Category Archives: Racing

Of American Pharoah’s Travers Stakes loss in late August, turf writer Steve Haskin wrote, “He and Frosted gutted each other and crawled home.” NBC’s Jerry Bailey, himself a Hall of...

With Saturday's romp into retirement, American Pharoah put an emphatic stamp on a brief but legendary career. As racing's first Grand Slam champion, his 3-year-old campaign will go down as...

One of the more mainstream criticisms of horse racing is the overall lack of transparency and access. Sure, you can stroll into any racetrack in America, plop down a couple bets...

Two days, 13 races, hundreds of the world's top thoroughbreds, jockeys and trainers all competing on one track with $26 million up for grabs. It's thoroughbred racing's grandest stage. It's...

It’s 25 minutes until post time on a picturesque October afternoon at Keeneland Racecourse. Out of the jockey’s room steps a young woman dressed for work: tall black riding boots,...

War Emblem, the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, is back on American soil after a nearly 13 year run as a stallion in Japan. Once he clears quarantine, War...

Hall of Fame horseman John Nerud passed away yesterday at the age of 102. He will forever be remembered as the trainer of the great Dr. Fager, who in 1968...

I have to admit I’ve fallen under the spell of American Pharoah. The computer advises me that it doesn’t recognize that spelling of “Pharaoh”, and for my information and edification...

The horse who could not lose strutted onto the track at Belmont Park on a hot July day, 40 years ago. The eyes of all 50,000 in attendance, and tens...

This story begins in a stall. It was deep into the Texas night in April of 2009 where on a ranch outside of Austin, new life was on its way....

Saturday, 6:30am. Belmont Park. A muddy tack and lingering rain greet the morning’s athletes and the backside is soupy. It appears business as usual until golf carts filled with Big...

Twenty years from now, Lord willing, someone will ask you about the 2015 Belmont Stakes and its champion, American Pharoah. And you will of course remember exactly where you were,...

[caption id="attachment_422" align="alignnone" width="640"] Smokey leads American Pharoah onto the track for a jog on Friday morning.[/caption] “He’s my favorite horse in the barn,” Baffert boasted. “He’s such a cool...

From his first wobbly steps over the Kentucky bluegrass, much has been expected of the bay colt they call American Pharoah, who will attempt to become just the 12th Triple Crown...

On May 8, 1936, jockey Ralph Neves was thrown from his horse in an ugly chain-reaction spill during a race at Bay Meadows. His horse, Fannikins, landed on top of...

The Kentucky Derby is like a tattoo on Uncle Sam—it's loud, proud, and permanently American. What's so unique about the Kentucky Derby is how little has changed since the inaugural Run...

Baseball, boxing and horse racing. At the turn of the 20th century they were the big three of American sports. And clearly the most favored of all was horse racing,...

War Admiral's owner, Sam Riddle, initially disliked the foal for being too small—certainly not like his majestic father, Man o' War. The colt, however, proved to be the best of...

Thoroughbred legend Cigar passed away last night at the age of 24. According to the Kentucky Horse Park, Cigar died "from complications following surgery for severe osteoarthritis in some of...

His name is Wise Dan, a 7-year-old chestnut gelding with a humble pedigree who just so happens to be the two-time reigning Horse of the Year. Wise Dan loves to...