Each week, members of the national media vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown trail in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.
Named for the first winner of Pimlico’s original race, the Preakness Stakes occupies a special place in the heart of the American turf. This 1 3/16-mile classic asks 3-year-olds to try a distance just a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby, a test of their stamina, conditioning, and heart two weeks after the first jewel of the Triple Crown.
Thorpedo Anna, the reigning 2024 Horse of the Year, was dominant in her second start of the year, winning the Apple Blossom Handicap last Saturday at Oaklawn Park by 4 ¼ lengths for trainer Kenny McPeek with
BloodHorse news editor Byron King presents his Derby Dozen with a review of leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve May 3 at Churchill Downs.
All the prep races have been completed, and the field is close to finalized for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve May 3 at Churchill Downs. Determining which horses will appreciate stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the Kentucky Derby is an annual handicapping challenge bettors must tackle.
