#Bold Ruler

Essential Quality, shown winning the Grade I Travers, is among the favorites in a Breeders' Cup Classic field announced this week. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 29 (UPI) -- It's a week for looking forward as horse racing around the globe nears its annual champion-making events and youngsters get in final licks to make a case…

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A lost coin toss. A failed mating. Terrible post-position draws to the extreme inside or outside in a 20-horse field. Sudden weather changes that turn an already-quirky dirt surface into goo, leading some thoroughbreds to skip over it while others trudge home. As fans await the 143rd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, history suggests…

Drafted (outside) holds off Little Vic to win the $135K Gravesend (Chelsea Durand) By Mary Eddy - NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Veteran gelding Drafted needed every inch of the Aqueduct Racetrack stretch to win a dramatic photo finish, but did so under a well-timed ride from Luis Rodriguez Castro to score a nose victory in Friday's $135000…

Maximum Security, the colt disqualified from victory in the Kentucky Derby, returns to the winner's circle Saturday at Belmont Park. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 28 (UPI) -- It was a very good weekend of horse racing for Japan as Lys Gracieux landed the Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia and Almond Eye returned to her dominant…

Almond Eye, shown winning the 2018 Japan Cup, is the favorite for Sunday's Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn). Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Oct. 30 (UPI) -- American horse racing is virtually on pause a week out from the Breeders' Cup World Championships, but plenty of action exists around the globe with Almond Eye returning in Japan,…

Morello drawing away to a win in the $62000 Feature Allowance at Laurel Park, Oct. 8, 2022. (Jim McCue/MJC) NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Iapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing's graded-stakes winner returns from a two-month absence in Friday's $135000 Gravesend, a six-furlong sprint for 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct…

The richest event on the horse racing calendar begins Saturday, when some of the finest thoroughbreds in the world compete in the Saudi Cup. Held at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the inaugural edition of the race carries the significant incentive of a $20 million dollar prize pool-which makes it the most lucrative event in…

Rich Strike, seen posing the morning after his Kentucky Derby win, returns in Saturday's Grade I Clark Stakes with a chance to stake a claim for year-end honors. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Nov. 25 (UPI) -- It's getting to be crunch time for horses who seek year-end honors, and this weekend's Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs provides one of…

The Week in Review by T.D. Thornton The annual Claiming Crown races were two weeks ago. But a surprise black-type feast for blue-collar campaigners took place over Thanksgiving weekend, when horses once claimed for tags as low as $10000 and $16000 ran away with three of five stakes at Laurel Park, and an 8-year-old gelding bought last year for…

The Breeders' Cup is behind us, but Team Tuley continues to look for value at tracks from coast to coast. I'm joined by regular contributors Ed Sehon (aka Mr. Ed from his Saratoga and Keeneland columns here at VSiN.com/horse-racing) and Rampart race and sports manager Duane Colucci. We live up to the coast to coast claim with plays at Aqueduct in…

A weekend six-pack is on tap for the last Saturday in November: we have plays in six races, in New York, Kentucky, and California. We expect fast dirt and firm turf in all six; let's go. Aqueduct, Race 8, 3:14 pm ET Grade 3 Fall Highweight Stakes, 6 furlongs, Dirt, 3 & Up A field of seven is assembled for the Fall Highweight. We…

Nine juvenile colts whose connections harbor Kentucky Derby dreams are expected to go to post Saturday in an intriguing edition of the Grade 2, $400000 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. Instant Coffee, a lightly raced son of Bolt d'Oro trained by Brad Cox, is the 5-2 morning line favorite in the 1 1/6-mile race for 2-year-olds, a Derby…

Whereshetoldmetogo winning last year's edition of the Bender by a neck. Photo by Jim McCue/MJC David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club LAUREL, Md. - Defending champion Whereshetoldmetogo, a 13-time career stakes winner, and graded-stakes winners Cordmaker and Double Crown top 24 horses nominated to the $75000 Howard & Sondra Bender Memorial Friday, Nov.…

Our #Pedigeek "Term of the Week" is: Homebred Race 2 Saturday at Saratoga Race Course actually features a prior pedigree play, Powerful, whose pedigree reflects affinity. This Steve Asmussen trainee proved the angle to be an honest one, even if he had to settle for coming up a head short in the end on debut. Powerful should only be better with the…

Friday's Race Recap from Belmont at Aqueduct: (All odds US) Race replays for yesterday's races from Belmont at Aqueduct can be found here: Belmont at Aqueduct: Race 1: 2nd@ 3.40/1 Race 8: 2nd@ 0.50/1 In Race 1, Winning Connection, who ran so well from off the pace in his debut, was smartly put on to battle for the lead from his rail post to try to…

Glass Ceiling wins the G3 Distaff Handicap (Janet Garaguso) OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Dual graded-stakes winner Glass Ceiling returns from a nearly four-month layoff in Saturday's $120000 Pumpkin Pie, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward at Belmont at the Big A. The Pumpkin Pie, slated as Race 8, is one of four stakes on a…

Belmont at the Big A is winding down. Although racing will continue from Aqueduct, the meet will take on the usual title of Aqueduct Winter Meet. Post: 12:35 PM ET; $77k Maiden Special Weight going 1 1/16 miles on turf; Entries: 12 #7 PHOTON (3-1) gets the top selection. She goes out for the Breen barn and gets Ortiz in the irons. #3 CAN'T FOOL ME…

The eyes of thoroughbred racing are on the final preparations for the more than 150 equine stars set to shine at Keeneland on Nov. 4-5 in the Breeders' Cup. Morning workouts are abuzz with horses across all 14 divisions as handicappers try to get one last edge and piece of knowledge for the betting bonanza. The free Breeders' Cup portal at XBTV…

OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor and Diamond T Racing's Morello returns to the site of his lone graded stakes victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $300000 Kelso for 3-year-olds and upward going a one-turn mile at Belmont at the Big A. The Kelso offers the top-four finishers a free nomination and starting fee in the Grade 1, $750000…

OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Maitha Salem Mohammed Belobaida Alsuwaidi's Group 3-winning sprinter Meraas could be speed of speed in Saturday's Grade 3, $200000 Bold Ruler, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and upward, at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet. The Bold Ruler co-headlines a stacked card that includes the Grade 2, $300000 Kelso, a one-turn mile…

OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Maram LLC's Kentucky homebred Dandy Handyman will make his stakes debut in Saturday's $120000 Awad at 1 1/16-miles over the inner turf for juveniles, at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet. The Awad is part of a stacked card that includes the Grade 2, $300000 Kelso, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and upward offering the top-four…

A field of 10 were assigned post positions Tuesday for the Grade 1, $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, a new addition for 2019 to run at 1 3/16 miles on the grass. The companion to the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus dirt race, the Turf is headlined by Yoshida, a Grade 1 winner on multiple surfaces, and includes a pair of international…