Derby 150 is just around the corner! Celebrate by exploring the rich history of Derby winners and Kentucky Derby Results.
Kentucky Derby
The Big Payoff: Donerail’s Derby
In 1913, Donerail became the talk of the town and the nation with his surprise Derby win, establishing a record that may never be broken.
Features
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem April 15, 2024
Jason looks back at the Masters tournament and discusses how sports traditions get formed as well as how do we keep people who watch just these big events to stay as year-round fans?
Features
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Just Steel
Just Steel is a capable competitor on dirt, but that’s arguably in defiance of his bloodlines. A glance at his pedigree suggests turf might be his best surface.
Pedigree
The 10 Richest Races in the World
A countdown of the 10 richest races in the world, as of November 2022.
Breeders Cup
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Just a Touch
One of the most beautifully bred horses in the prospective 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) field is Just a Touch, the lightly raced runner-up in the Blue Grass (G1) and Gotham (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Society Man
Running long is a strong suit for Society Man, runner-up in the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial (G2) and a maiden winner over the same distance. Stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the Kentucky Derby (G1) should fit the chestnut gelding just fine.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Catalytic
It’s difficult to say based off Catalytic’s racing record and pedigree whether the Kentucky Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance is within his wheelhouse.
Pedigree
Tall Tales of the Track, Kentucky Derby Edition: A Question of Calks
Blue Larkspur had what it takes to win the 1929 Kentucky Derby – speed, power, and tactical talent – yet met defeat for one surprising reason: calks.
Kentucky Derby
How betting longshots exiting deep races can reap rewards
It's not uncommon to analyze the entries for a horse race and see multiple runners coming out of a common previous race. If the previous race was a deep and classy contest, consider the possibility the horses exiting that race will sweep the top two or three finishing positions in the race you're currently handicapping.
Analysis
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem April 8, 2024
Jason looks back at the Derby preps from the weekend and a huge day for jockey Frankie Dettori.
Features
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Resilience
Pedigree handicappers are aware of Resilience’s Kentucky Derby (G1) potential. After all, his pedigree is packed with speed, stamina, class, and—most importantly—Kentucky Derby winners.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby International Scouting Report: T O Password
Japan Road invitee T O Password brings a 2-for-2 record into Churchill Downs, but he’s yet to race at anywhere near the level of compatriot Forever Young.
Kentucky Derby
Faded Glory: Forgotten Kentucky Derby Winners (Omar Khayyam, 1917)
The list of Kentucky Derby victors currently stands at 149 names long, a roster of horses famed and forgotten, each with a story of their own. In its fifth decade, the historic equine contest emerged from its lean years with new vigor, ignited by a filly, a longshot, and in 1917, another first for America’s signature race: an international victor.
Features
Kentucky Derby International Scouting Report: Forever Young
Forever Young is arguably Japan’s best chance so far in the Kentucky Derby (G1), not just because he’s undefeated, and trained by a master horseman in Yoshito Yahagi.
Kentucky Derby
Horses: $122 Billion annually to the US Economy
For many Americans, Kentucky Derby day is the one big day when they take an interest in horse racing. In the popular mindset, all roads lead to the first Saturday in May at Louisville. But as spectacular as that one day is, it’s merely the high point of a multi-billion dollar industry that employs thousands of people.
Belmont Stakes
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Catching Freedom
A perfect pedigree doesn’t guarantee success in the Kentucky Derby (G1), but it doesn’t hurt. And any way you slice it, Catching Freedom is bred to excel in the Derby.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: West Saratoga
It’s only fitting that Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up West Saratoga won the one-mile Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, the first leg of the 2023-24 Road to the Kentucky Derby. The gray colt is bred top and bottom for success in the spring classics.
Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Liberal Arts
Does Liberal Arts have the pedigree to shine racing 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May? At least at first glance, his pedigree gives off mixed signals.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Uncle Heavy
A decade after Social Inclusion set the world abuzz as a possible Kentucky Derby (G1) contender, his son Uncle Heavy is embarking down the same path.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Mystik Dan
Does Mystik Dan have the pedigree to stretch out over 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby (G1)? That’s an important question Derby handicappers must ponder.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Hades
How far can Hades run? Does he have the stamina to shine over 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby (G1), or will shorter journeys prove more favorable?
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Stronghold
The Kentucky Derby (G1) looms on the horizon for Stronghold, but does he have the pedigree to shine racing 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May? That’s a tricky question that requires a nuanced answer.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Otto the Conqueror
Otto the Conqueror showed unwavering tenacity to win the Remington Springboard Mile at Remington Park by three-quarters of a length, in the process joining the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Sierra Leone
Racing 1 1/8 miles is no obstacle for Sierra Leone, winner of the Blue Grass (G1) and Risen Star (G2) and runner-up in the Remsen (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Neither should the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby (G1) prove problematic for the beautifully bred colt.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: No More Time
A gate-to-wire victory in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs launched No More Time into the picture as a 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Domestic Product
The pedigree of Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Domestic Product suggests the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby (G1) might be a furlong farther than his best.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Encino
Encino is bred top and bottom to shine on dirt, which bodes well for his chances of factoring in the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Deterministic
A seven-month layoff couldn’t stop Deterministic from joining the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a win in the one-mile Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct. But can Deterministic stretch out over 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby (G1)?
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Endlessly
Endlessly has been a force to reckon with on turf and synthetic, but he's never run on dirt, the surface over which the Kentucky Derby (G1) is contested.
Pedigree
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: T O Password
A hard-fought head triumph in the Fukuryu S. at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan thrust T O Password into the picture as a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.
Pedigree
POPULAR ARTICLES
Faded Glory: Forgotten Kentucky Derby Winners (Jet Pilot, 1947)
Breeders’ Cup WAYI Sussex among key clashes at Glorious Goodwood
Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem July 29, 2024
TwinSpires annual series continues with five freshman sires to watch in 2024
Thousand Words states his claim as a top freshman stallion
VIDEOS
LATEST