graded races

It's great to see Kenny McPeek heading to California for the GI Malibu Stakes with (GI) Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. However, it's disappointing that he doesn't have a flight to catch. Instead, he has to travel by van from Louisiana to California. Our industry needs to improve connectivity between the East and West Coasts and the South if we want our racing to survive and thrive. We need to simplify the logistics so that trainers feel more comfortable shipping their horses nationwide. Graded stakes need to be coordinated around...

Santa Anita Park's 19-day Autumn Meet will open Friday, Sept. 29 and will feature the 40th Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 3-4. Breeders' Cup preps will dominate the first two weekends of racing as a total of 31 graded stakes will be run throughout the meet. Closing day will be Sunday, Nov. 5. In addition to hosting the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships for a record 11th time, Santa Anita will hold 42 stakes during the Autumn Meet, including 15 Grade Is and four listed stakes restricted to California-bred or...

Jockeys competing in any group or graded race no longer need to self-isolate upon their return to Ireland, the Racing Post reported on Monday. Previously, only jockeys competing at the Grade or Group 1 level were exempt from quarantine. However, jockeys are still required to undergo a trio of COVID-19 tests-prior to traveling and twice once they travel back to Ireland. "It's positive news," said Irish Jockeys Association Secretary Andrew Coonan to Racing Post. "Flat riders travelling abroad will be helped by this but principally at the moment it will...