#the turf

It used to be that what happened was of general import only when one pack destroyed the other giving a psychological and sometimes numerical advantage from penalties extracted from hapless opponents. The talk of a game within a game was apposite and sometimes front rows on the losing team really did come off the field inwardly satisfied that they…

Freddy Tylicki gives his verdict on the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over Ascot's straight mile on Qipco British Champions Day, live on Sky Sports Racing. The last day of the turf season has come around quickly, and this should prove an action-packed race for the high society of the equine world. Established in 1955, the first three…

Picks made Monday for fast track and on turf. 1. Bet on Bourbon - Horse likes to win and has drawn the rail and a field he can handle 8. Commercial Flash - Will be one closing at the end. Graham will have him in position 1. Higher Note: Good effort off extended layoff in last outing so there should be some improvement Monday. 7. She's Jersey Tough.…

Sheikh Mohammed winning the Champion Hurdle with a horse who'd been first past the post in the Gold Cup at Ascot... Barry Hills and Robert Sangster combining to land the Stayers' Hurdle... Saeed Manana's silks carried to victory in the Sun Alliance Hurdle and a Gold Cup that caused such a rumpus it ended with a Jockey Club Enquiry at Portman Square…

FORMER champion jockey and 15-times Group 1 winner Simon Marshall gives us his insights into all the runners in the 2018 Melbourne Cup. 1. BEST SOLUTION (Barrier 6) Approx win/place odds: $15 / $4. Gutsy Caulfield Cup winner who's drawn perfectly in gate six. It was a terrific win at Caulfield, and came after back-to-back of Group 1 wins in…

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…

Trainer Ramon Minguet and jockey Samuel Marin had a strong feeling their 3-year-old gelding Zydeceaux was prepared for his winning effort in Saturday's seven-furlong $125000 Pasco Stakes for 3-year-old males at Tampa Bay Downs. "He's a very, very fast horse," Minguet said. "I believed in my horse. I knew he was getting good and that he was going to…

Form analyst Greg Polson is keen to get stuck into Sunday's meetings at Orange and Lismore. ORANGE Best Bet: Race 2 (3) Sizzle Minizzle Like the way the Brett Robb-trained Sizzle Minizzle is going about his business and there's only one reason that will stop the three-year-old son of Sizzling winning for the third time in seven starts at Orange on…

A positive mindset leads to positive results and perhaps nobody knows that better than former champion trainer Doug Watson, as he prepares to lead a five-strong team into Saturday's $30.5 million Dubai World Cup meeting. It's been close to three decades since he arrived in Dubai as a hungry young groom hoping to forge a career on the country's…

The National Combined Totalizator System was launched by the Turf Authorities of India (TAI) here on Friday. The system will increase transparency among all stakeholders (government, club, racing patrons etc.) while bringing Indian horse racing closer to international trends and standards. It will also offer a more stable and better dividend system…

It is sometimes called the most important turf meeting in the U.S. this side of the Breeders' Cup. But is the Arlington Million card really all that? The ingredients are certainly there. Impressive purses for three Grade 1 races that have endured for more than three decades. Horses from around the world representing the sport's biggest powerhouse…

Essential Quality, shown winning the Grade I Travers, is among the favorites in a Breeders' Cup Classic field announced this week. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 29 (UPI) -- It's a week for looking forward as horse racing around the globe nears its annual champion-making events and youngsters get in final licks to make a case…

Friday's Race Recap from Gulfstream: (All odds US) Replays for Friday's races from Gulfstream can be found here (no subscription necessary. Just click the "videos" link: Gulfstream: Race 1: 2nd@ 1.50/1 Race 2: 2nd@ 3.60/1 Race 8: 1st@ 0.90/1 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Race 9: 4th@ 6.50/1 Days in a row with at least one winner given out to our members: 10 🔥🔥 In…

Trainer Tracy Timbery reckons Sea Of Qi could be a Saturday class galloper if he puts it all together but would be content just to see the lightly-raced gelding tick off his maiden at Lismore on Saturday. Timbery will finally get the chance to unleash her talented six-year-old in the Luxaflex Window Fashions Maiden Plate (1410m) after a string of…

Largent, shown winning the 2020 Fort Lauderdale Stakes, returns from an 11-month layoff to contest Saturday's Tropical Turf at Gulfstream Park and could be considered for the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf with a good effort. Photo by Ryan Thompson, courtesy of Gulfstream Park Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A potential prep for the Pegasus World Cup Turf in Florida, a…

Stonewall Star after her victory in the Key Cents (NYRA/Coglianese) NYRA Press Office OZONE PARK, N.Y.- Barry Schwartz's New York homebred Stonewall Star will look to regain winning form for trainer Horacio De Paz in the $100000 Franklin Square, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for state-bred sophomore fillies, on January 22 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The bay…

Even if a race does not carry qualifying points, if there are 3-year-olds running, it could end up being a prep for Kentucky Derby 2023. In addition to the Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, there are six other races Saturday that include 15 horses who already are in the Derby futures market in Las Vegas or are on the verge of being there. Maiden…

The Eric Foster-trained and co-owned Kitodan rolled to a four-length victory under Gerardo Corrales in the $750000, Grade 3 Big Ass Fans Dueling Grounds Derby on Sept. 5 at Kentucky Downs. (Coady Photography) National HBPA Press Release LEXINGTON, Ky. - Turf specialist Kitodan, who went from being claimed twice last year to winning Kentucky Downs'…

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…

There are two organisations that run Irish racing. Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is responsible for governance development and promotion. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) - formerly known as the Turf Club - looks after regulation. And the roles aren't supposed to clash. Other major jurisdictions like Britain and France lump the lot into…

Roger Varian: trainer of Lord Paramount Stuart Williams' lean 2022 has belatedly started to right itself since the beginning of the all-weather season. Between the last meeting of the turf season on November 5 and the end of afternoon racing on Friday, Williams sent out 32 runners and nine of them won. That is the more winners than he trained…

Oeuvre winning the Pan Zareta at Fair Ground Dec. 3, 2022. (Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography) Kevin Kilroy/Fair Grounds NEW ORLEANS, La. - Winner of the Pan Zareta Stakes in December, Oeuvre returns to face an oversubscribed field of 13 in Saturday's $100000 Nelson J. Menard for 4-year-old and up fillies and mares going 5 1/2 furlongs at Fair…

Friday's headliner at Keeneland is the $300000 Sycamore S. (G3), which will be run at 1 1/2 miles on the turf as Race 9. An overflow field of 16 has been entered for the ultra-competitive event, which will be the centerpiece of my Daily Double wagers as I will look to capitalize on an especially generous offer from Twin Spires. The " Keeneland…

Three stakes winners plus a debut runner caught my eye last week. Each of them bred in Louisiana, and each of them with the talent to potentially face open company going forward. Let's start with the debut runner from Ron Faucheux's barn who ran on Thursday, Kyle Beauty. It didn't take an expert eye to be awed by this first-time-starter. After…

Our pundit and resident website tipster Dave Nevison shares his best bets for Huntingdon and more on Friday. Enjoy more live action with us from Dundalk, the latest round of the Turf Series in Bahrain and night two of the 2023 Dubai Carnival at Meydan. 1:00 Huntingdon: Gavroche D'Allier This is a race worth watching, as for a 0-105 handicap it is…

Headlined by classic winners Authentic, Swiss Skydiver and Tiz The Law, 184 horses were drawn Monday afternoon into 14 fields for the $28 million Breeders' Cup championships Friday and Saturday at Keeneland. The morning lines were determined by handicapper Mike Battaglia. [] Below are the fields and odds for the 14 Breeders' Cup races in reverse…

Champagne Dream winning the G3 Nashua at Aqueduct Nov. 6, 2022. (Joe Labozzetta) Tampa Bay Downs Skyway Festival Day by Mike Henry/Tampa Bay Downs TAMPA BAY, Fla.-A trio of stakes races comprise Saturday's annual Skyway Festival Day card at Tampa Bay Downs, with 3-year-olds of both sexes attempting to prove their mettle in a pair of $125000,…

The official state song "Maryland, My Maryland" will not be performed before the Preakness next month because the lyrics are perceived by some to be racist. A spokesperson for Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness, said Friday the tradition of playing the song before the race will be scrapped on Oct. 3, when the Triple Crown series comes to…

Three-year-old dirt fillies get one last chance to compete at the top level against their own age and sex in the $300000 La Brea Stakes (G1), which runs Monday, December 26 at Santa Anita! The race drew a field of eight, four of whom are already graded winners and four who seek those honors for the first time in their career. The field is led by…

The 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series comes to Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Jan. 28 (4:30-6 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock). Some of the biggest names in the sport are potentially going after the $4.5 million at stake. Cyberknife is most likely the biggest name that is probably to be in the field of the headline dirt race. He finished second in…

British trainer Charlie Appleby will bring six runners to the Breeders' Cup Nov. 4 and 5 at Keeneland, according to a Twitter post by U.K. racing broadcaster Nick Luck. The six are: Turf: Rebel's Romance, winner of his last four, including two Group 1s. He's the 3-1 joint favorite in international futures. Also Nation's Pride, winner of the Jockey…

Potential Breeders' Cup Horses Work Lexus Raven Run Winner Caramel Swirl Returns To Churchill Downs Conditioner Cox's "Cool Little Horse" Perryville Winner He'smyhoneybadger LEXINGTON, Ky. - Charles Fipke's undefeated Lady Speightspeare, scratched at the gate for the Oct. 16 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana, at Keeneland…

TOP jockey John Egan could still be racing into his SIXTIES. John, who will be 53 in May, has signed a top agent to help him in his quest to become one of the oldest jockeys in the world. Even though he's ridden more than 2000 winners across 30 countries, he's still not satisfied. Successes have included the Irish 2000 Guineas, July Cup, Golden…

It's full speed ahead this summer at the Del Mar racetrack. While the schedule of activities in 2021 was abbreviated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this season will have a calendar that is chock-full of events, which visitors are more accustomed to seeing. "We're raring to go," said Chris Bahr, Del Mar's director of events and promotions. "Not…

While I was watching yet another NFL halftime show precede and perhaps trigger a stadium power outage, I went back to my computer window that was locked Thanksgiving morning into the very early betting on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Four times a year I am thankful for the a-ha, teaching moment that the KDFW provides. And it happened like…

2023-01-10Tuesday Southwell top racing tip: Master Zoffany set to turn tables on market rival It's no real surprise to see William Haggas' Spirit Of Nguru heading the early market on the back of his latest runner-up finish in a stronger 11-runner Class 3 than this one, over seven furlongs at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day. From an unhelpful outside…

The European Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby has a trio of one-mile races remaining that, following a four-month hiatus, is set to return in March - with big points at stake on the synthetic tracks. The Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes at Kempton Park in Surrey will kick off the month. The Patton Stakes at County Louth in Ireland is…

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…

Georgia kicks off tonight as a 12.5 point favorite over the TCU Horned Frogs according to DraftKings. That's down slightly from the 13.5 point opening line, but still makes the Dawgs among the most prohibitive title game favorites in recent memory. The odds are always influenced by who Vegas thinks will actually be on the field. The Red and Black…

Just one live day - the New Year's Eve card at Aqueduct Racetrack - remains in 2020 to complete a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit. The NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of New York-based racing personalities to get their reflections on the memorable year. As a third-generation…

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…

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…

Santa Anita Barn Notes: Friday's Card Gets 8.5 Starters Per Race From the Santa Anita Media Team: FRIDAY'S ALL-DIRT CARD ATTRACTS 8.5 STARTERS PER RACE With more rain in the forecast for Arcadia this week, the decision was made to run Friday's eight-race program exclusively on dirt. After entries were taken and the program finalized yesterday,…

Country House won the 145th Kentucky Derby after Maximum Security - who crossed the finish line first - was disqualified for a race infraction, an unprecedented result in race history. Read full coverage of the race here. Bob Baffert, the Hall of Fame trainer of Triple Crown winners American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018, has three horses in…

Cheval Grand, shown winning the 2017 Japan Cup, returns seeking a repeat victory in Sunday's renewal. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Weekend horse racing action stretches from Tokyo to Bahrain with a stop in England and a quick look at Hong Kong's preparations for its big weekend two weeks down the calendar. The Grade 1…

Another racing week at Saratoga begins on Wednesday with a 10-race program, highlighted by the Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes for steeplechase runners going 2 1/16 miles. I've highlighted my five favorite races on the program, which gets underway at 1:05 p.m. EDT. Best Bet: Java Buzz (Race 5) Best Value Bet: Frosty Invasion (Race 2) Race 1 No. 3…

Keeneland Announces Spring Stakes Schedule (Keeneland / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Keeneland Media Team: Keeneland will award a season record $8.05 million for 19 stakes to be run during its 2023 Spring Meet, which will cover 15 days from April 7-28. Leading the schedule are the 99 running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and 86…

That the third running of the $20-million Saudi Cup, with a post time of 12:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. Riyadh) on February 26, has drawn a patchwork quilt of talent and also-rans out of the woodwork to its full field of fourteen was widely expected, since the one-turn race is - right now, until some other promoters cook up a brighter idea - the horse…

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…