Horse Racing

10:48 AM ET ESPN News Services The $12 million Dubai World Cup will be postponed until next year, according to an announcement from the Dubai Media Office, a governmental agency. Officials had planned to run the race March 28 without spectators at Meydan Racecourse over concerns about the coronavirus. The Dubai World Cup had been

6:38 PM ET Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — Wells Bayou took an early lead and held off NY Traffic to win the $1 million Louisiana Derby by a head on Saturday in one of the few U.S. sporting events to continue as scheduled amid the coronavirus pandemic. For the 107th running of the major prep

Mar 20, 2020 William Weinbaum The only track in the U.S. that is still running harness races during the coronavirus pandemic was turned down by the California Horse Racing Board for a requested schedule change. Cal Expo’s general manager, Chris Schick, told ESPN Monday night the Sacramento track will have to stick with a Friday-Saturday

6:49 PM ET William Weinbaum After five closure announcements in the past 48 hours, a track in Sacramento, California, is the last with plans to remain open of the 18 in the United States that had harness racing prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Chris Schick, the general manager of Cal Expo harness racing, told ESPN

6:44 PM ET ESPN News Services FREEHOLD, N.J. — A fourth member of a New Jersey family died Thursday from COVID-19. Vincent Fusco died Thursday morning at a hospital in Freehold, NJ.com reported. His death was confirmed by Roseann Paradiso Fodera, an attorney and relative. Fusco’s mother, Grace Fusco, died Wednesday night, hours after another

In the days since the coronavirus pandemic brought America to a standstill, a pastoral sporting scene in Southern California has offered an idyllic atmosphere to overtake apocalyptic thoughts, if only for a moment. “It’s like being at a mountain lake,” veterinarian Jeff Blea said. “Peaceful, serene, holistic. Horses and riders in a beautiful setting, with

9:51 PM ET For the first time since 1945, the Run for the Roses will not take place on the first Saturday in May. Churchill Downs is expected to announce Tuesday morning that the 146th Kentucky Derby will be postponed, sources confirmed to ESPN. It’s the latest iconic American sporting event to be halted by

9:17 PM ET ESPN News Services Churchill Downs is delaying reopening its stables and training center until March 31 after consulting local public health officials amid the coronavirus outbreak. The home of the Kentucky Derby is expected to provide an update next week about horse racing’s marquee event, scheduled for May 2, and its upcoming

7:17 PM ET Associated Press A major prep race for the Kentucky Derby will be run as scheduled next week, without spectators. Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans is joining other tracks in banning fans through the remainder of its racing meet that ends March 29. Only essential staff and credentialed horsemen and media

12:34 PM ET Associated Press Horse racing is continuing to operate in North America and abroad without fans in the stands. Races at Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields in California, Aqueduct in New York, Gulfstream Park in Florida, Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, Laurel Park in Maryland and Turfway Park in Kentucky will go on

2:06 PM ET Associated Press GEORGETOWN, Ky. — War Emblem, the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, died Wednesday at age 21. He had been at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center since 2015 after returning from Japan. Officials said the cause of death was believed to be a paddock accident, but exact details weren’t known.

5:22 PM ET Associated Press CHELTENHAM, England — A crowd of more than 60,000 attended the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, where more wash basins and hand sanitizer stations were in place to help combat the virus outbreak. The total of 60,664 racegoers on Tuesday was around 7,000 fewer than the record number present

2:21 PM ET The deaths of 23 racehorses at Santa Anita Park during last year’s meet could not be blamed on illegal medications or procedures, according to a report released Tuesday, but horsemen were not found to be completely without blame. Those were just some of the conclusions of the California Horse Racing Board in

9:17 AM ET ESPN News Services Maximum Security was moved from trainer Jason Servis to Bob Baffert on Tuesday after Servis was indicted Monday and charged with administering performance-enhancing drugs to that horse and others. Servis was one of 27 horse racing professionals charged by federal authorities in what authorities described as a widespread international

10:11 AM ET Associated Press More than two dozen people, including the trainer of champion Maximum Security, have been charged in what authorities described Monday as a widespread international scheme to drug horses to make them race faster. Trainer Jason Servis, whose stable includes the 3-year-old champion, was charged with administering performance-enhancing drugs to that

3:36 AM ET Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. — King Guillermo won the $351,000 Tampa Bay Derby by 4 3/4 lengths on Saturday for owner Victor Martinez, a five-time All-Star in Major League Baseball. The 3-year-old colt earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. However, King Guillermo isn’t nominated to the Triple Crown series, so

12:12 AM ET Associated Press ARCADIA, Calif. — Authentic led all the way to win the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita on Saturday, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh win in the Grade 2 race. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Authentic ran 1 1/16 miles

7:17 PM ET Associated Press LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Breeders’ Cup is increasing purses for three of its races, including a $1 million boost that will make the signature Classic worth $7 million starting with this year’s event at Keeneland. The board of directors approved a $2 million boost that will make the Turf worth