Horse Racing News

Haynesfield, who drew post 5, will meet five opponents in the Westchester, which is run at one mile and serves as the local stepping-stone to the prestigious Grade 1, $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap to be run here on May 30.

Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs will start in earnest in the dark - and that's not to poke fun at the thousands of fans who admit to being clueless about which horse might win the 137th Derby here May 7.

Her Smile had been owned by her breeders, William Backer, and based at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland with Leigh Delacour.

Jockey Calvin Borel has won the Kentucky Derby three times in the last four years, but not until Wednesday did he line up a mount for this year's race on May 7.

Looking to alleviate that stress from his life, Durkin will no longer be the voice of the Triple Crown, deciding not to seek a renewal of his contract with NBC Sports, with whom he has been affiliated for 27 years.

J P's Gusto on Tuesday joined The Factor as horses who were not expected to run in the Kentucky Derby and whose connections finally made that news official.

The Factor, who disappointed as the heavy favorite in the Arkansas Derby in his last start, on Tuesday morning was officially withdrawn from consideration for the May 7 Kentucky Derby, co-owner George Bolton said.

The 6-year-old gelding won the Grade 2 Arcadia Mile at Santa Anita on April 9 by leading throughout and essentially repeated the effort in Sunday's $150,000 Inglewood Handicap at Hollywood Park.

After consulting with trainer Bob Baffert, owner Ahmed Zayat said April 24 that Zayat Stables' Jaycito will not run in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.

Exhi furthered his stature as a Polytrack specialist when returning from a layoff of more than six months to lead all the way Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland.