#Monmouth Park

Knicks Go, seen winning the Grade I Pegasus World Cup in January, is favorite for Saturday's Grade I Whitney at Saratoga. Photo courtesy of Gulfstream Park Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Rich purses drew some top foreign talent for the Saratoga Derby and Oaks on Saturday and Sunday on the upstate New York turf to highlight a big weekend of Thoroughbred…

A Grade 3 stakes winner last time in New York, Champions Dream headlines a strong pair of stablemates for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in Saturday's $125000 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Likely to be favored in the field of six, the son of Justify has won 2-of-3 starts for former trainer Danny Gargan. Debuting at Saratoga, he broke his maiden…

This is "last call" weekend for Breeders' Cup hopefuls with more than a dozen "Win and You're In" races spread across three U.S. tracks. It's also Arc weekend in Paris and Winx seeks her 28th straight win in Australia. There's even more, with important 2-year-old races in Canada and the Group 1 Sun Chariot in England. Twenty-eight straight wins? It…

It is the great story of the understudy getting that one shot to step in for the star. One shot to step into the spotlight. And maybe even stay there. When Drew Bledsoe got hurt, in came Tom Brady. Wally Pipp was replaced by Lou Gehrig. Phil Fulmer less elegantly for Johnny Majors. On the other hand, sports are full of one-hit wonders like Jeremy…

By the time the Grade 1, $1017500 Haskell Stakes was about to start Saturday evening, trainer Brad Cox was under extra pressure. He had been on a private plane from Saratoga only a few hours earlier with rival trainer Chad Brown, Brown's girlfriend and three jockeys. By the time the Haskell rolled around, Brown had won five races, including four…

Brad Cox (centre) was the winning trainer in the Haskell Stakes Cyberknife stole the headlines at Monmouth Park on Saturday as the Brad Cox-trained colt landed the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes in a record time. Ridden by Florent Geroux, the Arkansas Derby winner completed the 1m1f circuit in a time of 1m 46.24s, getting the better of Bob Baffert's Taiba…

Some of the best thoroughbreds in the world compete in the Pegasus World Cup, a prestigious invitation-only race. This event, presented by Baccarat, will be held in the Carousel Club at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, January 28. There is no doubt that fans have been anticipating the yearly event and keeping an eye on the list of contenders. With a…

Kentucky Derby second-place finisher Mandaloun (pink cap) wins Sunday's Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park. Photo courtesy of Monmouth Park June 14 (UPI) -- Maybe it's a little early to crown Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality as best 3-year-old in the nation, especially after Mandaloun's impressive victory in Sunday's Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth…

Two weeks after a Grade 1 win at Saratoga, trainer Christophe Clement is putting the star of his barn back in the starting gates. Gufo (7-5) is morning-line favorite Saturday for the Grade 2, $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes. Post time from Kentucky Downs is 5:45 p.m., with the race broadcast on both CNBC and FanDuel TV, the network formerly…

Northfield Park had a full evening of 15 races planned on Monday, July 11, but officials canceled the card after the second race due to a pacer named Alfred Hanover finding his way into the park's pond and drowning. The two-year-old standardbred had just run second in the event which was part of the Buckeye Stallion Series. While handlers were…

Repole Stable's Chocolate Gelato fought off a determined You're My Girl coming out of the turn to win the $400000, Grade 1 Frizette Stakes by a length on a sloppy main track at the Belmont at the Big A meet held at Aqueduct Oct. 2. The victory earned the 2-year-old daughter of Practical Joke a spot in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile…

The Queens County Stakes is a 1 1/8-mile dirt stakes for 4-year-olds and up and this year a nearly full field of 11 has been entered including two trained by Norman Cash. The runners exit dirt races in 10 cases including five at Aqueduct, three at Laurel Park and one each at Parx and Keeneland with the final runner coming out of a synthetic race at…

Cyberknife, shown winning the Arkansas Derby, tops the list of invitations to the Grade I Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28. Coady Photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Kentucky Derby preps in California and New York highlight the weekend horse racing schedule with plenty of would-be stars looking for a big step…

Editor's note: last summer, Ed Sehon (aka Mr. Ed) called this column "Saratoga on (about) $100 a Day," but sometimes had trouble finding plays on the mid-week cards, which put a drain on the bankroll. So, for this summer's meet at the Spa, Mr. Ed is saving his bankroll for the higher-quality cards (and horses) on the weekend and is posting his…

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Wit, who races for the Repole, St. Elias and Gainsway Stables, followed his usual racing pattern of coming from off the pace when he took the trophy in the Spa's $135000 Better Talk Now Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course. With Jose Ortiz in the saddle for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, the colt by Practical Joke…

Titleholder wins Sunday's Takarazuka Kinen, now targeting the Arc d'Triomphe. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association June 27 (UPI) -- Tawny Port's victory in Saturday's Ohio Derby serves notice the scramble among U.S. 3-year-olds is far from over while Westover's dominance of the Irish Derby indicates he's not out of the frame, either, despite…

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…

War of Will, shown winning the Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland in July, is a major player in Saturday's Grade I Woodbine Mile. Photo courtesy of Keeneland Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Two days of top-level turf action at Woodbine, including three Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" events, provide the feature attraction in weekend horse racing. Two of the…

Forewarned wins last year's edition of the Queens County (NYRA/Coglianese) NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Trainer Uriah St. Lewis' graded stakes-placed Forewarned will attempt to defend his title in the $150000 Queens County, a nine-furlong main track test for 3-year-olds and upward, on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack. "He's doing fantastic and…

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…

OCEANPORT - Jason Servis is confident he has Maximum Security fully cranked for the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Invitational Saturday at Monmouth Park. However, what Servis, Maximum Security's trainer, is not completely confident of is whether the horse likes the Monmouth Park racing surface. "I don't know if people have thought of this, but last…

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…

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter, who came up just shy of Grade 1 glory twice this spring in the Triple Crown, secured both his first top-level victory and a place at the top of the sophomore division with an emphatic 5 1/4-length victory under Joel Rosario in the 153rd renewal of the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million…

Don Alberto Stable's Forza Di Oro gets the honors of morning line favorite at 7-2 in the $100000 Tenacious Stakes Monday at Fair Grounds, but last year's Tenacious exacta returns in the form of Estate of James J. Coleman Jr.'s Chess Chief and Lothenbach's Happy American, who is cross-entered in the $100000 Buddy Diliberto three races earlier on the…

In his regular gambling blog, John Piassek presents his top picks for the upcoming weekend in horse racing, offering betting options at different budget levels. Piassek's Plays is brought to you by Horseplayers.com, the official online qualifying site of the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) and National Horseplayers Championship (NHC).…

Sodashi, shown winning the Sapporo Kinen in her last start Aug. 22, returns in Sunday's Grade 1 Shuka Sho at Hanshin Racecourse. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Oct. 15 (UPI) -- As American horse racing enters its pre-Breeders' Cup "calm before the storm" this weekend, the international contingent ably plugs the gap with the world's…

After a two-week break, the Road to the Breeders' Cup resumes on Saturday with a significant prep at the Jersey Shore anchoring the weekend's stakes activity, which has been adjusted somewhat compared with previous years due to changing track schedules in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1 million, Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth…

The colt who appears likely to be named the official 2021 Kentucky Derby winner returns to the races Sunday afternoon. Mandaloun headlines a five-horse field going 1 1/16 miles in the $150000 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park. Post time is 4:50 p.m. EDT, with TVG to broadcast the local prep for next month's Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes. When…

Like a lot of kids who grew up on the racetrack, Jesus "Jesse" Cruz hoped to become a jockey. But long after he outgrew that king-sized dream, he continued to forge relationships with horses. When a homebred named Help a Brother arrived in the barn of his stepfather, Lewis Craig, Jr., at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in 2012, 18-year-old…

The Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes are the most iconic US horse racing events. These races have been running since the late 19th century, offering bettors plenty of opportunities to make extra cash. In addition to these two significant races, many other US horse racing tracks and events offer betting opportunities. These include the…

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Eddie Fazzone could barely speak, his vocal chords shot from rooting for his filly Dream Central. But he had plenty to say. The Schenectady native and Mont Pleasant High school graduate, who runs the popular Eddie F's seafood restaurant in Saratoga Springs with his wife, Lisa, a Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons grad, first owned…

Down On Da Bayou blitzes her rivals in Thursday's UAE Oaks at Meydan, and now is headed for the Saudi Derby. Photo by Erika Rasmussen, courtesy of Dubai Racing Club Feb. 21 (UPI) Weekend horse racing features a dash of Kentucky Derby, Saudi Derby, Hong Kong Derby, Qatar Derby and even the Winter Derby with action from the Far East to the Middle…

The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic is the marquee race for the upcoming World Championships for US Racing. Since it started in 1984, the 1¼m race has ascended to one of the most important races on the global racing calendar. The Classic regularly draws the best horses from across the world that love the dirt track. The race has seen numerous…

BENSALEM, PA - Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will look to win the $1 million, Grade 1 betPARX Pennsylvania Derby for a record fourth time Saturday when Zedan Racing Stables' Taiba leads a field of 11 3-year-olds in the signature event of the season at Parx Racing. The 1/18-mile Pennsylvania Derby is the 12th race on the 13-race card with a…

Curlin is known as "The Classic Sire." A talented race horse in his own right, he has been an en vouge sire for Classic distance winners. Saratoga honors him on Friday. Curlin was born in 2004. The Chestnut horse was sired by Smart Strike and was out of a Deputy Minister Mare. The 11 time winner was Steve Asmussen who stands as the all-time…

Hot Peppers after her win in the Jersey Girl June 12 (NYRA/Coglianese) By Keith McCalmont - NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso's graded-stakes winner Hot Peppers returns from a three-month layoff in Saturday's $120000 Garland of Roses, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct…

The 2022 TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) has drawn a field of eight, including some of the best three-year-olds in training right now. Taiba, the dazzling winner of the Santa Anita Derby (G1), has been named the 7-5 morning line favorite. Jack Christopher, undefeated in four starts, stretches out to two turns for the first time in the Haskell. Arkansas…

SARATOGA SPRINGS - After trying two turns, Jack Christopher returned on Saturday to what he is - an exceptional 3-year-old sprinter. In his first start since a third-place finish in the nine-furlong Haskell at Monmouth Park last month, Jack Christopher cut back in distance impressively with a 1 1/4-length victory in the Grade I Allen Jerkens run at…

The Pegasus World Cup was created in 2017 and is held annually in January at Gulfstream Park. It is a Grade I event run on dirt at a distance of one mile and one furlong and is available to horses four years old and up. The Pegasus World Cup was created in 2017 and is held annually in January at Gulfstream Park. It is a Grade I event run on dirt at…

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control will retire on top of his game after securing a trademark gutsy score in Saturday's Grade 1, $750000 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets, at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and piloted by fellow Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the 6-year-old son…

Hot Rod Charlie gives the Grade 3, $150000 Salvator Mile on Saturday at Monmouth Park a nice star attraction for racing fans to watch. Unfortunately, his class advantage also makes this race hard to approach as a bettor. Last year, Hot Rod Charlie crossed the wire first in the Haskell Stakes (G1) on this course, before a disqualification knocked…

OCEANPORT - His turf course. His race.Jockey Joe Bravo gave the Mike Maker-trained Bigger Picture a picture-perfect rail-skimming ride as that horse rallied from last in the field of nine with five furlongs left to win the Grade I $300000 United Nations Stakes by a head over Can't helpbelieving Saturday at Monmouth Park.For Bravo, a 13-time…

Kelly Breen is a Jersey-bred. He grew up in Old Bridge. He learned how to ride horses in Morganville. He figured out how to bet on them on the front side of Monmouth Park. He was taught how to train them by the old-timers on the backside of that charming track on the Jersey Shore. There is nothing he'd like better than to be standing in the…

Horsemen show a lot of support for Del Mar; Tizamagician to do the trick in Cougar II; Osunitas, Wickerr enhance weekend program DEL MAR, Calif.- Flavien Prat, the riding champion four of the last five years, has mounts booked for all 10 races as Del Mar opens its 82 summer season today. Soon after the last one he'll catch a plane for New Jersey…

The 154th running of the Belmont Stakes takes place on Saturday in Elmont, N.Y., with Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike returning after sitting out the Preakness. At 80-1, Rich Strike was the second-biggest long shot winner in the history of the Kentucky Derby. Although he didn't run in the Preakness, there was a Rich Strike effect. Fenwick opened…

American Revolution, shown winning the Grade I Cigar Mile in December, is among the likely ones in Saturday's Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs. Photo by Joe Labozzetta, courtesy of New York Racing Association June 3 (UPI) -- Weekend racing is all about the doings on Epsom Downs southwest of London, where the Oaks on Friday and the Derby on Saturday…

Channel Cat, shown winning the Grade I Man o' War in May, is among the favorites for Saturday's Grade II Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Nov. 19 (UPI) -- High-class graded stakes racing is spread across North America this weekend, with a turf showdown in New York, a tough mile event for fillies and mares…

Two Emmys wins Saturday's Grade I Mr. D. Stakes at Arlington Park, the final gasp of what once was the Arlington Million. Photo by Coach Photography, courtesy of Arlington Park Aug. 16 (UPI) -- There was something for everyone in Saturday's presumed final run of "Million Day" at Arlington Park with a victory for top international raiders and…

Malathaat, shown winning the 2021 Kentucky Oaks, faces old rival Clairiere in Saturday's Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs July 22 (UPI) -- The battle for year-end honors is hotter than the weather, as weekend horse racing has Clairiere versus Malathaat at Saratoga, top 3-year-olds in the Haskell at Monmouth and a rematch…

Battle Bling victorious in the G3 Turnback the Alarm (Joe Labozzetta) By Keith McCalmont - NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Michael Dubb and Gandharvi's graded-stakes winner Battle Bling will look to add to her spoils when she headlines a talented field of 11 in Saturday's Grade 3, $200000 Go for Wand, a one-turn mile for fillies and mares…