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Tipsheet: 2022 Sham Stakes
A compact field of five sophomores will go postward in Saturday’s $100,000 Sham S. (G3) at Santa Anita.
Racing
Tipsheet: 2022 Jerome Stakes
A well-matched field of eight sophomores will travel one mile on the Aqueduct dirt in Saturday’s $150,000 Jerome S.
Racing
Tipsheet: 2022 Smarty Jones Stakes
A huge field of 14 sophomores will go one mile at Oaklawn Park on Saturday in the $250,000 Smarty Jones S.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 29
Several runners from the last two Derbies have raced this week, or will be racing next week.
Racing
Tipsheet: The Gun Runner Stakes
A total of seven juveniles will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt in Saturday’s $100,000 Gun Runner S.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 21
Kentucky Derby and Oaks alumni showed up in force this past weekend, including a winning return for one Oaks contender’s first race since her shot at the lilies. Several more are expected to return just after Christmas, as well, so let’s check in on how these stars are finishing up their 2021!
Racing
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Make It Big
Make It Big has a chance to make it big in the Kentucky Derby (G1). But does he have the pedigree to handle the Derby's testing 1 1/4-mile distance?
Racing
Brisnet Call-in Show with James Scully and Bobby Neuman for Dec. 16
James Scully picks up the reigns to answer your questions and discuss the Thorougbred racing industry, specifically on handicapping and betting angles! Listen to this past weekends' episode from Dec. 16, on demand now!
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 16
With the winter racing meets ramping up and top horses pointing for their winter campaigns, many Kentucky Derby and Oaks alumni are returning to the track. At Aqueduct, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream, and Oaklawn, they are in action, so let’s check in on their plans!
Racing
Tipsheet: The 2021 Springboard Mile S.
Osbourne heads a solid field of nine two-year-old prospects traveling one mile at Remington Park on Friday in the Springboard Mile S.
Racing
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Slow Down Andy
There’s nothing slow about Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner Slow Down Andy. But does he have the pedigree to succeed in the Kentucky Derby?
Racing
Los Alamitos: How to bet the Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 11
A compact, yet talented field of five two-year-olds will vie in Saturday’s $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G1).
Racing
Kentucky Derby Derby Alumni Update for Dec. 7
Though the week after Thanksgiving was quieter than last, several Derby alumni were still in action, including one making his final start and one beginning a new phase of his career in Dubai, in advance of the Carnival.
Racing
Tipsheet: The 2021 Remsen Stakes on Dec. 4
A field of eight juveniles will travel 1 1/8 miles on the main surface in Saturday’s $250,000 Remsen S. (G2) at Aqueduct.
Racing
Kentucky Derby alumni update for Nov. 30
Many runners from the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, both this year and in past years, returned to action during the holiday week of racing. Find out right here how they did, as well as who to expect in major races over the next week!
Racing
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Smile Happy
Smile Happy put smiles on the faces of his supporters when he rallied to victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs, in the process joining the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Racing
'All others' favored in 2022 KDFW Pool 1, Sire Future Wager
While the “All Others” options were favored as expected – closing at 3-5 in the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Pool 1 and at 7-2 in the Sire Future Wager – Jim McIngvale’s plunge made a splash in the markets late Sunday afternoon.
Racing
Scully, Hanson find price plays in Pool 1 of 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager
With Pool 1 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager now open, James Scully and Vance Hanson have reached a consensus on an individual entry they both like.
Racing
How to play the Kentucky Derby Sires Future Wager
The Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager is perhaps the toughest task among the future wager puzzles.
Racing
Kentucky Derby alumni update for Nov. 22
A few familiar faces from the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks ran over the last week, and many more are back in action over the next few days.
Racing
2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1, Sire Future Wager on tap
Pool 1 of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager runs over Thanksgiving weekend along with the only Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Nov. 15, 2021
Many Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks alumni are catching a breath after the Breeders’ Cup. But others are planning fall and winter campaigns, so let’s check in!
Racing
Mucciolo's Early Kentucky Derby Top 11 for 2022
It’s never too early to talk about the Kentucky Derby. With less than six months remaining until the 2022 Run for the Roses, I have tabbed some two-year-olds that I will be keeping a keen eye on leading up the the First Saturday in May.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update: Nov 9, 2021
Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks alumni came out in force at the weekend, and not just at the Breeders' Cup.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update: Breeders' Cup week 2021
With Breeders' Cup on the horizon, there are plenty of Kentucky Derby and Oaks alumni to check in with this weekend. But, several also hit the track in the last week, making it the right time to look back and then look forward!
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni update for Oct. 25, 2021
Though we are less than two weeks from the Breeders' Cup, where several Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses are expected to appear, the calendar has still been busy for several other alumni within the last week.
Racing
Kentucky Derby alumni update for Oct. 12, 2021
It's been a quiet week for most Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks alumni. Most who are Breeders' Cup bound had already taken their final preps. However, one of the most durable Derby alumni returned in his final Breeders' Cup Sprint prep, and a Oaks alum was in action Monday afternoon at Santa Anita.
Racing
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Rattle N Roll
When Rattle N Roll joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), racing fans were left to ponder if he's bred to handle the Kentucky Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Oct. 5
Many of the horses who raced in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) over the last few years have been in action over the last week.
Racing
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Jack Christopher
Does Champagne S. (G1) winner Jack Christopher have the pedigree to handle the testing 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby?
Racing
Pedigree profile: Corniche
Based off Corniche's victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), it seems two of the speediest horses of the 2010s have combined to produce one of the speediest Kentucky Derby contenders of the 2020s.
Racing
Champagne Stakes: By the numbers
There is no juvenile race in the United States with a more storied past than the Champagne S. (G1). Here is a look at some of that history by the numbers.
Trends
Tipsheet: Champagne Stakes 2021
A fantastic field of six two-year-olds will travel one-mile on the Belmont Park main strip in Saturday’s $500,000 Champagne S. (G1). The winner of the top event for the youngsters will earn a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on November 5 in the “Win and You’re In” contest. The top four finishers will also earn points on a 10-4-2-1 scale in the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby series endeavor.
Racing
Tipsheet: American Pharoah Stakes 2021
An exciting field of seven two-year-old prospects will vie in Friday’s $300,000 American Pharoah S. (G1) at Santa Anita. The competitive 1 1/16-mile contest attracted a precocious bunch of youngsters for the “Win and You’re In” challenge series event, with the first placer earning an automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on November 5. The top-four finishers will also collect points on a 10-4-2-1 basis in the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby series contest.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Alumni Update for Sept. 29, 2021
Just over a month out from the Breeders' Cup, the time for final prep races has rolled around. Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) alumni are as busy as ever making their last preparations before Del Mar, so let's check in and see what they have been doing.
Racing
Kentucky Derby alumni update: Sept. 20, 2021
Autumn racing is getting underway, and many Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners are heading into their final preps for the Breeders' Cup over the next few weeks. A few hit the track this past weekend.
Racing
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Major General
The first horse to strike on the 2021-2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby was Major General, who displayed an affinity for Churchill Downs and battled to a tenacious victory in the Iroquois S. (G3).
Racing
What's your style personality: Derby or Met Gala?
Pick some eye-popping ensembles, and we'll tell you whether you belong on the red carpet of the Kentucky Derby or the Met Gala in our latest personality quiz!
Racing
By The Numbers: Saratoga's Hopeful Stakes
The pinnacle of Saratoga’s juvenile races is the Hopeful S. (G1), run on Labor Day. It’s been an important prize for most of its existence and has a storied history.
Trends
What the 2020 Kentucky Derby taught us about historical handicapping trends
Historical trends can be powerful tools for handicapping horse races. But it’s important to differentiate between trends with meaning and trends generated by circumstances.
Racing
Hanson: Rediscovering historic Triple Crown TV coverage
Television footage of the Triple Crown from the 1960s and early 1970s is now publicly available, and its most interesting moments are well worth watching.
Racing
Kentucky Derby alumni take center stage at Saratoga
On Friday afternoon, Kentucky Derby alumnus Dynamic One rallied explosively to win Saratoga’s Curlin S., and he’s unlikely to be the only Derby veteran seen in the Saratoga winner’s circle this week.
Racing
Who is the best three-year-old male entering the second half of 2021?
The 2021 Triple Crown season is over, but the three-year-old season is still in progress. With three different winners of the Triple Crown races and major summer three-year-old races like the Haskell, Travers, H. Allen Jerkens, and Belmont Derby to go, it is the right time to ask: who is the best three-year-old male in the country?
Racing
Kentucky Derby returnees loom large in Belmont Stakes
Freshening up a three-year-old for a 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes used to be considered foolish, but the five-week hiatus has become the norm for many prominent stables nowadays.
Betting Info
Who was the most impressive undercard winner from Kentucky Derby weekend?
The 2021 Kentucky Derby was a thrill, with Medina Spirit digging in to hold off Mandaloun. Now, it's up to you: revisit these sparkling performances from Kentucky Derby week and let us know: in the stakes leading up to the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, who was the most impressive winner?
Racing
Mucciolo: Three lessons I learned during Kentucky Derby weekend
Another fantastic Kentucky Derby weekend in the books, where exciting and memorable racing took place at Churchill Downs. We got to witness some of the top horses in the country perform, both males and females, on both the turf and dirt, with some pulsating finishes at the wire.
Racing
Three things we learned from the 2021 Kentucky Derby
Media Spirit was spectacular on Saturday at the Kentucky Derby, but does Bob Baffert's "little horse" have what it takes to win the Triple Crown?
Racing
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit faces stiff Triple Crown challenge
Day-after reflections on the Kentucky Derby (G1) involve not only an analysis of how the race was won and lost, but also what it portends for the remaining jewels of the Triple Crown. While Medina Spirit’s victory was both brave and historic, his task only gets tougher from here.
Racing
Medina Spirit gives Baffert record seventh Kentucky Derby win
With a determined, frontrunning score, Medina Spirit gave trainer Bob Baffert his record seventh Kentucky Derby (G1) win May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Racing
Top 10 Kentucky Derby racing trends
Before you place your bets on the 2021 Run for the Roses, take a look at the top 10 Kentucky Derby trends from the last decade of races.
Racing
How to bet the 2021 Kentucky Derby on different budgets
Depending on the budget you’ve allocated for betting the Kentucky Derby, we’ve outlined three wagering strategies at costs of $30, $60, and $100.
Racing
How to make money with Essential Quality in the Kentucky Derby
A total of 19 horses will challenge unbeaten champion #14 Essential Quality (2-1) for the top prize in Saturday’s $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs. The sterling son of Tapit has done nothing wrong from five lifetime outings, and his last pair of efforts rank among his best ones to date. The Brad Cox pupil will be heavily backed in the win pool, and deservedly so, but there is certain value to be had in the vertical exotics in such a sizable field. I will tab a handful of runners that I feel are worth including in the gimmicks.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Irad Ortiz Jr.
There’s a reason why Irad Ortiz Jr. has won three consecutive Eclipse Awards for outstanding jockey.
Racing
Who is the best Kentucky Derby winner of the 2000s?
The Kentucky Derby (G1) is coming up on Saturday, May 1. For this week's poll, let's look back into Derby history...but not too far back.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Brian Hernandez
From standout apprentice to accomplished journeyman, Brian Hernandez has been as consistent a jockey as you’ll ever hope to find.
Racing
Mucciolo: How I am playing the Kentucky Derby
Champion #14 Essential Quality (2-1) is a most deserving favorite in the cast but offers little value in the win pool.
Racing
2021 Kentucky Derby tipsheet
The best three-year-old Thoroughbreds in North America have assembled for Saturday’s $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, and we're examining the field in horse-by-horse fashion.
Racing
2021 Kentucky Derby one-liners
If you’re finding it challenging to sift through the Kentucky Derby contenders this year, you’re not alone.
Racing
Kentucky Derby 148 Preview Show with Joe Kristufek and Scott Shaprio
Kentucky Derby 148 Preview Show with Joe Kristufek and Scott Shaprio
Racing
2021 Kentucky Derby News & Notes
The Kentucky Derby news and notes offers all of our coverage cultivated in one place! This resource is for those who want to bookmark and stay up to date on the Kentucky Derby.
Racing
Mucciolo: Playing exotics in the Kentucky Derby
With a full field of 20 horses going postward in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, it might be worthwhile to spread your wagers out a bit rather than get fixated on a single contender. Numerous things can go wrong in the 1 ¼-mile race, where young thoroughbreds are running a distance that they have never tried before against the deepest field that they have ever taken part of.
Racing
How to bet the Kentucky Oaks/Derby Pick 6 at Churchill Downs
Let’s take a race-by-race look at the two-day, $2 Oaks/Derby Pick 6 offering from Churchill Downs and assemble a ticket on a $120 budget.
Racing
Analyzing the running styles of 2021 Kentucky Derby contenders
Post positions for the 2021 Kentucky Derby were drawn on Tuesday, the last step necessary for handicappers to finalize their pace predictions and guesstimate which horses will receive ideal trips.
Racing
More Than One Way to Wear Roses
Ron McAnally built a Hall of Fame career training superstars like John Henry and Bayakoa and sent 10 horses to the Kentucky Derby over his 50-year career. Though fourth place is his best finish as a trainer, as co-breeder of leading contender Rock Your World, McAnally is a rarity Derby history. He follows in the footsteps of another legendary breeder/trainer - the “Wizard of the Turf,” John E. Madden.
Racing
Exciting 2021 Kentucky Derby Contender Trading Cards
Back by popular demand. With the 2020 series-I vintage styled Horse Racing contender trading cards created for the Kentucky Derby field, the stellar TwinSpires design team has finely crafted exciting new contender trading cards with a futuristic flare for Kentucky Derby 147.
Racing
The best jockeys that have never won the Kentucky Derby
A horseman’s greatness is often determined by their success in Triple Crown races, particularly the Kentucky Derby (G1). These five outstanding jockeys are without a win in the "Run for the Roses."
Racing
The best longshot to bet in the 2021 Kentucky Derby
The search for value in the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) can be a tricky proposal for those in the camp of #14 Essential Quality (2-1).
Racing
Racing
The Name Game: The thread connecting all 20 Kentucky Derby contenders
Like a Helium balloon, the Essential Quality it takes to contest the Kentucky Derby has once again risen to the top.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Kendrick Carmouche
The wait is over. Some 21 years after his first race, the 37-year-old from Louisiana will make his Kentucky Derby debut.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: John Velazquez
Across the history of the Kentucky Derby, only 11 jockeys have ever won on three or more occasions. Meet the latest.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Javier Castellano
Ask a handful of racing fans to name the most dominant North American jockeys of the 2010s. The majority will single out Javier Castellano.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Drayden Van Dyke
Riding in the Kentucky Derby represents something of a homecoming for Drayden Van Dyke.
Racing
Which 2021 Kentucky Derby horse should you bet?
If you still need help narrowing down the 2021 Kentucky Derby field, we have the perfect solution with our latest personality quiz!
Racing
Ranking the major Kentucky Derby preps of 2021
For this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1), a record eight top-tier prep races were contested. Let’s look back at final round of preps and rank their apparent impact on the 2021 Kentucky Derby field.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Betting Guide 147
The Kentucky Derby Betting Guide has been produced annually since 2017. Players enjoy the Tipsheets from our authoritative handicappers whom provide tickets and top picks to watch in the paddock. From Brisnet, the At a Glance report from the previous full spring meet allows players to enter the meet early with informed stats on hot jockeys, trainers and track biases.
Racing
Mucciolo: Kentucky Derby 147 post position draw analysis
The field is set for the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs on Saturday. And is the case every year, there are multiple talking points centered on where the contenders have been drawn in the 20-horse field. Here are my three major takeaways from Tuesday’s post position draw.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Florent Geroux
Normally, one doesn’t expect to see a standout apprentice jockey from France shift his tack to the United States and carve out a productive career riding elite dirt horses.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Flavien Prat
A champion apprentice jockey in his native France, Flavien Prat has been on a steady rise to stardom.
Racing
Kentucky Derby 2021 by the numbers
To get you ready for the most exciting racing event of the year, check out these fast facts and figures, as we break down the 2021 Kentucky Derby by the numbers.
Racing
147th Kentucky Derby field and ML
The field and morning line odds for the 147th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Racing
4 jockey stats to know for Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs
If you’re a bettor who factors jockey assignments into your handicapping, we’ve got a handful of stats and facts for you to keep in mind during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs:
Racing
Kentucky Derby jockey profile: David Cohen
Through the years, jockey David Cohen has carved out a productive career at racetracks across the country.
Racing
Kentucky Derby jockey profile: Corey Lanerie
The shortest path around a racetrack is the inside rail, and few jockeys have capitalized on this advantage as well as Corey Lanerie.
Racing
One Hundred Years Ago, Colonel Bradley Goes for the One-Two
A century ago, the Kentucky Derby was blossoming into the Run for the Roses, America’s most famous horse race. Names now iconic in Derby history contributed to its growing popularity, these humans and horses synonymous with cascading blankets of roses and icy cups of mint juleps: Regret and Exterminator, Harry Payne Whitney and Colonel Matt Winn. In the 1920s and 1930s, another Kentucky colonel added his name to that list, Edward Riley Bradley.
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Luis Saez
The rise of jockey Luis Saez has been meteoric. Ever since he started riding, he’s been a force to be reckoned with.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Mike Smith
The 55-year-old from New Mexico has partnered with some of racing’s most legendary horses since picking up his first official victory.
Racing
Kentucky Derby workouts and bubble watch: April 26, 2021
The field is set, the post draw is right around the corner, and all the serious pre-race workouts are complete. The Kentucky Derby is just five days away, and you can feel the tension building.
Racing
Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile: Ricardo Santana Jr.
It’s safe to say Ricardo Santana Jr. is a jockey on the rise. The 28-year-old from Panama has made almost uninterrupted progress since September 2009.
Racing
Five festive Kentucky Derby drinks that aren't a mint julep
Not everyone acquires the taste of the mint julep, the traditional Kentucky Derby libation made of one part water, one part sugar, bourbon, mint, and a heap of crushed ice.
Racing
Keeler Johnson's top five contenders to watch for the Kentucky Oaks
Although most handicappers are focused on analyzing the Kentucky Derby, Friday’s $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs is a great race in its own right.
Racing
How the rose became the Kentucky Derby's signature flower
It is every owner’s dream to receive the huge garland presented to the winner of the Run for the Roses each year. But where does the tradition come from?
Racing
The best horses to lose the Kentucky Derby
These five horses made their mark in racing history in spite of their shortcomings in the Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby
2021 Kentucky Derby: Brisnet Speed Rating Report
The Kentucky Derby is the most analyzed race in North America, and Brisnet Speed ratings serve as a useful handicapping tool for the big event.
Racing
Why didn't Man o' War run in the Kentucky Derby?
Considered by many to be the greatest thoroughbred racehorse of all-time, Man o’ War wasn't even entered in the 1920 Kentucky Derby, a head-scratching decision even now.
Racing
Meet the Kentucky Derby contenders of 2021
Discover each of the Kentucky Derby contenders with TwinSpires' official Meet the Kentucky Derby Contenders free download! This document will introduce you to each Kentucky Derby runner by exclusive family information and reveal true abilities to run the 1 1/4 miles distance at Churchill Downs in a style or effort that past horses have found success with.
Racing
QUIZ: Learn your Kentucky Derby style
Before you tune in to the Run for the Roses on Saturday, May 1, make sure you know what to wear with our Kentucky Derby style quiz!
Racing
The 5 greatest trainers that have never won the Kentucky Derby
A horseman’s greatness is often determined by their success in Triple Crown races, particularly the Kentucky Derby (G1). These five outstanding trainers are without a win in the "Run for the Roses."
Racing