Blue Grass S.

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) looks to maintain a spotless record as he stretches out to nine furlongs for the first time while facing a field of nine in this Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. If this 3-5 morning line favorite were to score a win this weekend, he would, by most accounts, be considered a top choice heading into the GI Kentucky Derby as an undefeated dual Grade I winner. And yet, history would still be working against the Godolphin homebred come the first Saturday...

On a cloudless August morning in Goshen, Kentucky, a steady stream of horses step on and off the synthetic track at Skylight Training Center. It's a tranquil, scenic drive along Liberty Road to get to Skylight, and quiet still upon pulling into the training center's drive. But at a barn towards the far end of the property, there's a certain effervescence at Tom Drury's stable. The magnetic energy is palpable even in watching the staff go about their daily tasks. "It's a lot busier around here lately," Drury said with...

Coming off a big win at the Keeneland Summer Meet with his star Art Collector taking the GII Blue Grass S., Tom Drury Jr. joins the TDN Writers' Room to share his rags to riches journey as a trainer.

The TDN has partnered with Amplify Horse Racing to present "The Next Generation," an ongoing video series featuring young people who were not born into the Thoroughbred business, but are now excelling within the industry. Paige Gilster was long on hands-on horse experience but short on connections when she graduated from Iowa State University and moved to Lexington. Since then, she's developed her skills as a horsewoman and in just a short time, has become the assistant farm manager at Timber Town Stables, where she looks over an elite group...

Finnick the Fierce (Dialed In) and Man in the Can (Can the Man) were the recipients of Saturday morning bullets at Keeneland as each wrapped up their serious work ahead of next Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in Lexington. The one-eyed Finnick the Fierce drilled a half-mile in :46.20, the fastest of 90 works at the distance Saturday morning. The gelding, an adjudicated allowance winner at Oaklawn Apr. 4, was a sound third to the now-retired Nadal (Blame) in the GI Arkansas Derby May 2. He exits a third...

Shivaree (Awesome of Course), who belied odds of 80-1 to complete the exacta behind future GI Belmont S. hero Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:01.65 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park in advance of the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11. A homebred for Fred Brei's Jacks Or Better Farm, Shivaree required five starts to break his maiden, but has since proved he belongs in the 3-year-old discussion with a pair of stakes scores prior to his...