Pop Culture

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Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames, National Hockey League, Calgary Stampede, Johnny Hockey, Champagne Stakes, Belmont Park, Breeders' Cup Juvenile, horse racing, America's Best Racing, ABR

Champagne Stakes Field Honors Johnny Gaudreau's Memory

When racing fans hear the name Champagne Stakes, they think about rising star 2-year-olds, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Kentucky Derby prospects, and some of the great Thoroughbreds of all time among the list of winners. But for this year’s $500,000, one-mile race Saturday at Belmont Park, there will be a distinct theme from a different sport: ice hockey.

Garrett Gomez, Rodolfo Alvarado, Garrett’s Gift: Life Lessons from the Turn for Home, horse racing, America's Best Racing, ABR

The Book I Never Intended to Write: How a Tribute to Garrett Gomez Became ‘Garrett’s Gift’

As the 10th anniversary of Garrett Gomez's death approached, I found myself watching the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic again.

Like every racing fan, I knew what was coming. Blame would turn for home with Garrett quietly waiting. Zenyatta would launch the breathtaking rally that had become her trademark. Trevor Denman's call would rise with the drama unfolding before him, and in one of the sport's most unforgettable finishes, Blame would hold on by a head, handing the great mare the only defeat of her remarkable career.

Tony Ryan, Book Award, books, reading, horse racing, Thoroughbred, semifinalists, Gibson, Melin-Moser, O’Dell, Bo Lillis, Nicholson, Bouyea, racetracks, drug, violation, history, fiction, history, nonfiction, trophy, ABR, Castleton Lyons, judges

Semifinalists Announced for 2025 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award

The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award has selected six semifinalists in the competition that annually recognizes excellence in Thoroughbred sport literature. These titles, published in 2025, include three nonfiction historical studies from racing’s earliest years, a fictional pre-Civil War saga of racing and race in Mississippi, a deeply reported investigation of recent high-profile racing drug violations and the evolution of federal horse safety regulation, and a coffee table tome that profiles nearly 100 American racetracks, past and present.

Tom Durkin, race caller, track announcer, horse racing, career, Life’s Calling, book, co-author, Volponi, Shulman, Saratoga, NYRA, Breeders’ Cup, Kentucky Derby, legend, NBC, voice, retired, Hall of Fame, ABR

‘A Life’s Calling’: Durkin Shares Stories of a Legendary Career in the Announcer’s Booth

“Rachel Alexandra raises the rafters here at the Spa!”

“And here he is, the unconquerable, the invincible, the unbeatable Cigar!”

“They’re coming down to the finish, and it’s all Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”

Pat O’Brien, Bing Crosby, Del Mar, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

‘Where the Turf Meets the Surf’ and Stars Come Out to Play: Del Mar’s Hollywood Connection

The Del Mar Turf Club has built its reputation on the equine celebrities that have graced this seaside racetrack since its 1937 opening, with names like Seabiscuit, American Pharoah, and Zenyatta among the winners of its

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