Three to be thankful for

Thanksgiving means much more than getting out a nail punch from the tool shed and expanding your leather belt by a notch. It's a time to reflect and appreciate as much as anything; and those of us who work in, and enjoy, the horse racing industry truly have been blessed in 2009.

The Flamingo Stakes, run over the main track at Hialeah until 2001, was a key Kentucky Derby prep for decades

Fresh start for historic Hialeah

The flamingos remained at Hialeah, nesting in the infield as they had for generations, long after the final horse van pulled out of the stable gate.

American Lion ready to step up

Gone Astray will seek his third straight stakes win in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Discovery Handicap for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct. In his last two starts, Gone Astray has won the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby and the $150,000 Ohio Derby.

Giving safer whips a crack

Turning for home in the Woodward Stakes on Sept. 5 at Saratoga, Calvin Borel had the lead riding Rachel Alexandra. She already had turned back foes hounding her during the first two-thirds of the Woodward. Now the closers were on the hunt.

Change hits the Derby trail

For me, the annual end of the Breeders' Cup season marks the beginning of the Triple Crown pursuit.

Remembering Colonel John

...synthetic tracks out in California, and even though he finished out of the money in the Kentucky Derby he came back two starts later and gave me an amazing run to win the Travers...

Zenyatta, 'Rachel' square off

If the very soul of racing is difference of opinion, 2009 will be remembered among the best of years.

Bobby Frankel dies at 68

Bobby Frankel, who rose from the streets of Brooklyn to become one of the most successful and respected trainers in the history of Thoroughbred racing, died early Monday morning at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., from complications of lymphoma.

Blogging The Nation

...at the Breeders' Cup, the metaphoric race for horse of the year and next year's Kentucky Derby. Sorry, no tips for the third at Aqueduct. galaxycoff: It's not quite benching Tim Tebow...

Mary's Follies takes Mrs. Revere

On the eve of the start of a 30-day suspension stemming from a medication violation at Churchill Downs, Rick Dutrow sent out the winner of the Mrs.

Sports predictions can be very wrong

To go along with the release of the film "2012," Page 2 looks back at some of the worst predictions ever made in sports.

Zensational through racing

Zayat Stables' multiple Grade 1 winner Zensational has been retired after his fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint and will enter stud at Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington.

Cup memories begin and end with Z

After 48 hours of reflection, I tried to put the monstrous mare's victory into personal perspective.

Lookin at Lucky's star still shines

Despite losing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile by a head, Lookin at Lucky has emerged as the top 2-year-old in North America and will be widely considered the winter favorite for the Kentucky Derby.