The Grade I, $750,000 Cigar Mile, the centerpiece of the Aqueduct fall meeting, is their feature race this Saturday. A field of 11, headlined by MAXIMUM SECURITY, will compete in one of the last Grade I events on the calendar. Post time for the Cigar Mile, the finale on a 10-race program at “The Big…

The Grade III, $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap, a longtime Thanksgiving staple at Aqueduct, will be renewed this Thursday. The six-furlong sprint drew a field of nine, led by multiple graded stakes winner FIRENZE FIRE. He’ll tote 134 pounds when the gate opens for the Fall Highweight, the seventh of nine on Thanksgiving Day at “The…

The Grade III, $200,000 Red Smith Handicap anchors the Saturday action at Aqueduct. The 1 3/8-mile turf heat drew a field of 11 plus five AEs and MTOs. Post time for the Red Smith, Race 9 of 10 at “The Big A” this Saturday, is 3:47 p.m. ET. #7 SADLER’S JOY (8-5, morning-line favorite) looks…

It’s time to review the week that was in horse racing, focusing on jockey achievements from coast to coast. Aqueduct Irad Ortiz Jr. remains on top at the current Aqueduct meet that runs until Dec. 8 with 18 victories. Five of those trips to the winner’s circle were made last week. He’s six wins clear…

It’s time to review the week that was in horse racing, emphasizing jockey achievements at Aqueduct, Churchill and Del Mar. Aqueduct A five-win Monday propelled Irad Ortiz Jr. to the top of the Aqueduct jockey standings through two weeks. Ortiz Jr. swept the last three races on the special Veterans Day program, triggering a $366…

The $150,000 Artie Schiller Stakes anchors Saturday’s card at Aqueduct. “The Big A” feature drew a field of 10 plus three MTOs. Post time for the Artie Schiller, a one-mile turf test, is 3:20 p.m. ET. It goes as the eighth of a scheduled 10 races. #5 CURLIN’S HONOR (10-1) should get the perfect setup…

The Grade II, $500,000 Penn Mile is the highlight of a special 12-race program at Penn National on Saturday. The turf event for three-year-olds lured a field of nine. Post time for the Penn Mile, Race 11 on the card, is estimated for 7:50 p.m. ET. #2 A THREAD OF BLUE (5-2, morning-line favorite) had…

The Grade II, $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes is among several lucrative stakes races being offered at Pimlico racecourse on their Preakness eve program this Friday. The 1 1/8-mile event for three-year-old fillies drew a field of nine. Post time for the Black-Eyed Susan, Race 11 of 14, is 4:48 p.m. ET. #6 ALWAYS SHOPPING (4-1)…

One of America’s premier horse racing events, the Grade I, $3 million Kentucky Derby, is set for Saturday at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/4-mile classic drew 21 entrants, but the defections of favored #12 OMAHA BEACH (4-1) and longshot #11 HAIKAL (30-1) saw that number shrink to 19. The “Run for the Roses,” which goes…

There are stakes races galore in the run-up to the 145th Kentucky Derby, which is scheduled as Race 12 of 14 on Saturday at Churchill Downs. We’ll discuss a pair of them below. Churchill Race 8 (Post time: 2:45 p.m. Eastern) The Grade I, $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes Seven furlongs on dirt #8 MITOLE (7-2,…