all in The Sport

The stretch-running Tiztastic devoured the extra distance of the 1 3/16-mile $1 million Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, capturing the longest of the domestic prep races for the 2025 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve by 2 1/4 lengths on March 22 at

Each year, the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve acts as a showcase for how quickly a young 3-year-old can develop.

Being a professional jockey is an incredibly tough calling. Guiding a half-ton-plus racehorse around an oval while making split-second decisions at speeds of about 35 miles per hour – all  while trying to maintain a weight of about 120 pounds – is not a profession for the faint of heart.

Belair Stud had dominated the sport of horse racing in the 1930s, the distinctive white with red spots a fixture in the winner’s circles of the Triple Crown races in multiple years. By the 1940s, though, the tide was turning toward a different set of silks, the immortal Devil red and blue of Calumet Farm.

There’s usually something special attached to the first time.

Of the numerous champions trained by Todd Pletcher, the first to enter the sport’s Hall of Fame was the sensational Ashado – an honor well-befitting one of the sport’s top fillies since the dawn of the 21st Century.

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