Author Archives
-
It’s Time to Rock in The Runhappy
There will be eight go to post this year for the fifth running of The Runhappy, a Grade 3 that runs at BEL. The race debuted on the calendar as an ungraded stake in 2018, but it did not take long for it to be upgraded to its current designation.
-
Directors Chair Faces Tough Battle in Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara Stakes fits the description of being one of the smaller graded stakes out there, with a $125.000 purse, but it is actually an increase of $25.000 from where it had been in previous years so that’s a little something. The race initially debuted on the calendar as a Grade 2, but would be downgraded 2014.
-
The Man O War Is the Biggest Race of the Weekend
Just because it is the week between the KYD and the PRK doesn’t mean we can’t have very big races this weekend! Center stage will go to the turf stars for now, and the excitement will be at BEL as the 20th running of the Grade 1 Man O War goes to post.
-
Perfect Class Lives Up to Her Name in Edgewood
Perfect Class was a star on the turf, and among her wins included a pair of Grade 3’s. That would prompt trainer Sccj Stables to give KYO preps a try, and she actually did run very well against good company in the Davona Dale. At the end of the day, she would not be able to make the KYO, but like Lassitude in the Eight Belles, it didn’t keep her from running at CD on KYO Day.
-
Exactly As Smokey Stover Planned, a KY Oaks Triumph
The last time Smokey Stover won the race, it was back in 2019, with Tenrikyo. Running just prior to the KYO on the card was the La Troienne, a race won by Tenrikyo and Smokey Stover, so the trainer had to be thinking that would be a good omen for Exactly in this race.
-
Beautiful Rail Trip Helps Lassitude Win Eight Belles
It wasn’t the KYO for Lassitude, a filly who finished in the middle of the field in multiple preps for the bigger race run here on Friday, but she would not let that ruin her day. Lassitude still made it to CD on this day, running in the Eight Belles instead, meaning that she was going to cut back on her distance to seven furlongs but that would not be too far off from what she had been running.
-
Here’s the Field for the 2022 KY Oaks
It was an interesting year for three year old fillies, that is for certain. This is the race we all hope for when we see that our produced foal was female, but the road to get here is quite difficult. In reality, the KYO is more difficult to get into than the KYD, given the fact the starting gate is not expanded to twenty runners. Here we are, fourteen fillies have reached their destination of making the KYO, congratulations to all of them, because if you get here, you are definitely a champion.
-
Increased Purse Makes Eight Belles One of KYO Day Highlights
When it first appeared on the schedule, the Eight Belles was not one of those races that generated a ton of excitement. It was a smaller Grade 3, running for a $100.000 purse. It stayed there for many years, but even when it did increase, the intervals were small. In 2020, it would be jump to $300.000, and now look it at today.
-
Perfect Class and Tequa Showdown Highlights Edgewood
Like the Eight Belles, the Edgewood has grown quite a bit since it first appeared on the schedule. In 2004, the race appeared as an ungraded stake for $100.000 and would become graded for the first time in 2015. It’s purse was gradually increased around that time, but now for the first time the Edgewood will run for $500.000!
-
Longshot Charlotte de Shark Takes A Bite Out Of The Wilshire Stakes
The field for the Wilshire Stakes seemed pretty evenly matched, so with one horse going off at 50/1 on the morning line, when there were only five horses to begin with, it seemed to worthwhile play. Charlotte de Shark was that horse, and she would be bet down to 13/1 as bettors saw that opportunity.
