#Last Samurai

ARCADIA, Calif. - It's proving time for 3-year-olds in the barn of trainer Bob Baffert. The next four months will weed out the best of the bunch as the calendar moves closer to May and the start of the Triple Crown series. "See what you have, see what they like to do," Baffert said. "You learn from the races and hope they stay healthy. That's the…

The Breeders' Cup Classic pits the top horses from around the world against each other in the ultimate showdown to finish out the year in horse racing. Here's everything you need to know about racing's grand finale this weekend at Santa Anita: What is the Breeders' Cup Classic? The $6 million Classic is a 1 1/4-mile race on the dirt with 14 spots…

The Kentucky Derby is one of the most iconic sporting events in the world. Every year, millions of fans tune into NBC to watch top race horses from around the globe compete in "The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports." The 2021 Kentucky Derby will air on May 1 from 12 to 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage is also…

Brad Cox's Essential Quality opens as the 2-1 favorite for the 2021 Belmont Stakes ahead of Preakness winner Rombauer (3-1). Essential Quality and Rombauer will break side-by-side from the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. The 153rd Belmont Stakes airs on Saturday, June 5 from 3-5 p.m. ET on NBCSN and from 5-7 p.m. on NBC. Coverage is also…

Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Practical Move upset three of trainer Bob Baffert's 2-year-olds in the weekend's feature race, the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity, adding his name into the mix of candidates for the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Things went a bit more to expectations among the Japanese 2-year-olds as the three favorites reported 1-2-3 in Sunday's Grade 1…

Bal Harbour (#4 rail) outbids Last Samurai (#1) for the win. (Coady Photography) Jennifer Hoyt/Oaklawn Racing HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Trainer Robertino Diodoro, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2020, is off to a fast start at the 2022-2023 meet, picking up his second stakes win since the Dec. 9 opening and his second straight $200000 Tinsel Stakes victory…

There will be stakes action on the agenda at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, as the Tinsel Stakes is due off at 5:14 p.m ET. This race will be run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, and horses aged three and over will be involved. There are a number of runners involved this weekend that has shown glimpses of excellent form, but all are…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight division plays host to a high-stakes crossroads match this Saturday (May 14, 2022) when Aleksandar Rakic and Jan Blachowicz headline the latest show inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In UFC Vegas 54's co-main event - and also at 205 pounds - Ion Cutelaba and Ryan Spann meet in a clash…

Epicenter, shown training before his second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, meets the winner of that race, Rich Strike, again Saturday in the Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The "Midsummer Derby" at Saratoga pits the first three finishers from the Kentucky Derby against one another again in…

Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun works out at Churchill Downs in preparation for Saturday's Stephen Foster Stakes. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs July 1 (UPI) -- The Fourth of July weekend kicks off the second half of the horse racing year with a bang as Mandaloun, Life Is Good, Ce Ce and other notables return from layoffs. Adding to the…

Olympiad with Junior Alvarado aboard wins the New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds. This Saturday's Grade 2, $750000 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs brings together a field of seven horses in the Breeders' Cup Classic division trying to earn a "Win and You're In" spot into the big race in November. Leading the field in terms of career…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: Curly Jack May Set Them Straight In G2 KY Jockey Club (Curly Jack / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Michael McLaughlin's $300000 Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) winner Curly Jack headlines a field of nine 2-year-old colts that were entered in Saturday's 96 running of the $400000 Kentucky…

The Friday card from Churchill Downs features the Mrs. Revere and the Clark Stakes. Rich Strike was installed as the morning line favorite in the Friday feature. Post: 1:00 PM ET; $78k Claiming going 1 mile on dirt; Entries: 6 #3 GIROLAMO'S ATTACK (7-2) gets the top selection. He has solid early pace figures in a race that looks to lack a ton of…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: KY Derby Winner Returns in G1 Clark'Cap (Rich Strike / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: RED-TR Racing's Kentucky Derby (Grade I) hero Rich Strike will return to Churchill Downs and face a compact field of seven entered in Friday's 148 running of the $750000 Clark presented by Norton…

Godolphin's recent $200000 Westchester (Grade 3) winner Cody's Wish tops a field of seven colts and geldings that were entered in Monday's $175000 Hanshin presented by the JRA (Listed) at Churchill Downs. The Hanshin is one of three stakes events carded on Monday's closing day program. First post is 12:45 p.m. and the Hanshin will go as Race 8 of 9…

Over the course of 2020 and into 2021, our Senior Gambling Analyst and Vegas Insider- Frankie Taddeo - has shared his horse racing handicapping formula which has correctly predicted the following winners at SI Gambling: Travers Stakes - Exacta (8/1), Trifecta (36/1) Blue Grass Stakes - Exacta (12/1), Trifecta (60/1) and Superfecta (443/1) Ontario…

G2 Lukas Classic Preview: Rich Strike Could Hit It Big Again This Saturday (Rich Strike / Photo by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Saturday's G2, $500000 Lukas Classic is shaping up to be one of the more competitive races in North America this year. Grade I winners Happy Saver and Hot Rod Charlie are among the nominated…