“What he has done, I don’t think will ever be repeated.” – Rick Fischer Angel Montano’s funeral service is Thursday, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. at Ratterman Funeral Home, 12900 Shelbyville Road, Louisville. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs (mailing address: 3131 S. 2nd St. #389 Louisville, KY 40208). LOUISVILLE, Ky. […] Continue Reading
(Photo: Tommy Drury and Art Collector at Skylight Training Center) BALTIMORE – Tommy Drury Jr. had never won a graded stake until Bruce Lunsford’s Art Collector captured Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass (G2) less than three months ago. But he’d certainly played a role in the training process for a lot of graded-stakes winners. Now, after more than 30 years in the […] Continue Reading
Photo: Bruce Lunsford and trainer Tommy Drury at Skylight Training Center. Jennie Rees photo LOUISVILLE — Bruce Lunsford, who will have his first Preakness Stakes (G1) entrant when Art Collector takes on Kentucky Derby winner Authentic Saturday at Pimlico, knows something about tough races and taking on formidable opponents. After all, as the Democratic nominee for Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat […] Continue Reading
(Photo: Pops Schmitt and Dana Hancock at the John Hancock stable’s 2018 Christmas Party at Riverside Downs) James E. Schmitt, known by everyone as Pops, became as much a fixture in trainer John Hancock’s barn as soybeans in the Ellis Park infield. When Pops died Aug. 19 at age 85 at his […] Continue Reading
Assistant trainers are one of the most labor-intensive positions in horse racing. But Jose Garcia, who has worked for trainer Tommy Drury for 22 years, has assumed an additional role as groom for Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass winner Art Collector, now one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby. “He’s an amazing horse,” said Garcia, who on Friday said his […] Continue Reading
Churchill Downs press release (Coady Photography photo above of Tom’s d’Etat’s Stephen Foster victory): LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, June 28, 2020) – G M B Racing’s brilliant $500,000 Stephen Foster (Grade II) winner Tom’s d’Etat along with Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing’s ultra-classy $200,000 Fleur de Lis (GII) hero Midnight Bisou both exited Saturday’s races in good shape and will head […] Continue Reading
Story and videos by Jennie Rees, Ellis Park publicity (Coady Photography photo above of Julien Leparoux winning Churchill Downs’ Grade 3 Dogwood on Four Graces) Rafael Bejarano on returning to Kentucky, Ellis Park Rafael Bejarano on uniting with agent, mentor Julio Espinoza Julien Leparoux on why he’s staying in Kentucky this summer HENDERSON, Ky. (Thursday, June 25, 2020) — Rafael Bejarano and […] Continue Reading
Stakes recap by Churchill Downs’ publicity department. Coady photo above of Factor This winning the Wise Dan. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, June 20, 2020) – Gaining Ground Racing LLC’s 5-year-old Factor This collected his third consecutive stakes win with a hard-fought, front-running triumph while holding off a fast-closing English Bee in Saturday’s 31st running of the $200,000 Wise Dan presented by […] Continue Reading
Today’s Churchill Downs media notes by the track publicity department (Coady photo of Midnight Bisou paddock schooling Wednesday at Churchill Downs): LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, June 18, 2020) – Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing’s 2019 Eclipse Award-winner Midnight Bisou completed her most serious preparation for next Saturday’s $200,000 Fleur de Lis presented by Coca-Cola (Grade II) with a […] Continue Reading
Ellis Park press release (photo of training last year at Ellis Park) HENDERSON, Ky. (Friday, June 5, 2020) —Ellis Park will reopen for Historical Horse Racing gaming this Monday at 10 a.m. Central. Following coronavirus safety protocols, the facility will be limited to 33-percent occupancy and every employee and guest will have their temperature measured […] Continue Reading
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