#Eclipse Awards

Lovely Ride wins Saturday's Pippin Stakes at Oaklawn Park Coady Photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Trainer Bob Baffert saddled the first three finishers in Sunday's $100000 Grade III Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" race, while the other weekend qualifier went to a colt who might find the Derby distance…

Hubaldo Solis' talented HS Paul Walker rallied in the final yards to get his eighth lifetime win, earning a victory in Saturday's 25th running of the $100000 Red or Green Stakes at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino. Ridden by Hector Aldrete for trainer Alfredo Gomez, HS Paul Walker broke alertly from the gate and was prominent throughout the 400-yard…

In the United States there were stables such as Calumet Farm that dominated horse racing for decades. In Canada, the gold standard begins and ends with Sam-Son Farm. Founded in 1972 by Ernie Samuel, Sam-Son has left an imprint on racing and breeding in Canada that has been second to none. It all started when trainer Art Warner claimed Takaring…

The first day of 2023 kicks off with a bang on the horse racing front. The $250000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park serves as a Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve qualifier, awarding points for entry to the 2023 Derby on a 10-4-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers. Held over one mile on dirt, the Smarty Jones has yet to…

Twenty-five years after the nearly white and cleverly named Alphabet Soup made headlines by narrowly defeating the legendary Cigar in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Woodbine, his name and pedigree (Cozzene-Illiterate, by Arts and Letters) live on through his 18 crops of offspring that often sport equally creative monikers such as Egg Drop, Alpha…

While much of the country is suffering through extreme cold and winter storms, officials at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., are preparing for their traditional day-after-Christmas opening on Monday, Dec. 26. Temperatures are expected in the upper 70s and there is no rain in the forecast for Monday, though a storm is expected to roll into…

This Inside Track to the Malibu Stakes wagering guide gives you an inside look at the six stakes races running at Santa Anita Park on December 26, 2022, including the $300000 RUNHAPPY Malibu Stakes (G1). With a win in the Malibu, the Bob Baffert trained Taiba could make his case for 3-year-old Male of the Year at the Eclipse Awards in January. Can…

Like many front-runners, Knicks Go is an all-or-nothing proposition. As a 2-year-old, he wired the Breeders' Futurity by 5 1/2 lengths at odds of 70-1 and ran second at 40-1 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Then the potential star turned into a nobody, losing his next nine races. Out of desperation, owner Korea Racing Authority replaced Ben Colebrook…

Jockey John Velazquez, riding Authentic, celebrates winning the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday. Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo Nov. 9 (UPI) -- The Breeders' Cup World Championships, just as they were designed to do, nicely wrapped up some issues for the 2020 racing season, including the "Horse of the…

A former film student, Mary Dixon Reynolds, lists her top-rated horse racing films and documentaries. 1983 Before there were Winx and Black Caviar, Australians were transfixed by a big chestnut horse named Phar Lap. The horse reigned during the 1930s depression and gave the nation something its pride. Trainer Harry Telford, played beautifully by…

It's been a while since we checked in with the Answer Man, so let's clean out the mailbag and address some of your questions: Q: What's up with Del Mar limiting attendance on opening day? I can remember when they had 40000 in past years and it was a marvelous experience. I'm of the opinion that the more the merrier. A: Del Mar began capping its…

There is a risk-reward element to betting races with 2-year-olds, and especially 2-year-old fillies, that makes them at times frustrating but also very appealing when looking for a nice score. Juvenile races feature mostly lightly raced runners capable of showing significant improvement, either by the natural maturation process or a light-bulb…

The Arlington Million anchors Saturday's Arlington International Festival of Racing, which is the highlight of the summer at Arlington Park, regularly attracting big crowds and first-class racehorses to the Chicagoland track. With a hefty purse and a spot in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on the line, it's easy to see why the Arlington Million is…

Nest (white bridle), shown winning the 2021 Demoiselle at Aqueduct, returns as a heavy favorite in Saturday's Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, a Kentucky Oaks prep. Photo by Joe Labozzetta, courtesy of New York Racing Association Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Potential Kentucky Derby candidates are in action from California to Florida and all the way to…

By Andy Serling FOX Sports Horse Racing Analyst Every year, people shift their attention to Louisville on the first Saturday in May for the Kentucky Derby. Whether you are a horse racing expert or betting for fun, there is plenty of action to go around in the first leg of the Triple Crown. In my role as a public handicapper, I make thousands of…

Welcome to another edition of America's Best Racing's Main Track. After a brief vacation, we're back with the most meaningful story of the past seven days, detailing a story that stands out because of its importance or perhaps the emotional response it generates. Looking ahead, if you believe there's a story this week that should be featured in…

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gun Runner will start from one of the outside posts in Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational, a less-than-ideal situation even for the top horse in the sport right now. Then again, at least he'll be out there. Gun Runner's connections wanted him in the inaugural edition of the Pegasus a year ago, only to have their…

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…

The co-feature of "Future Stars Friday" on Breeders' Cup weekend is the $2 million NetJets Juvenile Fillies. The country's top 2-year-old fillies will travel 1 1/16 miles on the dirt main track at Del Mar for the right to be called a Breeders' Cup champion. The Grade 1 race is scheduled as the seventh race on the card with a listed post time of…

BALNIKHOV TO WAIT UNTIL THE DEL MAR DERBY SEPTEMBER 3 Little Red Feather Racing, et al's Balnikhov brought a baggage full of promise with him when he arrived from Ireland at the first of the year. He finally met those expectations Friday afternoon on Opening Day at Del Mar when the 3-year old son of Adaay dropped down on the rail and surged to…

It showed up like clockwork last week in my email. Remember email? About 240 of us voters for the Eclipse Awards received our annual packets of digital information, complete with the usual advice to tamp an eagerness we may have to cast an early ballot. "It is strongly encouraged," the instructions said, "that you consider waiting to vote until…

If Flightline had never been born, we might have seen Nest try to make history in Saturday's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic rather than facing members of her own sex in the Distaff two races earlier. Zenyatta is the only female to win the Classic, turning the trick in 2009 at Santa Anita, but Nest, a 3-year-old daughter of two-time Horse of the…

One of the earliest human sports is horse racing, which is still a significant industry today. Nothing compares to the thrill of watching horses and jockeys face off against their fiercest competitors. The only way to improve this experience would be to up the stakes and support your teams in a wager designed to increase their ferocity. Betway…

The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) showcases the division's elite performers, drawing contenders not only from around the country, but from the world over. Here are 10 things to know as we look toward its 24th running Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Established in 1999, the Filly & Mare Turf was the first new race added to the Breeders' Cup slate since…

Trainerswho have been there and done that before in the winner's circle at the Kentucky Derby are a precious commodity this year. Withtwo victories each, Todd Pletcher and Doug O'Neill make up the entire list. OK,Brad Cox got one, but he did not get to celebrate in the winner's circle.Mandaloun was not awarded the 2021 victory until the Kentucky…

Many horses reached the list of finalists with points and chances for 2022 Run for the Roses following New Year's Day qualifiers in the Jerome at Aqueduct, like Smarty Jones of Oaklawn and Sham of Santa Anita. At this period of the year, there are plenty of Midwest contenders for the 148th edition of the Kentucky Derby, as youngsters begin and…

An extract from Steve Dennis's wonderful book, A History of Horse Racing in 100 Objects, an ambitious work that embraces the vast sweep of a global sport, condensing its heart and soul into a century of milestones that connect its ancient past and its vibrant present. Dem bones, dem bones. Visitors to the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire…