#Woodford Reserve

This year's thoroughbred lineup in the Kentucky Derby is almost at the starting gate, just as COVID-19 restrictions for crowd interactions continue to loosen slightly. If you're planning a small, outdoor fête to celebrate Derby Day, could anything be more chic than a menu that's as colorful as Jockey silks, but still delicious, and healthy? Hold on…

Great news for cocktail lovers and horse racing fans. Woodford Reserve, the "Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby" has renewed its partnership with Churchill Downs Racetrack. "We are proud to renew this partnership, as it unites together two of Kentucky's greatest attractions,bourbon and thoroughbreds," Lawson Whiting, CEO of Brown-Forman…

Justify, ridden by jockey Mike Smith, crosses the finish line to win the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2018, in Louisville, Kentucky. Rob Carr/Getty Images The 145th Kentucky Derby takes place this weekend at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The first event of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, the…

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…

Making the Grade, which will run through the 2019 Belmont Stakes, focuses on the winners or top performers of the key races, usually from the previous weekend, who could impact the Triple Crown. We'll be taking a close look at impressive winners and evaluating their chances to win classic races based upon ability, running style, connections (owner,…

With a new distance and a new place on the calendar, this year's Belmont Stakes is unlike any other. A compact field of nine, highlighted by Tiz the Law, is expected for the historic race. Read on for 12 things to know about Saturday's Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. 1. This year is the first time ever that the Belmont will precede both…

Eight horses are entered in the $150000 Jerome Stakes Saturday at Aqueduct, in which the top five finishers earn points to qualify for the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. In terms of recent efforts at the highest level, we start with Arctic Arrogance, who finished second last month in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes after…

Rich Strike schools in the Keeneland paddock in preparation for the Breeders' Cup (Coady Photography) Churchill Downs Press Release LOUISVILLE, Ky.- It's been eight years since both the winners of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) have run in the Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) and Distaff (GI),…

The first day of 2023 kicks off with a bang on the horse racing front. The $250000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park serves as a Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve qualifier, awarding points for entry to the 2023 Derby on a 10-4-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers. Held over one mile on dirt, the Smarty Jones has yet to…

From the Turfway Park Media Team: Lucrative purse money and Kentucky Derby qualifying points will be on the line during Turfway Park's annual Winter/Spring Meet, which will begin Sunday, Jan. 1 and feature the Grade III, $700000 Jeff Ruby Steaks on Saturday, March 25. Led by the Jeff Ruby Steaks on the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by…

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…

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…

On Dec. 26, 2021, Fair Grounds hosted the inaugural running of the $100000 Gun Runner Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile qualifier on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. The winner was Epicenter, and the fifth-place finisher was Rich Strike; the following spring, Rich Strike and Epicenter ran 1-2 in the Kentucky Derby. The second…

Fair Grounds' Barn Notes: Jace's Road Will Return in Dec. 26 Gun Runner Stakes (The Alys Look will run in the Untappable Stakes / Hodges Photo & Courtesy of the Fair Grounds) From the Fair Grounds Media Team: West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables' Jace's Road, who finished a good third in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs two…

Keeneland Barn Notes: Basin Gets Final Prep for G2 Blue Grass Stakes (Trainer Steve Asmussen / Photo by Holly M. Smith) From the Keeneland Media Team: GRADE 1 WINNER BASIN WORKS FOR TOYOTA BLUE GRASS Toyota Blue Grass (G2) hopeful Basin, who races for Terry Green's Jackpot Farm, was the first horse to breeze over Keeneland's fast track Monday when…

Churchill Downs Releases "Official Logos" for 2023 KY Derby & KY Oaks From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Churchill Downs Racetrack has unveiled the official logo for the 149 running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, and the event mark pays homage to a notable anniversary and salutes the victors of one of the most incredibly…

You could don a fancy floral frock or stylish seersucker suit along with an amazing hat, pour yourself a mint julep and watch the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby at home, but experiencing the race with a crowd of similarly styled people may make it even more enjoyable. Plus, when you watch at a public gathering, you could win a prize for being…

With the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and the Preakness Stakes in the books, it is time to turn our attention to the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets on June 5 at Belmont Park Learn page on America's Best Racing for additional racing terms, educational information, and betting tips. Triple Crown: Thirteen horses in racing…

Lucrative purse money and Kentucky Derby qualifying points will be on the line during Turfway Park's annual Winter/Spring Meet, which will begin Sunday, Jan. 1 and feature the Grade 3, $700000 Jeff Ruby Steaks on Saturday, March 25. Led by the Jeff Ruby Steaks on the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, Turfway Park will offer…

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022) - Churchill Downs today released the 2023 "Official Art of the Kentucky Derby" by renowned international artist, Romero Britto. Considered one of the most celebrated living artists in the world, Britto uses a bold, vibrant aesthetic to evoke a sense of fun and happiness in each of his pieces. From his roots…

Welcome to 2023 Kentucky Derby Prospect Snapshots, where we'll take a look each week at a recent winner on the Triple Crown trail, usually from a race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule. That schedule consists of prep races offering qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, running from September 2022 through mid-April 2023. The 1…

Past Kentucky Derby winners Pleasant Colony, Go for Gin, and Thunder Gulch … Preakness Stakes winners Pleasant Colony and Pine Bluff … Belmont Stakes victors Thunder Gulch and Mo Donegal … Since 1980, the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct has been won by a bevy of top-class horses, including the above-mentioned American classic winners. Other…

Dalaika, shown winning the Grade I Beverly D. at Churchill Downs, returns for the $1 million Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Sept. 9 (UPI) -- It's all about the turf in weekend horse racing with Kentucky Downs staging an extravaganza unmatched anywhere in North America short of the Breeders' Cup World…

The horses are nearing the starting gate for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby. The post position draw and morning line oddswere released today, and the countdown to "the most exciting two minutes in sports" and America's most popular horse race is set. Post time for the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY is 6:57 p.m. ET on…

The 153rd running of the Travers headlines the biggest day of the summer at Saratoga. Six graded stakes including five Grade 1 races highlight the 13 race card. The $1.25 million Travers drew a very competitive field of eight runners for the'Midsummer Derby', and post time for the 1 1/4 mile Travers is 5:44 p.m. ET and Race 11 on the card. The…

Keeneland Barn Notes: Blue Grass Winner Zandon Zooms in Pre-Derby Work (Zandon in his work at Keeneland / Coady Photography) From the Keeneland Media Team: TOYOTA BLUE GRASS WINNER ZANDON TUNES UP FOR KENTUCKY DERBY WITH KEENELAND WORK Jeff Drown's Zandon, winner of Keeneland's $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on April 9, worked 4 furlongs…

Prices of refreshments at racecourses have often been criticised in the UK where a pint might set you back nearly £7 for a Guinness, but what about £2000 for a liquid refresher? That's the going rate racegoers at the Kentucky Derby will be asked to fork out for an extravagant tipple. The Woodford Reserve Mint Julep is what can set you back between…

With the Kentucky Derby still 23 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of "All Other Colts and Geldings from the 2020 Foal Crop" closed as the odds-on 4-5 favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Forte was the 10-1 second choice. Other horses who attracted mild interest from bettors: maiden…

Welcome to 2023 Kentucky Derby Prospect Snapshots, where we'll take a look each week at a recent winner on the Triple Crown trail, usually from the Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule from which the racehorses earn points toward qualifying. The 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will be held May 6, 2023, at Churchill Downs. This…

KY Derby Advance Wager #2 To Be Offered This Week (Forte / Coady Photography) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Fans will have their second of six opportunities to bet on the 149 running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) Thursday-Sunday where Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI)…

Michael McLaughlin's $300000 Iroquois Stakes (Grade 3) winner Curly Jack headlines a field of nine 2-year-old colts that were entered in Saturday's 96th running of the $400000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), a "Prep Season" race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Jockey Club, run at 1 1/16 miles, will award the Top 5 finishers points on a…

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…

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…

For many years, the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park has been contested three weeks prior to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. It's been a productive time slot; over the last 25 years, the 1 1/8-mile race has produced champions and/or classic winners American Pharoah, Creator, Curlin, Lawyer Ron, Afleet…

The $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes drew a field of nine horses, seven of which are stakes winners with five of those entering the race off victories. Leading the field in purse earnings is Tokyo Gold, winner of the Group 2 Derby Italiano Universita Campus Bio-Med in May, otherwise known as the Italian Derby. However, favoritism among…

The $1 million Grade 1 Preakness Stakes on May 15 at Pimlico Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve as the second leg of the Triple Crown, taking place just two weeks after the fabled showdown under the twin spires at Churchill Downs. But what a difference two weeks makes in how horseplayers approach handicapping the two races. The Kentucky…

The day has finally arrived! The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs is here and we are locked and loaded with expert picks and analysis! Will Epicenter go off as the favorite? Is Taiba the real deal? Can Zandon show up big again? Keep reading. This 28-page Inside Track to the Kentucky…

Churchill Downs To Offer Special "Wagering Menu" for KY Derby Week (Twin Spires of Churchill Downs / Coady Photography) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: A new $3 All-3-Year-Old Pick 3 and a 50-cent All-Dirt, All-Stakes Pick 5 that close with the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I), highlight the spectacular…

A trio of Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve prep races will take place Saturday, Jan. 1, across the country to kick off 2022. By far the most competitive on paper is the $250000 Smarty Jones Stake s at Oaklawn Park, which drew a full field of 14 newly turned 3-year-olds. From top to bottom, the Smarty Jones is stuffed with…

The picks are IN for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 7, 2022. With Bob Baffert suspended from Churchill Downs, will this year's most exciting two minutes in sports end with a major upset? This 28-page Inside Track to the Kentucky Derby combines some of the best…

Live Racing Returns to Churchill Downs on Sunday for 19-Day Fall Meet (Churchill Downs / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky shifts from Keeneland to Churchill Downs on Sunday as the home of the Kentucky Derby readies to open its 133 Fall Meet with an 11-race program - all for promising…

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series continues on Saturday, July 20 with the $1 million, Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park. Seven three-year-olds, including three veterans of the Triple Crown, have been entered to contest this prestigious 1 1/8-mile race, which serves as a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the November 2…

Stakes action takes place at Keeneland and Belmont At The Big A this weekend G2 Sands Point Stakes is the feature at Belmont At The Big A this weekend It is a slightly quieter weekend in terms of racing action in the United States this weekend, with much of the global attention likely to be on British Champions Day at Ascot. However, there is still…

The Race to the KY Derby Is On: A Look at the Various Roadtrips (Secret Oath / Photo by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Kentucky Derby fans across the world will be eyeing Hot Springs, Ark. on Saturday as outstanding 3-year-old filly Secret Oath, trained by 86-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, will take on the boys…

After a dramatic edition of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, all eyes now turn to the second jewel of the Triple Crown: the Preakness Stakes. First run in 1873, the 144 edition of the race is this Saturday at Pimlico in Baltimore, and though it doesn't feature the Derby winner it will have no shortage of excitement with 12 horses…

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…

Nest Could Be A Star In The Making; Undefeated Sy Dog Might Head To Royal Ascot; Brinkman Has Big Plans Old Homestead LESINGTON, Ky.-Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy is the 9-5 morning-line choice in a field of 12 3-year-olds entered in today's 98th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. $1 million…

Swiss Skydiver takes on a talented field of 12 colts in Saturday's $600000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes; Six fillies vie for Kentucky Oaks points in the $400000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) LEXINGTON, Ky. - Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver will try to put herself on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail Saturday when she takes on males in a field of 13 horses…

On Saturday at Parx Racing, 11 talented 3-year-old Thoroughbreds will square off going 1 1/8 miles in the $1 million, Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. The Pennsylvania Derby isn't technically part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, but there's no denying the Pennsylvania Derby ranks as a key steppingstone toward the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup…