He's short for a reason. I think he can still win the race from that draw because he is lengths better than any other horse in the field. I like to see him driven patiently. leave him for the last run at them. He'll power home. We've already seen it with We Walk BY Faith, DSD and Chase A Dream, Marketplace is as good as them!. A lot of the field will be dropping out 800m from home, if he's handy turning for home there won't be many ahead of him and he'll mow them down. Just my opinion of course old mate!

This is happening more and more often. Our black type racing is being undermined on a regular bases, where is the pattern committee or NZTBA, surely they are not happy with this scatter gun approach.

Ace miler Rosallion will face eight runners as he aims to make a winning return in what looks like a high-quality renewal of the Lockinge Stakes (G1) May 17 at Newbury Racecourse.View the full article

If trainer Jamie Osborne and Heart of Honor seem out of place at Pimlico Race Course, it's probably because there hasn't been a starter in the Preakness Stakes (G1) bred outside of North America since the Ireland-bred Celtic Ash in 1960. View the full article

A Maryland native, jockey Nik Juarez will ride his first Preakness Stakes (G1) aboard American Promise at Pimlico Race Course May 17.View the full article

They must have heard you are coming! (couldnt resist the troll)

Trumps really booming at the moment his strategy of obtaining huge investments from the middle east has been very successful which places him in a great position to deal with China and the Europeans . What happened to all the panic on the US share market , well that's ended and the DJ is almost back to where it was 1 month ago , the shortest recession in history . Make America great again , he's doing it and we will all be more secure because of Trumps success . I see that he has signed an executive order lowing the cost of all meds for the American people another win .

For trainer Brad Cox, there's one of two distinctly different ways to win the $250,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) May 16 at Pimlico Race Course.View the full article

Jockey Nik Juarez returns to his home state of Maryland to ride American Promise in the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course May 17.View the full article

The Lion In Winter has been usurped as favorite for the Epsom Derby (G1) by Delacroix and Ruling Court after a tame comeback effort behind the impressive Pride of Arras in the May 15 Dante Stakes (G2).View the full article

U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, Rep. Don Davis, and Sen. Tom Cotton have introduced the Racehorse Health and Safety Act to Congress, which would establish an interstate compact to develop nationwide rules for horse racing.View the full article

For all of the wet weather and gloomy skies at Pimlico Race Course this week, the winds of change have been swirling in Maryland for much longer than a week or even a year. View the full article

Longchamp - Sunday May 11th Guineas day in Paris with the Poulains for the colts and the Pouliches for the fillies. 16 went to post for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (to give the race its proper title) over the round mile. The British and Irish raiders looked to dominate with HENRI MATISSE favourite for Ballydoyle and JONQUIL, AOMORI CITY and DETAIN among the British raiders. They went like scalded cats here and of the pacesetters only JONQUIL got home making his a noteworthy effort. Ryan Moore isn't one of the world's great jockeys for no reason and he didn't panic as they went off in front of him and nor was he tempted to waste ground down the outside but stayed near the rail to save ground and energy. JONQUIL came back at HENRI MATISSE when the latter challenged and there wasn't much in it at the jamstick.  HENRI MATISSE had disappointed here in the Jean Luc Lagardere behind CAMILLE PISSARRO but got his revenge here for all the third ran a decent race. I thought the fifth, RIDARI, was unlucky not to be third as the gaps closed 50m from the post and Barzalona had to snatch up the Fontainebleau winner who ran with credit.  As said, JONQUIL ran a blinder and his quote of 10s for the St James's Palace looks generous beside the 5s for HENRI MATISSE. JONQUIL had won the Greenham but saw out the mile really well and I'm sure he;ll be there or thereabouts at Ascot. DETAIN ran well for the Gosdens and was only beaten two and a half lengths in sixth. He and LUTHER (fourth) ran close to their previous Chelmsford form. They ran 1 minute 33.91 seconds - 1.3 seconds below Standard time - so this was a strong pace on decent ground which always helps boost the value of the form. On then to the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches with 13 fillies over the mile. ZARIGANA went off 4/5 but she faced the filly she had only beaten narrowly in the Grotte, the Charlie Fellowes trained SHE'S PERFECT who was 18/1. A race not without incident or controversy. SHE'S PERFECT made every yard and passed the post in front only to lose the race in the stewards' room to ZARIGANA. To say that decision caused a bit of friction at the track would not be an understatement. The rules in France are NOT the same as in the UK or Ireland where SHE'S PERFECT would probably have kept the race. The fact is SHE'S PERFECT drifted left despite Kieren Shoemark having the whip in his left (correct) hand. His corrective measures notwithstanding, both EXACTLY and ZARIGANA were carried left and suffered interference and under French rules the stewards had no option but to demote SHE'S PERFECT. We also had Barzalona dropping his whip on ZARIGANA and having to resort ro some unorthodox hand slaps to keep the filly going. A messy finish with the first five split by a length and a half and arguably both EXACTLY (fourth) and BETTER TOGETHER (fidth) are the two to take from the race but ZARIGANA has her name in the record books and she's just 3s for the Coronation Stakes at Ascot as well as having an early Arc entry. Graffard trained the winner and the third, the Vanteaux winner, MANDANABA and earlier had enjoyed a 1-2 in the Saint-Alary which used to be a Group 1 but was downgraded in the winter. The winner, GEZORA, had run third in the Vanteaux but appeared the second string to AUDUBON PARK but the latter didn't seem as effective on the quicker ground and was readily held by her stable mate. Leopardstown - Sunday May 11th Aidan O'Brien had four of the five runners in the Group 3 Derby Trial over 2000m but all went to plan as DELACROIX scored at 1/3 and became 5/2 favourite for the Derby. This was a strong performance in a race which has been such a powerful indicator in recent times. The second, PURVIEW, from the Weld stable, ran with credit and is 33/1 for Epsom - I look forward to seeing him develop as the season progresses. VESPERTILIO had campaigned strongly as a juvenile and went off 5/4 favourite to win the Group 3 over 1400m for the older fillies and mares but she disappointed in a race won by VERA'S SECRET for John James Teane, one of the smaller group of trainers based at The Curragh.

Will you be there on Saturday Insider?

For trainer Brad Cox, there's one of two distinctly different ways to win the $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3).View the full article

America's Best Racing provides a quick look and thoughts on Preakness (G1) field.View the full article

Chester May Meeting - Wednesday May 7th - Friday May 9th The Chester May meeting is a highlight of the North West England social calendar. The track is idiosyncractic at best - not as sharp as Taupo but it's barely 1500m round. The opening day saw the main 3-y-o trial races and Aidan O'Brien won them both. Eight went in the Group 3 Chester Vase for the colts over 2400m. Aidan looked to have the two main contenders in LAMBOURN and THRICE and the former earned a 14/1 quote with a nice win. He was behind DELACROIX at Leopardstown and I'd be surprised if he was in front of him at Epsom in all honesty but this was a nice effort. The Cheshire Oaks is a Listed race these days and despite this being only her third outing, MINNIE HAUK showed plenty of determination to prevail over  SECRET OF LOVE and earn a 7/1 quote for the English Oaks. The runner up is in the Ribblesdale and the Irish Oaks and could yet be improving. The second day of the meeting continued the O'Brien dominance - in the Group 3 Ormonde over 2600m ILLINOIS stayed on too well for AL QAREEM and ABSURDE to earn a 6/1 quote for the Coronation Cup and, more significantly, a 7/1 quote for the Gold Cup at Ascot. Whether he can deal with KYPRIOS over 4000m in mid June remains to be seen but with LOS ANGELES represents a potent middle distance team for Ballydoyle. MOUNT KILIMANJARO won the Listed Dee over 2050m to earn a 20/1 quote for the English Derby. He didn't convince me and I think the runner up, HIGH STOCK, looks full of promise having won the Wood Ditton (for unraced 3-y-o) at Newmarket in mid April. The final day saw Triumph Hurdle third EAST INDIA DOCK land a gamble in the 3650m Chester Cup but the Group 2 Huxley saw a strong return to form for THE FOXES who, to be fair, had mixed it with the likes of ROMANTIC WARRIOR in Sha Tin last December and with REBEL'S ROMANCE in Bahrain last time. He won this race well and could be ready for another go at Group 1 company. - he's 16s for the Prince of Wales and 66s for the Eclipse. SPACE LEGEND disappointed, pulling hard off a long break but I'll give him another try on the strength of his 2024 form over 2400m. LIngfield - Saturday May 10th The ground was Good to Firm for the Derby and Oaks Trials meetings but that made no difference to the Ballydoyle bandwagon which rolled on relentlessly through Surrey. The Derby Trial over 2350m is often a credential trial for Epsom given the similarities in the course configurations especially with the downhill left hand turn into the straight. It was a 1-2 for O'Brien with the favourite PUPPET MASTER just holding STAY TRUE with the others well held. The winner is 25/1 for Epsom but the second, who was only having his second run, looks the better long term prospect and I note he is in the Irish Derby. The Oaks Trial is a shadow of the race which regularly provided winners in the 60s and 70s - just three turned up and GISELLE went off 3/10 and sauntered home by nine lengths to earn a 10/1 quote for the English Oaks. I think that flatters her somewhat and I'd be surprised if she's a classic winner.

Other Meetings: Navan - Saturday April 26th Soft ground and the first signs the Aidan O'Brien machine was cranking into gear with a treble for the master of Ballydoyle. KYPRIOS returned with a win at 1/7 in the 2800m Vintage Crop but for a horse 20 lb or more ahead on the figures, he made hard work of it though doubtless it will have blown away the cobwebs. He's in the Levmoss at Leopardstown tomorrow evening and is currently Evens for the Ascot Gold Cup. WHISTLEJACKET also won on seasonal debut and again didn't look fully wound up but had enough in hand to win a 1200m Listed. He's in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot (10s) and the King Charles III (14s) and in the latter he would meet the experienced sprinters but in receipt of a lot of weight. The most impressive winner of the O'Brien treble was the juvenile CHARLES DARWIN (No Nay Never - Muirin ex Born to Sea) who, having disappointed when 4/6 on his Curragh debut, bolted up by five lengths over 1200m. I presume he'll head for the Coventry at Ascot. WEMIGHTTAKEDLONGWAY earned a 25/1 quote for the English Oaks after a good win in the Group 3 Salsabil over 2000m. She was five lengths behind DELACROIX in the Ballysax but that looks decent form (as I'll report later). Longchamp - Sunday April 27th: The first French Group 1 was the Ganay over 2050m with MAP OF STARS sent off 6/5 following wins in the Exbury and the Harcourt and now facing serious Group 1 opposition in the form of SOSIE who had won the Grand Prix de Paris and been favourite for the Arc where he had finished fourth. A strong return from a class act and whether he'll head back for another tilt at the Arc I don't now but SOSIE is a very good horse based on this performance. He had to work hard to hold off MAP OF STARS who was produced to challenge but, despite race fitness. he couldn't get by. ROYAL RHYME took a keen hold but didn't get the gap when Clifford Lee wanted and by the time the gap appeared, he had used too much petrol. AL RIFFA was a shade disappointing in fourth. On the undercard, the Vermeille and Arc runner up AVENTURE returned with an emphatic win in the Allez France, a Group 3 for the fillies and mares over 2050m. She's 6s for the Coronation Cup at Epsom and of course has an Arc entry. She remains one to follow. Ascot - Wednesday April 30th Unseasonably quick ground for the opening Flat meeting of the season billed as "Trials Day" for the Royal meeting though that's a bit of a misnomer. In the Group 3 Sagaro over 3200m, COLTRANE went off 4/6 in a field of just four but he was outpointed by YASHIN, who is now with Michael Bell after being with Jessie Harrington. YASHIN is rated 103 so if we've seen a Gold Cup winner, I'd be very surprised. The Group 3 Pavilion over 1200m looked a competitive heat with ten runners and they went 7/2 the field but with a couple of the fancied horses running poorly, BIG MOJO, who had been a speedy juvenile, saw out the trip well. He was fourth in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint when last seen having previously won the Molecomb and run a close fourth in the Gimcrack. He's 14s for the Commonwealth Cup and 25s for the King Charles III though I suspect the former will be the path taken. The disappointments included REBEL'S GAMBLE and ELECTROLYTE, both useful as juveniles, but filled the last two places here. Curragh - Monday May 5th: The feature of the Bank Holiday card was the Group 2 Mooresbridge which saw LOS ANGELES defeat WHITE BIRCH by just a neck. To be fair, although WHITE BIRCH looked to be travelling well 400m out, it was Ryan Moore on LOS ANGELES, with his proven stamina, who found extra and you always sensed he would hold on.  LOS ANGELES was third in the Arc (we've seen how SOSIE, who finished behind him, and AVENTURE, who finished in front of him, have both won) and a return to Paris in the autumn seems likely but he's 5s for both the Coronation Cup (2400m) and the Prince of Wales (2000m) and it'll be fascinating to see how he is campaigned by Aidan this season. This was WHITE BIRCH's first run in nearly a year - in fact, since he beat AUGUSTE RODIN in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. This was a strong return and whether he stays over 2000m or goes up in trip, he will be a presence in the middle distance races.

That was part of the grand plan (by RACE) when the apartment/commercial deal was announced. Of course the deal was shelved with the change of government but it will still in the back of their minds. 

This is the story of an obscure big-league baseball journeyman from a half-century ago and the Preakness Stakes (G1) horse that bears his name. Gosger the horse is a gray/roan colt named for the largely forgotten player, Jim Gosger.View the full article