Horse Racing News

Up-and-comer Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride Departing in Preakness on Saturday

In a work trainer Shug McGaughey called 'breathtaking" and said gave him "chills," Kentucky Derby winner Orb sizzled a half-mile in :47.18 at Belmont Park May 13 in preparation for the May 18 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Freedom Child has enjoyed an eventful career for a sophomore runner who only had one win, but everything finally went right for the Malibu Moon ridgling May 11 at rain-whipped Belmont Park.

Charlie Em made a brilliant United States debut when she held off 3-5 favorite Scarlet Strike by a head in the $100,500 Senorita Stakes on the turf at Betfair Hollywood Park May 11.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano earned the 3,000th North American victory of his career when 1-2 favorite Ondine rolled to an easy victory in the first race May 11 at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Betfair Hollywood Park, in a May 9 letter, said it told the California Horse Racing Board it won't seek 2014 racing dates and will close at the end of its fall meet Dec. 22.

Fear the Kitten, shut out of the May 4 Kentucky Derby by eleventh-hour entrant Giant Finish, is one of 11 sophomores entered for the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes May 11 at Belmont Park.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has put together a formidable team of jockeys to ride his three starters in the 138th Preakness Stakes May 18.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission received the post-race test results May 7 from both the Longines Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby, and all samples have been cleared with no irregularities found.

Nehro, Zayat Stables' runner-up in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, died of colic May 4 while en route to a clinic.