Horse Racing

Horsemen's Park in Omaha is one of six Nebraska racetracks benefiting from the state's voters approving three ballot initiatives last week. (Image: Horsemen's Park)

Nebraska Racing Gets a Casino Boost from the State’s Voters

While voters in three states recently approved sports betting in Election Day referendums, Nebraska voters overwhelmingly passed three state constitutional amendments of their own, allowing casino gambling at horseracing tracks throughout the Cornhusker State. All three measures, labeled Initiatives 429, 430, and 431, passed by nearly 2-to-1 margins. This allows […]

After Authentic and John Velazquez captured the Breeders' Cup Classic, the 3-year-old Kentucky Derby champion rides into retirement. He'll open the 2021 breeding season at Spendthrift Farm. (Image: Darron Cummings/AP)

After Breeders’ Cup Classic Win, Authentic Rides Off to Retirement

After watching his gate-to-wire victory in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, it took Authentic’s owners barely 24 hours to retire the three-time Grade 1 winner at the end of his 3-year-old season. The Kentucky Derby champion heads to Spendthrift Farm, the large Kentucky breeding farm and majority owner of Authentic. He […]

Authentic went gate-to-wire to win the Breeders' Cup Classic over an all-star field of Grade 1 stakes winners. (Image: AP Photo)

On Record-Setting Day, Breeders’ Cup Handle Takes Mild Dip

With Kentucky Derby champion Authentic, standout filly Gamine, and Knicks Go all winning Breeders’ Cup races in record time – and without general public tickets available – the Breeders’ Cup World Championships managed its sixth-highest all-sources handle since 2007. That was the year the Breeders’ Cup expanded to two days. […]

Magical is a worthy 5/2 favorite to put stellar trainer Aidan O'Brien atop the Breeders' Cup Turf mountain. (Image: Simon Cooper/PA Wire)

Despite Slump, O’Brien Casts a Magical Spell Over the Breeders’ Cup Turf

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien enjoys a wonderfully magical training career, generally free of moguls or other bumps. But as he sends Magical and Mogul out in search of his seventh Breeders’ Cup Turf title, O’Brien does so along an uncharacteristically bumpy road on this side of the Atlantic. Whatever Irish […]

Vekoma sprinted to 3/1 favorite status in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. But the 4-year-old scratched from Saturday's race due to a fever. (Image: Skip Dickstein/Albany Times Union)

Breeders’ Cup Sprint Favorite Vekoma Scratched With Fever

Breeders’ Cup Sprint favorite Vekoma scratched out of the $2 million race on Wednesday after spiking a fever late Tuesday night. That likely ends his career and sends him to the breeding shed earlier than expected. “Vekoma did not train. He spiked a fever last night. He got treated,” trainer […]

Maximum Security didn't even run his best Beyer Speed Figure in this Pacific Classic victory from August. But he owns the fastest Beyer and Equibase speed figures in the Breeders' Cup Classic field. (Image: Coolmore America)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Looking at an Instant Classic

As you parse the speed figures for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, you understand there is truth in advertising to this year’s edition of the Breeders’ Cup’s flagship race. Putting aside the eight Grade 1 winners in the 10-horse field, these speed figures should make this Classic well … an instant […]

Breeders' Cup Distaff favorite Monomoy Girl knows Keeneland from her Ashland Stakes victory in 2018. She owns the most consistent speed figures in the Distaff field. (Image: Keeneland)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Everyone Chases These Two in Distaff

Preakness Stakes champion Swiss Skydiver will bypass the Breeders’ Cup Classic and run with her gender in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. And with that, she and 2018 Distaff champion Monomoy Girl will separate themselves from the rest of the field, according to their speed figures. The $2 million Breeders’ Cup […]

Improbable stands out as a 5/2 favorite in what is one of the deepest Breeders' Cup Classic fields in the history of the event. (Image: AP)

Improbable Takes Favorite Status, Outer Post in Breeders’ Cup Classic

The last time Bob Baffert turned loose a Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite at Keeneland, that horse – American Pharoah – won him his second of three consecutive Classics. Now, Baffert has more than an outside chance of winning his fourth. He has three outside chances. That’s because his three mainstays, […]

Vow and Declare captured the 2019 Melbourne Cup, known as the "race that stops a nation." Australia's most famous race runs without fans Monday night in the US. (Image: Getty)

Australia’s Melbourne Cup: ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’ Tonight

While American horse racing fans prep for this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Australian sports fans will be shutting their nation down for tonight’s Melbourne Cup. Dating to 1861, the Melbourne Cup doubles as not only the most important race in Australia, but as one of the country’s most iconic […]

Come Dancing owns the best speed figures in a deep, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint field. But her recent form puts her behind her competitors. (Image: RMP/Spendthrift Farm)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Solving the Filly & Mare Sprint Puzzle

Even beyond speed figures, the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint offers horseplayers and racing fans one of the best races on the 14-race Breeders’ Cup card. And it offers more balance and deeper speed than you think – even with the likes of Gamine and Serengeti Empress topping the […]

Jackie's Warrior brings a commanding speed-figure advantage ito the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. (Image: Mike Kane/Special to the Times Union)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Jackie’s Warrior’s No Average Juvenile

The speed figures from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile leave little to the imagination, nor handicapping creativity. They don’t require second-guessing, even if they may require a second glance to further glean their clear dominance. To help horseplayers handicap next weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, OG News examines speed figures for […]

Mutasaabeq registered his career-best speed figures in this dominating debut race at Saratoga in August. He's North America's best hope in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. (Image: TwinSpires.com)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Who Answers Europe in Juvenile Turf?

When looking at speed figures for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, understand that European horses traditionally dominate this event. They certainly dominate this year’s Juvenile Turf field, comprising half of the 14 horses drawn into the main field. That means speed figures for European horses are not as available. So […]

Simply Ravishing was simply dominant in winning the Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland. She offers value and good speed figures in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. (Image: Coady Photography)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Juvenile Fillies Offer Simple Surprises

When handicapping the various Breeders’ Cup races, the logical first place to start is with speed figures. Toward that end, OG News will examine the speed figures of several Breeders’ Cup races in an effort to give horseplayers another tool in distilling possible overlays and underlays. The first race we’ll […]

While Jackie's Warrior is the clear favorite to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Essential Quality is a viable second favorite at 20/1. (Image: Coady Photography)

William Hill Makes Jackie’s Warrior 2021 Kentucky Derby Futures Favorite

William Hill Nevada opened the first domestic futures pool for the 2021 Kentucky Derby, installing Jackie’s Warrior as the top choice among the 115 2-year-olds listed on its futures board. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite, Jackie’s Warrior opened at 15/1. He’s currently 14/1 at Bovada, which opened the Steve Asmussen-trainee […]

Put three horseplayers in a room with the Breeders' Cup program and the number of possible bets is off the charts. (Image: Associated Press)

Breeders’ Cup Rolls Out Lucrative Wagering Menu, Race Schedule

Along with announcing its race schedule, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships announced a wagering smorgasbord for horseplayers consisting of seven multi-race pools offering a combined $8 million in guaranteed money. The two-day Breeders’ Cup is Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland. Even running spectator-free due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides bettors […]

Magical missed last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita due to a fever. But the 2020 three-time Group 1 winner is the likely favorite for the Breeders' Cup Turf. (Image: Caroline Norris)

Baffert’s Classic Trio, O’Brien’s Turf Duo Head Breeders’ Cup Pre-Entries

Bob Baffert has six entries, including three in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Aidan O’Brien counters with 10 entries. And just like that with Wednesday’s pre-entries, lineups for the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championships races are falling into place. All told, 201 horses pre-entered into the Nov. 6-7 racing festival at […]

Trainer Bob Baffert's Merneith tested positive for an excessive amount of a cough syrup ingredient. (Image: Coady Photography)

Merneith, Another Baffert Charge, Tests Positive for Banned Substance

The California Horse Racing Board revealed that another one of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s charges, Merneith, tested positive for a banned substance. Merneith tested positive for dextromethorphan, a common ingredient found in human cough syrups. The test came after Merneith finished second in the fourth race at Del […]

Once beleagered Santa Anita Park has not had a racing fatality in 2020. (Image: Harry How/Getty)

Santa Anita Park Enjoys Fatality-Free Fall Meet

Santa Anita Park, which became a poster track for horse fatalities after a nightmarish 2018-2019 season, completed its Autumn Meet without a racing or training fatality. The iconic Southern California track just concluded its 16-day Autumn meet, sending 1,106 horses racing over the dirt track and turf course. In addition, […]

Uncle Mo, the standout 12-year-old stallion, bucked the trend of stud-fee reduction. Coolmore American increased his fee, while lowering most of its roster for 2021. (Image: Coolmore America)

Coolmore Lowers Stud Fees on Triple Crown Winners AP and Justify

Following breeding farm trends in this depressed economic climate, Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud lowered its fees on the majority of its roster, including Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. American Pharoah, the 2015 Triple Crown champion, will stand for $100,000. That’s a 42.8% reduction from his $175,000 fee in […]