#Lukas Classic

As we close the curtain on another year, let's take a look back at the top five horse racing stories of 2022: Simply put, he's a generational horse. It's a shame we didn't have the opportunity to watch him race at 5, but there's really no words to describe what he accomplished during the time he did race. Consider: 6 for 6, four Grade I victories,…

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…

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…

Kentucky Derby hero closes out his season this weekend in the G1 Clark back at his favorite venue Churchill Downs. Steve Dennis talks to the colt's biggest fan, his trainer Eric Reed - the man with the golden toenails … USA: The Man with the Golden Gun, we know. But if Hollywood is looking for a sequel, another edge-of-the-seat thriller to draw 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…

There is an old saying in horse racing - "pace makes the race" - that is a core tenet of analyzing races. Essentially what it means is that how fast a race in run in the early stages and how many horses vie for the lead plays a major role in which runners have the best chance to win. A talented front-runner thus would be formidable in a race in…

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…

Imagine for a moment being loaded with money. So loaded there was plenty to unload on any of the three sure-fire ways to blow an investment. As some financial wizard told Tony Kornheiser, they are a private plane, a restaurant and a racehorse. Forget about the plane and the restaurant. How about being someone like Jack Wolf? He and his wife Laurie…

If you live in New York and want to bet on the Breeders Cup, then all you need to do is sign-up to our top five NY Horse Racing Sportsbooks and get up to $6000 in horse racing free bets for the meeting that can also be claimed in ANY US state. See below the top five New York horse racing sportsbooks which allow you to place bets on the Breeders…

Despite a five-racing losing streak - not even a finish better than fourth during the past eight months - Tenfold was invited to run in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup. Even though he is one of the five 30-1 longest shots in the 12-horse field, the connections of the 5-year-old son of champion Curlin figured why not head to Gulfstream…

After a two-weekend pause, the Road to the 2022 Kentucky Derby resumes Saturday in New Orleans. Pappacap is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the Grade 3, $200000 Lecomte Stakes. Post time from Fair Grounds is 7:20 p.m. EST, with TVG showing the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds. The Lecomte awards points toward the Kentucky Derby on a 10-4-2-1…

The Breeders' Cup prep season begins to draw to a close beginning this weekend, with major domestic stakes at Aqueduct, Churchill Downs, and Santa Anita on Saturday. There's also significant racing on both Saturday and Sunday at Longchamp in Paris, site of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1). The TwinSpires Jury of James Scully, Kellie Reilly, and…

A busy weekend of Breeders' Cup challenge series races already is underway as Santa Anita Park kicked off its fall meet Friday with three "Win and You're In'' races. Hopefully, your handicapping is about complete for Santa Anita's opening day, which features the $300000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds. Post time for this one is 8 p.m.…

Recent runnings of the Breeders' Cup Classic have been formful. You have to go back a decade to find a $20 winner (Fort Larned in 2012), and most of the champions have been less than+500. These things go in cycles. The year before Fort Larned scored at+940, Drosselmeyer cashed for $31.60. Don't dismiss the potential Breeders' Cup Classic…

When Authentic won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2020, it was a surprising result, even though the Kentucky Derby winner from earlier entered with 6-1 odds. The 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic also features the Kentucky Derby champion, Rich Strike, amid a loaded 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic field. Authentic gave trainer Bob Baffert his fourth Breeders' Cup…

Will this weekend's Breeders' Cup Classic serve as the crowning moment for a horse that will go down in the history books, or will it be the setting for a major upset? We'll find out Saturday evening at Keeneland, which will host horse racing's World Championships for the third time and welcome one of the sport's biggest stars in recent memory. The…

People have such an immense passion for horse racing, especially in the most anticipated Breeders' Cup, that they are eager to spend their hard-earned cash to participate in the sport and go to live races rather than watch them from their homes. This year, the world-famous Breeders' Cup will be held on November 4 and 5 at Keeneland in…

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter - born and raised in Bowling Green, Ky. - will attempt to cement his status as North America's best 3-year-old and stake a claim as Horse of the Year in Saturday's $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Race Course. Epicenter is the 5-1 second choice in the morning line behind unbeaten sensation…

The most successful jockey in the history of the Breeders' Cup is Mike Smith, who holds 27 wins in various divisions at the iconic race. He will return to ride Taiba in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday and will look for his first win in the main event since 2016, when he rode Arrogate to victory. Smith's most recent win in a graded stakes…

Breeders' Cup Notebook: A Look-In at Classic Contenders (Epicenter on Thursday morning at Keeneland / All Photos by Coady Photography) From the Breeders' Cup Media Team: Classic Look-In: Epicenter - Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter continues to thrive in his training as he had another strong gallop Thursday morning under Roberto Howell leading…

As we break down the Breeders' Cup Classic odds on Saturday, November 5, we're forced to think about how likely a massive upset could be for our Breeders' Cup Classic picks and think of other big upsets we've seen in sports. In Super Bowl XXXVI the Patriots, seeking their first title, were 14-point underdogs against The Greatest Show on Turf, Kurt…

The 39th running of the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic may be talked about for years if the top contenders repeat their best efforts to date, with six of the eight horses entering the race off wins at the top level. None was more impressive than the undefeated Flightline, a lightly raced colt who won the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes…

The past couple of years have seen a lot of regulatory issues make headlines in horse racing publications - both before and after the takeover of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority on July 1, 2022. Debates and appeals from whip regulations to shoeing to topical medications have prompted officials and fans to reexamine old procedures and…

The Breeders' Cup World Championships return to Kentucky this weekend, and fans will get a look at some of the top thoroughbreds from the United States and abroad. Keeneland will be hosting the Breeders' Cup for the third time after the event made its debut at the track in 2015 and returned in 2020. There are 14 races on the Breeders' Cup slate,…

With the help of some early past performances, many bettors over the last few days have hopefully scouted out some probable favorites at next week's Breeders' Cup that they intend to stand against for the win. It's an annual exercise that should be on everyone's to-do list, because if you're right, the account balance has a much better opportunity…

The horse racing world closes out a thrilling year with the 39th edition of the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, with coverage exclusively across NBC, USA Network, NBCSports.com and Peacock. The Breeders' Cup is horse racing's last hurrah of the year. Horses from around the globe will compete in 14 races over two days, with the…

While the undefeated, unchallenged 4-year-old colt Flightline may be drawing the majority of the headlines for this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, there are, as always, a number of other compelling stories hidden amongst this year's contenders. Some of those listed below are race favorites; others may well offer the longest…

If you live in Canada and want to bet on the Breeders Cup you've come to the right place. Just sign-up to our top five CA Racebooks and not only will you get up to $6000 in horse racing free bets for the meeting, but these can also be claimed in ANY Canada state. See below the top five horse racing betting sites in Canada which allow you to place…

The horse racing world closes out a thrilling year with the 39th edition of the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, with coverage exclusively across NBC, USA Network, NBCSports.com and Peacock. The Breeders' Cup is horse racing's last hurrah of the year. Horses from around the globe will compete in 14 races over two days, with the…

When the long-shot Rich Strike blazed by Epicenter to take the Kentucky Derby in May, nobody was more surprised than the athlete's own jockey Sonny Leon, himself a first-time long shot Derby winner. Since then, the three-year-old son of Keen Ice has had exactly no wins, but he did place respectably behind Hot Rod Charlie in the Lukas Classic.…

We know everyone (at least it seems like everyone, or at least everyone in our world) is immersed in the football season with wall-to-wall college football on Saturday, but Team Tuley is still looking for value at tracks from coast to coast. This Saturday, I'm just joined by my friend Ed Sehon (aka Mr. Ed from his Saratoga and Keeneland columns…

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Undefeated Flightline and Rich Strike, upset winner of the Kentucky Derby, head a field of nine for the Breeders' Cup Classic, with trainer Todd Pletcher pre-entering two horses for the $6 million race that also includes a horse from the barn of embattled trainer Bob Baffert. Trained by John Sadler, Flightline is 5-0 in his…

There have been 13 Triple Crown winners in horse racing history. Among them, Secretariat is widely considered the greatest of all time. Though Flightline was injured and did not participate in last year's Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, or Belmont Stakes, he is unbeaten, brilliant, and at times compared to Big Red. His sixth career start will be…

Welcome to Noel Michaels' Weekend Winners, the place to go for weekend best bets and spot plays from veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer Noel Michaels. Check back every week for a couple of highlighted selections designed to help you cash a few bets and make some money. Noel's selections have been featured just about everywhere horse…

THE latest'elbowgate' storm to hit racing has left punters asking: "When will this BS stop?" Christophe Soumillon shocked the racing world when he shoved Rossa Ryan out of the saddle at Saint-Cloud racecourse last Friday. Ryan was lucky to avoid serious injury and Soumillon was banned for two months. Now Kentucky Derby winner Sonny Leon has been…

Quickquestion. What was Rich Strike's most impressive race? Not-so-quickpause. Take away the trappings of the Kentucky Derby, of the 80-1 odds thatmade Rich Strike the second longest shot in the race's pari-mutuel history towin it. "That'sa good question," trainer Eric Reed said this week at Churchill Downs, where hehas been preparing his growing…

Life Is Good, seen winning the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January, warms up for the Breeders' Cup Classic in Saturday's Grade I Woodward at Aqueduct. Photo courtesy of Katsumi Saito Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Seven Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" races, from New York through Kentucky and on to California highlight the weekend U.S.…

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…

Flavien Prat and Hot Rod Charlie after their win in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. This Saturday's Grade 2, $500000 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs may not be a qualifying race for the Breeders' Cup Classic five weeks from Saturday, but it certainly has implications because the top three contenders may be running in that race depending on their…

Fulsome Could Break Out in Saturday's Ack Ack Stakes From the Churchill Downs Media Team: (Fulsome / Photos by Holly M. Smith) COX HOPES FULSOME FINDS PACE IN ACK ACK - Juddmonte's multiple graded stakes winner Fulsome will attempt to tally his third victory at Churchill Downs in Saturday's $300000 Ack Ack, and trainer Brad Cox hopes the 4-year-old…

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…

LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Juddmonte's multiple graded stakes winner Fulsome will attempt to tally his third victory at Churchill Downs in Saturday's $300000 Ack Ack, and trainer Brad Cox hopes the 4-year-old Into Mischief colt will have a good pace set-up in the one-mile event. Fulsome has won eight races in his career and most recently closed from three…

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…

The $500000, Grade 2 Lukas Classic Stakes Saturday at Churchill Downs may not be a qualifying race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic five weeks later, but it certainly has implications because the top three contenders could be be running in that race depending on how they perform in this one. Hot Rod Charlie leads the six-horse field in career…

Rich Strike, the upset winner of the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, will face older horses for the first time in Saturday's $500000 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs. The 80-1 shot who shocked the world with his rally to win the Run for the Roses will make his first start at Churchill Downs since the first Saturday in May. In his two races…

We're just five weeks from the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, and final rehearsals are taking place around the world. Santa Anita's fall meet opens Friday with a welcome sign for prospects across as many as 10 divisions, while Belmont-at-Aqueduct hosts superstar Life Is Good for Saturday's Woodward Stakes. Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby…

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…

The fight for the top of the podium in the older male division was thought to have been between the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile champion Life Is Good and the multiple graded-stakes-winning Olympiad in Saturday's 95th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney. But CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good, the esteemed 4-year-old son of Into…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: Echo Zulu Returns in Saturday's G3 Dogwood Stakes (Echo Zulu / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churhcill Downs Media Team: L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' three-time Grade I-winning filly Echo Zulu will make her first start since finishing fourth in this year's $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade…

Churchill Downs Ready To Pop Gate on September Meet (Set Piece gets a morning bath at Churchill Downs / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Horse racing on the Kentucky circuit shifts to Churchill Downs on Thursday, Sept. 15 with the first of three Twilight Thursday programs at 5 p.m. (all times Eastern) as the famed…