Kentucky Derby Contenders

By Richard Rosenblatt Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert may end up keeping his record-setting seventh victory in the Kentucky Derby. According to Baffert’s lawyer, Craig Robertson, the medication betamethasone used to treat the trainer’s Derby winner Medina Spirit was not administered by injection but was an ingredient in a topical ointment (Otomax) for a skin condition. That difference could mean Medina Spirit doesn’t get disqualified after a post-race positive for the banned race-day medication when an official decision is made by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) Robertson released a statement on Dec. 3 following recent testing completed by

The post Baffert’s Lawyer: Tests Prove Medina Spirit Wasn’t Injected With Prohibited Medication appeared first on Daily Racing News | Horse Racing News.

By Richard Rosenblatt Welcome to the changing of the race meets, with Gulfstream Park, the Fair Grounds, Oaklawn Park, and a short stint at Los Alamitos starting up over the weekend. Aqueduct’s fall meet concludes this weekend, but the winter meets starts right up later next week. The Big A features four graded stakes on Saturday, topped by the $750,000 Cigar Mile (G1). The other Grade 1 on Saturday is at Los Alamitos, where Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has three of the six 2-year-old fillies entered in the $300,000 Starlet Stakes. Leading up to the Cigar Mile, with

The post The Lineup: Aqueduct, Los Alamitos Host Derby, Oaks Preps appeared first on Daily Racing News | Horse Racing News.

By Ed McNamara Racing in New York never ends, an eternal loop of horses running in circles around Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga. Some people play it year round, and others, like me, avoid the Big A’s winter meet and look south to Gulfstream, the Fair Grounds and Tampa Bay Downs. Forty years ago, when I was just getting into racing, I loved going to the funky old track in Queens and betting cheap claimers on frigid afternoons. I was in my element when snow was piled in the parking lot and flurries swirled. I recall driving from New Jersey

The post Eddie Mac’s Book: Cigar Mile Tops 4 Stakes Day at Aqueduct appeared first on Daily Racing News | Horse Racing News.

By Noel Michaels Change is in the air on the thoroughbred racing circuit, with fall meets at the Big A, Churchill, Del Mar giving way to winter meets at the Fair Grounds, Santa Anita and in Florida, at Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs. A few top jockey notes for the winter include Hall of Famer John Velazquez being based mostly at Santa Anita rather than Gulfstream; and Joel Rosario calling Oaklawn Park his main winter base. Here’s a look as we roll into December: Aqueduct New York’s biggest weekend of fall racing revolves around Saturday’s four graded stakes card —

The post Horse Racing Doesn’t Miss a Beat as the Winter Season Arrives appeared first on Daily Racing News | Horse Racing News.

By Noel Michaels Change is in the air on the thoroughbred racing circuit, with fall meets at the Big A, Churchill, Del Mar giving way to winter meets in at the Fair Grounds, Santa Anita and in Florida, at Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs. A few top jockey notes for the winter include Hall of Famer John Velazquez being based mostly at Santa Anita rather than Gulfstream; and Joel Rosario calling Oaklawn Park his main winter base. Here’s a look as we roll into December: Aqueduct New York’s biggest weekend of fall racing revolves around Saturday’s four graded stakes card

The post Hello Fair Grounds, Oaklawn, Santa Anita, Tampa; Goodbye Big A, Churchill, Del Mar appeared first on Daily Racing News | Horse Racing News.