Horse Racing

Associated Press Jun 1, 2023, 03:26 PM ET LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchill Downs will limit horses to four starts per rolling eight-week period and impose ineligibility standards for continued poor performance in the wake of the recent deaths of 12 horses at the home of the Kentucky Derby. Other safety initiatives announced by Churchill Downs

Associated Press May 30, 2023, 05:20 PM ET The head of horse racing’s oversight authority believes Churchill Downs would accept a recommendation to pause racing if necessary as an emergency summit convenes to examine the deaths of 12 horses over the past month at the home of the Kentucky Derby. Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority

Associated Press May 27, 2023, 08:16 PM ET LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two horses have died the past two days following injuries at Churchill Downs, the 11th and 12th fatalities over the past month at the home of the Kentucky Derby. Filly Kimberley Dream was euthanized after sustaining a distal sesamoidean ligament rupture to her front

Associated Press May 25, 2023, 06:18 PM ET LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A federal judge has granted Churchill Downs’ motion for summary judgment that dismisses Bob Baffert’s claim the track breached due process by suspending the Hall of Fame trainer for two years. Churchill Downs Inc. suspended Baffert in June 2021 after his now-deceased colt, Medina

Associated Press May 24, 2023, 08:11 PM ET VERSAILLES, Ky. — Fusaichi Pegasus, the 2000 Kentucky Derby winner, has died. He was 26. He was euthanized Tuesday at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, due to the infirmities of old age, the farm said Wednesday. Nicknamed “Fu Peg,” he was purchased as a yearling for $4

Associated Press May 20, 2023, 12:20 PM ET BALTIMORE — Preakness favorite Mage is good to go for the second race of the Triple Crown after bumping his head in his stall and getting a few stitches to close a cut above his right eye. Co-owner and blood stock agent Ramiro Restrepo said the Kentucky

Associated Press May 20, 2023, 07:14 PM ET BALTIMORE — Bob Baffert’s National Treasure crossed the finish line first in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday in the trainer’s return from a suspension and just hours after another of his 3-year-old horses was euthanized on the track. Baffert headed to the winner’s circle on the same

ESPN News Services May 20, 2023, 10:10 PM ET LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A horse died Saturday after being injured following the sixth race at Churchill Downs, making it the ninth fatality since April 27 at the home of the Kentucky Derby. Swanson Lake, a 3-year-old filly, was pulled up by jockey James Graham about 100

Associated Press May 20, 2023, 02:07 PM ET BALTIMORE — A horse trained by Bob Baffert was euthanized on the track after injuring a leg during a race on the Preakness undercard Saturday and sending his unseated jockey to the hospital. Hours before the second leg of the Triple Crown, favorite Havnameltdown buckled forward and

Katherine Terrell, ESPN Staff WriterMay 19, 2023, 10:01 AM ET Close Covered the NFL since 2013 Previously covered the Saints for the Times-Picayune and The Athletic Bengals beat writer for ESPN from 2016-19 Additional betting analysis provided by Anita Marks. File has been updated to account for news of No. 8 horse First Mission. The

Associated Press May 19, 2023, 06:58 PM ET BALTIMORE — Taxed raced to an upset victory in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Friday, closing strong for a convincing win over Hoosier Philly and unbeaten favorite Faiza. Claimed by owner Richard Bahde last year for $50,000, Taxed won this $300,000 race at Pimlico by 3 3/4

Michael A. Fletcher, ESPNMay 19, 2023, 07:42 AM ET Close Michael Fletcher is a senior writer with ESPN’s enterprise and investigative team. Before that, he wrote for ESPN’s The Undefeated, focusing on politics, criminal justice and social issues. He spent 21 years at The Washington Post, where his beats included the national economy, the White

Associated Press May 19, 2023, 10:05 AM ET BALTIMORE — Brad Cox-trained First Mission has been scratched from the Preakness on the advice of veterinarians, taking one of the top contenders out of the Triple Crown race 36 hours before post time. Owner Godolphin and the Maryland Jockey Club announced the scratch early Friday, saying

ESPN.com staff May 19, 2023, 09:26 AM ET The second leg of the Triple Crown kicks off this Saturday, May 20, with the 148th running of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Kentucky Derby winner Mage will look to continue his bid for the first Triple Crown since Justify did it in

Associated Press May 15, 2023, 05:59 PM ET HALETHORPE, Md. — Kentucky Derby winner Mage was installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite for the Preakness at the post position draw Monday. He’s the only horse in the field of eight set to take part in the second race of the Triple Crown two weeks

Associated Press May 14, 2023, 10:14 PM ET LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A horse died Sunday after a race at Churchill Downs, making it the eighth fatality in recent weeks at the home of the Kentucky Derby. Rio Moon “suffered a catastrophic injury to his left foreleg a few strides after the wire,” according to notes

Associated Press May 12, 2023, 11:12 AM ET LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Derby winner Mage will run in the 148th Preakness following an encouraging workout at Churchill Downs, his co-owner said. Mage galloped about 1½ miles at a brisk pace with exercise rider J.J. Delgado aboard on a cloudy but mild Friday morning at the

Associated Press May 11, 2023, 05:31 PM ET NEW YORK — Hall of Fame horse trainer Todd Pletcher has been suspended 10 days and fined as the result of a positive 2022 drug test involving Forte, who was scratched hours before the Kentucky Derby last weekend because of an injury. Forte was disqualified after winning