Kentucky Downs

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association presented its listing of U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes Races for calendar year 2026, the results of its annual grading session conducted Dec. 17 and 18. The committee reviewed 942 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 410 of them, five fewer than were graded in 2025, and Listed status to 211 races. Eleven Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade I and 10 new Grade II races were named;...

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale, not to be outdone by its yearling sale counterpart which broke records in August, set its own highwater marks for gross, average, median and top-priced lot Tuesday in upstate New York. During the one-session auction, 133 horses grossed $6,177,500, for an average of $46,447 and a median of $22,000. The average jumped 74.2% from last year's figure of $26,663 and the median rose 46.7% from $15,000 in 2024. With 73 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 35.4%. It was 40.8% a year...

Calvin Nguyen always figured that he and his brother Joey Tran had found their once-in-a-lifetime horse right out of the gate. In 1999, they claimed their very first runner for $32,000. Freedom Crest turned that gamble into a 13-race in-the-money streak, climbing his way into graded company and making it to the 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic. But two decades later, a filly who was never supposed to run in their silks has proven that she is worth her weight in silver—literally. The grey Twirling Candy filly named Ag Bullet has...

It was a two-horse race almost right from the gate, but Intricate Spirit (Complexity) overtook the longtime leader late to stamp a ticket to the Breeders' Cup in the GIII Futurity Stakes at the Belmont Big A meet. The Miguel Clement-trainee was unveiled Aug. 1 upstate at Saratoga with a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'-worthy performance ahead of a next out winner at Kentucky Downs. He too took a swing at the boutique meet Aug. 28 and finished second by three-quarters of a length to Street Beast (Street Sense),...

The unique Kentucky Downs meet featured on its Wednesday closing day card the GIII Blackwood Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes, which was won in circuitous fashion by the late-running exploits of Fionn (Twirling Candy--Gaelic Gold, by Giant's Causeway). Never out of the money across seven prior starts, the filly christened her stakes run with a victory in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Mar. 8. Turning in a respectable third to the stellar Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 8, the...

5. ATLAL, KD, 9/7, 6 1/2 furlongs (turf) Beyer Speed Figure-83 (VIDEO) (c, 3, Quality Road--Atheer, by Malibu Moon) O/B-Juddmonte (Ky). T-Bill Mott. J-John Velazquez. Stepping forward considerably in numbers in his sixth start, Atlal displayed a strong liking for Kentucky Downs or newfound maturity--or both. Velazquez sat like a statue as he stalked then joined the leaders 3/16ths out, and he kicked clear nicely when given his cue. He's from Juddmonte dirt royalty: unraced dam Atheer is out of $2.7 million earner Close Hatches, making her a half-sister to...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Wimbledon Hawkeye at Kentucky Downs.   Kameko Colt Hits The Target In Kentucky The consistent Wimbledon Hawkeye (Kameko) made his first American foray a winning one when scooping a $1 million-plus payday at Kentucky Downs in the GIII Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes on August 30 (video). Bred by owners the Gredley family's Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs, the James Owen trainee had won...

5th-KD, 170K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 61/2fT, 3:39 p.m. Besilu Stables homebred QUEEN DANCING (GB) (Kingman {GB}) debuts Wednesday for trainer Bill Mott on closing day at Kentucky Downs. The well-bred filly is a daughter of GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Crown Queen (Smart Strike), who Besilu acquired at KEENOV in 2011 for $1,600,000. The mare is a half to three-time champion, fellow 'TDN Rising Star' and Hall of Famer Royal Delta (Empire Maker) (another sales-topping Besilu purchase at KEENOV '11 for $8.5m), GISW Delta...

The 2025-2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby kicks off this weekend with the running of the GIII Iroquois Stakes going the one-turn mile at Churchill Downs on Sept. 13. The Road to the Kentucky Derby, launched in 2013, awards a scale of points to the top five finishers in selected qualifying races between September and April. The leaderboard determines the preference list for entry into the GI Kentucky Derby, limited to 20 runners. Up to three horses from overseas may qualify for the Derby. In addition to the 36-race Road...

   A debut second at Ellis Aug. 1 before winning just nine days ago over allowance company at Kentucky Downs, Street Beast earned his first stakes victory in the Global Tote Juvenile Mile Stakes when returning to Kentucky Downs Sunday. Away well from the gate, the even-money favorite was content to sit just off the speed up the backstretch. Chasing a lone leader around the far turn, Street Beast bided his time, but quickly rallied past the pacesetter, widening his advantage in the final furlong and scoring by seven lengths...

A record-shattering total of $25,385,003 was wagered on Saturday's 12-race card at Kentucky Downs, a press release from the track said late on Saturday. Six of the races were stakes. Each race featured at least 10 starters, and 10 races had 11 or more. The previous Kentucky Downs wagering record was the $21,184,941 wagered last year on the corresponding day, reflecting an increase this year of more than $4.2 million.

Kentucky's HBPA teamed with Kentucky Downs to present $100,000 checks to three industry non-profit organizations during Saturday's card at the turf track in Franklin, Kentucky, the horsemen's outfit said via a Saturday press release. The assistance will provide funding to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Stable Recovery and the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund. The local HBPA chapter and the track donated $50,000 each.