Three horses observed for medical issues at Breeders' Cup
Three horses, including one trained by embattled Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, were observed for medical issues after being pulled up in separate races during Saturday's Breeders' Cup championships at Keeneland. Baffert-trained Messier, competing for the first time since finishing 19th in the Kentucky Derby, was pulled up after the second race after jockey John Velazquez observed bleeding. Baffert is back in Kentucky this week for the first time since Kentucky stewards suspended him for 90 days last spring for a failed post-race drug test by Medina Spirit.
news.yahoo.comTrainer Eric Reed takes blame for Rich Strike performance
Trainer Eric Reed says if there is anyone to blame for Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike's poor performance in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, just point the finger at him. The veteran trainer who orchestrated one of the greatest upsets in Derby history when Rich Strike won at odds of 80-1 last month, said he switched racing tactics in the final jewel of the Triple Crown and it backfired. Reed told jockey Sonny Leon to keep the 3-year-old colt off the rail โ his favorite spot when racing โ and then make one big move when the field of eight got near the stretch.
news.yahoo.comQueen Elizabeth misses a favorite horse race, but top hats and fascinators abound
AdvertisementThe royal box in the Queenโs Stand was strung with a garland of purple flowers, the queenโs racing colors. The monarchโs daughter, Princess Anne, a former Olympic equestrian, was there to represent the queen, but for most of the afternoon the balcony at Epsom Downs looked empty. The queenโs horses, in the end, did not compete, though some of her retired racers joined as part of a parade in her honor. The queen is a fanatical horserace owner, horse breeder, horse shower, horse rider. โThe queen has been a gift to horse racing that is true,โ said Patrick Johnston, an equine enthusiast.
washingtonpost.comRich Strike yes, Preakness champ Early Voting no for Belmont
Twelve hours before Early Voting won the Preakness, Kentucky Derby champion Rich Strike was back on the track at Churchill Downs to begin preparations for the Belmont Stakes. Trainer Eric Reed confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday the plan is โabsolutelyโ still to run Rich Strike in the Belmont.
news.yahoo.comWhy did Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike bite lead pony, outrider? An expert weighs in
Footage of Rich Strike lashing out at another horse after his Kentucky Derby Saturday victory has gone viral. So what prompted the horseโs outburst? Hereโs what one horse racing professional thinks happened.
news.yahoo.comRich Strike's team considering Preakness options after upset
Rich Strikeโs stunning Kentucky Derby upset has the sports world buzzing and led to a sleepless night of celebration that Eric Reed was still recovering from Sunday morning. Once their heads clear, the next step will be decide whether Rich Strike's storybook journey continues at the 147th Preakness on May 21 in Baltimore. Similar decisions await for some of the favorites Rich Strike chased down late with Sonny Leon aboard on the way to clocking 2:02.61 in the 1 1/4-mile Derby.
news.yahoo.com80-1 shot Rich Strike races to huge upset in Kentucky Derby
Anyone anticipating a return to normalcy in the Kentucky Derby got a dose of crazy Saturday when an 80-1 shot came charging up the rail to win at Churchill Downs. With favorite Epicenter and Zandon engaged in a duel at the front, Rich Strike stole the show with the second-biggest upset in the Derby's 148-year history. The chestnut colt beat 4-1 favorite Epicenter by three-quarters of a length.
news.yahoo.comForbidden Kingdom romps in San Felipe; Baffert takes 2nd
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Forbidden Kingdom ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.98 on a showery, 55-degree day at Santa Anita. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Forbidden Kingdom took the lead out of the gate on the way to his third win in five career starts.
news.yahoo.comDerby runner-up Mandaloun wins at Monmouth Park in return.
Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun overcame a tough trip and a stubborn rival in Weyburn to win the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park. It was Mandalounโs first start since Derby, and it wasnโt an easy race for the 3-10 favorite. Mandaloun and jockey Florent Geroux were pinched back to last in the five-horse field shortly after the start.
news.yahoo.comBaffert, Medina Spirit owners sue Kentucky racing officials
Trainer Bob Baffert and the owners of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit have filed a lawsuit against Kentucky racing officials. Medina Spiritโs Derby victory on May 1 is in jeopardy after a failed postrace drug test revealed 21 picograms of betamethasone in the horse.
news.yahoo.comEssential Quality probably tops in Triple Crown gray area
Three Triple Crown races, three different winners and one isn't even decided yet. More than five weeks since the Kentucky Derby and with the Belmont Stakes over, the Triple Crown season is still muddled in uncertainty. Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit could be disqualified from the Derby, making Belmont winner Essential Quality probably the best horse in what was a gray area of a Triple Crown season.
news.yahoo.comBrad Cox-trained Essential Quality wins Belmont Stakes
Brad Cox insisted he wasn't sitting around waiting or worrying about whether a disqualification of Bob Baffert's Kentucky Derby winner would give him his first victory in a Triple Crown race. Essential Quality captured the Belmont Stakes on Saturday to make sure Cox wouldn't need to wait a second longer to be a Triple Crown-winning trainer. The striking gray colt who was bet down 6-5 as the favorite passed early leader Hot Rod Charlie around the final turn and charged ahead to the wire to win the 1 1/2-mile $1 million race in front of 11,238 mostly maskless fans at Belmont Park.
news.yahoo.comChurchill Downs bans Bob Baffert after 2nd positive drug test for Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit
Bob Baffert, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, stands near the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, April 28, 2021. Churchill Downs Racetrack on Wednesday suspended horse trainer Bob Baffert for two years after attorneys said Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit had failed a second drug test for a banned steroid. The suspension means that no horse trained by Baffert or by Bob Baffert Racing Stables can race at any track owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated through the conclusion of the 2023 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs. That meet includes the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown. Please check back for updates.
cnbc.comSecond test of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit came back positive for steroids
Bob Baffertโs lawyer said Wednesday that a split-sample test of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit came back positive for the presence of the steroid betamethasone, which could lead to the horseโs disqualification and discipline for the Hall of Fame trainer.
news.yahoo.comMedina Spirit heads to Preakness, minus trainer Bob Baffert
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is headed to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes while trainer Bob Baffert says he wonโt attend the race to avoid being a distraction in the wake of scrutiny following the coltโs failed postrace drug test.