Bob Hill – Handicapping

By Jim Miller —- STICKNEY, IL – After a one year hiatus, the Grade 3, $250,000 Illinois Derby, Presented by Xpressbet, returns to Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday. The 1 1/8 mile Illinois Derby will be joined by a pair of Illinois-bred stakes, the Robert S. Molaro...

By Darren Rogers —- McCraken Breezes; Coady Photography McCRAKEN BREEZES HALF-MILE AT CHURCHILL DOWNS LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Tuesday, April 18, 2017) – Janis Whitham’s Blue Grass (Grade II) third-place finisher McCraken breezed a half-mile in :47.80 Tuesday morning at Churchill...

By Amy Owens —- TUESDAY, APRIL 18 Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet runs through Friday, April 28, with racing on Wednesdays through Sundays. Post time for the first race each day is 1:05 p.m. ET. • PLETCHER SEEKS TO BUILD ON KEENELAND STAKES RECORD • UNBRIDLED MO HEADS FIELD...

By Darren Rogers —- ARKANSAS DERBY WINNER CLASSIC EMPIRE RETURNS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Monday, April 17, 2017) – Classic Empire, last year’s champion 2-year-old who won Saturday’s Arkansas Derby (Grade I), arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday morning to...

Joan Lawrence/NTRA —- Classic Empire; Coady Photography CLASSIC EMPIRE TAKES FIRST PLACE, NTRA TOP 3-YEAR-OLD POLL ARROGATE REMAINS IN FIRST PLACE & UNANIMOUS CHOICE, NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL (Receives all 41 first-place votes) Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Monday, April...

By Amy Owens —- Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet runs through Friday, April 28, with racing on Wednesdays through Sundays. Post time for the first race each day is 1:05 p.m. ET. • DICKINSON’S COOLMORE JENNY WILEY VICTORY CAPS MAGICAL DAY FOR McLAUGHLIN BARN • WARD LAYS OUT...

By Ed Golden —- • SHORT WORKS FOR BATTLE OF MIDWAY, ROYAL MO • FOLLOW ME CREV DOING WELL FOR CALIFORNIAN • SAN JUAN DISTANCE SUITS LONGSHOT GENEROSO BATTLE OF MIDWAY, ROYAL MO HOPE TO MAKE THEIR POINTS Battle of Midway and Royal Mo, second and third in the Santa Anita...

By David Joseph —- Gunnevera’s Trainer Looking Forward to Kentucky Derby Experience HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Trainer Antonio Sano visited a U.S. winner’s circle for the 500th time Sunday after saddling Gio Patricia for a victory in the fourth race at Gulfstream Park. Sano...

By Jennifer Hoyt —- HOT SPRINGS, AR (Saturday, April 15, 2017) – Randy Howg’s Inside Straight overcame traffic around the turn for home and drew off late to win the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) by two lengths over Domain’s Rap at odds of nearly 20-1. Midnight Storm, the...