KENTUCKY DERBY

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.

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 — his favorite spot when racing — and then make one big move when the field of eight got near the stretch.

The race, which is a mile-and-a-half long and drew only eight horses this year, marked the end of the Triple Crown season.

When Rich Strike bolted into horse racing’s spotlight in a little over minute with his Kentucky Derby upset victory, he shared the stage with his handler, who has long toiled in the shadows constantly tending to the champion colt.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is the third betting choice on the morning line for the Belmont Stakes.

AdvertisementThe royal box in the Queen’s Stand was strung with a garland of purple flowers, the queen’s racing colors. The monarch’s 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 queen’s 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. “The queen has been a gift to horse racing that is true,” said Patrick Johnston, an equine enthusiast.

Sarah Ramsey, a leading thoroughbred breeder and owner, has died.

Lion Grounds Cafe inside the Red Lion Area Senior High School teaches students business skills and serves the school community.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike remains on track to race in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.

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 “absolutely” still to run Rich Strike in the Belmont.

There was already no chance of a Triple Crown winner this year as Derby winner Rich Strike was not entered into Saturday's race.

Early Voting has won the Preakness Stakes, holding off a late challenge from fast-closing favorite Epicenter.

Fans are allowed back at the 2022 race for the first time since 2019.

Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter has been set as the morning line favorite for the Preakness.

Jan. 6 was our warning. We journalists have find new ways to convey to voters how much is at risk.

Rick Dawson, owner of Rich Strike and RED TR-Racing, said the horse will skip the next stop of the Triple Crown and get some rest before the third race in the series, the Belmont Stakes, in New York.

The horse's owner said they will use the time for Rich Strike to rest before the Belmont Stakes next month.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not run in the Preakness.

15-year-old Dannielynn Birkhead was recently spotted on her father's Instagram page, and fans can't get over how much she looks like her mom Anna Nicole Smith.

ESPN tried to corral Eric Reed, who trained long shot winner Rich Strike, about the sexist slur.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announces the results from Churchill Downs’ biggest weekend of horse racing.

Jockey Sonny Leon follows his Kentucky Derby win with a four-day suspension for a careless riding incident last month at Ohio's Thistledown.

Did an 80-1 longshot really win the Kentucky Derby.

KPRC 2 Insiders enjoyed what’s called “the greatest two minutes in sports” in grand style on Saturday at Houston Post Oak – The Rustic.

Footage of Rich Strike lashing out at another horse after his Kentucky Derby Saturday victory has gone viral. So what prompted the horse’s outburst? Here’s what one horse racing professional thinks happened.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike bit at a guide pony after winning the race, prompting the outrider to punch the horse's face.

The celebration after Rich Strike’s stunning Kentucky Derby upset continued long into the night.

Rich Strike’s 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.

Former President Donald Trump was so late he only got to watch the Derby itself, but posed for photos with everyone who went to the event, one attendee told the Herald-Leader.

Jockey Sonny Leon and trainer Eric Reed hit the ground running in every way imaginable for the Kentucky Derby.

While some social media users took issue with the outrider’s reaction, others responded that it was a reasonable response to a safety issue.

Rich Strike came charging up the rail to overtake the leaders in the closing strides for a stunning 80-1 upset in the 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.

Rich Strike emerged victorious among the 20 horses that competed in what is often described as "the most exciting two minutes in sports."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump attended the 2022 Kentucky Derby and made an appearance at a political fundraiser held at Churchill Downs.

This year, Churchill Downs hoped to again surpass 150,000, its pre-pandemic numbers.

Longshot and final entry Rich Strike has crossed the finish line first in the 148th Kentucky Derby, outracing favorite Epicenter and Zandon.

The last three runnings of the Kentucky Derby have been anything but normal.

Churchill Downs says it is switching its strategy because online sports betting became too costly.

There are two types of people who watch the Kentucky Derby: Those who bet money and want to win, and spectators who just want to admire the strange names given to the horses.

What do you think of when you hear the words “Kentucky Derby?”

Grab your hat and mint julep. Saturday is Derby Day.

A deal for Drug Free Sport International to police medication in horse racing is in place two months before the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority takes effect.

WAVE's Kent Taylor tells us why he's going with Epicenter and the other horses in his Kentucky Derby trifecta.

Zandon and filly Nest are the morning-line favorites for the 148th Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Derby leads off the first Triple Crown season in decades without the chance of Bob Baffert officially winning one or more of the three races.

It’s dubbed the greatest two minutes in sports, and we want to watch it with you! Insiders, enter below for a chance to attend an exclusive KPRC 2 Insider Derby watch party on May 7.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas thought Bob Baffert was in trouble in fighting suspensions from Kentucky stewards and Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Derby television broadcast will be produced by a woman for the first time in the 148-year-old history of the race.

Trainer Steve Asmussen tells Daily Racing Form Midnight Bourbon died after "an acute gastrointestinal situation."

Williams Sonoma partnered with Churchill Downs to release a new Kentucky Derby collection, so viewers can celebrate like they're actually in attendance.

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.

Kentucky’s racing director has denied Bob Baffert’s request to stay his suspension by stewards in their ruling that also disqualified Medina Spirit as Kentucky Derby winner.

The since-deceased Medina Spirit tested positive after the race last May for steroid betamethasone, which is legal in Kentucky but banned on race day.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission determined Monday that Medina Spirit had betamethasone in his blood, and is now disqualified from last year's race.

The news comes more than two months after Medina Spirit collapsed and died following a workout at Santa Anita.

Medina Spirit was stripped of the victory in last year’s Kentucky Derby and Mandaloun was declared the winner after a ruling by state racing stewards on Monday.

Medina Spirit has been stripped of the victory in last year’s Kentucky Derby and Mandaloun has been declared the winner in a ruling by state racing stewards.

The colt collapsed and died after a workout on December 6 at Santa Anita.

Medina Spirit, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, died at Santa Anita on Monday. Here's what you need to know about the Bob Baffert-trained thoroughbred.

Medina Spirit, who finished first in the controversial 2021 Kentucky Derby, died Monday after a workout at Santa Anita.

An attorney said the incident happened at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

The 3-year-old colt whose Kentucky Derby victory in May came under scrutiny because of a positive drug test has collapsed and died after a workout at Santa Anita in Southern California.

An attorney for trainer Bob Baffert says split-sample urine testing of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit has shown that a steroid present in the colt’s system came from a topical ointment and not an injection.

The Breeders' Cup Classic features a loaded field with impressive resumes.

Knicks Go is the early 5-2 favorite for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic this weekend at Del Mar.

A New York federal judge seems sympathetic to horse trainer Bob Baffert's claims that his May suspension by the New York Racing Association was unconstitutional after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test.

One of last year’s Kentucky Derby favorites before being sidelined by an injury, he’s back in Louisville as the favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes.

The New York Racing Association suspended the Hall of Fame trainer after his horse, Medina Spirit, failed a post-race drug test after winning the Kentucky Derby.

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 Mandaloun’s first start since Derby, and it wasn’t 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.

Officials say victim had hands up and was offering to surrender when allegedly attacked

Trainer Bob Baffert and the owners of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit have filed a lawsuit against Kentucky racing officials. Medina Spirit’s Derby victory on May 1 is in jeopardy after a failed postrace drug test revealed 21 picograms of betamethasone in the horse.

The Triple Crown again featured three different winners in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont.

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.

The final official numbers from Saturday’s 153rd Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

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.

Medina Spirit could soon become the second horse in the Kentucky Derby's history to be disqualified over a failed drug test.

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.

Bob Baffert’s 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 horse’s disqualification and discipline for the Hall of Fame trainer.

The result could make Medina Spirit the second horse in the competition's 147-year history to be disqualified for drug violations, jeopardizing its victory.

Medina Spirit tested positive for a type of banned steroid known as betamethasone after winning the legendary race on May 1. The same steroid was found in a second test.

Trainer Bob Baffert has been suspended for two years by Churchill Downs after an additional drug test of Medina Spirit confirmed the presence of the steroid betamethasone in the Kentucky Derby winner's system.

Essential Quality has been set as a 2-1 favorite for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.

Bob Baffert has been temporarily suspended from entering horses at New York racetracks pending an investigation of the failed drug test by Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

Rombauer has won the Preakness as an 11-1 long shot after his owners decided to skip the Kentucky Derby.

Rombauer sprung an upset to win the Preakness Stakes at odds of 11-1.

Rombauer has given trainer Michael McCarthy his first Triple Crown victory by winning the 146th running of the Preakness as an 11-1 shot.

Some fans are back at the Preakness to witness another run at a Triple Crown.

Bob Baffert not physically being present at the Preakness isn't keeping his shadow from hanging over the race and the Triple Crown.

For five years, a bill that would place the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in charge of fighting illicit drug use in horse racing went nowhere in Congress.

The Preakness is allowing Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit to enter Saturday's race subject to additional testing and monitoring following the colt’s failed drug test after the Derby.

Trainer Bob Baffert says Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was treated with an antifungal ointment containing the steroid betamethasone that may have caused the horse to fail a postrace drug test.

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's failed postrace drug test has put doping horses back in the spotlight when the sport would rather have the focus on the Triple Crown.

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is headed to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes while trainer Bob Baffert says he won’t attend the race to avoid being a distraction in the wake of scrutiny following the colt’s failed postrace drug test.

Medina Spirit’s victory in the Kentucky Derby is in serious jeopardy because of a failed postrace drug test.

Two sports events last week, the Kentucky Derby and first round of the NFL draft, pulled in more television viewers than the Academy Awards less than two weeks earlier.

The Belmont Stakes will limit attendance to 11,000 spectators for the third leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown series.

As Bob Baffert digests a record seventh Kentucky Derby win that even caught him off guard, the Hall of Fame trainer and Medina Spirit’s connections must determine whether the colt will turn around quickly for the Preakness on May 15.

Medina Spirit fought off three challengers in the stretch to win the Kentucky Derby, making Bob Baffert the winningest trainer in the race’s 147-year history with seven victories.

Medina Spirit has won the 147th Kentucky Derby by a half-length over Mandaloun to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh victory in the premier race for 3-year-olds.