Laurel's Fall Festival of Racing is Saturday
Laurel's Fall Festival of Racing is Saturday
On Monday, the Maryland Jockey Club unveiled the logo for next year's Preakness, the 140th running of the middle jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown.
A half mile into Saturday's Preakness Stakes, Victor Espinoza had to make a decision.
Race 1: Jockey Julian Pimentel rode Magic Cash to victory in the first of 12 races on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course. Phlash Phelps took second and Relentless Ride finished in third in the 1 1/6-mile race. The winner finished in 1 minute, 44.98 seconds.
With chance at racing history, California Chrome's jockey rode War Emblem to eighth place in Belmont Stakes in 2002
Horse lost a chunk of his right front hoof in collision with Matterhorn after start of Belmont Stakes
Maybe we shouldn't be surprised that California Chrome co-owner Steve Coburn would choose to double down on the incendiary comments he made after his horse failed to win Saturday.
Last year's appearance in the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita was not a particularly happy one for the favorite in Friday's race of the day, the $2-million Distaff.
Laurel Park
Gary Stevens isn't a jockey. He's a miracle man. If somebody names a horse Lourdes, Stevens has to be the rider.
For the third straight year, Santa Anita will be home base for horse racing's annual cash call, also known as the Breeders' Cup.
Horse racing
Unlikely victor pays $175.60
Trainer Tim Keefe knew all week it would be an emotional Saturday if Eighttofasttocatch became the first horse to win the Maryland Million Classic three times.
With purse sizes and bonuses for owners and breeders growing as casino slot machine and table game revenue increasingly is earmarked for the horse racing industry, the quality of horses running in Maryland has begun to rebound after a long decline.
Twenty-nine horses have won more than one Maryland Million event. Seven former winners are entered Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park, including three runners looking to repeat last year's wins: Eighttofasttocatch (Classic), Monster Sleeping (Ladies) and Roadhog (Turf).
Maryland Million Classic defending champion Eighttofasttocatch, who also won in 2011, was made the overwhelming 3-5 morning-line favorite Wednesday for Saturday's edition of the race at Laurel Park.