CHURCHILL DOWNS

Arlington Heights board expected to reject petition to ban taxpayer subsidies for Chicago Bears stadium development

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is the third betting choice on the morning line for the Belmont Stakes.

Sarah Ramsey, a leading thoroughbred breeder and owner, has died.

Lion Grounds Cafe inside the Red Lion Area Senior High School teaches students business skills and serves the school community.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike remains on track to race in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.

Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter has been set as the morning line favorite for the Preakness.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announces the results from Churchill Downs’ biggest weekend of horse racing.

Did an 80-1 longshot really win the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike bit at a guide pony after winning the race, prompting the outrider to punch the horse's face.

The celebration after Rich Strike’s stunning Kentucky Derby upset continued long into the night.

Jockey Sonny Leon and trainer Eric Reed hit the ground running in every way imaginable for the Kentucky Derby.

Former president Donald Trump appeared at the Kentucky Derby, spurring chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!”

Rich Strike came charging up the rail to overtake the leaders in the closing strides for a stunning 80-1 upset in the Kentucky Derby.

Rich Strike emerged victorious among the 20 horses that competed in what is often described as "the most exciting two minutes in sports."

This year, Churchill Downs hoped to again surpass 150,000, its pre-pandemic numbers.

Rich Strike, an 80-1 long shot who only entered the Kentucky Derby field on Friday as a last-minute replacement for Ethereal Road, paid off big for bettors with one of the biggest upsets in Derby history.

The last three runnings of the Kentucky Derby have been anything but normal.

Did you hit it big at the betting window? Here are the payouts for the 2022 Kentucky Oaks horse race, which was won by Secret Oath.

USA TODAY Sports' Dan Wolken breaks down the field for the 148th Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs says it is switching its strategy because online sports betting became too costly.

There are two types of people who watch the Kentucky Derby: Those who bet money and want to win, and spectators who just want to admire the strange names given to the horses.

What do you think of when you hear the words “Kentucky Derby?”

A deal for Drug Free Sport International to police medication in horse racing is in place two months before the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority takes effect.

WAVE's Kent Taylor tells us why he's going with Epicenter and the other horses in his Kentucky Derby trifecta.

Zandon and filly Nest are the morning-line favorites for the 148th Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen tells Daily Racing Form Midnight Bourbon died after "an acute gastrointestinal situation."

Bob Baffert has transferred four of his promising 3-year-old colts to other trainers, which will allow them to earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby while the Hall of Fame trainer appeals his 90-day suspension.

Kentucky’s racing director has denied Bob Baffert’s request to stay his suspension by stewards in their ruling that also disqualified Medina Spirit as Kentucky Derby winner.

The since-deceased Medina Spirit tested positive after the race last May for steroid betamethasone, which is legal in Kentucky but banned on race day.

Medina Spirit has been stripped of the victory in last year’s Kentucky Derby and Mandaloun has been declared the winner in a ruling by state racing stewards.

The owner of Arlington Park, Churchill Downs Inc., announced this year that it had a preliminary agreement to sell the 326-acre site in Arlington Heights to the Chicago Bears for $197 million.

Corniche won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 1 3/4 length at Del Mar, stamping the colt as the early favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, where his trainer, Bob Baffert, has been banned.

Bears say they aren’t pursuing horse racing at Arlington Park.

A look back at the highs — and lows — of the historic thoroughbred course in Arlington Heights.

The Chicago Bears bid to move to Arlington Heights seems legitimate, and not a bluff, the village mayor said Tuesday, after local officials acted to prohibit certain uses but allow a football stadium.

The Chicago Bears recently submitted a bid to purchase the property at Arlington International Racecourse, news team president and CEO Ted Phillips publicly announced.

Trainer Bob Baffert sued in federal court Tuesday in an effort to get his suspension by the New York Racing Association lifted. The NYRA suspended the Hall of Famer in mid-May after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test that found 21 picograms of betamethasone. The steroid helps reduce swelling and Baffert acknowledged that Medina Spirit tested positive for the substance that is banned on race day in Kentucky.

Officials say victim had hands up and was offering to surrender when allegedly attacked

There was no chance of a Triple Crown winner this year after Medina Spirit failed to win the Preakness Stakes.

There was no chance of a Triple Crown winner this year after Medina Spirit failed to win the Preakness Stakes.

Bob Baffert, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, stands near the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, April 28, 2021. Churchill Downs Racetrack on Wednesday suspended horse trainer Bob Baffert for two years after attorneys said Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit had failed a second drug test for a banned steroid. The suspension means that no horse trained by Baffert or by Bob Baffert Racing Stables can race at any track owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated through the conclusion of the 2023 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs. That meet includes the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown. Please check back for updates.

Bob Baffert’s lawyer said Wednesday that a split-sample test of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit came back positive for the presence of the steroid betamethasone, which could lead to the horse’s disqualification and discipline for the Hall of Fame trainer.

The result could make Medina Spirit the second horse in the competition's 147-year history to be disqualified for drug violations, jeopardizing its victory.

Trainer Bob Baffert has been suspended for two years by Churchill Downs after an additional drug test of Medina Spirit confirmed the presence of the steroid betamethasone in the Kentucky Derby winner's system.

A second test of blood from Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit confirmed the presence of the banned steroid betamethasone, a lawyer for the horse's owner said.

Essential Quality has been set as a 2-1 favorite for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.

As of late Tuesday, Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's split sample had not only not been tested; it had yet to leave Churchill Downs.

Horse trainer Bob Baffert was temporarily suspended by New York racing officials from entering horses — including Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit — in the upcoming Belmont Stakes or races at other major state tracks.

Midnight Bourbon came in second and Medina Spirit had to settle for third place.

Midnight Bourbon came in second and Medina Spirit had to settle for third place.

The announcement comes after the horse tested positive for the steroid betamethasone in a sample taken after the Derby.

The announcement comes after the horse tested positive for the steroid betamethasone in a sample taken after the Derby.

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was allowed to enter the Preakness Stakes, with conditions, despite failing a drug test after the first Triple Crown leg.

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is headed to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes while trainer Bob Baffert says he won’t attend the race to avoid being a distraction in the wake of scrutiny following the colt’s failed postrace drug test.

Trainer Bob Baffert said he still plans to enter Medina Spirit, who had a positive drug test, and Concert Tour in Saturday's Preakness in Baltimore.

Churchill Downs' announcement comes after trainer Bob Baffert announced the failed drug test, which he vowed to fight "tooth and nail."

When Bob Baffert announced his Derby-winning horse tested positive, several questions soon followed.

Medina Spirit’s status for Preakness uncertain as Pimlico officials say they are investigating matter.

Churchill Downs suspended famed horse trainer Bob Baffert, victory of Medina Spirit may be taken away after steroids test.

Churchill Downs suspended famed horse trainer Bob Baffert, victory of Medina Spirit may be taken away after steroids test.

Medina Spirit's trainer Bob Baffert will be immediately suspended from entering any horses in races at Churchill Downs track, Churchill Downs said.

Churchill Downs' announcement comes after trainer Bob Baffert announced the failed drug test, which he vowed to fight "tooth and nail."

Trainer Bob Baffert told reporters the horse has never been treated with that drug and has promised an investigation.

Medina Spirit’s victory in the Kentucky Derby is in serious jeopardy because of a failed postrace drug test.

Two sports events last week, the Kentucky Derby and first round of the NFL draft, pulled in more television viewers than the Academy Awards less than two weeks earlier.

The Belmont Stakes will limit attendance to 11,000 spectators for the third leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown series.

Ford and GM hit hardest, building fewer cars for consumers amid a worsening chip crisis.

As Bob Baffert digests a record seventh Kentucky Derby win that even caught him off guard, the Hall of Fame trainer and Medina Spirit’s connections must determine whether the colt will turn around quickly for the Preakness on May 15.

Medina Spirit fought off three challengers in the stretch to win the Kentucky Derby, making Bob Baffert the winningest trainer in the race’s 147-year history with seven victories.

The victory was the record seventh by trainer Bob Baffert at the Kentucky Derby. Jockey John Velazquez won for the fourth time.

Medina Spirit has won the 147th Kentucky Derby by a half-length over Mandaloun to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh victory in the premier race for 3-year-olds.

Twenty horses and their jockeys — including betting favorites Essential Quality and Known Agenda — will be competing for first place and a large cash prize.

Essential Quality is the 2-1 morning line favorite and will start from the No. 14 post for the 147th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Houston hosts 14 games in April -- Oakland and Detroit visit for three each, the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle play four times. ___The Charlotte Hornets will allow approximately 5,000 fans to attend NBA home games beginning March 26 against Miami, or about 25% percent of the Spectrum Center’s seating capacity. That’s a 10% increase from the 3,000 fans that were allowed to attend home games beginning March 13. ___The Preakness will be run in front of a limited capacity of 10,000 fans at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on May 15. AdSince the pandemic was declared in March 2020, the Ad Council has mobilized the industry to launch a multi-pronged communications effort to combat COVID-19.

8 post position for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the marquee race of the season-ending World Championships at Keeneland. Kentucky Derby champion Authentic, a Baffert pupil who held off Tiz the Law in a wire-to-wire victory at Churchill, will go off at 6-1 from the No. I can’t do any more for him.”Filly Swiss Skydiver, who won last month's Preakness against males and was a Classic pre-entry, opted to run against her own gender in Breeders' Cup Distaff over 1 1/8 miles. “She was 11 of 11 in the Breeders’ Cup in 2018," he said. 7 post for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile that cap Friday’s five-race feature card for 2-year-olds.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)A filly trained by two-time Triple Crown winner Bob Baffert has tested positive in a postrace drug test for the second time this year, making it the third positive test by a horse in Baffert’s stable in the last six months. He blamed the positive test on environmental contamination linked to a pain patch worn by assistant trainer Jim Barnes. Between her two positive tests, Gamine won the Acorn Stakes at Belmont and the Test Stakes at Saratoga, both in New York. The same day Gamine tested positive at Oaklawn, another Baffert horse also failed a postrace test. Charlatan, who won a division of the Arkansas Derby, also tested positive for lidocaine and was disqualified.

The “Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act” comes after a series of doping scandals and a rash of horse fatalities in recent years. "Horse racing has long been woven into the fabric of American culture,'' Tonko said during House debate, citing storied names such as Secretariat and Man o' War that “stir the imagination of racing fans” around the world. The House bill would empower an independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to set uniform, national standards for medication, track safety and testing of horses for performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs. The legislation is supported by a range of groups, including The Jockey Club, the New York Racing Association and the Humane Society of the United States. “Horse racing is experiencing the most profound crisis in the long history of the sport.

Bob Bafferts latest star achieved that by blowing past Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law to win going away Saturday at Churchill Downs. Though Authentic shattered hopes for a Triple Crown winner this year, he raised questions about what hell do for an encore, which could include a possible rematch against Tiz the Law at the Preakness in Baltimore on Oct. 3. There figures to be other well-rested horses to contend with, though Baffert touted Tiz the Law as a formidable foe at Pimlico Race Course. But those options are for later, and Baffert is happy that Authentic emerged from the Derby in good shape. Right now, at the end of the day Tiz the Law is still going to be tough.

Kentucky Derby entry Thousand Words runs during an early morning workout at Churchill Downs, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. The Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5th. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Horses run during a race before the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)LOUISVILLE, Ky. The Latest on the 146th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs (all times EDT):12:30 p.m. Early races have gone off at sunny Churchill Downs in the lead-up to the 146th Kentucky Derby, set to begin without spectators beneath the Twin Spires and with protests against social injustice expected to take place nearby. Tiz the Law enters the $3 million race as the 3-5 morning line favorite for the 16-horse field with odds likely to rise by the scheduled 7:02 p.m. post time. The colt won the Belmont Stakes and can become the first Derby winner from the No. Hes surrounded on the outside in the 1 mile-race by Honor A. P. (5-1, No.

Military Police, working as security, stand in empty stands before the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)LOUISVILLE, Ky. The Churchill Downs stands are empty and the wagering windows closed. The 146th Kentucky Derby is a surreal distillation of the crises facing the county in 2020. The race, usually in May, is four months late because of the coronavirus pandemic. Wanda Martin lives across from the backside of Churchill Downs. Worst derby ever.

Authentic won by 1 1/4 lengths without the usual crowd of 150,000 on hand at Churchill Downs because of the coronavirus pandemic. The bay colt ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.61 under John Velazquez, who earned his third Derby victory. Sent off at 3-5 as the biggest Derby favorite in 31 years, Tiz the Law stalked Authentic on the outside before challenging at the top of the stretch. Yes! Baffert shouted in the paddock, where he watched the race on the video screen. Tiz the Law had already won the Belmont, the kickoff to the reconfigured Triple Crown that was run in June at a shorter distance.

Kentucky Derby entry Tiz the Law runs during a workout at Churchill Downs, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. The Kentucky Derby still has horses Tiz the Law is the biggest favorite in 31 years but just about everything else makes the 146th edition unlike any other. Quietude cant hurt, said Barclay Tagg, trainer of 3-5 favorite Tiz the Law. Tiz the Law won the Travers by 5 1/2 lengths over the same distance at Saratoga a month ago. A win by Tiz the Law would make Tagg the oldest trainer to win a Derby at age 82.

Florent Geroux rides Shedaresthedevil, second left, and John Velazquez rides Gamine, right, going into the first turn during the 146th running of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)LOUISVILLE, Ky. Long shot Shedaresthedevil won the Kentucky Oaks in record time, overtaking favorite Gamine at the top of the stretch and holding off Swiss Skydiver for a 1 1/2-length victory Friday in the 146th Kentucky Oaks for fillies at Churchill Downs. 7 post, staying within reach of the heavily favored Gamine before coming on near the final turn and gaining the lead entering the stretch. Once ahead, she turned it up more with Florent Geroux aboard, pulling away from Swiss Skydiver and rolling to victory in the $1.25 million marquee event. Swiss Skydiver, who started along the rail, returned $3.80 and $2.60. Postponed from May along with the Kentucky Derby because of coronavirus concerns, the Oaks went off on a hot, sunny day without spectators.

What happened next set horse racing off on a year-long odyssey of chaos. From a historic DQ to doping, lawsuits to a global pandemic, and then a Triple Crown turned upside down. What happened next set horse racing off on a yearlong odyssey of chaos: from a historic DQ to doping, from lawsuits to a pandemic, and now a Triple Crown turned upside down. Instead of leading off on the first Saturday in May, the Kentucky Derby shifted to Labor Day weekend. Who would have ever thought youd run the Kentucky Derby with no fans? Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith said.

The Trump administrations immigration squeeze and the hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic threaten to leave the horse racing industry short of workers, racing officials warn as they prepare for a reconfigured Kentucky Derby. Pea argues that H-2B visa workers have less legal protection than their American counterparts. Low pay is part of the problem, contends Elisabeth Jensen, the executive vice president of the Kentucky Equine Education Project, an organization that supports the state's horse industry. To accommodate the number of horses with a limited supply of workers, trainers have to work with fewer horses. Laurie Mays, a project manager at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, is in charge of developing a local workforce for the horse industry.

(AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)Jockeys riding in the rescheduled 146th Kentucky Derby have to arrive by Monday and then quarantine upon returning to their home tracks, just one of many changes forced by the coronavirus pandemic. Initially, Churchill Downs had proposed an arrival date of Aug. 24 nearly two weeks before the Derby on Sept. 5. Smith will bolster his trip to the Derby with a riding assignment the following weekend at Kentucky Downs near the Tennessee border. Smith will be joined by some other Derby jockeys. Their coronavirus tests from Churchill Downs will be honored at the southern Kentucky track.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. A federal appeals court has upheld the decision by Churchill Downs stewards that made Country House the winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati on Friday affirmed a U.S. District Court decision to dismiss a lawsuit by Gary and Mary West, who own Maximum Security. The Wests sued the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, its executive director, members and stewards after the race in May 2019. The Wests sought to reverse the track stewards decision, contending it violated their rights to due process. Maximum Security won the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)LOUISVILLE, Ky. Churchill Downs officials have gotten their wish, announcing Thursday that when the rescheduled Kentucky Derby is run in September there will be spectators in the stands just more spread out than usual. The historic track got the go-ahead to run the Derby and Oaks this fall with spectators under strict guidelines to limit crowd density for the marquee Triple Crown race that annually attracts more than 150,000. Andy Beshear and local health officials, Churchill Downs will reduce capacity in general admission, outdoor reserved seating, premium dining and suites. Attendance obviously will be lower this year with new health protocols, and Churchill Downs president Kevin Flanery isn't thinking about numbers. Churchill Downs will announce information on tickets and seating in the coming days.

FILE - In this May 7, 2020 file photo the sun rises over the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Horse racing is in a state of transition at a time usually reserved for Triple Crown season. There is some light at the end of the tunnel as tracks including Churchill Downs in Kentucky are getting back to live racing without fans. Were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully, Maryland-based owner and trainer Linda Gaudet said from Louisville, Kentucky, where shes preparing for racing to return Saturday at Churchill Downs. Like other businesses, it will happen gradually and on a case-by-case basis, with people like Gaudet hoping horse racing will eventually get back on its feet.

FILE PHOTO: May 4, 2019; Louisville, KY, USA; A general view at the start during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. However, Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen said in a statement to Reuters that the company had serious concerns about the bill and did not think federal legislation was practical, reasonable, or imminent. Despite being synonymous with horse racing in the United States, Churchill Downs is not really a horse racing company, said Shawn Smeallie, executive director of the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity, which is lobbying for the bill. NATIONAL STANDARDNorth American horse racing is fragmented, with no one body or commissioner overseeing the sport as a whole. But the drug is widely used in North America before races because the diuretic helps horses quickly shed pounds.