Racing News

Submitting blood and nasal secretion samples gives vets the best chance of accurately diagnosing EHV, researchers found.

Upper respiratory problems and airway abnormalities are one of the leading causes of poor performance in Thoroughbred racehorses. For racetrack veterinarians, the standard method of diagnosis involves an endoscopic exam. While the horse is at rest, a long, narrow tube with a camera and light on one end is inserted into the horse's nasal cavity …

Keeneland posted an all-time single-day handle record of $21,736,983 on Toyota Blue Grass Day, April 9. All-sources wagering included $20,805,455 handled on Keeneland's 11 live races; $423,679 wagered on the Big Apple/Bluegrass Pick 4; and on-track simulcast handle of $507,849. The record bested the previous record of $21,647,378 set on Toyota Blue Grass Day, April …

Two of the most prestigious races leading up to the Kentucky Derby are being offered in a special all-graded stakes Pick 4 this Saturday by The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and Keeneland. The Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Grade 1, $1 million Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland, …

Considering the Major League Baseball season is two days away, Scott Mogan chose the appropriate analogy for Feelin Lika Winner.

“He’s not the best hitter in the lineup but he always seems to come through in the clutch times,” said Mogan, who trains and co-owns the horse with Diamond Chip Stable, AWS Stables and Charles Guiler. “If it’s a 7-1 game, he’ll strike out. But if it’s a 2-2 ballgame in the bottom of the ninth, he’s the guy you want coming up to the plate.”

He also sounds like he could steal a base or two.

With his last-to-first February 15 triumph in the Southwest Stakes (gr. III), at Oaklawn Park, Suddenbreakingnews has made himself a bona fide Triple Crown contender. Winner of the Clever Trevor Stakes at two, the three-year-old gelding, owned by Samuel Henderson, is another standout for his breeders, Branch Equine, operated by Robert Berger and his son, Ben. Most recently, Suddenbreakingnews finished fifth in the March 19 Rebel Stakes (gr. II), also at Oaklawn; he’s won or placed in six of seven of his starts en route to earnings of $470,032.

Off the Tracks, unbeaten in three starts sprinting, will try to prove herself equally effective around two turns when she heads a field of seven in Saturday's $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park.

The Gulfstream Oaks, at 1-1/16 miles, offers 170 qualifying points (100-40-20-10) toward the Kentucky Oaks at 1-1/8 miles at Churchill Downs on May 6. Off the Tracks will try to prove that she belongs in the Kentucky Oaks, where she'll compete against the likes of Songbird and Cathryn Sophia, the clear division leaders.

Making her first start of the season since closing 2015 with a narrow loss to Forever Unbridled in the Comely Stakes (gr. III), Phipps Stable homebred Carrumba will try to nail down her first stakes win April 3 in the $200,000 Top Flight Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

A daughter of Bernardini  , Carrumba will be making her 4-year-old debut in the 1 1/8-mile Top Flight over the Aqueduct main track. Carrumba will be making her first start since dueling through the stretch with Forever Unbridled in the Nov. 28 Comely, also on the Aqueduct main, only to finish a head behind that rival.

When it comes to purchasing quality mares it appears that Tom Pollack hit the jackpot when signing the checks for Hoosier Park stalwarts Montenegro and White Metro.

“I have about 65 horses right now and would like to get up to 100,” said Pollack. “I can’t say enough about the luck we have had with these mares. We are so fortunate to have them in our barn and really cannot wait to get them both started this year.

“We were trying to get White Metro in the Invitational this week and Montenegro in the non-winners of $15,000, but the track decided not to go with those races so we are on the sidelines for opening night (April 1). All systems are go for both of them so we will have them racing again as soon as possible.”

Fonner Park, located in Grand Island, NE is currently on lockdown, not allowing any horses in or out of the facility, due to the possibility of an equine herpesvirus case. CEO Bruce Swihart indicated that a horse in trainer David Anderson's stable has died after demonstrating neurological symptoms Sunday afternoon, and racetrack officials are currently …

In the wake of a number of cases of equine herpes at nearby Parx, Monmouth Park Racetrack has announced a new protocol for all horses shipping to the Jersey Shore track for its 2016 season.  All horsemen with horses shipping to the Monmouth Park stable area must meet the following requirements: All horses, including ponies, …

An anniversary party April 9 included a charity auction.

Thursday brought confirmation of a fourth equine herpesvirus positive at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania, reports the Daily Racing Form. The quarantine of the two infected barns now extends through May 5. The first horse to take ill was No Quid Pro Quo in the care of trainer Michael Aro, and the other three have all …

The supporters, known as War Emblem's "inner circle," gathered from across the country to meet the Derby and Preakness winner at a private reception.

Champion Nyquist is doing well after his impressive victory in the Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (gr. I) April 2 at Gulfstream Park. The day after he arrived at Keeneland, where he will train up to the Kentucky Derby.

John’s Dream, Hail To The Master and Cut The Beach were winner of three $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund 1st leg colt and gelding pace preliminaries to complete the first of two weeks competition prior to the $100,000 DSBF finals the last week of the meet at Dover Downs on Thursday (March 31).

The 2-year-old DSBF and Virginia champion John’s Dream recorded his sixth lifetime win in nine starts scoring a 1:53.2 success in his 2016 debut as Tim Tetrick guided the triumph in the first of three 1st leg prelims. John’s Dream, a Dream Away-March On ridgling, took the lead early on the way to sixth consecutive win. Chuck Perry Jr. owns and trains the winner of $112,327 in his career. Power To Perform (Tony Morgan) took a shot at the winner heading to the final turn but had to accept second-place. Next Success (Jim Morand) was third.

Michael House's Big John B has only raced on dirt once in his last 35 starts, but that lone start—a score in last year's Cougar II Handicap (gr. III) at Del Mar—was one of his best.

The 7-year-old Hard Spun   gelding will make his way back to dirt for trainer Phil D'Amato in the 40th start of his career, which will be at the same 1 1/2-mile distance as the Cougar II, April 3 in the Tokyo City Cup (gr. III) at Santa Anita Park.

Television coverage of American Pharoah  's Triple Crown run through last year's classics has earned NBC Sports Group five Sports Emmy Award nominations, highlighted by the nomination of the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) presentation in the Outstanding Live Sports Special category.

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced the nominees March 31. The academy will announce winners May 10 at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City.

"Win and You're In" more typically applies to the Breeders' Cup, but since Churchill Downs initiated a points system to determine eligibility for the Kentucky Derby three years ago, the label fits snugly for some Derby preps.

This is particularly germane to the Spiral Stakes, which will be renewed Saturday as an annual rite of spring at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky. None of the top contenders for the 142nd Derby are part of the oversubscribed Spiral field, and yet the winner will get 50 Derby points and therefore a spot -- if so desired-- in the starting gate at Churchill Downs on May 7.

Gunpowder Farms' Divisidero created a buzz at Gulfstream Park Feb. 7 last year, when the son of Kitten's Joy   stormed from 11th at the top of the stretch to score a half-length victory in his debut.

The visually impressive performance was even more stunning when a check of the trainer line in the track program read "William Bradley."