Twin Spires

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...

The Kentucky Derby Museum earned the number three spot as the Best Attraction for Sports Fans in USA Today's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards after breaking records this past year for attendance, the repository said in a Wednesday press release. Located at Churchill Downs, the Derby Museum finished behind Boise State's Blue Turf in Idaho, the top vote getter, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, who was the runner-up. Welcoming an all-time high of 258,382 guests during the fiscal year 2024, which spanned from Oct. 1, 2023,...

7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 3:50 p.m. ET. Exiting the chute on debut is CRIMSON SUN (Curlin) for Green Lantern Stables and trainer Eddie Kenneally. Acquired for $700,000 during Keeneland September, the filly is out of the winning Prospector's Moon (Malibu Moon), who Lauren and Rene Woolcott's Woodslane Farm picked up for $350,000 at the same auction back in 2013. The first-time starter counts as siblings full-sister GSP Malibu Curl and half-brother SW Oscar Eclipse (Oscar Performance). Her second dam produced the dam of MGSW Doctor Mounty (Street Sense)...

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse won 15 races out of 53 starts during the tough as nails Saratoga meet this season, which amounted to a 28% clip. One of those runners who got her picture taken was La Cara (Street Sense--Cara Caterina, by Bernardini). Off that performance, she rolled into Louisville for the GIII Pocahontas Stakes and won, which earned her 10 points on the path to next May's running of the GI Kentucky Oaks. In the first two starts of her career under the Twin Spires earlier this...

The Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, the select races that will determine the preference list for the 151st Kentucky Derby, is out, Churchill Downs said in a press release on Friday. During a special meeting at Colonial Downs, the Virginia Derby--occupying a spot on the racing calendar that was previously void of any qualifying races on Saturday, Mar. 15--is the latest addition to the schedule. The race will award 105 points to the top five finishers including 50 points to the winner. As for the Road to the...

The field for the GI Kentucky Derby, ranked in "likeliest winner" order. 1) FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) (c, Real Steel {Jpn}--Forever Darling, by Congrats). O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern Racing (Jpn); T-Yoshito Yahagi. Sales History: ¥98,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, $2,049,451. Last start: WON Mar. 30 G2 UAE Derby. The 5-for-5 Forever Young resonates as the most legitimate threat a foreign-based horse has had to win the Derby since the internationalization of the race over the past several decades. I'd hesitate to compare this colt's presence to the electrifying pre-race aura...

Churchill Downs and Fasig-Tipton have formed a new three-year partnership where the sales company will be the official sponsor of the GI La Troienne S., the GII Fleur de Lis S. and the GII Locust Grove S., the track said in a release Friday. The $1 million Fasig-Tipton La Troienne will kick off the series on Kentucky Oaks Day. The Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis is scheduled for Saturday, June 29 during Stephen Foster Day. That race is part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series, which awards the top...

Early nominations for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to become eligible to compete in the 2024 Triple Crown are now open and suspended trainers have until Jan. 29 to move their horses, Churchill Downs said in a release Friday afternoon. The early nomination phase will close Monday, Jan. 29 with the $600 payment only available to be made online. Horses not nominated by Jan. 29 can still enter with a $6,000 payment due Monday, Apr. 1. Last year's early Triple Crown nominations attracted 369 horses and 13 late nominees. Horses under the care...

Bango (Congrats) tied the record set by Ready's Rocket (More Than Ready) in 2012 for wins at storied Churchill Downs on Saturday when he won the Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. Last seen having his picture taken July 1 at Ellis Park in the Kelly's Landing S. July 1, the experienced even-money favorite here stayed close to Strobe (Into Mischief) up the backstretch, but entering the lane he seized the lead. Despite a strong late performance by Gulfstream Way (Gemologist), Bango finished the job to notch his eleventh victory under the...

The connections of Mage (Good Magic) will be on-hand at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Sept. 16 to receive their engraved Kentucky Derby 149 trophies after the GIII Iroquois S., the track said in a release Friday. The group includes: owners OGMA Investments (Gustavo Delgado), Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing (Sam Herzberg) and CMNWLTH (Brian Doxtator and Chase Chamberlain); trainer Gustavo Delgado; and breeder Grandview Equine (Robert Clay). Jockey Javier Castellano is unable to attend due to riding commitments elsewhere. Engraved Oaks trophies will be presented to the connections of Pretty Mischievous...

Churchill Downs released the 2024 "Official Art of the Kentucky Derby" by artist Wylie Caudill, the track said in a release Thursday. Originally from Cynthiana, Kentucky, Caudill gravitated to public art and expanded his street art to murals which can be seen across the state, many of which include his signature roses. His artwork for the Derby features 150 red roses representing the Winner's Circle surrounded by white, gold and cerulean roses to symbolize the colorful fans from around the world. "As a Kentucky Native, it is an immense honor...

Churchill Downs Racetrack officials have made slight modifications to the upcoming Road to the Kentucky Derby, the series of select races that will determine the preference list for the 150th GI Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on Saturday, May 4, 2024, the track said in a release Friday. The Road to the Kentucky Derby, which debuted in 2013, annually awards a sliding scale of points to the top five finishing positions in select qualifying races. At the conclusion of the series, the leaderboard will determine the preference list for...