Mon, 09/15/2025 - 11:28

Big fields as five-day race week kicks off

Barbara D. Livingston

The average field size Saturday is 10.6 entries.

A five-day race week at Churchill Downs begins Wednesday with a nine-race card that has big fields, if little fanfare.

A pair of auction-restricted, $92,000 maiden special weight races for juveniles sold or bought back for $65,000 or less in their most recent sale highlight the card. They are joined by a trio of starter-allowance races, with purses of $60,000, $76,000, and $83,000, respectively.

Several of the nine races have drawn overflow fields – including both maiden races, with 15 entrants (12 may start). The average field size is 10.6 entries.

Mon, 09/15/2025 - 11:26

Bentornato likely to train up to Breeders' Cup Sprint

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Bentornato was making his first start in more than 10 months on Saturday.

After his win in Saturday’s Louisville Thoroughbred Society at Churchill Downs, Bentornato is likely to train up to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar, giving him seven weeks between races.

That’s okay. He can handle the gap.

Bentornato was making his first start in more than 10 months on Saturday. Prior to that, he finished second in the 2024 BC Sprint at Del Mar. He was on his toes Saturday, sitting just off pacesetter Skelly and responding when called upon, pouring it on for a 5 1/4-length victory.

Mon, 09/15/2025 - 11:17

Irad Ortiz Jr. off to strong start after heading to Kentucky

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Irad Ortiz Jr. rode five winners for five different trainers through the first four days of the meet.

Fresh off claiming his fourth consecutive leading rider title, and seventh overall, at the summer Saratoga meet, Irad Ortiz Jr. moved his tack from New York to Kentucky for the fall season. Unsurprisingly, the five-time Eclipse Award winner is off to a strong start at the Churchill Downs September meet that began last Thursday.

Sat, 09/13/2025 - 12:12

Sovereignty returns to work tab with half-mile breeze

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Sovereignty worked a half-mile in 49.11 seconds at Saratoga on Saturday.

Sovereignty, the leading 3-year-old in the country and a leading contender for Horse of the Year honors, returned to the work tab Saturday morning in Saratoga, breezing an easy half-mile in 49.11 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.

Fri, 09/12/2025 - 14:29

Atitlan needs good effort in John Henry to move on to Breeders' Cup Turf

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Atitlan has won the San Luis Rey and Charles Whittingham at Santa Anita this year.

Atitlan finished a fast-closing third by a neck in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 31, just missing a win and an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Atitlan has another chance to prove he belongs in the BC Turf in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Sept. 27.

The $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship is run at 1 1/4 miles. The Del Mar Handicap was run at 1 3/8 miles.

Fri, 09/12/2025 - 14:22

Baeza stays fit for Pennsylvania Derby with six-furlong work

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Baeza will be ridden by Hector Berrios in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 20.

Baeza, second or third in four of the nation’s toughest races for 3-year-olds since early April, was declared on schedule for the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 20 after a quick six-furlong workout in 1:11.60 at Santa Anita on Friday.

Baeza was ridden by Hector Berrios, who has the mount in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles.

“Hector said the track was really heavy this morning,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “I think it was a really good work.

Fri, 09/12/2025 - 14:08

Sovereignty expected to work this weekend

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

Sovereignty, the leading Horse of the Year contender, is expected to return to the work tab this weekend.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sovereignty, the leading 3-year-old in the country and a Horse of the Year contender, was expected to return to the work tab over the weekend as he prepares for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Bill Mott, the trainer of Sovereignty, said at Belmont Park on Friday morning that Sovereignty would likely work at Saratoga on Saturday morning. It would be his first work since his 10-length win in the Travers on Aug. 23. Sovereignty will enter the BC Classic having won the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Jim Dandy, and Travers in succession.

Fri, 09/12/2025 - 14:04

Ryan nearing decision on Book'em Danno's next start

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Book'em Danno rattled off three straight wins at Saratoga over the summer in the True North, Vanderbilt, and Forego.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Book’em Danno, the leading male sprinter in the country, returned to the work tab on Thursday, going an easy half-mile in 50 seconds at Monmouth Park, but trainer Derek Ryan said no decision has been made on where the New Jersey-bred gelding will make his next start.

“We haven’t really figured it out, probably in another week or two,” Ryan said.

Fri, 09/12/2025 - 09:51

Total handle rises 36% during 2025 Emerald Downs meet

By Matt Hegarty

Reed Palmer/Emerald Downs

Field size at Emerald Downs increased from 6.42 horses per race in 2024 to 7.33 horses per race this year.

An influx of horses from Northern California pushed up field sizes at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash., helping the track post sizeable gains in handle during its recently concluded meet, according to an analysis by Daily Racing Form.

Counting only Thoroughbred races, total handle during the 50-day meet was $65.9 million, up 36 percent over total handle of $48.4 million during a 55-day meet last year, according to the analysis. The average handle per race soared 41.2 percent, to $160,000 per race, up from $113,000 per race last year.

Thu, 09/11/2025 - 13:41

Fall meet purses up from last year but still trail 2023

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Santa Anita maiden races at the fall meet will have a purse of $60,000, up $6,000 from 2024.

Overnight purses at the Santa Anita autumn meeting will be higher than the corresponding meeting in 2024, equal to the recent spring meeting, but lower than the 2023 autumn meeting.

The track recently published its condition book, detailing the proposed races for the 16-day meeting that runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 26.

A maiden race will have a purse of $60,000, an increase of $6,000 from last fall, but down $1,000 from the 2023 autumn meeting.

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