Kentucky Derby News

Expert picks February 27, 2020

Expert Pick of the Week: Fountain of Youth Stakes

An excellent field of 12 sophomores will vie in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge event attracted some prime 3-year-old prospects in what promises to be a thrilling contest....

February 27, 2020

Kentucky Derby Update: The Derby Dispatch for Thursday, Feb. 27

Following a rare weekend off, the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship series is back in full swing Saturday with the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.
  The Fountain of Youth, which serves as a...

Derby News February 27, 2020

O’Briens square off in Patton on European Road to Kentucky Derby

Friday’s Patton S. at Dundalk is likely to go to an O’Brien-trained horse. But will it be one of Aidan O’Brien’s trio, or son Joseph’s duo who will pick up points on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby?
Joseph has the...

February 27, 2020

Patton Stakes Study Guide

A total of 10 sophomores will go postward in the Patton S. at Dundalk in Ireland on Friday. The 2020 European Road to the Kentucky Derby event is the first of three to be held across the pond this season, and it will reward points to the top-four...

February 27, 2020

Maximum Security captains Team USA in $20 million Saudi Cup

Champion Maximum Security goes for the world’s richest horse race, the new $20 million Saudi Cup, at King Abzulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday.
And he’s not the only veteran of the Triple Crown trail among the international cast....

February 26, 2020

Ray York, won 1954 Kentucky Derby on Determine, dead at 86

Former jockey Ray York, who guided the gray colt Determine to victory in the 1954 Kentucky Derby, died on Feb. 23 in a Bakersfield, California, extended-care facility after a year-long battle with pneumonia. He was 86.
A native of Massachusetts, York...

February 26, 2020

Tonalist’s Shape faces new challengers in nine-horse Davona Dale

A romping winner of the Feb. 1 Forward Gal (G3), Tonalist’s Shape will put her unbeaten record in Saturday’s $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The one-mile test serves a qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, awarding...

Features February 25, 2020

Tales from the Crib: Dennis' Moment

If you needed any evidence that Kentucky Derby (G1) contender Dennis’ Moment is unflappable, just watch his career debut at ChurchillDowns last June.
Advancing on the rail in the initial stages, the Albaugh Family Stables runner was badly...

February 24, 2020

Churchill Downs Releases Early Nominations to $1.25 Million Longines Kentucky Oaks

Champion 2-year-old filly British Idiom, winner of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I), tops the roster of 116 early nominations to the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), North America’s premier race for 3-year-old...

Horse Profile February 24, 2020

Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Cafe Pharoah

Koichi Nishikawa’s Cafe Pharoah earned 30 points on the 2020 Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby following his superb 1 1/4-length score in the Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan. The exciting colt finished off the 1,600-meter test in a...

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