149th Kentucky Derby

With 20 questions and a tiebreaker facing contest participants, entries are now open for the 2023 Thoroughbred Idea Foundation Derby Prop Contest, the organization said in a release Wednesday. The entry portal closes at 11:00 a.m. E.T. this Saturday, May 6. Players should keep track of their answers as you will not be able to revisit the survey portal once you submit your entry. Should a horse named directly in a prop be scratched, all answers to that prop may be counted as correct. Winners will be notified by email...

GI Kentucky Derby entrant Raise Cain (Violence), trained by Ben Colebrook, and GI Kentucky Oaks entrant Affirmative Lady (Arrogate), trained by Graham Motion, worked at Keeneland on Thursday morning, the track said in a release. Raise Cain covered a half-mile in company with the unraced 3-year-old filly Merrily Rush (Cross Traffic) in :49 on a fast track. Clockers caught him galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:02.80. "I just wanted him to have something to run at: a horse 5 lengths in front of him because that's something he'll be doing...

Mage. It's not a word you come across too often, though its roots are obviously entwined with those of "magus"--as in the three magi, the wise men who followed the star from the east-and indeed "magician." It denotes one of deep learning, sometimes to an occult degree. And if the horse bearing that name (a son of Good Magic, it hardly needs adding) should happen to win the GI Kentucky Derby, then perhaps we should view the man responsible for bringing him into the world as aptly honored. Because just...

GIII Sunland Derby winner and GI Kentucky Derby hopeful Wild On Ice (Tapizar) was euthanized Thursday after the colt sustained a left hind leg injury that occurred following his workout just before 6 a.m. (EST) at Churchill Downs, Felix Chavez of the El Paso Times shared via Twitter after speaking with owner Frank Sumpter. The Texas-bred gelding clocked five furlongs in 1:01.40 and then was pulled up while galloping out down the backstretch. Wild On Ice was evaluated at the Churchill Downs Equine Medical Center and was transported to Lexington...

Three GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls, as well as a GI Kentucky Oaks potential entrant, worked Wednesday morning over a fast surface at Churchill Downs, the track said in a release on Wednesday. Hiroyuki Asanuma's G2 UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) drilled five furlongs in 1:01.40 and was partnered with Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd.'s Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong), who worked a half-mile in :50. Shortly after those breezes during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses, R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine's Sun Thunder...

Grammy® Award-winning country music singer, songwriter and Kentucky native Carly Pearce will sing the National Anthem at this year's GI Kentucky Derby, which will be contested for the 149th time on May 6, Churchill Downs announced Tuesday. Also, singer and songwriter Rachel Platten will kick off Derby weekend by performing the National Anthem and her hit "Fight Song" during the Kentucky Oaks Survivor's Parade at the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 5. "Carly Pearce has been taking the country music world by storm with an impressive year of musical performances,"...

Saudi businessman Amr Zedan has been an owner only since 2017, but in that short period of time he has more than made his mark on the sport. His Medina Spirit (Protonico) crossed the wire first in the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby, his Taiba (Gun Runner) won three Grade I races last year and he has what may be this year's hottest 3-year-old colt in GIII Southwest S. winner Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo). We found out more about Zedan and his racing operation on this week's Thoroughbred Daily News Writers'...

On Saturday at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, the age-old wager known as the Daily Double will encompass a pair of Grade III races late on the card. The GIII Louisiana S. for older males will give way to a group of youthful 3-year-olds in the GIII Lecomte S., as they look to chase Kentucky Derby points that have expanded to 20-8-6-4-2 for the top five finishers. Calhoun Looks to Continue Louisiana Hot Hand Bret Calhoun continues to lead in the trainer standings during the meet for an award...

The gaming corporation that controls the GI Kentucky Derby fired the latest legal salvo in trainer Bob Baffert's ongoing attempt to reverse the second year of a two-year ban the company imposed in 2021 because of a spate of drug positives in Grade I races, urging a federal judge not to grant an injunction that would lift the ban in time for the May 6 Derby. "Baffert refuses to accept responsibility for his wrongful actions..." Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) wrote in a brief opposing Baffert's motion for a preliminary injunction...

Topping a Bob Baffert trifecta, REINCARNATE (Good Magic), the co-longest shot on the board at 16-1, held off Newgate (Into Mischief) and favored National Treasure (Quality Road) to steal the GIII Sham S. Fresh off his maiden-breaking score in just his second start on the dirt following a pair of turf efforts in the fall, Reincarnate, a $775,000 yearling, came in the least heralded of Baffert's trio. Sent right to the front from his middle gate, the roan colt was able to clear National Treasure on his inside for a...

Lugan Knight (Goldencents) was not going to be denied as he matched strides down the lane with Arctic Arrogance (Frosted) in the $150,000 Jerome S. at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday afternoon. With 10-4-3-2-1 points available to the top 5 finishers on the Road to the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby, it was Lugan Knight's day to shine. Sent off as the second choice at 7-2, the colt set front-end fractions of :23.41 at the quarter-mile marker and :47.70 for the half-mile, all as the favorite Arctic Arrogance dogged his...

Churchill Downs Racetrack has unveiled the official logo for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, which takes place May 6, 2023. Highlighted by the Kentucky Derby's color palette of red, black, gold and white, the Kentucky Derby 149 logo features diamonds intended to replicate the blocks in Secretariat's blue and white silks as this coming year marks the 50th anniversary of his Triple Crown victory. Meanwhile, the specific number of 13 diamonds is reverence to the number of Thoroughbreds that won all three races in...