The Chicago Cubs flew the “W” at Churchill Downs on Thursday night when third baseman Alex Bregman’s Act of Parliament rallied to win the final race of the evening with nearly the entire team there to celebrate.
With a record-breaking season comes the attention of turf writers, so Manny Franco was not surprised when I came calling for an interview. However, like many riders, he prefers to do his talking on the track.
“I’m a little bit shy of big cameras and stuff and talking to the media, but I do it,” Franco laughed. “It’s part of the job.”
French apprentice jockey Roxane Liegeois has never been afraid to travel across the world for an opportunity.
Her career has already taken her from France to racetracks across the United Arab Emirates and, most recently, to Southern California, where she is beginning a new chapter and finding success.
Before the grandstand fills and long before the day’s first race, there is a quieter rhythm on the backside. Horses move through the morning. Workers tend to the routines that keep a racetrack alive. And, often during a break in training, a voice comes over the track with a prayer — offering reflection, asking for safety, and sharing a measure of light for the day ahead.
Recently retired NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson is set to make his official entry into Thoroughbred racing ownership Aug. 29, when 2-year-old colt Club Reign debuts in the first race at Saratoga Race Course.
