Sir Barton

Through a major grant awarded by Humanities Nebraska and a partnership with author Jennifer S. Kelly, Born To Rein documentary film co-producers, Jody L. Lamp and Melody Dobson, have organized a statewide authors' tour celebrating the 150th Kentucky Derby, the pair said in a release Friday. The programs slated for Apr. 18-24 will launch in eastern Nebraska the evening of Thursday, Apr. 18 in historic downtown Ashland, Nebraska at the Willow Point Gallery; and conclude in western Nebraska with an afternoon authors' book signing event Thursday, Apr. 25 at the...

Paragon Farms will sponsor the $100,000 Sir Barton S., held during GI Preakness S. weekend at Pimlico Race Course. The Sir Barton will benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). Founded by Thoroughbred owners and breeders Brandon and Diannah Perry, Paragon Farms entered into an agreement to annually donate $100,000 to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as the title sponsor of the Sir Barton S. for three consecutive years beginning at this year's Preakness. "Diannah and I are driven to make a difference, and proud to support the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance," Brandon...

There won't be a real GI Kentucky Derby Saturday, but there will be a pretend one--a really interesting pretend one. Working with the firm Inspired Entertainment, Churchill Downs will present the Kentucky Derby Triple Crown Showdown. It's a virtual race that will pit the 13 Triple Crown winners against one another. Data algorithms, including historical handicapping information about each horse, will be used to decide the outcome. The virtual Derby will air on NBC and fans can go online at www.KentuckyDerby.com to submit their picks and make contributions to charities...

Secretariat has been established as the horse to beat in Saturday's Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown by odds maker Mike Battaglia. The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown is an animated race created by Inspired Entertainment Inc. using computer-generated imagery that will feature the 13 past Triple Crown winners in a 1 1/4-mile race at Churchill Downs. The virtual race will air around 5:45 p.m. as part of NBC's broadcast of "The First Saturday In May: American  Pharoah's Run to the Triple Crown" Saturday from 3-6 p.m. Secretariat landed post position...