Following the announcement of D. Wayne Lukas stepping away from training, trainers Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen, and Kenny McPeek praised the Hall of Famer for changing the game.
The folks who fought to preserve racing at the Northern California's remote half-miler in Ferndale deserve tremendous respect and credit for soldiering on to the bitter end.
Make no mistake, the cessation of racing at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in the coastal region of NorCal definitely rates as “bitter.”
There is no sugarcoating this one like a sticky tuft of cotton candy from the midway of Humboldt County's charmingly rural fairgrounds, whose ties to the sport date to 1896. Advocates for racing at Ferndale (pop. 1,398), a Victorian village with an agricultural bent and an artistic vibe nestled between California's redwood region and its fabled Lost Coast, went down swinging at last Thursday's California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) meeting.
For three consecutive months, proponents tried to convince commissioners to extend a lifeline in the form of a 2025 race dates allocation. Out-of-the-way Ferndale has traditionally been the most pastoral, yet vibrantly...
Feel free to make plans, working with Thoroughbreds–just don't be deceived that it'll ever be you who decides how far they work out.
With a young son to raise, Becky Maker had quit the rootless life of a trainer and taken a role on the pre-training team at WinStar.
“Just to stay in one place, have a salary and be safe,” she remembers wryly. “Within six months I had a horse rear up and flip over in the shedrow. Severe fracture of the femur. So after 20 years galloping on the track, I go to the farm for a safe job and that's how it worked out. But it was life-changing.”
Once out of hospital, she accepted that the horses had given her a heavy hint; that they were, in fact, making new plans for her.
“I didn't want to be left unable to take care of my son just because I couldn't make myself stop riding,” she says. “Riding had been my whole life, from the age of four. So it was a hard decision. But when it's time, you stop. It was just that I then had to look...
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has named D.G. Van Clief as chair of the Hall of Fame's Contemporary Nominating Committee and Josh Pons as chair of the Pillars of the Turf Committee.
Stud Red Raffa's homebred 3-year-old Sinsel (BRZ) powered to the lead inside the final three furlongs and held off Valparaiso (BRZ) by a nose to win the Grande Premio Brasil (G1) June 22 at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro.
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Monday's meetings at Catterick, Southwell, Windsor, Wolverhampton.
Moffat is thought to have worked with trainer Warren Greatex at his racing set-up for 12 months, and he described the loss to the outlet on Tuesday as 'hugely upsetting'.
The Australian racing community is mourning the death of Newcastle based trainer Ben Smith, who was just 42. It comes as Smith's 13-month ban from the sport for drug use was drawing to a close.
Trawlerman wins the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in a track record under a brilliant front-running ride from William Buick, while Ryan Moore has a treble.
Royal Ascot starts on Tuesday with three top-level Group One races on the opening day kicking off the action in style.
One person was taken to hospital on day two of the event, racecourse officials confirm.
BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team looks at the 2025 Royal Ascot festival, which takes place from 17 to 21 June.
Following the announcement of D. Wayne Lukas stepping away from training, trainers Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen, and Kenny McPeek praised the Hall of Famer for changing the game.
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has named D.G. Van Clief as chair of the Hall of Fame's Contemporary Nominating Committee and Josh Pons as chair of the Pillars of the Turf Committee.
Stud Red Raffa's homebred 3-year-old Sinsel (BRZ) powered to the lead inside the final three furlongs and held off Valparaiso (BRZ) by a nose to win the Grande Premio Brasil (G1) June 22 at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro.
Former top United States miler Carl Spackler is expected to race one more time in Britain before starting a start in the Cox Plate (G1) in Australia.
First hosted in 2017, the Real Rider Cup is back this week to support aftercare with 28 riders signed up to take part in the first part of the show hosted in Lexington June 28.
Acacia Clement & Sara Elbadwi look back at the N.Y.S.S. Spectacualr Bid Division Stakes at Belmont at the Big A and The Goldwood Stakes at Monmouth.
Canterbury Park racing officials have canceled horse racing for June 22 due to projected heat indexes in excess of 105.
Ellis Park will launch its 25-day summer meet July 3, headlined by record stakes purses, top racing connections, fan-friendly wagering menus, and a full calendar of community events both on and off the track.
Royal Ascot returns to action on Friday and there is huge money to be made.
Andie Biancone was forced to miss her big race moment at Royal Ascot after being kicked by a horse.
Express Sport keeps you up to date with the Royal Ascot action on Ladies' Day.
Royal Ascot is famed for its strict dress code.
The Scout brings you the best tips for day four of Royal Ascot.
Express Sport keeps you up to date with all the latest results from Royal Ascot.
Initial fears were confirmed as day two of Royal Ascot got off to a heartbreaking start.
The diet and fitness plans for top-level jockeys have changed dramatically in recent years.
Wednesday at Royal Ascot promises a day of non-stop action.
The richest owner at Royal Ascot boasts a level of wealth that is almost unbelievable.
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Thursday's meetings at Chester, Brighton, Chelmsford City, Huntingdon, and Stratford.
DOMINIC KING: John Gosden has insisted the stable will now use the 'best available' for races in the future, raising the potential of Dettori being called upon for mounts at Royal Ascot in June.
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Wednesday's meetings at Chester, Newton Abbot, Kelso, Fontwell and Kempton.
After being roasted over the coals for her 'awkward' contribution to a Churchill Downs tradition, former college gymnast Livvy Dunne is responding to her critics.
NBC Sports anchor Ahmed Fareed was starting to feel like the Maytag repairman while serving as Mike Tirico's understudy at last weekend's Kentucky Derby.
Fans shared their concern for the 58-year-old's health earlier on in the broadcast and then fellow broadcaster Ahmed Fareed suddenly jumped in to take his place after a commercial break.
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Tuesday's meetings at Fakenham, Wolverhampton, Ffos Las and Worcester.
At the event, Biles spoke to E! News about her and Owens' desire to have children and have them play sports.
Fans were concerned for the 58-year-old broadcaster when he was suddenly replaced about an hour into NBC's broadcast of the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby.
Craig Roberts and his wife, Carolyn, had been racing their two horses at Newcastle two weeks ago when the alleged incident is said to have occurred.
GSW & GISP May Day Ready (Tapit) is reportedly being pointed toward a start in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational during the July 4 Racing Festival at Saratoga.
The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up took her show on the road after that 2024 seasonal highlight, and tried her luck in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in Kyoto, Japan as a cap for her 2-year-old season. While she finished 13th then, she returned to the States and made her '25 bow in the off-turf GIII Wonder Again Stakes June 7. MGSW Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) ran off the screen by 17 lengths with only two others still in the race–including May Day Ready–after the rest scratched out, but trainer Joe Lee says that the choice to keep her in had been...
Endo Botti's Klaynn completed a Classic double with her wide-margin victory in Sunday's G2 Oaks d'Italia Tattersalls at San Siro Racecourse, running her 12 rivals into the ground with a dominant front-running performance.
Cristian Demuro, who was riding the daughter of Make Believe for the first time, charted a wide course throughout and gradually increased the tempo in the straight, with his mount responding generously as she lengthened clear in the closing stages. At the line she had seven lengths to spare over her closest pursuer, Pink Black (National Defense), who edged out Mystery Of Love (Ten Sovereigns) by a short head in the battle for the runner-up spot.
Successful in April's G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1,000 Guineas), Klaynn then forfeited her unbeaten record when finishing a valiant fourth in the G2 Derby Italiano won by Molveno (Almanzor), before being bought privately by Teruya Yoshida ahead of Sunday...
Gary Carroll has admitted to still being on a high after landing the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot aboard Joe Murphy's Cercene (Australia) and revealed that the breakthrough success at the highest level was made even sweeter given it came for the Fethard-based trainer who has been one of the rider's biggest supporters down through the years.
No trainer has supported Carroll quite like Murphy. The pair are operating at a 10 per cent strike-rate since they first teamed up together back in 2009. There have been 1,077 rides and 104 winners domestically since then. But scarcely has there been a day quite like what unfolded at Royal Ascot last Friday.
“I'm still on a high and still getting messages about it,” Carroll shared. “It was absolutely magic. Going over there, I thought she'd run well and be in the first three or four anyway. The stiff mile at Ascot was always going to suit her and I'd a good draw so I was happy enough going...
Tributes have been paid to Hugh Mulryan after his tragic death at the age of just 25, with BBA Ireland's Adam Potts describing his three years as Mulryan's housemate as “the best years of my life”.
The son of owner-breeder Liam Mulryan, Hugh had carved out a promising career of his own in racing and bloodstock, having spent time under the wing of trainers such as Denis Hogan and Sir Mark Prescott, as well as working on the farm and at the sales for Baroda Stud.
The County Galway native had recently relocated to Britain to take up a new role with Adrian Keatley in Ryedale, North Yorkshire.
“We're all devastated and it's hard to come to terms with,” said Potts, who also traded a number of horses with Mulryan in recent years.
“He lived with me for three years and they were the best years of my life. He was well-read, a deep thinker, and asked the big questions. Often, he'd come home having spotted either an angle in the sales, a new brunch spot, one lined...
He may have taken a right turn out of the starting gate and drifted in the lane, but Mo Plex (c, 3, Complexity–Mo Joy,...
It's rare for things to go exactly according to plan in the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Ethan West learned that lesson about five seconds into his first attempt.
In the past, Chunk of Gold (Preservationist) had done his best work coming from off the pace, but in the Derby he broke sharply and, with Jareth Loveberry aboard, found himself just behind the frontrunners heading into the first turn.
“That was not on the bingo card,” West admitted. “We were hoping to be mid-pack and Jareth would find a nice little hole to tuck in, but instead we found a nice little hole to tuck in right off the leaders. Jareth did a good job getting him to relax, but I think that's probably why he didn't finish up as well as we hoped. He still ran a really good race. I was really proud of him, but running that close to the lead was just not what we had planned.”
West is hopeful that after finishing ninth in the Kentucky Derby, Chunk of Gold can get back to his usual racing style in this...
Tuesday's immigration raid at Delta Downs–which resulted in the reported apprehension of 84 undocumented individuals–reminds industry stakeholders once again of a frustrating conundrum.
On the one hand, they must navigate an environment of ramped-up immigration enforcement, and the potential that what happened at Delta Downs could happen at any other racetrack around the country. On the other, they face a long-broken system that makes sourcing legal immigrant workers a bureaucratic nightmare.
“It's insanely difficult,” said trainer Doug O'Neill, about a visa system that's necessary to properly staff the racetrack backstretch.
“Though [many immigrant workers] may not have been fortunate to have a lot of schoolhouse education, they have a PhD in horse-care. It's virtually impossible to get someone out of high school or college [in the U.S.] and have them be able to learn, and have the work ethic, to do what is needed,” O'Neill said, adding how the raid at Delta...
Gary Subratie, a trainer who has saddled more than 800 winners in Jamaica, recorded his first U.S. win Saturday at Gulfstream Park. His charge Rogers Park (Kantharos) captured the sixth race, a $12,500 maiden claiming event going 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather surface. Trevor R. James owns the 4-year-old filly, whom Subratie claimed May 18 from Saffie Joseph, Jr. for $12,500. Saturday's win was her second start for Subratie.
“I grew up in Jamaica, but I got my license at Calder. I ran a couple races at Calder [in 1997] and went back to Jamaica,” said Subratie. “I said, 'Let me go home and get things going.'
“It's been a long time coming. My owners have been pushing me to come here. I started my career here. I'm going to give it a shot. It's never too late.”
Subratie trains a stable of six at Gulfstream and also had four runners entered at Jamaica's...
With excessive heat across much of the eastern side of the United States through the weekend, Canterbury Park has elected to cancel its Saturday card, according to a tweet from the track on Saturday morning.
The Northern Stars Turf Festival, which was slated for Saturday, will be rescheduled for June 28 with entries taken June 22. As for the Sunday card, Canterbury plans to move back first post from 1 p.m. CT to 5 p.m. CT.
Officials at the Minnesota track said, “With projected heat indexes in excess of 105 well into the evening and the safety of horses, jockeys and staff working outdoors being paramount, Canterbury Park has canceled today's races.”
Officials at Finger Lakes made a similar decision, according to a Saturday evening press release. Monday's racing at the New York track has been cancelled and will be moved to Thursday, June 26. The racing office will be open Monday for June 30 entries.
Parx Racing outside of Philadelphia has nixed its cards...
Simon Sadler's TBT Racing was in the number one spot at Royal Ascot for the first time on Saturday as Noble Champion (Lope De Vega) dominated the G3 Jersey Stakes. Highly-regarded by Ed Walker, the half-brother to seven-furlong specialist Pogo had proved frustrating in three starts this term but not here as he came home alone under Kieran Shoemark.
Always travelling easily tracking Godolphin's Spy Chief (Kingman) up the centre, the 25-1 shot swooped approaching the furlong pole and despite veering left from there recorded an emphatic 3 1/4-length success from that 20-1 shot, with another 2 3/4 lengths back to the 11-4 favourite Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett) in third.
“He's driven me mad! He's so...
