The Road to the Kentucky Derby gets a little longer this week as the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct will test Triple Crown hopefuls at 1 1/8 miles. That’s the same distance as most of the final rounds of preps two months from now in late March and early April.
Tag: The Sport
Isaac Murphy: The King of 19th Century Jockeys
He was the Eddie Arcaro, the Willie Shoemaker of his era. More than 145 years ago, the son of a slave began to carve his indelible mark on the tree of American Thoroughbred history. A slight man, Isaac Burns Murphy was known for his soft hands and bowlegs. Weighing in at 70 pounds when he launched his career, Murphy rode upright, rather than in a crouch, and he was a superb judge of pace. His mounts tended to close with devastating speed, often winning by a head or less. Those tight finishes came to be known as "Murfinishes."
Byron King’s Derby Dozen for Jan. 31
BloodHorse news editor Byron King presents his Derby Dozen with a look at his leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 4.
Fierceness Tops First 3-Year-Old Triple Crown Poll of 2024
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. Week 1 of the 2024 Top 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll conducted by the NTRA covers racing performances through Jan. 29, 2024. The 3-year-old poll represents horses competing up to and through the Triple Crown. Rankings are based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-1 voting system. First place votes are in parentheses.
