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This past weekend, my husband and I brought five of his old high school friends to their first Kentucky Derby. The group grew up together in Baltimore and while some of them have been to the infield at the Preakness, the Derby was their first authentic race-day experience. They flew in from various parts of the East Coast. One is an engineer, two are wealth managers, one works in investment banking and another is in business consulting. They are all hard-working, fun, intelligent 26 and 27 year olds. In short,...

by Alexa Crament Alexa Crament is a Junior at the University of Kentucky majoring in Equine Science and Management. She recently completed an internship with the TDN's social media and video department where, among many other projects, she took lead on a TDNtv video series highlighting Visit Horse Country. Alexa is also a regular tour guide at Godolphin's Jonabell Farm. Seven years ago, I was planning my first trip to Lexington, Kentucky during my spring break week. I fell in love with the racing industry after Nyquist's Kentucky Derby win...

In ages past horseracing was accepted as a part of global culture. Initially a pastime of the aristocratic, the invention of syndicates gave opportunity for working people to become a part of the sport. This was a goal that many strove towards and achieved during the twentieth century. The practices within the mystical realm of racing were not questioned; it simply was not done. The dawn of a new millennium has seen society change, animals have been humanised and a group within society now question our practices and the morality...

Breeders' Cup will utilize 100% of seated capacity at Del Mar for the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships. Tickets will go on sale to the public at Noon ET and 9 a.m. PT Friday, July 16. Available seating options and pricing can be viewed now at BreedersCup.com/tickets. Del Mar is set to host the World Championships, one of Thoroughbred racing's most prestigious international events, for just the second time Nov. 5-6. "After conducting the 2020 World Championships without fans in attendance, we are delighted to be able to safely welcome...

The New York Racing Association will accept full and partial space group hospitality reservations for the 2021 season at Saratoga Race Course beginning June 16 at 10 a.m. Reservations will be available in the following hospitality areas in the popular Saratoga backyard: the Festival Tent, accommodating up to 240 guests; the Big Red Spring Tent, available for full space reservations and offering seating for up to 50 fans; and the Easy Goer, which accommodates 300. Both areas include admission and post parade programs. Additionally, full-space reservations are currently being accepted...

Saratoga Race Course will re-open to fans at near full capacity for the 2021 summer meet, NYRA announced Thursday in conjunction with Governor Andrew Cuomo. Season and weekly ticket plans for the 2021 meet, which opens July 15 and continues through Sept. 6, will go on sale June 9 at 10 a.m. at NYRA.com. Season admission passes will also be available for purchase at that time. In order to re-open Saratoga Race Course to fans at near full capacity, NYRA will designate most sections for vaccinated fans only, including the...

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a major capacity increase at the state's racetracks and other outdoor large-scale sports and entertainment facilities Wednesday. The new order, which takes effect May 19, permits venue capacity to as much space as needed to meet the six-feet apart social distancing mandate. Another key part of the mandate is that fully vaccinated fans can be spaced next to one another, rather than six-feet apart, in areas that are separate from non-vaccinated patrons. "NYRA joins sports and entertainment venues throughout the state in thanking Governor...

Between Saturday, Apr. 17 and Wednesday, Apr. 28, Churchill Downs will be open free-of-charge daily from 7-10 a.m. for fans to watch the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks contenders work. Horses train on Churchill Downs' main track daily from 5:15-10 a.m. Beginning Saturday, April 17, there will be an exclusive training window only for Derby and Oaks participants from 7:30-7:45 a.m. following the 7-7:30 a.m. renovation break. Those horses will be identified by special saddle towels which include their names:  yellow saddle towels for Derby horses and pink...

In a surprising development, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that fans may return to the state's racetracks starting Apr. 22. Attendance will be capped at 20% capacity. A few hours after Cuomo's announcement, NYRA officials were still considering their options and would not commit to allowing fans to attend as soon as Apr. 22. "The New York Racing Association, Inc. looks forward to welcoming fans back to Belmont Park this spring and to Saratoga Race Course this summer," NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke. "We thank Governor Cuomo...

Golden Gate Fields will reopen the racetrack to a limited capacity of fans starting Friday, Apr. 16, for the remainder of the winter/spring meet that runs through June 13. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will be required to reserve tickets for the duration of the meet. General admission and walk-ups are not permitted at this time. Fans are encouraged to sign-up online to be the first to receive notification when tickets go on sale. Reopening protocols will include social distancing, mandatory masking when not actively eating or drinking, contactless thermal...

The card for the 84th GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby produced all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $24,282,400 Saturday. This was the largest Santa Anita Derby day handle since 2007. In addition, fans returned to the Arcadia oval on a restricted basis, with 8,246 on-track for the 12-race program. It was the first time in over a year that fans were allowed back at Santa Anita since the COVID-19 pandemic began last winter. Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) saluted in the day's feature event, the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby for...

   Time for The Industry to "Stand and Deliver" When it Comes to Accountability, Transparency, and Most Importantly, the Horse "Ganas...all we need is Ganas." --Jaime Escalante Pretty simple words to say, but much harder to truly live by, and the racing industry is at the point now where it needs to truly not only say these words, but to live them. Jerry Brown, in a letter to the editor recently published in the Thoroughbred Daily News, stated his belief that horses running in stakes races were not running true...