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The first weekend of the 2026 Saratoga Race Course meeting comes to a close Sunday with a nine-race card – remember nine race cards? – topped by the inaugural running of the Grade 1 Leo O’Brien Handicap over jumps and the Grade 3 Kelso and Harvey Pack for older horses on the grass. Back to … Read more
Rhetorical earned New York-bred Horse of the Year honors and led a haul for his breeders Mallory and Karen Mort Monday evening during the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ Inc.’s Annual Awards Ceremony at the Hall of Springs at the Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs. Bred by the Morts and campaigned by Gary Barber, … Read more
Any weekend plans? While flat racing takes a breath, barely, after the Kentucky Derby and before the Preakness (calm down, everybody), jump racing heads to its biggest weekend of the spring season with Saturday stops at the Iroquois Steeplechase in Nashville (with $730,000 in purses up for grabs) and the Willowdale Steeplechase closer to home … Read more
CODY’S WISH: A Boy, a Racehorse and a Fight for Life tells the story of the inexplicable, yet undeniable bond between Cody Dorman and Cody’s Wish. Written by The Saratoga Special’s Paul Halloran, the book highlights the myriad of medical maladies Cody faced – with the support of his parents, younger sister, Kylie, and a … Read more
Cherie DeVaux is one of 19 and, thanks to No. 19, she is now one of one. The 19th female to start a horse in the Kentucky Derby, DeVaux became the first to saddle the winner after Golden Tempo, wearing the moonstone-colored No. 19 saddle towel, but breaking from the 16 post after scratches, closed … Read more
As far as Douglas Scharbauer is concerned, the first weekend in May should happen more often. Sixty-seven years after his grandfather won the Kentucky Derby and 39 years after his mother won it, Scharbauer landed in the Kentucky Oaks winner’s circle with Always A Runner – one day ahead of schedule. “This weekend is very … Read more
The main event. All the talk, all the predictions, all the top 10 lists, all the guessing, it all comes down to today. Derby Day. There’s nothing like it. The 152nd Kentucky Derby takes center stage and headlines a stellar card at Churchill Downs to lead off the 2026 Triple Crown. The Derby also signals … Read more
It’s Kentucky Derby Day so everyone you know, horse-oriented or not, is drinking mint juleps, looking for fancy hats, trying bow ties or asking you for advice on who to bet. Well, that’s our world anyway. You’re probably not all that different and if you’re steeplechase-oriented, you’re headed to Virginia. The 101st Virginia Gold Cup … Read more
Welcome to the new Kentucky Oaks Day. Technically day will fold into night by the time the 152nd running of the Oaks goes to post, set to run in prime time for the first time under the lights at Churchill Downs. A sign of the times and what could loom down the road for the … Read more
The last Saturday in April means two things in American jump racing – the Maryland Hunt Cup and the Foxfield Races. The date also means the spring season has hit a cruising altitude and we’re headed to May and a Memorial Day touchdown at the Fair Hill Races May 25. Last week, Zabeel Champion pulled … Read more
The late John Shirreffs, who trained Zenyatta throughout her Hall of Fame career; the late trainer Christophe Clement, who conditioned the winners of 286 graded stakes races; and champion sprinter Kona Gold headline the 11 new members elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame for 2026. Shirreffs joins the late trainer … Read more
