During an appearance on the Oct. 5 episode of BloodHorse Monday, Barry Irwin dived into the decision of skipping the Breeders' Cup with Champagne Stakes (G1) winner U. S. S. Valor.

On the Oct. 5 episode of BloodHorse Monday: Team Valor's Barry Irwin reacts to U. S. S. Valor's Champagne Stakes (G1) win and discusses the choice to skip the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Amusingly put a big smile on the face of her connections after the only filly in the line-up came out on top in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1).

Hughes remains undefeated with an easy, open-length score in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) Oct. 3 at Santa Anita Park. 

Team Valor's U. S. S. Valor sailed to a dominant 6 1/2-length victory in the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park, but connections were hesitant to commit to a trip to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Coach Pope, a son of Tapit, won by an easy 12 1/2 lengths last time out at Churchill Downs. He faces four other challengers that won their last starts, two of them by 6 lengths or more.

Since the Breeders' Cup is held at Keeneland this year, the Breeders' Futurity Stakes (G1), a historic 1 1/16-mile test for juveniles, holds even more significance. 

Coach Pope, a son of Tapit, last out won by an easy 12 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs. He faces four other challengers that won their last starts, two of them by 6 lengths or more.

J. Keeler Johnson handicaps half a dozen Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks qualifiers.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey knows what a promising 2-year-old colt looks like. And he saw one in U. S. S. Valor after the juvenile's Aug. 8 debut at Saratoga Race Course.

This week's Podcast Playback looks at quotes of interest from racing podcasts Sept. 24-30, including Mark Cornett, racing manager of C2 Racing Stable, discussing Forged Steel's victory in the Goodwood Stakes (G1) Sept. 26 at Santa Anita Park.

Red Bullet, who upset 2000 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Fusaichi Pegasus in the Preakness Stakes (G1), died Aug. 7 in Ocala, Fla., according to a report from Horse Racing Nation.

Though the Maryland Jockey Club has moved the Preakness Stakes (G1) back one week, that's the only change on the immediate horizon.

On the Sept. 14 episode of BloodHorse Monday: Assistant trainer Nic Lynch joins to discuss Manuka Honey's victory in the Pocahontas (G3) and team Lynch's successful year. We look back at Salahudin's Iroquois (G3) win and ahead to Belmont Park.

Salahudin and Manuka Honey remain unbeaten with victories in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) and Pocahontas Stakes (G3), respectively, as the roads to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks begin.

Six-time Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning trainer Bob Baffert, who has maintained a full-time string in Kentucky since the spring, has the Iroquois Stakes (G3) favorite in Zedan Racing Stables' Salahudin.

Churchill Downs announced Sept. 10 the prep races featured in the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the United States and Japan. The Euro/Mideast Road schedule will be announced at a later date.

The Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs kicks off the slate of points races to earn a spot in the starting gate for the 2027 Kentucky Derby (G1), the opening leg of next year's Triple Crown.

Six-time Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning trainer Bob Baffert, who has maintained a full-time string in Kentucky since the spring, has the Iroquois Stakes (G3) favorite in Zedan Racing Stables' Salahudin.

Six-time Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning trainer Bob Baffert, who has maintained a full-time string in Kentucky since the spring, has the Iroquois Stakes (G3) favorite in Zedan Racing Stables' Salahudin.