#Bet On Sunshine

Colonel Liam, shown after winning the 2021 Fort Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Park, returns to try for a repeat win Saturday. Photo by Lauren King, courtesy of Gulfstream Park Dec. 30 (UPI) - Eight horses celebrate their third birthday Sunday by lining up for the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park - the holiday weekend's way station on the "Road…

Saturday's Grade 3, $150000 Harlan's Holiday at Gulfstream Park isn't the richest or most prestigious of the eight graded stakes to be run on the last day of 2022, but it grabs the marquee spot on Horse Racing Nation's stakes roundup by virtue of its possible impact on next month's Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational. The key local…

Don Alberto Stable's Forza Di Oro gets the honors of morning line favorite at 7-2 in the $100000 Tenacious Stakes Monday at Fair Grounds, but last year's Tenacious exacta returns in the form of Estate of James J. Coleman Jr.'s Chess Chief and Lothenbach's Happy American, who is cross-entered in the $100000 Buddy Diliberto three races earlier on the…

The Derby Alumni tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the Kentucky Derby, both this year and in previous years, keeping up with what they have done since they ran for the roses. 2022 Kentucky Derby 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, after finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic, will face older company again Friday in the Clark…

Bango and Tyler Gaffalione victorious in the Bet On Sunshine (Coady Photography) Churchill Downs Press Release LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Tamaroak Partners' classy sprinter Bango overcame traffic trouble along the inside rail in mid-stretch before he shifted out to get a clear run and overhaul leader Sibelius in deep stretch to win Sunday's 14th running of…

Nov. 14 (UPI) -- Kentucky-based horses ably defended their home turf in the weekend Claiming Crown series at Churchill Downs, while 2-year-olds, some still eyeing a shot at next year's big races, were at work at tracks from coast to coast. Del Mar swung back into operation, and Woodbine and Churchill Downs had rich stakes offerings. On the…

Notes & Quotes From the Claiming Crown Jewel (& More): Keystone Field (Keystone Field / All Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Keystone Field, owned by Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm, swept past early leaders Benevengo and Frosted Grace leaving the final turn and determinedly turned back a late charge by 2-1…

Like the national open stakes schedule on this first post-Breeders' Cup weekend, the TwinSpires Jury has a slimmed-down look this week. James Scully and Vance Hanson opine with their best opinions on a weekend that includes the 2022 Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs. James Scully: #2 Divine Leader in Saturday's ninth race at Churchill Downs, the…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: Sconsin Returns in Sunday's Dream Supreme Stakes (Sconsin / Photos by Coady Photography) From the Churhcill Downs Media Team: Lloyd Madison Farm's growing broodmare band will add another member to their roster with their homebred Sconsin, who has a date with 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner in a few months. The…

Set Piece Is Set to Return to Churchill Downs in Sunday's G3 River City (Set Piece / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Juddmonte's multiple graded stakes winner Set Piece (GB) leads an oversubscribed cast of 14 horses that were entered in Sunday's $300000 River City (Grade III) at Churchill Downs. Sunday's featured…

Opinions, Observations & Outlooks: A Great Weekend of Racing Hypes Hopes for Fantastic Fall What a great weekend of racing action all over the United States. The return of some super stars ready to regroup and regain their status after a recharge. The emergence of some potential profile runners for our future. The pomp. The circumstances. Here's a…

Bango Joins Elite Group By Winning 8th Race at Churchill Downs (Bango / Coady Photography) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Tamaroak Partners' classy 5-year-old homebred Bango kicked clear to a 4 ½-length victory in Friday's featured ninth race to become only the 12 documented horse in Churchill Downs' modern history to win at least eight races…

The top of the North American trainer earnings list in 2021 looked much as it did in 2020. Of the 10 trainers who led their peers in 2020 earnings, only the federally indicted Jason Servis did not also crack the top 10 in 2021. Brad Cox led the list, followed by Steve Asmussen and Chad Brown. There was movement further down the trainer earnings…