LOS ANGELES -- Thoroughbred racing at Santa Anita Park was shut down shortly before its first post Friday by the Los Angeles County Health Department in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Training activities may continue at the track.

The move came after a frantic effort by the Arcadia track to stay open for racing before no crowds with ...Read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Gulfstream Park was informed earlier in the week that horse racing is not considered essential under Broward County's executive order closing businesses deemed nonessential, according to a Thursday email from Assistant County Attorney Rocio Blanco Garcia that was forwarded to Hallandale Beach officials.

The order allows...Read more

While this year's Kentucky Derby has been postponed from the first Saturday in May until Sept. 5 because of the response to the coronavirus pandemic, the campaign to earn a starting spot in the Run for the Roses continues.

During the post-position draw on Wednesday the field was set for Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Florida Derby at Gulfstream ...Read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Veteran jockey Javier Castellano, who is scheduled to race in Saturday's Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, tweeted Thursday that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus,.

"After being in New York with my family last week, I was asked by Gulfstream to come early to Florida to get tested for the virus," ...Read more

Gulfstream Park plans to continue racing Wednesday and hold Saturday's Florida Derby as scheduled, despite Broward County's ban on nonessential business and the city of Hallandale Beach asking the horse racing track to shut down and postpone the Derby, Hallandale Beach Vice Mayor Sabrina Javellana told the Sun Sentinel on Tuesday.

Despite the ...Read more

After a victory in one of the few, if not only, live professional sporting events to take place on United States soil this weekend, there's a new leader in the chase for spots in this year's Kentucky Derby.

Wells Bayou took an early lead and held on to win the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on Saturday. With the victory, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Horse racing in California will continue at tracks in the midst of the state's stay-at-home order because of coronavirus after consulting with officials of the California Horse Racing Board. Santa Anita was given the go-ahead less than an hour before Friday's first post at 1 p.m.

The Stronach Group, which owns Santa Anita and ...Read more

This week's announcement that the Kentucky Derby will be postponed to Sept. 5 due to the coronavirus pandemic was certainly a disappointment to horse racing fans who had already been counting down the days to the first Saturday in May.

But it was a necessary delay for an event that hopes to draw 150,000-plus spectators to Churchill Downs, and ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Churchill Downs confirmed Tuesday that the Kentucky Derby will be postponed until September because of concerns about the coronavirus. The Louisville racetrack will hold the premier race for three-year-olds on Sept. 5, officials said.

The iconic Thoroughbred race, which is one of the oldest continuously held sporting events in...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Churchill Downs Inc. announced Thursday that it will run an upcoming Kentucky Derby prep race this weekend without fans in the stands amid concerns about COVID-19.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park this Saturday "will be conducted spectator-free with only essential staff, horsemen, owners, limited friends and family and ...Read more

The owner of Midnight Bisou, the mare who finished second in last month's $20 million Saudi Cup, said Wednesday "one would expect" Maximum Security to be disqualified from his victory in the wake of a horse drugging scheme that included the arrest of the winning trainer.

"One would expect that Maximum Security would be disqualified from all his...Read more

The California Horse Racing Board's investigation into the fatalities last year at Santa Anita validated many of the prevalent theories as to why there was such a spike in deaths, but found no smoking gun or overriding reason for what happened.

The 76-page report was released Tuesday and pointed to 16 key findings, many a curation of data from ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- This time of year, one thing that can always be counted on is trainer Bob Baffert having some horses that are creating substantial Kentucky Derby buzz.

This year, he's so loaded he has to run two of his undefeated 3-year-olds against each other Saturday in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes. And those are just two of the six ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Jockey Ray York, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1954 at the age of 20, died Sunday at a care facility near Bakersfield after a lengthy bout with pneumonia. He was 86.

York first came to national prominence when he won the Kentucky Derby aboard Determine, who won the 1954 Santa Anita Derby and won the Strub Stakes a year later. ...Read more