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1 week ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
April 14 (UPI) -- Two of America's dominant horses did their thing in weekend racing, reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park and Carl Spackler in the Grade I Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland. Both stars dominated their competition, providing a welcome distraction from the anticipation building among the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders trickling into the Churchill Downs barns.
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1 week ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
April 11 (UPI) -- With the Kentucky Derby field all but set after Tuesday's weather-delayed Blue Grass at Keeneland, the successful contenders have started to gather on the Churchill Downs backstretch, and owners' and trainers' nerves have started to twang in anticipation of May 3. Meanwhile, there's more than enough action around the ovals to provide distraction. And 3-year-olds are getting cranked elsewhere around the world, too, with Classics season fast approaching.
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2 weeks ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
April 9 (UPI) -- The field is set, barring last-minute withdrawals, for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.The final pieces fell into place in Tuesday's $1.25 million Grade I Blue Grass at Keeneland, which was delayed three days by torrential rain and flooding in central Kentucky. Burnham Square rallied from last to catch pacesetting East Avenue for the win.
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2 weeks ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
April 7 (UPI) -- Because of the weather-related postponement of the weekend races at Keenland, the final makeup of next month's Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks fields remains far from finalized. Several live Derby contenders are set to go in Tuesday's delayed Blue Grass, and virtually the entire field in Monday's Ashland Stakes is still possible for the Oaks. A few questions were settled in weekend racing elsewhere.
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2 weeks ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
1 of 2 | Hit Show leads a massive 1-2 upset by American horses in Saturday's $12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup. Photo by Liesl King, courtesy of Dubai Racing Club April 7 (UPI) -- An old horse racing maxim has it, "They run the races for a reason," and the 2025 Dubai World Cup program was a case in point.
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2 weeks ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
1 of 3 | Forever Young (L) and Romantic Warrior, seen finishing 1-2 in the $20 million Saudi Cup, go their separate ways as favorites in two big races Saturday in Dubai. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club April 4 (UPI) -- The weather gods toyed with the weekend racing picture, forcing postponement of Keeneland's opening weekend program, while extreme heat pushed back the starting time for Saturday's Dubai World Cup card.
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3 weeks ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
1 of 3 | Tappan Street wins the $1 million Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Photo by Lauren King, courtesy of Gulfstream Park March 31 (UPI) -- Weekend upsets sent more long shots off to the Kentucky Derby, including one colt still seeking his first career win. Kentucky Oaks favorite Good Cheer got some competition from preps in Florida and Arkansas. And White Abarrio, arguably America's best older horse, scored another impressive win.
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3 weeks ago | 
heraldonline.com | Robert Kieckhefer
March 28 (UPI) -- Saturday's Arkansas Derby and Florida Derby undoubtedly will send several runners on to the Kentucky Derby, but both seem ripe for upsets. Those rich races top a weekend agenda that also finds Kentucky Oaks candidates squaring off on the same ovals and January's Pegasus World Cup and 2022 Florida Derby winner White Abario back in action.
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1 month ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
1 of 2 | Tiztastic wins Saturday's Louisiana Derby, landing a spot in the Kentucky Derby. Photo courtesy of Fair Grounds March 25 (UPI) -- Tiztastic and Final Gambit added their names to the still unsettled Kentucky Derby mix with weekend victories, while last year's Breeders' Cup Classic winner tossed in a clunker in his return to action. Good Cheer established herself as a leading Kentucky Oaks candidate and Red Route One posted a big win at Oaklawn Park.
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1 month ago | 
upi.com | Robert Kieckhefer
1 of 3 | Sierra Leone, shown winning the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic, makes his 4-year-old debut in Saturday's $500,000 New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds. Photo by Alex Evers/Eclipsesportswire, courtesy of Breeders' Cup March 21 (UPI) -- It's crunch time on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, with two of the big "semifinal" races set this weekend in New Orleans and in Northern Kentucky and plenty of room left latecomers to earn their way into the Churchill Downs starting gate.
