http://www.yardbarker.com/content/sport/22 Recent Yardbarker articles: Horse Racing en-us The Preakness is always the most exciting leg of the Triple Crown since it (almost) always features the Derby winner and the hopes are alive. Here is a guide to betting the race. Last year we gave you the trifecta and strongly advised betting on Curlin to win. Don't miss out on some free money this year. Thu, 15 May 2008 11:56:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267271 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267271 Nicanor is a 2 year old colt who has a strong tie to the world of horse racing. He is the brother of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. Wed, 14 May 2008 10:01:49 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266795 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266795 The Preakness Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race stretching the distance of 1 and 3/16 of a mile (1.91 km) and the winner takes home $1,000,000. The Preakness is solely run for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, and is always held on the 3rd Saturday in May. Wed, 14 May 2008 09:28:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266774 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266774 What better way to get into the Preakness spirit than with a Preakness Trivia Quiz? Wed, 14 May 2008 09:19:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266771 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266771 The race made favorite in the film Seabiscuit, where the title hero does battle with the famed War Admiral, returns to Pimlico after a brief hiatus. Many of the top older dirt horses in the nation have drawn into the field, including Grasshopper, A.P. Arrow, and Student Council. See how the field stacks up heading into the big pre-Preakness event on Friday. Tue, 13 May 2008 22:38:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266697 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266697 Maryland bred Bsharpsonta headlines the field for the running of the Black Eyed Susan (G2) Stakes at Pimlico racecourse in Baltimore on Friday. How does she stack up against contenders such as Maren's Meadow and Shes All Eltish? Tue, 13 May 2008 22:36:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266696 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266696 Horse racing is doing well in other countries, but in the US it has major issues, with the major industry elements apparently at war with one another. This article analyzes the industry to determine who's got clout and who doesn't. Mon, 12 May 2008 20:24:32 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266260 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266260 I'm sure this won't surprise anyone, but PETA is planning to stage a protest at the Preakness in the wake of the tragedy with Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby. Wed, 07 May 2008 19:37:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264530 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264530 he Eight Belles tragedy raises several questions about the conduct of thoroughbred racing and breeding, some of which I discussed in my pre-Derby post, but will get into in a little more complete way today. The horse racing and breeding industry is going to have to do some serious soul searching and take a good hard look at the way it has been doing business if it is to restore the public's confidence and regain the public's interest in the sport. There is no quick fix to a rash of breakdowns, if there is even a rash occurring. We may think there is as a result of Eight Belles and Barbaro in just three years, but Eight Belles is the first fatal injury in the Derby in at least 80 years and perhaps ever, although records and history are a little sketchy. It just so happens that the two horses were injured in the only races that most of the country seems to care about. Three factors stand out in addressing fatal injuries. One is the condition of the racing surface. Churchill Downs is a dirt track. Whether synthetic surfaces reduce the rate of injuries is something that is too early to tell, but is being studied by vets and race tracks. The results will determine the course of tracks in the future. With the history of the Derby, and the care taken with the track, it's only natural for Churchill Downs to be one of the last track to switch away from dirt. I should point out that there is no indication that track conditions had anything to do with Eight Belles' injury. The two major factors I believe are breeding and medication. Over the last twenty years, there has been a radical shift in the breeding industry as breeders have bred almost exclusively for the sales market rather than for racing themselves. As a result, importance is placed on how the animal looks in the show ring (conformation)and the pedigree line, rather than the ultimate track performance. This has led to inbreeding to successful sire lines and the unwillingness to try and inject new blood into the breed since buyers are reluctant to take chances. Sellers will often have surgery performed on young animals to correct conformation defects at a very early age thereby hiding problems which will be passed on to later offspring or will arise once the horse is placed into training. As Jon Weinbach showed in his Wall Street Journal article every horse in this year's Derby could be traced back to Native Dancer. That inbreeding is bound to produce problems. Tue, 06 May 2008 08:53:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263859 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263859 The cretins, hypocrites, and sanctimonious pricks over at ESPN just won't quick taking shots at PETA. The whole "issue" revolves around a horribly unprofessional and ridiculous interview on ESPN Radio by Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt Monday afternoon. I'm not a PETA sympathizer. But the Meatheads at ESPN have just completely missed the boat on this one. And for these jock-sniffers to criticize PETA for using this national opportunity to bring focus on their cause(s) is so hypocritical and ridiculous that it's insulting. I've broken down the interview and my criticisms of Tirico and Van Pelt, who show absolutely no journalistic ethics, (but hey, it's ESPN so what do you expect) as well as the larger issues that were only touched upon in the interview. Tue, 06 May 2008 06:52:11 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263825 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263825 Seeing how everyone is patting NBC on the back for "doing the right thing" by not showing Eight Belles injury is quite frankly…full of horse s--t. How many times have we watched a football player completely snap his leg in half, with the producers showing the incident over and over before moving on? Mon, 05 May 2008 16:03:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263682 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263682 PETA is trying to destroy the Jockey of the horse Eight Belles that unfortunately had to be euthanized after breaking both its front ankles in the Derby. They need to find another drum to beat this is not right. Mon, 05 May 2008 15:25:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263664 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263664 For some reason I find myself attracted to superhot chicks who have also been Miss USA, reported to have drank while underage, and used cocaine, and kissed Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, among other things. Mon, 05 May 2008 14:44:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263654 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263654 Randy Moss had a festive time this past weekend at the 2008 Kentucky Derby, mounting a young filly from the bluegrass state….none other than Miss Kentucky USA Alysha Harris.... Mon, 05 May 2008 12:50:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263627 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263627 While Sen. Clinton's pre-Derby pick was an ironic metaphor for her campaign, the post-race fireworks are getting interestingly fun. PETA fired off a letter to the presidential hopeful noting: "As a high profile political figure with the esteem of many women, I regret to say that your public support of horseracing—and specifically betting on Eight Belles—makes you culpable in her destruction." Also likening the sport of kings to child sweatshops and dog fighting. Mon, 05 May 2008 10:58:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263569 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263569 (Funny screengrab of Big Brown's crazy trainer Rick Dutrow after his Kentucky Derby win) One question, why isn't this guy hosting Family Feud? Mon, 05 May 2008 08:47:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263533 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263533 Early contenders for the Parents of the Year Award go to a Long Island couple who were down to see "the best 2 minutes in sport" no matter what. Kristal Rose Downes and Jhimy Alban Vintimilla left their 2-month old baby in the car for 20 minutes at a Southampton OTB while they watched the Kentucky Derby. Mon, 05 May 2008 02:56:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263482 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263482 Congratulations to that horse that ran faster than the other horses who didn't know they were in a race. While I am sure the "most exciting two minutes in sports," was exhilarating, I was too busy trying to find hot girls in hats. The genius of the internet allows me to find tons of pictures that were taken of the hot chicks in big hats and put them in this post. Sun, 04 May 2008 21:14:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263419 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263419 A fantastic article by Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post. For every 1,000 races, 1.5 horses will receive career-ending and typically life-threatening injuries. Jenkins has seen racing horses get bigger and stronger while their legs look smaller and more fragile. Now, after the first on-track death at the Kentucky Derby, the horse-racing industry must ask itself this question: Is the thrill of ultra-competitive racing more important than the wellbeing of its athletes? Sun, 04 May 2008 16:36:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263365 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263365 Don't get me wrong, I'm no animal activist. I couldn't care less for moronic groups like PETA and other shams, but for all the hoopla they do, how come they never protest horse racing? People gambling on picking a horse ridden by some 95 lb anorexic jockey, where jockeys get trampled, horses tumble and the second they get injured, they get killed off. Sun, 04 May 2008 15:58:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263354 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263354 we lost a great one yesterday..a filly that all said couldn't keep up with the boys..well she did and she made a gallant effort beating all but one.i believe she was hurt on the back turn but in the heat of the race with adreniline pumping never felt it till the race was over.one has only to look at her other races to see that she was something very very special! i believe she would have taken the race,not to take anything away from second place..that in itself was an accomplishment.i do not understand why the gods frowned on her yesterday . she was surrounded by a loving family who would never do anything to hurt her.my heart aches and my thoughts go to larry,cindy and rick. i hope that the lady eight belles is romping in a green pasture and running free with tail raised high as a flag!! may she rest in peace..a graceful warrior Sun, 04 May 2008 09:02:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263274 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263274 Beautiful filly collapses after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby. With photos of her running the race. Sun, 04 May 2008 08:17:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263267 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263267 The runner-up in the Kentucky Derby was immediately euthanized. Big Brown was favored to win, and did; unfortunately, Eight Belles, which was trying to become only the fourth filly to win the historic race, broke both front ankles shortly after crossing the finish line, and she was subsequently put down without delay. Sat, 03 May 2008 20:47:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263191 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263191 Ever wonder how racehorses get their names? Plus, celebs hanging out at Churchill Downs. Sat, 03 May 2008 15:15:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263140 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263140 Big Brown +300 This horse comes in as the undefeated favorite. I know another team that came into the biggest game of the year as the undefeated favorite. Colonel John +450 You know that undefeated team I was just talking about? They lost to a guy named Eli. Eli's a biblical name. So is John. And there were a lot of military campaigns in the Bible. (Sorry, I know it's a stretch, but that's the best I've got.) So this pony's my favorite. Pyro +550 This horse finished 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 2nd, 1st, and 1st before stumbling to 10th place in its last race. I think we have a name for that sort of collapse: the 2007 New York Mets. The next four horses each come in at +1600: Z Fortune, Court Vision, Visionaire, Gayego. Anak Nakal brings up the rear at +6000. I actually like Anak Nakal in the race - you figure it's gotta be the slowest horse, right? Well, the track is muddier than Pelechati's pants right now, so that could mean trouble for the horses in the front of the pack. Say they all fall over like dominos - could we see Anak Nakal trot around them for a first place finish? Eh, you're right, that's about as likely as a sub-.500 team taking a Boston powerhouse to a 7th game in the NBA Playoffs. Sat, 03 May 2008 13:50:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263125 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263125 1. The Decapitated Horse Hat -- The horse that freaked out after getting hit with the golf ball in Animal House is memorialized here in this graceful, outfit accenting horse hat. But be wary of leaning down to pet a dog while wearing this hat, as it's likely to cause an uncomfortable stand-off. As you can see, it also works best when worn by someone with a horseface (Jessica Simpson, we're looking at you)... Sat, 03 May 2008 10:57:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263087 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263087 It's time to make some Derby selections. The 134th running of the Kentucky Derby is this Saturday. We've got wonder-colt Big Brown breaking from the extreme outside in a field of 20. Who should you bet on in the "greatest 2 minutes in sports?" The Aspiring Horseplayer is back once again with analysis, selections, and advice. Best of luck to all. Fri, 02 May 2008 12:18:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262761 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262761 Shame on you, America. You were given the chance to vote for something that really matters...something that could finally get us on the right track...something that your grandchildren would reflect on one day with tears of gratitude streaming down their tiny little faces...and you threw it all away. I weep for our nation. As the Assistant Editor of Equine Sports Journalism here at The Legend, I was the honor of following the blow-by-blow of this year's race for the Kentucky Derby's Infield Chief Party Officer (or simply, the CPO) hath been bestowed upon me... Fri, 02 May 2008 08:59:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262680 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262680 It's Derby time again - that annual celebration in the city of Louisville where we blow off work for a couple days, drink way more than we should, and end up dirt-poor and severely hungover. In short, it's the best time of year to be a Louisvillian. Fri, 02 May 2008 08:30:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262671 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262671 HHR's C.R. Dunbar knows more about the ponies than any amateur blogger out there. He gives us a preview... Stocked with a full card of 20 horses, all of equal volition, the derby is a crapshoot and dangerous for prospectors (handicappers). Which means big money! See more at HHR. Fri, 02 May 2008 08:22:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262669 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262669