#Happy Jack

Michael "The Wizard'' Kipness has been a professional horse racing handicapper since 1986. The Las Vegas resident analyzes the 20-horse field for Saturday's 148th Kentucky Derby, designating each horse as a contender or a pretender. Visit Wizardraceandsports.com for his full card selections and wagering strategies for Oaks Day (13 races) and Derby…

The 2022 Triple Crown season went off with a bang as Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby in the second biggest upset in race history. The madness continues on Saturday in Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes. The second jewel of the Triple Crown will pit favorites like Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter and Simplification against newcomers like Early…

The 2022 Triple Crown season went off with a bang as Rich Strike became the second biggest underdog in Kentucky Derby history to win the run for the roses. The madness continues on Saturday as the field meets in Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes. The second jewel of the Triple Crown will pit established favorites Epicenter and Simplification…

The bourbon and mint juleps will be flowing at Churchill Downs for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, which hopes to race past last year's controversy The 2021 winner, Medina Spirt, was disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance. Bob Baffert, the horse's Hall of Fame trainer and a six-time Derby winner, was banned by Churchill…

The Kentucky Derby, the first and perhaps most important leg of the Triple Crown, is just two days away and horse racing fans will finally get to see what the race looks like without a Bob Baffert-trained colt on the track. Zandon, this year's betting favorite to win in the field of 20 thoroughbreds at 3-1, enters the 148th Run for the Roses having…

Esteemed horse racing expert Steve Kornacki made his 2022 Preakness picks and predictions. Find out which Preakness horses Steve Kornacki is betting on at Pimlico Race Course in 2022. The Preakness may not have as much excitement this year because of the absence of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike. However, there are some interesting storylines…

The principal action for Kentucky Derby 148 occurred more than 2000 miles west of Churchill Downs Thursday morning as Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner Taiba worked six furlongs in 1:12.80. "It was very straight forward," trainer Tim Yakteen said. "He worked three-quarters from the five-eighth pole. It was a typical Taiba work and we accomplished what…

According to Churchill Downs' Mike Battaglia's opening odds, thoroughbred contender Cyberknife is a 20-1 shot for Saturday's Kentucky Derby. Even if he doesn't win, his owner deserves a bouquet of roses or at least a glass of champagne. You see, Al Gold had more important things on his mind when he named his Chestnut colt. The prostate cancer he…

The Preakness Stakes is one of the most prestigious yearly events in all of horse racing. It is not only just a showcase of the most talented three-year-olds in the world, but the annual contest also serves as the second leg in the legendary Triple Crown trilogy of races. In 2022, the 147th edition of the Maryland tradition offered up an…

The 2022 Preakness Stakes is set for Saturday, May 21. Hank Goldberg's picks, best bets and predictions for Preakness 2022 are available below. The 147th running of the Preakness Stakes is taking place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday. This race is the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Also, the track distance is 9.5…

The winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby will not be racing in this year's Preakness Stakes, as Rich Strike's team has its eyes on the Belmont Stakes. That means that once again, it will be anyone's race. That's not just a figure of speech, either. Rich Strike was the longest shot to win the Derby, but he managed to win the run for the roses by less…

The second leg of the 2022 Triple Crown gets underway this Saturday but the lineup will be missing the surprise Kentucky Derby winner, Rich Strike. After overcoming 80/1 odds for betting on the Kentucky Derby and winning the entire race, Rich Strike will not be competing at the 2022 Preakness Stakes, thwarting any potential for a Triple Crown…

A strong second to Rich Strike, the surprising winner of the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter is the headliner of a field of nine set for Saturday's 147th edition of the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes. A brave runner-up in the Derby, the son of Not This Time is a three-time stakes winner for trainer Steve Asmussen. The biggest of his wins was the 1…

Derby day has arrived, as sports bettors worldwide are looking to cash in on "the most exciting two minutes in sports" with the running of the 148th Kentucky Derby. Starting positions have been set, and a post time of 6:57 p.m. ET means that the first leg of the Triple Crown will likely conclude before the clock strikes 7. The 2022 Kentucky Derby…

There will be 20 horses lined up in the posts at Churchill Downs for Saturday's Kentucky Derby. And 1.25 miles later, one will be crowned the 2022 champion and go on to leave Louisville with the opportunity to try to capture the illustrious Triple Crown. This year's Derby field is fairly wide-open, as there's no clear-cut favorite. So The Most…

Bettors and horse racing fans will descend upon Churchill Downs in Louisville for the 2022 Kentucky Derby on Saturday. The kickoff to the yearly Triple Crown features its usual large field. In total, 20 horses are set to run for the roses and a place in history. This year's American Classic race has a few favorites. Taiba has made a late run to…

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown and it will take place Saturday evening at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The year's derby will be one of the more interesting ones in recent memory since legendary trainer Bob Baffert will not be allowed at the track as he's serving a 90-day suspension. The ban was given to him by…

By Andy Serling FOX Sports Horse Racing Analyst The 147th Preakness Stakes takes place in Baltimore on Saturday. Let's dive into the betting favorites, trainers, jockeys and the history of the race. The Preakness Stakes was first run in 1873, two years before the first Kentucky Derby. Named for the winner of the first Dinner Party Stakes - the…

By Andy Serling FOX Sports Horse Racing Analyst The field for the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, is scheduled to break from the gate at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore just after 7 p.m. ET Saturday. Epicenter, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, is a strong favorite and the horse to beat. His major…

It's finally the first Saturday in May, meaning the 2022 Kentucky Derby is only a few short hours from starting. The "most exciting two minutes in sports" should once again live up to its reputation due to an intriguing field jam-packed with talented contenders. It's also the first Kentucky Derby in three years that will have a packed house of over…

Grab your favorite hat and a refreshing mint julep, because it's almost time for the 2022 Kentucky Derby. And if you're the gambling type, it's just about time to head toward the ticket window to place some bets on this year's field of horses. Per usual, 20 horses will be competing in the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Seasoned gamblers know that the race…

The Kentucky Derby -- the greatest two minutes in sports -- is back in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 7. The Kentucky Derby is an event defined by pomp and fanfare, complete with big hats, mint juleps and major bets. Having attended last year's Derby, I can attest to the tradition and enthusiasm on Saturday of the race - from the infield to the box…

Like a good honor student, Forbidden Kingdom aced his first try around two turns Saturday at Santa Anita while stamping himself as the horse to beat in next month's Santa Anita Derby. Sent postward as the even-money favorite, Forbidden Kingdom went gate to wire to win the $400000 Grade II San Felipe Stakes by 5¾ lengths under Juan Hernandez for…

Mo Donegal rallied in deep stretch to get up in the final strides to take the 97th running of the $750000, Grade 2, Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on Saturday. After a slow start, Mo Donegal and pilot Joel Rosario settled comfortably towards the rear of the pack while Early Voting and Jose Ortiz set the pace in the 1-1/8 mile event. Mo Donegal saved…

Taibahas won the Santa Anita Derby after surpassing Messier with a great run down the stretch. Order of Finish, Pre-Race Odds, Payouts 1. Taiba (4-1): Win ($10.60), Place ($3.60), Show ($3.20) 2. Messier (6-5): Place ($2.80), Show ($2.10) 3. Happy Jack (25-1): Show ($4.20) 4. Armagnac (70-1) 5. Win The Day (25-1) 6. Forbidden Kingdom (Even) Odds…

The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown but this year any chance of a thoroughbred winning all three events has been nixed. Rich Strike's handlers announced last week that the Kentucky Derby winner will not go forth with the Preakness Stakes, opting to give the colt some rest ahead of June's Belmont Stakes. Rick…

This year's Preakness Stakes has just a modest nine-horse field, and the odds are dominated by a few horses. Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter is the obvious favorite at the second leg of the Triple Crown, yet his expected short price by post time makes it difficult to include him at the top of any exotic wager such as the trifecta or superfecta.…

With Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike bypassing the Preakness Stakes to focus on the Belmont, Derby second-place finisher Epicenter is the horse to beat in Saturday's second leg of the Triple Crown. The Steve Asmussen trainee will re-oppose Derby fourth-place finisher Simplification and also-ran Happy Jack in the 1 3/16-mile race, which features a…

The draw for Saturday's 147th Preakness Stakes lacked the drama of a Kentucky Derby draw because the field is half its size. The draw was held at a lakeside restaurant in Baltimore on Monday if for no other reason than Pimlico Race Course is very old and shows every bit of its age. In fact, there were more mentions of the post-draw private event…

Barely more than one month remains until the Kentucky Derby (G1) on the first Saturday in May. The Kentucky Oaks (G1), held one day prior, is also rapidly approaching. News and notes are coming fast and furious, so let's dive in and see what's happening. A trio of Kentucky Derby qualifiers worth 100-40-20-10 points to the top four finishers took…

The Kentucky Derby -- the greatest two minutes in sports -- is back in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 7. The Kentucky Derby is an event defined by pomp and fanfare, complete with big hats, mint juleps and major bets. Having attended last year's Derby, I can attest to the tradition and enthusiasm on Saturday of the race - from the infield to the box…

Off a 14th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Happy Jack figures to go off as one of the longest shots in the nine-horse Preakness field. In fact, outside of his first-out maiden triumph, Happy Jack has been beaten by double digits in all of his races. But trainer Doug O'Neill is a guy who knows how to win big races. He's won the Kentucky Derby…

LEXINGTON, Ky. - For Mike Smith, it's the horses that keep him young. The 56-year-old Smith, a Dexter native, has a reputation that precedes him. A two-time Kentucky Derby winner with long shot Giacomo (2005) and favorite Justify (2018), Smith also rode Justify to victories in the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, becoming the oldest jockey to…

Ready for the Run for the Roses? The 148th Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday in Louisville, Ky., and the anticipation is champing at the bit. The premier event in horse racing comes with high payouts for the winner, huge fan interest - and perhaps most important, famously flamboyant outfits and hats from its attendees. Here's everything to…

Future Plans for other Preakness Starters BALTIMORE, Md. - Fern Circle Stables, Back Racing LLC and trainer Kenny McPeek's Creative Minister, who finished third in Saturday's Preakness (G1) at Pimlico Race Course, will be pointed toward the Belmont Stakes (G1) June 11 at Belmont Park. McPeek said the colt will likely have a couple of half-mile…

The Preakness Stakes' age-old form as the deceptively "shorter" centerpiece that has dashed many a Triple Crown dream will be turned on its head this year, as the 2022 top favorite Epicenter will attempt to turn the 147th running of the stakes into a rebound, of sorts, from his inability to hold the lead against a furious assault by longshot Rich…

The bracing uncertainties of there being no runaway favorite for this afternoon's $3-million 2022 Kentucky Derby illuminate the robustness of the three-year-old Class of'22, as well as that of equine America, and that gives faithful Derby players many ways to cut the complex pie of their exotics. But there's still a blistering race to be run to…

I spent the last few seconds of the 2022 Kentucky Derby in shock as 80-1 longshot Rich Strike ran down favored Epicenter at the wire. Rich Strike practically bounced around after the race, biting at his lead pony and looking like he could do the whole thing all over again. Meanwhile I was almost scratching my head in disbelief. Weird things happen…

With the Kentucky Derby in the rearview mirror, fans will turn their eyes toward the second jewel in horse racing's Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. The 147th running of the race is set for Saturday at 7:01 p.m. ET at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, where nine horses are set to run the 1 3/16-mile course. Preakness hats turn heads Baltimore…

The 2022 Kentucky Derby is around the corner, and with it the beginning of the Triple Crown. It will be an attempt to return to normality, not just from the Covid pandemic, but controversy after Medina Spirit, the winner of the 2021 Derby, was disqualified due a positive test for betamethasone. The fallout from the test led to the suspension of…

Courvoisier, shown winning the Jerome Sakes, returns for Saturday's Grade III Withers at Aqueduct, a Kentucky Derby prep. Photo by Chelsey Durand, courtesy of New York Racing Association Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Three official Kentucky Derby prep races top the U.S. weekend horse racing schedule while Hot Rod Charlie, one of last year's Triple Crown…

LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is back at Churchill Downs and trainer Eric Reed is hoping his prized colt will notch a third-career victory beneath the historic Twin Spires in Saturday's $500000 Lukas Classic (Grade II). "Every time he comes to Churchill he's ready for game time," said Reed, who regularly ships the Kentucky…

KY Derby Winner Rich Strike May Find Riches Again in Saturday's G2 Lukas Classic (Rich Strike / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is back at Churchill Downs and trainer Eric Reed is hoping his prized colt will notch a third-career victory beneath the historic Twin Spires in Saturday's…

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is back at Churchill Downs and trainer Eric Reed is hoping his prized colt will notch a third-career victory beneath the historic Twin Spires in Saturday's $500000 Lukas Classic (Grade 2). "Every time he comes to Churchill he's ready for game time," said Reed, who regularly ships the Kentucky Derby winner 85 miles…

Just because the 2022 Preakness Stakes won't have the Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike in the race doesn't mean it will be any less thrilling. There are nine horses - we ranked them by name! - who will line up at Pimlico on Saturday afternoon, including Epicenter, the favorite who had a second-place finish at the Derby. Others who raced at…

Rich Strike pulls off the upset of a lifetime to win the 148th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. He set off as a massive 80-1 underdog and started the race near the back of the field. The three-year-old colt took advantage of the fast race pace and blasted off to the front of the pack at the end of the final stretch to cross the wire first. He was…

Forbidden Kingdom stamped himself a prime Kentucky Derby contender Saturday with a front-running, 5 ¾-length victory in the $400000, Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Forbidden Kingdom covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.98 and paid $4 as the even-money favorite. "I was anxious to see this…

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…

Early Voting sped out of the gate with Jose Ortiz in the irons, stayed within striking distance of early pace-setter Armagnac and made his move around the final turn to capture the 147th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in just his fourth career start and first outside of Aqueduct in New York. He set off from the No. 5 spot in the gate with 5-1 odds and…