GIII Matt Winn Stakes

The Triple Crown series, which captivated racing fans and provided the sport with some of its most electric moments since the series was first swept by Sir Barton in 1919, passed away Monday. It was 107. The cause of its death was a new series of races announced by the New York Racing Association and Churchill Downs. The six-race series, called the "Thoroughbred Championship Series," will begin with the GI Kentucky Derby and conclude with a championship race at Churchill in September. Many details have yet to be released, but...

GIII Indiana Derby runner-up Our Moneyman (Mr. Money) has been catalogued to the Fasig-Tipton Selected Horses of Racing Age sale as HIP 365, and will go through the ring Tuesday, July 14 in Lexington, the auction house announced Sunday afternoon. Coming off a career-high 95 Beyer after coming a neck short of victory in Saturday's Indiana Derby, the son of Mr. Money has improved on paper for the third start in a row and had been facing salty company in his prior jumps, namely the likes of Further Ado (Gun...

Spendthrift Farm's Further Ado (Gun Runner), last seen finishing a disappointing 11th as the favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby, got some consolation under the Twin Spires with an authoritative victory in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs Sunday. Sent off the 3-5 favorite, Further Ado broke sharply and tracked pacesetting Pavlovian (Pavel) through a moderate quarter in :23.69 and a quickened half in :46.69. Further Ado coasted easily to the lead midway on the far turn and turned for home two lengths in front through three-quarters in...

There might be a touch of malaise come Sunday, but the GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs for 3-year-olds is the way to revive any Belmont Stakes reveler with the proper racing tonic. Add in a pair of competitive graded grass races at the Spa for good measure and Sunday's higher level slate should make things right as rain. In the Matt Winn, a trio of GI Kentucky Derby entrants will get another crack at the surface that was less than kind to them on the first Saturday in...

Godolphin homebred East Avenue got back to winning ways with a gutsy wire-to-wire victory in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes Sunday at Churchill Downs. Facing just three rivals, the 7-5 favorite stepped right out to the early lead and was tracked by Coal Battle and Burnham Square through an opening quarter in :24.41 and a half in :47.66. Burnham Square, Coal Battle and second choice Final Gambit lined up across the track behind him as East Avenue turned for home a length in front. Final Gambit's rally never materialized, leaving...

Make that four in the row. Dragoon Guard (Arrogate), who just last time out won the GIII Indiana Derby, added another state's Derby to his resume Sunday night in taking the GIII West Virginia Derby in gate to wire fashion to stretch his win streak to four. Raced just once as a 2-year-old, the juvenile did well to finish second by a neck to SW Otto the Conquerer (Street Sense) at Churchill Downs during the September meet. Sidelined after that start, he returned as 3-year-old in April, breaking his maiden...