Calvin Borel

Javier Castellano, shown here giving Gemologist a kiss, was involved in a spill at Churchill today Welcome to the final installment of the 2012 Daily Derby News Blitz.  It has been a fun pre-Derby season, with many talented colts graduating from major races all across the United States set to converge in Louisville tomorrow. The Derby boys will have to wait though, because today was all about the ladies.  The Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks was the highlight at Churchill Downs Friday.  Threats of rain...Read Full Story

Congrats going out to Calvin Borel, who just jockeyed his way to a second Kentucky Derby win in a row today, according to the Baltimore Sun. He rode the winning horse Super Saver to victory in the 136th annual race. Churchill Downs is still packed, though torrential rains have been coming down all day. Also celebrating today is the horse's trainer, Todd Pletcher, who was 0 for 24 in the Kentucky Derby until today. He also had 3 other horses in this race, so we have to think the odds might...Read Full Story

USA TODAYBelieve You Can captures Kentucky OaksMiamiHerald.comBy Sports Network Believe You Can, ridden by Rosie Napravnik, was unfazed by a delayed post-time to win Friday's $1 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/8 mile race for three-year-old fillies is the companion event to the Kentucky Derby.Believe You Can wins Kentucky OaksESPNBelieve You Can, Napravnik Win Kentucky OaksABC NewsThis one's for the girls: Believe You Can wins Kentucky Oaks with jockey Rosie ...Washington...Read Full Story

Derby victor Big Brown started and ended his career on turf. Is turf the key to the Kentucky Derby (GI)? Just think about that for a second and try not to laugh. I know to most it seems a little crazy, but if you dig a little deeper, ties to turf are more common than you might realize in recent Derby winners.  Five of the last eight to wear the Roses either raced on turf prior to the Derby, or had significant turf presence in their pedigrees, or both: Animal Kingdom:  Last year’s Champion 3...Read Full Story

Last year Calvin Borel set the horse racing world on it’s head by winning on three different horses. It wasn’t that long ago when Calvin Borel rode a small horse called Mine That Bird across the finish line at the Kentucky Derby. It’s a dream come true for any jockey or horse owner to win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Things would only get better for horse jockey Calvin Borel when he changed horses and won a few weeks later at the Preakness horse race. IT is amazing to think that the...Read Full Story

kentucky derby Top 10th winer list fans of thoroughbred horses, if brought to the game later in life, a friend or family member through sport was born, this is the final destination – the Kentucky Derby. For those of us who have wagered on Thoroughbred same time with the winner of the Derby is a source of pride and skill validation handicap. You can sit in the life of Churchill, a tower holding a winning ticket, the player and the fan did a horse nirvana.In spring of 1996, I liked both of the...Read Full Story

Jockey Calvin Borel knew Rachel Alexandra was in trouble with a quarter-mile to go in the $300,00 Personal Ensign at Saratoga Race Course.The reigning Horse of the Year had just put away Life At Ten after a mile-long duel for the lead and was bearing down on the finish line."I didn't feel any acceleration and I got worried," Borel said. "She wasn't really there. I knew if anyone was running behind us, we were in trouble."They sure were. Persistently was kicking into high gear under Alan...Read Full Story

The Kentucky Derby — the most watched two minutes in sports — drew more than 16 million people who tuned in to watch Super Saver’s win in the Kentucky Derby, making it the most-watched Derby in 21 years!  Jockey Calvin Borel re-wrote the history books by winning the grand event for the third time in four consecutive years. Over 100,000 people were at Churchill Downs to witness this fantastic race, which Borel won in style, riding Super Saver to the finish line in 2 minutes and 2.4 seconds on...Read Full Story

Zenyatta improved to 16-0 with a 4 1/4-length victory in the Apple Blossom Invitational on Friday, galloping effortlessly from behind in her usual running style.The 6-year-old mare tied the modern mark shared by 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation and 1995-96 Horse of the Year Cigar in unrestricted races. Peppers Pride, who retired last year with a 19-for-19 record, and Hallowed Dreams, who won 16 straight, achieved some of their success in statebred stakes.Zenyatta beat four other horses in...Read Full Story

Blind Luck leads a field of 14 fillies in the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs.The filly version of the Kentucky Derby has produced its share of stars recently. None has been bigger than Rachel Alexandra, who won last year's 1 1/8-mile race by a record 20 1/4 lengths then beat the boys in the Preakness on the way to being voted Horse of the Year.Blind Luck is the morning-line 6-5 favorite and has won six of nine lifetime races. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer says while the current crop...Read Full Story