A near-record crowd, which included royal visitors, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, watched James Tafel's Street Sense power home to win Churchill Downs' 133rd Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands by 2 ¼ lengths, while total on-track and all-sources wagering on the "Run for the Roses" matched the record levels set one year ago.
Street Sense, the 9-2 favorite, rallied from 19th under jockey Calvin Borel to pass the pacesetting Hard Spun in the stretch and draw away to a 2 ¼-length victory in the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Attendees of high profile parties and galas got the opportunity to make a flashy entrance to Churchill Downs. For the first time ever, celebrities waltzed down a red carpet upon their arrival to the Kentucky Derby. The red carpet, of course, took on a distinct flavor for the event; underneath a logo emblazoned green backdrop sat a thin layer of red rose petals.
Eclipse Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher will attempt to become the first trainer since Ben A. Jones in 1952 to win both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the same year. Yesterday his sophomore filly Rags to Riches easily took the Kentucky Oaks. Today Pletcher has five chances to win the Kentucky Derby: Scat Daddy, Circular Quay, Any Given Saturday, Cowtown Cat, and Sam P.
Representatives from Churchill Downs racetrack will honor the late Kentucky Derby 132 winner, Barbaro, and pay tribute to and his owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, during a special winner's circle today. The ceremony will take place in the track's everyday winner circle between Races 6 and 7 at approximately 2:30 p.m. EDT.
Curlin, the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby, is trying to become the first horse to win the Derby off just three prior starts since Regret in 1915. He is also trying to become the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby without having raced as a 2-year-old since Apollo did so in 1882.
The field is set, the rain is holding off, and the crowds are arriving for the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs! Gates open at 8:00am EDT and first post is at 11:00am EDT.
Interact: Check out and give your feedback to our bloggers' reports covering all aspects of the Kentucky Derby from training on the backside in the mornings, to schooling in the afternoons.
Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) hero Street Sense returned to the track Friday and before beginning his morning activity crossed paths with one of his competitors for Saturday’s 133rd Kentucky Derby.
Accompanied by a pony, Street Sense, with exercise rider Mark Cutler up, passed to the outside of Nobiz Like Shobiz, who was headed back to Barn 48, also accompanied by a pony. As Street Sense swung past, Nobiz Like Shobiz kicked up a little mud.
It is raining on Kentucky Oaks day, one day prior to the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby. If the rain continues into tomorrow's racing card it could produce the first "off" track Kentucky Derby since 2004 when Smarty Jones claimed victory.
The undefeated Curlin, made the Kentucky Derby 133 morning line favorite at 7-2, will break from post two in Saturday’s Run for the Roses. Street Sense, the second choice at 4-1, fared a little better in the selection process, getting post position seven.
A full field of 20 3-year-old Thoroughbreds was entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 133rd running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) and the owners and trainer of horse that is expected to be a longshot will have the first pick later today when post positions for the race are selected.
With jockey Calvin Borel up, James Tafel's champion Street Sense put in his final pre-Kentucky Derby work on a clear Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs by working five furlo
With jockey Calvin Borel up, James Tafel's champion Street Sense put in his final pre-Kentucky Derby work on a clear Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs by working five furlongs in 1:01. The solo work, the fifth-fastest of 22 at the distance, was accomplished over a track labeled as "fast" before the renovation break.
Hard Spun gave a shout out to Derby watchers Monday morning when he recorded one of the fastest works in Derby Week history at Churchill Downs --- a :57.60 that turned heads, drew low whistles and stamped the handsome bay as a very dangerous factor for Saturday's Run for the Roses.
Like the others around them in the 40-horse string at one of America’s top stables, the majority of the Derby-bound “Pletcher Platoon” were busy guys at Keeneland Sunday, stretching their legs to one degree or another on a beautiful spring morning. And an old pro --- Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero, Jr. – was right in the middle of the action.
Trainer Doug O'Neill reported that his three colts were doing "fantastic" the morning after each worked six furlongs at Keeneland in their last serious move before the Kentucky Derby. The horses enjoyed a relaxing morning as they were handwalked in the ring adjoining O'Neill's barn and grazed.
Trainer Doug O’Neill put his three Kentucky Derby hopefuls through their final major pre-Kentucky Derby works at Keeneland on Friday and expressed satisfaction with all three six-furlong works.
The Kentucky Derby's rich history has etched many indelible memories for all those involved -- from racing fans to legendary jockeys and trainers -- over the years, and HorseRacing TV's
HorseRacing TV's popular weekly show "Target Louisville" will be broadcast daily as "Target Louisville Live," offering racing fans all the up-to-date information and late-breaking developments directly from Churchill Downs leading up to the 133rd edition of the Kentucky Derby when it begins airing daily on Saturday, April 28 at Noon ET/9 a.m. PT through Sunday, May 6.
Robert L. Evans, president and chief executive officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) ("Churchill Downs" or "Company") will ceremoniously open The NASDAQ Stock Market in New York City on Wednesday, April 25.
Slew's Tizzy zipped to the early lead under jockey Robby Albarado and never looked back en route to an unlikely 3 ½-length victory over Starbase in the 26th running of the $325,000 Coolmore Lexington (Grade 2) at Keeneland.
ANY GIVEN SATURDAY/CIRCULAR QUAY/COWTOWN CAT/SAM P./SCAT DADDY - WinStar Farm and Gulf Coast Farm's Cowtown Cat, winner of the Illinois Derby (GII) and the Gotham (GIII), worked sharply on Saturday at Keeneland in preparation for an expected run for trainer Todd Pletcher in Kentucky Derby 133.
A field of ten 3-year-olds has been assembled to contest the $325,000 Lexington (Grade 2) at Keeneland. The race is the final major prep for the Kentucky Derby and the last chance for these sophomores to boost their graded stakes earnings and earn a spot in the starting gate for the 133rd Kentucky Derby.
Unbeaten Curlin, a dazzling winner of the $1 million Arkansas Derby (Grade II) on Saturday, emerged as a strong favorite over such accomplished rivals as 2006 2-year-old champion Street Sense and Wood Memorial (GI) winner Nobiz Like Shobiz when betting drew to a close in the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager ("KDFW").
Unbeaten Curlin, a dominating 10 ½-length winner of Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (Grade II) at Oaklawn Park, emerged as a solid favorite heading into Sunday's last day of betting in the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager ("KDFW").
Unbeaten Curlin, the morning line favorite for Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, emerged as a slight favorite over juvenile champion Street Sense and Florida Derby (GI) winner Scat Daddy as betting on the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager ("KDFW") reached its midway point.
J. Paul Reddam's Notional, winner of the Risen Star (Grade III) at the Fair Grounds and runner-up in the Florida Derby (GI), suffered a leg injury during a Saturday gallop that knocked the colt off the road to the 133rd running of the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (GI). Trainer Doug O'Neill confirmed the injury to Churchill Downs officials by telephone on Saturday evening and wagering was suspended on Notional (#14) in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager ("KDFW"), which runs through Sunday at 6 p.m. (EDT).
