Latest Horse racing News

Catching Freedom wins $1 million Louisiana Derby, qualifies for the Kentucky Derby

Mar. 23, 2024 20:06 PM EDT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Catching Freedom stormed from last to first to win the $1 million Louisiana Derby by nearly a length on Saturday, earning the Brad Cox-trained horse enough Kentucky Derby qualifying points to enter the opening race of the Triple Crown. Catching Freedom trailed...

Maryland lawmakers consider new plan to rebuild Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness

Mar. 14, 2024 18:25 PM EDT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A new plan to rebuild Baltimore's storied but deteriorating Pimlico Race Course and transfer the track to state control is making a late charge down the stretch of Maryland's legislative session. The measure, released Thursday with less than a month to go in...

New York sets a timeline for the Belmont Park project that is set to be completed in 2026

Mar. 05, 2024 11:39 AM EST

Renovations to Belmont Park are expected to pave the way for the racetrack to host the Belmont Stakes in June 2026. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday unveiled a construction timeline that includes the $455 million project being fully completed by fall of that year, which could...

Imagination wins San Felipe, gives Baffert 1-2 finish after trainer scratches odds-on favorite Nysos

Mar. 03, 2024 19:11 PM EST

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Imagination won the $300,000 San Felipe Stake by a head at Santa Anita on Sunday, giving trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 finish and his record ninth win in the Kentucky Derby prep after he scratched odds-on favorite Nysos. All of Baffert's 3-year-old colts are...

Dornoch runs away to win Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park

Mar. 02, 2024 18:44 PM EST

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Dornoch ran into the Kentucky Derby mix on Saturday, winning the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park as the overwhelming favorite. The win comes with 50 Kentucky Derby standings points, which typically is enough for a horse to...

Racing authority reports equine fatality rate of 1.23 per 1,000 at tracks under its jurisdiction

Feb. 27, 2024 15:34 PM EST

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Horse racing’s federal oversight body says racetracks under its jurisdiction experienced 1.23 racing-related equine fatalities per 1,000 starts in 2023, a much lower rate than at tracks outside its watch. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority...

Review of Saratoga horse deaths last year finds no definitive cause. Rainfall could have been one

Feb. 26, 2024 11:10 AM EST

A review of 14 horse deaths at Saratoga Race Course last summer found no definitive cause of why they happened, saying rainfall “could not be overlooked” as a factor. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, in a report released Monday, said a multitude of risk factors...

Confederate is harness racing's Horse of the Year

Feb. 25, 2024 22:22 PM EST

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Confederate, who last year won 13 of 15 races and became the fastest 3-year-old pacer in history, was named 2023 Horse of the Year at the U.S. Harness Writers Association banquet Sunday. The colt received 112 of 129 votes. Confederate’s wins included the...

NYRA is spearheading a study on the impacts of various surfaces in horse racing

Feb. 14, 2024 17:37 PM EST

The New York Racing Association is spearheading a study to evaluate the impact of various surfaces on equine injuries and fatalities. The formation of the all-weather-surfaces committee announced Wednesday comes after spates of horse deaths around the U.S. last year led to questions,...

Santa Anita postpones Friday's card in wake of historic rains in Southern California

Feb. 07, 2024 15:58 PM EST

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Santa Anita has postponed Friday’s nine-race card to give time for horses to return to a normal routine after training was suspended since last weekend. Regular training will resume Friday and racing will be held Saturday. This Friday’s races will be run...