Saturday’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland is not only a springboard to next spring’s classics, but also a key race towards an Eclipse Award.
The American Pharoah Stakes Presented by DK Horse Saturday at Santa Anita Park is Southern California’s first two-turn dirt stakes race for 2-year-old males aiming to earn a “Win and You’re In” berth in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juve
Like so many other New York stakes, the Champagne Stakes returns to a familiar locale Saturday when it will be contested at Belmont Park for the first time since 2022. The one-turn mile contest generally attracts the circuit’s top 2-year-olds and this year is no exception.
There are a variety of reasons to explain why a long list of outstanding horses were thwarted in their bid to become the 12th Triple Crown champion.
Some are predictable; others are surprising.
Premature moves, exhausting paces, injuries, medications, and even a safety pin have all played a role in a drought that stood at 37 years until American Pharoah completed the sweep in 2015.
