Matt Hegarty

Racing Industry Correspondent at Daily Racing Form

Racing industry correspondent for Daily Racing Form.

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Articles

Preakness Future Wager: Derby runner-up Journalism favoured at 5-1

1 week ago | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormJournalism, who finished second as the favourite in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, was made the 5-1 favorite in the Preakness Future Wager, which closed on Saturday, prior to the Derby being run. The wager handled $348,245. Journalism was the only horse in the 39-horse field who closed at single-digits odds. His connections have not yet announced a decision on whether they will target the May 17 Preakness, held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
Breeders' Cup adds more international races to Challenge Series

1 month ago | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormBreeders’ Cup Ltd. has once again expanded its Challenge Series of races that guarantee starting berths and entry fees to winners, with 93 races included for this year’s event at Del Mar, up from a total of 82 races last year. For the first time, the Challenge Series will include more races outside of the U.S. than within its borders, a reflection of Breeders’ Cup’s increasingly aggressive overseas marketing efforts.
Senate committee passes Florida decoupling bill, but guarantees seven years for Gulfstream

1 month ago | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormA Florida Senate committee on Tuesday night advanced a bill that would allow Gulfstream Park to decouple its live racing license from its casino license, but only after amending the legislation to ensure that live racing would continue at the track for at least the next seven years.
Journalism still favored in final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool

1 month ago | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormThe final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool will be held this weekend, but bettors should know right away to get their wagers in early, as the pool will close prior to the running of the three big stakes races on Saturday that will go a long way toward determining the favorites and the starting field for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.
Journalism a heavy favorite on morning line for fifth pool

2 months ago | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormJournalism, the highly rated winner of the San Felipe Stakes on March 1 at Santa Anita in his first start of 2025, has been tabbed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for this weekend’s Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, the fifth to be offered prior to this year’s Derby. Journalism beat odds-on favorite Barnes in the San Felipe by 1 3/4 lengths and earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure, tops of the year for a 3-year-old.
Smarty Jones, Groupie Doll, McPeek get on Hall of Fame ballot for first time

2 months ago | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormSmarty Jones, the popular colt who narrowly missed winning the 2004 Triple Crown, is among the eight racehorses who will appear on the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s ballot for 2025, the Hall of Fame announced Thursday. Smarty Jones, who lost only the Belmont Stakes in his nine-race career, is making his first appearance on the ballot this year, 21 years after his Triple Crown campaign.
Keeneland raises Blue Grass purse to $1.25 million

Jan 22, 2025 | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormThe 2025 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, one of the most significant prep races for the Kentucky Derby, will be worth $1.25 million, Keeneland announced on Tuesday along with a handful of other purse increases for its spring meet. The Blue Grass, scheduled this year for April 5, four weeks before the Derby, had a purse of $1 million from 2015 to 2019, before it was reduced to $800,000 during the height of the pandemic. The purse was restored to $1 million in 2022.
HISA reinstates Lopez from indefinite suspension

Jan 18, 2025 | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormVeteran jockey Paco Lopez, who was issued an indefinite suspension in early December by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority for striking a horse after a race, will be allowed to return to riding as of Jan. 23, HISA said on Saturday morning. Lopez, who had been issued seven other citations from HISA over the past year for improper whip use, has “met all conditions for reinstatement,” HISA said.
Baffert trainee Barnes the individual favorite in latest Kentucky Derby future pool

Jan 15, 2025 | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormBarnes, the runaway winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes, has been made the 10-1 individual favorite for the third installment of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, according to a list distributed by Churchill Downs on Tuesday. Boasting a perfect 2-for-2 record, Barnes, who is trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Zedan Racing, is one of 39 individual horses listed for Pool 3 of the Future Wager.
Arrears payments to HISA from CDI, NYRA total $5.8 million, creating sizeable budget gap

Dec 6, 2024 | attheraces.com | Matt Hegarty

By Matt Hegarty, Daily Racing FormChurchill Downs Inc. and the New York Racing Association, the two largest contributors to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, are currently in arrears to HISA for a total of $5.8 million, according to documents posted on HISA’s website on Friday.