Kentucky Derby

Making his first start since breaking his maiden impressively over 1700 meters (about a mile and a sixteenth) at Sapporo Racecourse in July, Natural Rise (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) swept widest of all into the long Tokyo straight and held off a late bid from Clay King (Jpn) (Nadal) to take out Saturday's Cattleya Stakes (allowance), the first of four races that comprise the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Natural Rise picks up 10 Kentucky Derby points for the victory. Sent off the 13-5 second betting favorite behind fellow impressive...

In honor of the 10th anniversary of Silver Charm's arrival, Old Friends is hosting a special event on Sunday, Dec. 1 so fans can celebrate the day with the 30-year-old who is currently the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, the retirement home said in a release early Friday. Date: Sunday, December 1, 2024 Time: Noon-2:00 p.m. ET Where: Old Friends, 1841 Paynes Depot Road, Georgetown, Kentucky Admission: Free Another highlight will be Mike Middleton, who will be onsite to demonstrate the making of Raku Pottery using some of Silver Charm's...

The Backside Learning Center (BLC)--an independent non-profit organization providing support and resources for the diverse community of racetrack workers and their families--will hold its annual fundraiser, "Benefit for the Backside: A Day at the Races Celebrating the BLC's 20th Anniversary," Friday, Nov. 22 at Churchill Downs at noon. The public can participate online to purchase raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items. Information and specifics can be found on benefitforthebackside.com. This will be the second year the event will be held at the Churchill Downs' First Turn Club--a, spacious,...

How did we get hooked on this sport? We all have stories about how our love affair developed and blossomed. The TDN will be reaching out to numerous notable people in the industry to get their stories to find out how they got hooked and stayed hooked on the sport. Pat Day: I had no connection to horse racing when I was growing up. I wanted to be a bull rider. When I went to the rodeos, people would ask me did I ever think of becoming a jockey? I'm...

Author and renowned horseman Arthur B. Hancock III will lead off the Keeneland Library's Winter/Spring lecture series with an evening of reading Dec. 12. Held monthly at the Keeneland Library, the series benefits the Keeneland Library Foundation. The full lineup includes: Dec. 12--Arthur B. Hancock III, author of Dark Horses: A Memoir of Redemption, in conversation with Turf writer Lenny Shulman Jan. 22--Eliza McGraw, who wrote Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership That Shaped America Feb. 19--Stacy A. Cordery, author of Becoming Elizabeth Arden March 19--Jessica K. Whitehead, who wrote...

Churchill Downs Racetrack unveiled a painting by artist Tyler Robertson as the 2025 'Official Art of the Kentucky Derby', the company announced Monday. Louisville-based artist Robertson is known for his dynamic sporting art, bold colors and palette knife techniques to incorporate classical aesthetics and symbolism that add depth and narrative to his expressive style. Robertson's artwork for the 151st Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve celebrates the iconic image of horses running into the first turn with the historic Churchill Downs clubhouse and famous Twin Spires in the background. A...

There are no rules or even guidelines when it comes to choosing horses or humans for Eclipse Awards. There is though, at least in the human categories, conventional wisdom. Just pick the person whose stable earned the most money. That's what most voters do. If you base your vote on that criteria, Chad Brown is the obvious pick for trainer of the year. Through Nov. 9, his stable has earned $29,707,240. Steve Asmussen is second at $25,736,730. Brown leads all trainers in graded stakes wins (46) and Grade I wins...

The opening pool for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Friday in advance of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with "All Other Colts and Geldings" topping the list as the 4-5 favorite. 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) was the second choice at odds of 9-1. Other Breeders' Cup 'Rising Stars' included in the pool included East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) at 11-1 and Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) at 19-1. Total handle for the pool, the first of six, was $174,785, a 6.4% increase from the same pool last year. The...

Tuning up for next Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar, four-time Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) breezed five furlongs beneath regular exercise rider Danny Ramsey in 1:01.24 (1/3) over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track Saturday morning. The move was recorded in company with her multiple stakes-placed Ken McPeek-trained stablemate and 4-year-old gelding Denington (Gun Runner). After purchasing a total of 21 yearlings earlier this month--five at the Tattersalls October Yearling sale and 16 at the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling sale--McPeek was back in town...

Bill Carstanjen, the chief executive officer of Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), said during a quarterly earnings conference call Thursday that the gaming company will embark upon a series of frontside and infield projects at Churchill Downs that will increase premium seating by 20% at the corporation's flagship racetrack in Louisville, representing "the largest expansion we have done to date." The frontside redevelopment will be centered on the area starting 180 feet past the finish line through to the First Turn Club, and will require the demolition of the existing Skye...

Tickets for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on Saturday, May 3 will go on sale to the public Thursday, Oct. 3 at noon ET. Two-day all-inclusive reserved tickets to the 151st Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby available for purchase include the new $80-$90 million Starting Gate Courtyard renovation project that will feature new stadium-style seats, permanent upgraded concessions and wagering windows. Limited premium and luxury dining experiences in select areas --the Woodford Reserve Paddock Club and Club SI by Sports Illustrated which both...

Who can forget the pulsating finish of this year's GI Kentucky Derby, when three noses hit the wire together in one of the tightest photo finishes we've seen in years? Other than the immediate connections of those three colts, it's hard to imagine anyone more invested in the result than Debby Oxley, whose beloved mare, Darling My Darling (Deputy Minister), is the granddam of two-thirds of that trifecta. While Mystik Dan (Goldencents) got his nose on the wire first, it was the Oxley-bred 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Toyota Blue...