By Noel Michaels Jockey Joel Rosario guides Idol after their victory in the Santa Anita Handicap – Photo Courtesy of Benoit Photo The leading riders at the New York winter meet at Aqueduct are Dylan Davis, Trevor McCarthy, Kendrick Carmouche, and Manny Franco. In a month or so, that will begin to change as the best riders in the game return home for the spring. Saratoga summer season. Source ..read more

By Ray Wallin Just about 90% of people fail to reach their strategic goals. That is worse than the 80% of people that fail at their New Year’s resolutions. Horse Racing – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography. handicapper, but a very profitable handicapper, you need to think strategically. Recently a struggling handicapper reached out to me about how to make more money playing the ponies. Source ..read more

By Ed McNamara Classic Causeway- Photo courtesy of Alex Evers / Eclipse Sportswire Classic Causeway bolted to the lead out of the gate, and before the 8-5 favorite reached the turn, he had company on his outside. Little Vic, a 13-1 shot, applied pressure immediately, and the two went head and head down the backstretch. The fractions were quick — 22.66 seconds for a quarter-mile, 46.67 to the half... Source ..read more

By Richard Rosenblatt If at first you do succeed, you might as well try to do it again. That’s the way trainer Brian Lynch is thinking as he prepares to send out favorite Classic Causeway in the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. Classic Causeway shook off all challenges on the lead to win the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Photo curtesy of SV Photography Sam F. Davis (G3) at... Source ..read more

By Richard Rosenblatt Trainer Richard Mandella – Photo courtesy of AP Photo / Gregory Bull He’s a Hall of Famer, and one of the most well-respected trainers in the business — ever. Pretty successful over the past 30 years or so, too, primarily in southern California. Kentucky Derby (G1). In 2019, Omaha Beach may have been his best, winning the Rebel Stakes (G2), the Arkansas Derby (G1)... Source ..read more

By Mike Farrell The trio of Triple Crown prep races last Saturday produced three intriguing winners, spawning hope in each camp that they have a horse for the Kentucky Derby (G1) in less than nine weeks from now. Simplification wins the Fountain of Youth Stakes – Photo courtesy of Coglianese Photos Each winner earned 50 Derby qualifying points, enough to secure a spot in the race. Source ..read more

By Richard Rosenblatt The Fountain of Youth. The San Felipe. The Gotham. The John Battaglia Memorial. And much, much more. A huge dose of stakes races featuring four Kentucky Derby preps, three Kentucky Oaks preps, and the Santa Anita Handicap, is lined up for Saturday. From the Big A to Turfway, from Gulfstream to Santa Anita, the 2022 racing season moves into a higher gear this month. Source ..read more

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, usracing.com contributor and award-winning writer Maryjean Wall recalls the freedom journey of two-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Jimmy Winkfield. Beginning in 1919, Winkfield fled Moscow for Odessa, then Poland, and then France. Born in Kentucky, Winkfield won the Derby in 1901 and 1902, and later moved to Moscow where he enjoyed fame and fortune before the... Source ..read more

By Noel Michaels Santa Anita Park’s starting gate – Photo courtesy of Santa Anita The weather could play a significant role on Big ‘Cap Day at Santa Anita, with heavy rains expected Friday and a 40% chance of showers on the big day Saturday – an 11-race card featuring three Grade 1s — the Santa Anita Handicap, the Kilroe Mile and the Beholder Mile plus the San Felipe Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds. Source ..read more

By Ed McNamara These are disturbing times for the world and for America, and our national race reflects the chaos. Two of the past three winners of the Kentucky Derby were disqualified, an unprecedented burst of weirdness. The 148th edition also is shaping up as odd, and for a unique reason. Mr. Derby himself, six-time winner Bob Baffert, is barred from competing at Churchill Downs... Source ..read more