Road to the Kentucky Derby

For its 150th anniversary racing season, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will boast 59 stakes worth a combined $7.795 million--up more than $600,000 from last season--during its 80-day, 2021-22 Thoroughbred meet, which is set to begin Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 25. "Fair Grounds Race Track is embedded in the history of New Orleans," said Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots president Doug Shipley. "We have always been very proud to be part of such a great city and this year marks the 150th anniversary of our inaugural season. We...

The official "Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve," will begin Sept. 18 at Churchill Downs with the GIII Iroquois S., has been unveiled with a new proviso that horses under the care of suspended trainers will not be awarded points in the Derby prep races. Effective Sept. 30, points from any race in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" will not be awarded to any horse trained by any individual who is suspended from racing in the 2022 Kentucky Derby or any trainer directly or indirectly employed,...

   In Global Views, Godolphin Flying Start trainees provide insight into practices experienced and observations taken on their worldwide travels. First-year trainee Marine Moussa examines the impact of the Kentucky Derby points system that was implemented nine years ago. The 147th running of the Kentucky Derby is this Saturday and the excitement after four months of preparation has reached its climax. The 20 contenders have qualified for the Kentucky Derby through a points system that was implemented in 2013. The system, called 'The Road to the Kentucky Derby', features 20...

D J Stable LLC's Helium (Ironicus) overcame an impossibly wide trip and gamely fended off a late charge from the well-backed Hidden Stash (Constitution) to upset Saturday's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby by three-quarters of a length while making his dirt and two-turn debuts. Perfect in two starts going seven furlongs over the Woodbine synthetic last year, including a 4 1/4-length success in the Display S. when last seen Oct. 18, the $55,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling graduate's worktab included a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 (1/8) at Palm...

The unbeaten Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) put himself on the map with an ultra-impressive, last-to-first victory in Friday evening's Remington Springboard Mile. Off a beat slow from his rail draw, Senor Buscador caboosed the field in 10th--some 17 lengths behind--through contested fractions of :23.52 and :47.22. He began to wind up entering the far turn, caught the eye with a visually impressive sweeping move approaching the quarter pole and kept on motoring from there to inhale the field in the stretch and win going away. Cowan, runner-up in the GII Breeders'...

Pneumatic debuted going six panels at Oaklawn Feb. 15 with a neck score over next out winner Skol Factor (The Factor) before earning TDN Rising Star status stretching to a mile in optional claiming company at the Hot Springs oval Apr. 11. Tiring to third after prompting the early pace in Churchill's GIII Matt Winn S. May 23, the dark bay finished fourth most recently in the GI Belmont S. June 20. Installed the 4-5 favorite in this field of eight, Pneumatic sat close to the pace-setting two-for-two Arkaan through...

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - Belmont Stakes Result - Tiz the Law (+$325) proved too good for them. Bankroll: $3540. GIII Ohio Derby - Awesome field lined up and no brainer to fade Storm the Court as ML favorite based on...

JACK Thistledown Racino kicks off its 2020 racing season June 4, continuing through October 21. Thistledown will feature an eight race card Monday-Thursdays, with first post at 12:50 p.m. ET. The season will include select Saturday racing, including the 86th running of the Ohio Derby June 27 and the Best of Ohio series August 8. The GIII Ohio Derby will be part of the "Road to Kentucky Derby." Points to the top four finishers will be worth 20-8-4-2. "We are thrilled to have JACK Thistledown Racino's historic Ohio Derby become...

The GIII Ohio Derby has been added to the extension of the "Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve." The $500,000 race will be held June 27 at Thistledown Racino. Points to the Top 4 finishers will be worth 20-8-4-2 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Also on the schedule are the June 6 GI Santa Anita Derby (100 points), the June 20 GI Belmont S. (150 points), the July 4 GIII Los Alamtios Derby (20 points), the July 8 GIII Indiana Derby (20 points), the July...

A few weeks ago, the GIII Matt Winn S. was added as a points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, reconstituted when Churchill Downs relocated the 2020 'Run for the Roses' to Sept. 5. The race took on added importance earlier this week, when officials at Belmont Park announced that its marquee race, the GI Belmont S., would be the first of this year's Triple Crown races and take place June 20. Saturday's first graded stakes of the season beneath the Twin Spires therefore takes on added importance...

Churchill Downs Racetrack released a preliminary list of races Tuesday that could be used for the extension of the "Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve," pending agreeable race placement by the host tracks. The first race in the extended series, the $150,000 GIII Matt Winn S. May 23 at Churchill Downs, will have top four points raised from the previously announced 10-4-2-1to 50-20-10-5. "Based on measured interest from horsemen and limited racing opportunities for 3-year-olds across the country, the Matt Winn at the home of the Kentucky...

Patrick Biancone pulled off the improbable last Saturday in the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream, winning a major prep for the GI Kentucky Derby with a horse who cost relatively little at the sales and appeared headed for a career on the grass. Now, can he do it all over again? A week after Ete Indien (Summer Front) won the Fountain of Youth, Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}) will look to emulate his stablemate with a win in the GII Tampa Bay Derby. The similarities with the two are...