Covfefe

The finalists for the 12 equine and five human divisions for the 49th annual Eclipse Awards were released Saturday morning, with GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway), GI Breeders' Cup Sprint victor Mitole (Eskendereya) and, in a bit of an upset, Maximum Security (New Year's Day) set to fight out the night's top honor as 2019 Horse of the Year. Heavily favored to take home the hardware for champion turf male, Bricks and Mortar was stellar in putting together a perfect six-for-six season in 2019. The...

A Thread of Blue (Hard Spun), who led every step of the way to cause a 13-1 upset in the 9 1/2-furlong Saratoga Derby Aug. 4, will be pointed for a start in the final leg of the Turf Trinity, the inaugural Jockey Club Derby to be contested over a mile and a half at Belmont Park Sept. 7. "He came out of the race really well, we'll look at [the Jockey Club Derby]," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin told the NYRA notes team. "We weren't sure if he'd get a mile-and-three-sixteenths...

"Inside the Winner's Circle, Presented by Keeneland" is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale who have gone on to achieve success on racing's biggest stages. When Covfefe (Into Mischief) arrived at Brad Cox's barn at the Fair Grounds to begin training for her 2019 campaign, the trainer could have circled just about any race on his calendar. He had a talented, fast, well-bred filly and might have entertained thoughts of trying the GI Kentucky Oaks. But what makes Cox one of the fastest rising stars in his...

For several weeks, astute racing fans had tabbed Saturday's GI Longines Test S. as one of the potential highlights of the Saratoga meeting. Often times, the bark is bigger than the bite, but this particular renewal lived up to the considerable hype, as Covfefe (Into Mischief) and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (Alternation) hooked up early on and never let the other out of their sights. At the conclusion of 71 seconds and change, Covfefe won the battle and the war, decisioning a very game Serengeti Empress by a hard-fought...