JOHN VELAZQUEZ

Three horses, including one trained by embattled Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, were observed for medical issues after being pulled up in separate races during Saturday's Breeders' Cup championships at Keeneland. Baffert-trained Messier, competing for the first time since finishing 19th in the Kentucky Derby, was pulled up after the second race after jockey John Velazquez observed bleeding. Baffert is back in Kentucky this week for the first time since Kentucky stewards suspended him for 90 days last spring for a failed post-race drug test by Medina Spirit.

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.

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.

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

A necropsy on 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit showed no definitive cause of death.

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.

Rombauer's victory in the Preakness ended a Triple Crown bid that would have been fraught with controversy going into the Belmont.

Rombauer sprung an upset to win the Preakness Stakes at odds of 11-1.

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.

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

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.

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.

The 3-year-old colt won the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby, giving dominant trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh Derby win.

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.

John Velazquez, right, rides Authentic to win the Breeder's Cup Classic horse race at Keeneland Race Course, in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. Many of its best competitors performed at the top of their games on a record-breaking weekend, sparking high expectations for 2021. The sport just hopes that next year’s schedule returns to normal and that spectators can be in the grandstands enjoying the races. So, I miss the fans.”“I’ll be glad when everything gets back to normal and we have the fans back," he said. “We had a reason to smile again in horse racing and show off to people who were watching what a beautiful sport it is with the excitement and the nervousness," Baffert said.

John Velazquez (9) rides Authentic to win the Breeder's Cup Classic horse race at Keeneland Race Course, in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)LEXINGTON, Ky. – From start to finish, Authentic left no doubt he was the horse to beat in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Her second Cup win in three years followed a big upset in the Mile by Order of Australia. Another Irish bred, Tarnawa, won the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf immediately before the Classic with Colin Keane in Soumillon's place. The 18-1 choice saved his best for last as he stormed outside from near the rail in the stretch to win by 3¼ lengths and earn his first Breeders’ Cup win in four starts.

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.

"She’s just such a special filly," said trainer Kenny McPeek, who won the Preakness for the first time for his second Triple Crown race victory. “I had an opportunity,” said Albarado, who won his second Preakness after 2007 aboard Curlin. Swiss Skydiver was the first filly to run in the Preakness since 2014, when Ria Antonia finished last. “That’s a good filly,” said Authentic and Thousand Words trainer Bob Baffert, who was denied a record-breaking eighth Preakness victory. Swiss Skydiver made it so each Triple Crown race in 2020 had a different winner.

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.

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.

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.

It wasn't quite the post position trainer Barclay Tagg wanted for Tiz the Law. Still, it wasn't far off for the colt who on Wednesday was made the early 6-5 favorite for the Belmont Stakes. Tagg was hoping the Florida Derby winner would land anywhere between spots 5 to 7 in the starting gate for Saturday's beginning of the reconfigured Triple Crown series. Tiz the Law drew the No. He likes this track, so I'm glad to be back on it.Instead of concluding the Triple Crown, the Belmont is kicking off the series.