{Tuesday, September 29, 2009} SIX PACKS Despite the absence of Rachel Alexandra, the best horse in North America, and the likely absence of Sea the Stars, the best horse in Europe, there will be extra buzz for Breeders' Cup

{Monday, September 28, 2009}   Sumacha'hot surprises in Maryland Million Classic Hubert "Butch" Cave's SUMACHA'HOT (Mojave Moon) wrapped up a stellar day at Laurel Park on Saturday when rallying from last in the $190,000 Maryland Million

{Friday, September 25, 2009} YOUNG IDEAS
(With apologies to Dick Young) One of my favorite handicapping theories is that -- all else being equal -- a good 3-year-old will beat a good older horse every time. This theory

{Thursday, September 24, 2009} Maryland Million draws 114 entries Saturday's 24th Jim McKay Maryland Million attracted 114 entrants to the 12-race program at Laurel Park. First post for the $1.23 million afternoon is 12:15 p.m. (EDT). Introduced

{Wednesday, September 23, 2009} Piesen Scores A Weekend Stakes Sweep!

Sunday
Belmont's Hettinger Stakes
You Go West Girl WON $12.00 Saturday
Belmont's

{Sunday, September 20, 2009}   Regal Ransom wires Super Derby
BOSSIER CITY, La.- Regal Ransom is back. On Saturday he was a winner in his first start since the Kentucky Derby, when he cruised to an easy, front-running

{Friday, September 18, 2009} BIG ACTION AT LOUISIANA DOWNS The little 'ol program linemaker at Louisiana Downs makes Soul Warrior the morning line favorite for Saturday's $750,000 Super Derby, but he is badly mistaken. Regal

{Wednesday, September 16, 2009} THE GREATEST EVER I've reached a point in my turf-writing career where I am constantly asked to recite a Top Ten list of the best horses I've ever seen. So here we are. (Note: I'm leaving out

{Monday, September 14, 2009} GRAND COUTURIER WINS AT BELMONT Favored Grand Couturier got the soft going he appreciates and a solid pace to chase, helping him to his first win of the year in the $158,500 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont

{Friday, September 11, 2009} BELMONT OPENS UP
by John Piesen Saratoga is in the rear view mirror, replaced by Belmont Park's 33-day fall meeting that opens Friday in foul weather. So predictably foul that the NYRA racing

{Thursday, September 10, 2009} Garden City, Ruffian highlight Belmont card A pair of Grade 1 races highlight the first Saturday of the Belmont Park fall meet, with the $300,000 Garden City S. (G1) for three-year-old fillies taking the role of

{Tuesday, September 08, 2009} EIGHT POUNDS
PLUS Closing Day At Del Mar promises to be a rewarding one for Piesen followers. In 2008, the big racing story was Eight Belles. In 2009, it's eight pounds! At least it should

{Monday, September 07, 2009} RACHEL COULD REST UNTIL 2010 If Jess Jackson has anything to say about it -- and, believe this, he does -- we may have seen the last of the superstar filly Rachel Alexandra for the season. Jackson, still

{Sunday, September 06, 2009} SHE'S IN A LEAGUE OF HER OWN She was beat. With less than a furlong to go in the 56th running of the Woodward, for three-year-olds and up at weight for age, the extremely fast early fractions at this demanding

{Friday, September 04, 2009} Hot Dixie Chick the One to Catch in Spinaway Rachel Alexandra will steal all the headlines, but she won’t be the only heavily-backed filly Steve Asmussen sends out in a grade I race this weekend at Saratoga. The

{Thursday, September 03, 2009} VACATION ALMOST OVER FOR BOREL Jockey Calvin Borel described his summer at Saratoga Race Course as a "working vacation." The 42-year-old Cajun is riding only one or two races each day at the Spa, which

{Tuesday, September 01, 2009} Saratoga. It's a tough game. For a guy who rode only one winner in seven weeks at Saratoga, good buddy Calvin Borel sure is living large. Shortly after dusk on Monday morning, Borel stood at the rail of the