Horse Racing

5:15 PM ET Associated Press BALTIMORE — The Preakness Stakes will be run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore Oct. 3 without fans, making it a spectator-free sweep of the three Triple Crown races this year because of the global pandemic. The Maryland Jockey Club and Stronach Group that owns and manages Pimlico made the

6:37 PM ET Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. — For Kentucky governors, it’s a coveted perk — presenting the trophy to the Kentucky Derby winner as a huge national television audience watches. But Gov. Andy Beshear says he won’t be in the winner’s circle Saturday with the triumphant owners at Churchill Downs. Instead, the Democratic governor

1:22 PM ET Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tiz the Law is the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the 146th Kentucky Derby and will attempt to become the first winner from the No. 17 post position drawn for Saturday’s rescheduled marquee race for 3-year-olds. All the race favorites will break from the outside. Second choice Honor

11:31 AM ET ESPN.com staff The 146th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentcuky, sans fans. Usually the first race of the Triple Crown, the Derby was rescheduled from May 2 to Sept. 5 due to the pandemic. Tiz the Law took the first leg of the

1:39 PM ET Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer, is back at his Churchill Downs barn after recovering from COVID-19. Lukas, who turns 85 on Wednesday, said he got “really sick.” “I couldn’t get any air and I felt like I was drifting away,” he said. “You just

5:35 PM ET Associated Press LONDON — The Jockey Club’s group chief executive resigned Sunday after a review found evidence to support allegations of “bullying behavior” and “inappropriate racist comments.” A review into allegations about Delia Bushell’s conduct found it “untenable” for her to stay in the role, the organization’s board said. Bushell was one

3:52 PM ET Associated Press Jockeys riding in the rescheduled 146th Kentucky Derby have to arrive by Monday and then quarantine upon returning to their home tracks, just one of many changes forced by the coronavirus pandemic. Initially, Churchill Downs had proposed an arrival date of Aug. 24 — nearly two weeks before the Derby

5:12 PM ET Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A federal appeals court has upheld the decision by Churchill Downs stewards that made Country House the winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby. This year’s Derby is Sept. 5 after being rescheduled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in

5:21 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — The California Horse Racing Board has voted to proceed with a complaint seeking the disqualification of Justify from his victory in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby based on laboratory findings that show his post-race sample tested positive for scopolamine. The racing board won’t file a complaint against

7:42 PM ET Associated Press DEL MAR, Calif. — A 4-year-old gelding died Monday during training at Del Mar, the second fatality during the summer meet. Irreproachable was injured during a workout on the dirt track, according to the California Horse Racing Board website, which did not specify the injury. Trained by Phil D’Amato, the

10:09 PM ET Associated Press DEL MAR, Calif. — Maximum Security won the $500,000 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, the star-crossed colt’s second victory since moving to the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Maximum Security ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.24 on Saturday. He paid $2.80, $2.20 and

4:52 PM ET Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Next month’s Kentucky Derby will run without fans at Churchill Downs. The historic track cited rises in COVID-19 cases in the Louisville area. It will mark the second Triple Crown race this year without spectators, following the Belmont Stakes in June. The Derby and Kentucky Oaks for

6:41 PM ET Associated Press OCEANPORT, N.J. — Pneumatic won the final race worth points for the Kentucky Derby, cruising to victory in the $150,000 TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday. Ridden by Joe Bravo, Pneumatic took the lead with about a quarter of a mile to go and got to the finish

9:57 PM ET Associated Press Colonial Downs, Virginia’s pairmutuel horse racing track says it is cutting its 18-day racing meet short after just six days because of COVID-19. The track, in New Kent County, about 30 miles from Richmond, cited “recent test results” in a release announcing the decision, but spokesman Mark Hubbard declined to

1:27 PM ET Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time Kentucky Derby winner, is recovering after recently testing positive for COVID-19. His condition was disclosed in a tweet posted by grandson Brady Wayne Lukas. “Wayne recently tested positive for COVID-19 and has since been isolating at home and

7:22 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Mel Stute, who trained Snow Chief to victory in the 1986 Preakness and the Eclipse Award as the nation’s best 3-year-old male, died Wednesday. He was 93. He died at a rental home near Del Mar racetrack north of San Diego, where his son, Gary, is training

11:45 AM ET Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchill Downs officials expect fewer than 23,000 fans will be able to attend next month’s rescheduled Kentucky Derby under an updated health and safety plan. The plan eliminates general admission and standing room only areas, with total capacity limited to less than 14% of the 2015 attendance

11:12 AM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Two years after filing a first-of-its-kind lawsuit, a harness-racing bettor has received $20,000 in the settlement of his claims that he was cheated out of his winnings when a doped horse won a race in New Jersey in 2016. After the lawsuit was filed in March 2018,