Triple Crown

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Champagne Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Kentucky Derby, Belmont Park, Johnny Hockey, Raku, Gaudreau, Club Reign, Russ Wilson, U. S. S. Valor, Earth Song, 2-year-old, juvenile, horse racing, ABR

2026 Champagne Stakes at a Glance

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.

Gaudreau, U. S. S. Valor, Champagne Stakes, Rookie Rankings, Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown, horse racing, America's Best Racing, ABR

Rookie Rankings for 2027 Kentucky Derby Prospects: Sept. 28 Edition

Get ready — the road to the 2027 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve is about to take several major turns.

Silver Charm: As Tenacious as They Come

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.

U. S. S. Valor, Coglianese, Rookie Rankings, 2027 Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown, horse racing, America's Best Racing, ABR

First Edition of Rookie Rankings for 2027 Kentucky Derby Prospects

The Road to the 2027 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve is underway, and every Monday through the end of December, Rookie Rankings will analyze potential contenders for the first Saturday in May and rank them in a Top 10 list.

Identifying a Kentucky Derby winner this far in advance isn’t easy. Next year’s Kentucky Derby starters are only 2 years old right now. Seven of the last 10 Derby winners were unraced at this point in their juvenile or “rookie” year, and two others were winless.

Miss Monica, Del Mar Debutante, Del Mar, horse racing, America's Best Racing, ABR

Rookie Rankings: Five 2-Year-Olds You Need to Know From the 2026 Del Mar Summer Meet

Which 2-year-old Thoroughbreds delivered the most impressive performances during the 2026 summer season at Del Mar?

Del Mar’s summer meet often yields serious contenders for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and next year’s Triple Crown races. If the numerous flashy 2-year-old winners we witnessed over the past two months are any indications, that trend will continue.

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