News

Derby winner Animal Kingdom heads for home

The horse is on the truck. That’s Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom riding along in Keith Cooper’s tractor trailer headed north and east from from Kentucky to Maryland today. At last report he was zooming past Keeneland at about 6:40 Tuesday morning.

Graham Motion walked off the Churchill Downs turf course and wiped his left index finger under his eye. Dry. Motion mouthed, “no tears,” as he walked amid a sea of celebration. Riding a wave of reporters, connections and family on the way to the Kentucky Derby press conference, Motion held his daughter Jane’s hand and gazed at the Churchill Downs’ grandstand, “I can’t believe it. Crazy.”

Animal Kingdom’s win provides another thrill

“You should do one more chapter.” Adrian Rolls called me Saturday evening on his way back from Belmont Park, amazed like everyone else.

Merriefield Farm’s Bon Caddo sidestepped a calamity at the second fence on the way to victory in Saturday’s Virginia Gold Cup timber stakes, taking over from Uppercut at the third-last and holding off a mild bid from Radio Flyer in the $75,000 timber stakes.

Derby morning. The tractors, adorned in pink Vineyard Vines’ logos, circle the track clockwise, then counter-clockwise, hoofprints fade, deep lines emerge. Military members rehearse their stances along the inside rail of the track, one loses her hat as she climbs under the rail.

Four-mile timber stakes lures quality group

Blair Wyatt lifted her arm over her head and smiled.

“It’s good. It really started feeling better a few days afterward. I’m ready,” she said – looking plenty prepared to ride a racehorse if not quite ready to throw a batting practice session.

Horse racing is a game of opinions, always has been, always will be. Who do you like? A simple, four-word question that means everything in racing; whether it’s at the sales ring, the betting window or the starting gate. Who do you like?

Motion staffers keep working, despite missing Derby

ST is following Fair Hill-based 3-year-old Toby’s Corner to the Kentucky Derby, chronicling his life and his training, bringing readers details about the horse and serving up a small taste of what it’s like for his connections to work with a Kentucky Derby contender.

Would-be Derby horse returns to barn with few answers

ST is following Fair Hill-based 3-year-old Toby’s Corner to the Kentucky Derby, chronicling his life and his training, bringing readers details about the horse and serving up a small taste of what it’s like for his connections as he gets ready for the Grade I Derby at Churchill Downs May 7.

ST is following Fair Hill-based 3-year-old Toby’s Corner to the Kentucky Derby, chronicling his life and his training, bringing readers details about the horse and serving up a small taste of what it’s like for his connections as he gets ready for the Grade I Derby at Churchill Downs May 7.