Horse Racing

Face Time Bourbon won Sunday's centenary edition of the Prix d'Amerique, the harness trotting championship staged at the Vincennes track in Paris, first run in 1920 in tribute to American soldiers who fought in World War I. With Swede Bjorn Goop driving, the well-fancied five-year-old was a

There was a frothy cappuccino in a tall glass mug on the table in front of Belinda Stronach. The chairman and president of The Stronach Group - which owns and operates several horse tracks, including Santa Anita - said in an interview with The Associated Press that the deaths of about 40 horses at that

Irad Ortiz Jr.’s move paid off, and Mucho Gusto’s earnings more than doubled in a couple of minutes. Ortiz made a last-minute decision to take the mount aboard Mucho Gusto, and picked the right time to let the 4-year-old kick into high gear Saturday in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at

The Prix d'Amerique, founded as a tribute to the American soldiers who fought in World War I, celebrates its centenary on Sunday with last year's winner Belina Josselyn facing 17 rivals in pursuit of trotting's most prestigious prize. First run in 1920 at Vincennes, the hippodrome on the

Bricks and Mortar had a perfect year, and the Eclipse Award voters gave his team a historic night. After going 6 for 6 - all on the turf - at six tracks last year, Bricks and Mortar and his connections swept all the top honors at horse racing's year-end awards for 2019 on Thursday night, winning

The Pegasus World Cup Invitational took two major hits Thursday, with the top choices for the race being scratched over health concerns. Heavily favored Omaha Beach was scratched because of concerns over swelling in his right hind leg, and that means his career is now over since Saturday was going to

Omaha Beach has been installed as the favorite for Saturday���s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the final race of his career. The 4-year-old who was the morning line favorite for the Kentucky Derby last season but had to miss the entire Triple Crown series after throat surgery will be retired

Empire Maker, who won the 2003 Belmont Stakes to spoil Funny Cide's Triple Crown bid and went on to become a prolific stallion, died of a rare disease that compromised his immune system. Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, said Monday that Empire Maker died Saturday. Empire Maker won the 2003

There have been five deaths at Santa Anita in less than a month, with the first occurring Dec. 26, which comes on the heels of 37 deaths in 2019.

California's famed Santa Anita Park faced fresh scrutiny on Monday after three horses died over the weekend at the racetrack. Santa Anita officials confirmed that a four-year-old gelding which had been training at the track on Sunday had been euthanised after suffering undisclosed injuries in an

A third horse died in three days at Santa Anita when it collided with another horse during training hours on Sunday. Tikkun Olam, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Eric Kuljac, was euthanized because of his undisclosed injuries. Santa Anita has had five horse deaths since Dec. 26, two days before the

Two horses have died in two days of racing at Santa Anita, where four deaths have occurred since last month. Uncontainable and Harliss were both euthanized after breaking their right front ankles. Uncontainable was injured in a turf race on Saturday.

Frankie Dettori says instinct rather than an historic third Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Enable this year will be the decisive factor in telling him when to call time on his legendary riding career. "I am 49 now, this (his body) is what decides for me how long I can keep going," he told

A report on the death of Mongolian Groom in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita says veterinarians missed opportunities to remove the gelding from the $6 million race because of time constraints or deficiencies in the process used to evaluate horses. In the 20-page report issued Wednesday,

An evaluation report released Wednesday on Mongolian Groom, who was euthanized after a breakdown in last November's Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita, found the gelding ran with a pre-existing injury. The report by Dr. Larry Bramlage, from Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, was released by

Trainer Mick Ruis sued the California Horse Racing Board on Monday, alleging it intentionally failed to discharge its public duty when the board hid and subsequently dismissed Justify's positive drug test in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby. Ruis trained and owned Bolt d'Oro, who finished second in

Horse of the Year finalist Maximum Security was one of 17 horses formally invited on Sunday to compete in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational later this month at Gulfstream Park. Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up and McKinzie also earned an invite, as did Eclipse Award finalist Omaha Beach. Maximum

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Authentic ran a mile in 1:37.57 on Saturday. Baffert, who has won the Sham a record six times, also saddled second-place finisher, Azul Coast, who was last early and rallied to finish 1 1/2 lengths in front of Zimba Warrior.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Bricks and Mortar had a perfect 2019 record and might have a couple more trophies coming his way.

A horse broke down in the last race at Santa Anita on Wednesday, the track's first racing death of the winter-spring meet after a spate of deaths last year. Golden Birthday took a bad step in the stretch and jockey Victor Espinoza fell off while trying to pull up the 4-year-old gelding trained by

Omaha Beach won the $300,000 Malibu Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths on opening day at Santa Anita, giving Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith a record 217th Grade 1 victory. Smith surpassed the mark set by retired Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey to become thoroughbred racing's all-time Grade 1 stakes-winning jockey

Clan Des Obeaux won the King George VI Chase on Thursday for the second year in a row to give trainer Paul Nicholls a record 11th success in the race as he saddled the first two home on Thursday. The three-mile (4.8 kilometre) steeplechase at Kempton Park, southwest of London, has long been a Boxing

Around a third of Americans said that a series of high-profile race horse deaths this year, many of them at Southern California's famed Santa Anita Park, had soured their opinion of the sport, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos. Among those familiar with horse racing, about 38% said they like it,

Santa Anita is postponing the opening day of its winter-spring meet by two days to Dec. 28 ahead of next week's forecast that calls for rain. The Southern California racetrack announced its decision on Saturday. Santa Anita last opened on Dec. 28 in 1971.

An investigation into the deaths of dozens of horses at California's famed Santa Anita racetrack has found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing or animal cruelty, prosecutors in Los Angeles said Thursday. "After a thorough investigation and review of the evidence, the district attorney's

Though 56 horses have died at Santa Anita since July 2018, an investigation by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office found no criminal wrongdoing.

There was no criminal animal cruelty or unlawful conduct at Southern California's Santa Anita Park this year despite a spate of high-profile horse deaths, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said on Thursday. Investigators looked at a decade's worth of data and found that 49 horses

California prosecutors found no evidence of animal cruelty or other crimes during an investigation into a spike in horse deaths at Santa Anita Park racetrack over the past year, according to a report issued Thursday. A task force formed by the Los Angeles district attorney found the 49 deaths at the

Two horses have died at Los Alamitos racetrack in Orange County, adding to the death toll at Southern California tracks this year. A 4-year-old gelding named Mighty Elijah and a 4-year-old gelding named Into a Hot Spot both died after Saturday's first race. According to the race chart, Mighty Elijah

One of the horses was trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who has been banned from two racetracks.

The Pegasus World Cup races at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, next month will require horses to be medication-free on race day and will have substantially reduced purses from the previous three editions of the event. The Stronach Group, which operates Gulfstream, announced the significant

The New York Racing Association will shut down stabling and training at Aqueduct beginning Jan. 1 in an effort to consolidate operations at Belmont Park. About 250 horse are stabled at Aqueduct, while the majority of starters in races there travel over from Belmont, which is located nine miles away.

Jockeys riding in California wouldn't be able to strike a horse to make it run faster or be allowed to whip in an overhand motion under a proposed amendment approved by the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday. The rule now goes to a 45-day public comment period after which the regulatory body

The California Horse Racing Board's report on the high rate of horse deaths at Santa Anita earlier this year is being delayed. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has begun a parallel investigation, but its results have yet to be announced.

Maximum Security concluded a tumultuous season with a decisive victory Saturday in the $750,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. Maximum Security was the first horse to be disqualified for interference in the 145-year history of the Kentucky Derby. The 3-year-old trained by Jason Servis and owned by Gary and

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) -- Saratoga Race Course will again have races five days a week next summer.

A 3-year-old gelding that suffered a breakdown in a workout at Del Mar has been euthanized, the fifth horse to die during the fall meet that ends Sunday. Trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Koa was euthanized on Saturday. Koa finished second in his last start on Nov. 14 at Del Mar.

With the forecast calling for substantial rain in Southern California next week, Del Mar has canceled Thanksgiving Day racing. Track officials said Saturday that they would shift several of the races from Thursday's card, including the $100,000 Red Carpet Stakes, to expanded 10-race cards next Saturday

Santa Anita will race less, if at all, in inclement weather during its winter-spring meet that begins on Dec. 26, although what factors will decide whether racing occurs in such conditions haven’t been announced. Led by new chairman Gregory Ferraro, the California Horse Racing Board approved Santa Anita

The California Horse Racing Board has chosen a longtime veterinarian as its new chairman. Gregory Ferraro was elected Thursday during the board's meeting at Del Mar racetrack north of San Diego. Ferraro noted the board has a mandate from Newsom's office to focus on the health and safety of

A fundraising campaign to install an equine MRI at Santa Anita has been successful, and it’s expected to be in place during the troubled track’s winter-spring meet that begins on Dec. 26. Funding came from a variety of groups and individuals, including prominent breeder and owner John Harris, veterinarians

A group of horse racing organizations has announced the formation of a coalition to promote enhanced safety protections and work together to develop new reforms in a sport roiled by a series of equine deaths. The Thoroughbred Safety Coalition introduced Tuesday includes Churchill Downs Inc., the New

A group of horse racing organizations has announced the formation of a coalition to promote enhanced safety protections and work together to develop new reforms in a sport roiled by a series of equine deaths. The Thoroughbred Safety Coalition introduced Tuesday includes Churchill Downs Inc., the New

A 3-year-old filly has collapsed and died after a workout at Del Mar, while another horse that was injured in a race on Nov. 10 has been euthanized, making it four horses that have died since the track’s fall meet began Nov. 8. Princess Dorian was euthanized Monday after developing laminitis in both

The owners of Maximum Security say they will appeal a federal judge’s dismissal of their lawsuit that seeks to challenge the decision to disqualify their horse as winner of the Kentucky Derby. Gary West said in a statement Monday that he has authorized his attorneys to file an appeal.

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the owners of Maximum Security seeking to challenge the decision to disqualify their horse as the winner of the Kentucky Derby. Owners Gary and Mary West wanted the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky to reverse the stewards' decision

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the owners of Maximum Security seeking to challenge the decision to disqualify their horse as the winner of the Kentucky Derby. Owners Gary and Mary West wanted the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky to reverse the stewards' decision

The overturning of Maximum Security's Kentucky Derby win will not be overturned, says the court.

Track officials said Friday the cancellation is due to “an abundance of caution� because rain forecast from Tuesday through Thursday likely will result in a muddy main track and a soft turf course. Tom Robbins, executive vice president for racing, says the move is unusual for Del Mar but “equine and

After more than half a century, revving engines in the tough off-road sport known locally as "torfaera" still draw crowds who love the noise and daring drivers. It's late summer and Akrafjall mountain, which looms over the small town of Akranes, has been turned into a temporary race track