Kentucky Derby News
August 21, 2016
Espinoza: California Chrome’s better than American Pharoah now
California Chrome, the 2014 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and Horse of the Year, transformed Saturday’s $1,001,380 Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar from a showdown into a one-horse race. By demolishing a field including three-time Eclipse Award champion...
August 15, 2016
Klimt, Gunnevera grab spotlight while others wait in wings
Around this time last August, Nyquist dominated the Best Pal (G2) at Del Mar, and Exaggerator bulled through to take the Saratoga Special (G2). Few of us would have realized it back then, but we’d just seen the future top two finishers in the 2016...
August 14, 2016
American Cleopatra following in big brother American Pharoah’s hoofsteps
The juvenile filly review was forced to take a brief hiatus, thanks to the Haskell and Whitney Handicap weekends, but it’s back in business this week and there’s one name that stands out – AMERICAN CLEOPATRA.
Being a full sister to a...
August 12, 2016
Churchill maiden winners Ever So Clever, Thirstforlife set for graded stakes debut
Saturday marks the graded stakes debuts of Ever So Clever and Thirstforlife, a pair of impressive 2-year-old maiden winners at Churchill Downs. Ever So Clever is among six runners in the $200,000 Adirondack (G2) at Saratoga and Thirstforlife faces five...
August 1, 2016
Exaggerator splashes to Haskell victory; Nyquist fourth
Sunday’s $1,015,000 Haskell Invitational (G1) shaped up as a rematch of the top three from the Kentucky Derby (G1) – Nyquist, Exaggerator, and Gun Runner. But after the rains poured down and Monmouth turned into a sea of slop, it became...
July 27, 2016
Kentucky Derby winner to return in Haskell as divisional honors yet to be determined
Winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1), Florida Derby (G1) and San Vicente (G2) earlier this year, Nyquist enters the second half of the season as the leader in the 3-year-old division. But it’s a tenuous advantage following a third-place effort in the...
July 24, 2016
California Chrome wins epic San Diego battle over Dortmund
Saturday’s $200,000 San Diego H. (G2) at Del Mar pitted 2014 Kentucky Derby (G1) hero California Chrome against Dortmund, who was third to American Pharoah in the 2015 Kentucky Derby. The elder “Chrome” was favored at odds of 4-5, with...
July 23, 2016
Sanford winner Bitumen has long game potential
New York's first graded stakes of the season for juvenile males, Saturday's $150,000 Sanford (G3) at Saratoga, fell to Bitumen, who fans at Churchill Downs have reason to remember as a good-looking, 6 3/4-length debut winner June 30.
Rather...
July 17, 2016
Lull impresses in Belmont Park debut
Perhaps the most exciting two-year-old filly to run last week is LULL, trained by Christophe Clement for owners/breeders Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider. The bay lass by War Front romped in her debut at Belmont Park on Saturday, July 16, leading...
July 17, 2016
Nyquist, Gun Runner on target for Haskell
Kentucky Derby (G1) champion Nyquist, last seen finishing third in the Preakness (G1), is gearing up for a return to action in Monmouth Park’s $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on July 31. The 1 1/8-mile test is expected to attract fellow Derby...