Bill Finley

The anniversary is right around the corner, a gruesome tragedy that nobody who was at Saratoga that day will ever forget. It was among the darkest days in the long history of racing upstate. But nobody had it worse than trainer Melanie Giddings, who, in a fraction of second, saw Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) go from the sure winner of the GI Test Stakes to a horse who broke down inches before the wire and could not be saved. Her business is doing fine. She has 42 horses and...

Change is on the horizon for Maryland racing with legislation passed earlier this year that allowed 1/ST Racing to turn both Pimlico and Laurel over to the state of Maryland. Corey Johnsen the interim CEO of the newly formed Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA), joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast to discuss the future of racing in Maryland.

Trainer Joe Taylor, a longtime fixture at Parx and the leading trainer there in 2019, has received an eight-year suspension handed down by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), after he had two horses test positive for banned substances. The story was first reported by Matt Hegarty of the Daily Racing Form. Taylor received a pair of four-year suspensions, one for each horse. According to postings on the HIWU website, the Taylor-trained Classy American (Uncle Lino) tested positive for Methylphenidate and Clenbuterol following a June 20 race at Parx....

After a very successful mini-meet highlighted by the running of the GI Belmont Stakes, NYRA is set to return to Saratoga for the start of the 2024 meet. Guiding the ship will be NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke, who will be hoping for sunny skies, no breakdowns and record attendance and handle numbers. That's a lot to ask, but it is Saratoga, where magical things happen. To talk about the meet, O'Rourke joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland. He was the Green Group Guest of...

David O'Rourke, the President and CEO of NYRA, joined this week's TDN Writers' Room ahead of the opening week at Saratoga.

Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) had always shown potential, but making good on it had become a problem. After he won last year's GII Louisiana Derby to remain undefeated in three career starts, he struggled to duplicate that performance. He did win the GIII Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland, but his record still lacked that all-important Grade I win. That's no longer a problem. Kingsbarns defeated a strong field to win the June 29 GI Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs. To discuss that win and other matters relating to Spendthrift Farm,...

Spendthrift Farm's Ned Toffey joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss the breakout victory by Kingsbarns in the GI Stephen Foster, as well as the early success from first-crop sire Vekoma.

1st-Los Alamitos, $42,500, Msw, 6-29, 2yo, 5f, :57.90, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. MISCHIEF RIVER (c, 2, Into Mischief--Candy Drawer, by Candy Ride {Arg}) was overlooked as a 7-1 shot for his debut here in favor of fellow 'TDN Insight' runner Privman (Justify) who was tabbed as the even-money favorite. Co-owned by Chris Galpin and trained by James Glenn--both from the Quarter Horse world--the juvenile grabbed the early lead from the bell, but relinquished the top spot up the backstretch to General Jackson (Maximus Mischief). Chasing the pace around the far turn,...

It could happen this weekend at Woodbine. But if not, it won't be that much longer before Emma-Jayne Wilson reaches one of the most significant milestones of her career. She has $89,920,723 (US) in career earnings, just $206,311 behind Julie Krone, widely recognized as the greatest female rider ever. Wilson, 41, is a lot like Krone. Neither wanted to be known as good girl jockeys, but just good jockeys, period. But Wilson understands that the upcoming accomplishment would not be recognized if she were not a woman. The leading all-time...

It's a good time to be Flavien Prat. He has amassed $13.4 million in earnings so far this year, is riding regularly for the Chad Brown barn and, through the first half of the year has won 26 graded stakes, four of them worth $1 million or more. This is what he hoped for when he made the decision in 2022 to leave Southern California, where he was dominating, to come East, which is firmly established as one of the very best jockey colonies in the sport.      ...

Flavien Prat is performing at the top of jockey standings both in New York and on a national stage. The rider joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss his background in the sport, the move from California to New York, the recent impressive win aboard Unmatched Wisdom and more.

Scott Sander joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss an exciting new venture in the works. He is the Hollywood producer of a romantic comedy called Breeders that will be set in Lexington, Kentucky.