NBC broadcaster Mike Tirico abruptly left the set of the 151st Kentucky Derby on Saturday afternoon. Through a post on X, Tirico revealed that a “significant reaction” to a nut allergy forced him off the call.

Tirico was feeling “under the weather” following the incident on Saturday and was taken off the call.

On NBC’s Today, Tirico spoke about the details of what exactly happened at Churchill Downs.

“I ate something that had a nut in it and had a nut allergy, causing [my] throat and nose and all that stuff to kind of clog up and swell,” Tirico said. “It affects your breathing a little bit, so wasn’t feeling well, couldn’t go on with the show, took an EpiPen shot, got treated by EMTs, felt better.”

Tirico was replaced by Ahmed Fareed, who finished the rest of the broadcast in his place.

Tirico, 58, has been the voice behind the Kentucky Derby since 2017. He’s also known for calling NBC’s Sunday Night Football along with Chris Collinsworth.

Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby with a time of 2:02.31. Sovereignty entered the race at 7-1 odds and finished ahead of the pre-race favorite, Journalism.

Mystik Dan, the upset winner of an exciting three-way photo finish in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, is trending in the right direction after a productive workout Wednesday. Still, his connections do not plan to make an official decision about the Preakness Stakes on May 18 until this weekend.

Mystik Dan’s trainer, Ken McPeek, had nothing but praise for his runner after a vigorous exercise. The horse galloped a little more than a mile with exercise rider Martin Reyes. McPeek didn’t give anything away but considered the update positive.

“I suspect we’ll make a [Preakness] decision over the weekend, or even as late as Monday,” McPeek said, according to the Maryland Jockey’s Club Press Office. “But more than anything, I just want to make sure he’s moving good and eating good and happy. And at this stage, I like what I see.”

Mystik Dan went off at 18-1 odds in the Derby last Saturday but went on to nose out late closer Sierra Leone and Japanese phenom Forever Young in the final strides to the wire. With another $3.1 million in the bank and questions about the horse’s fitness racing twice in two weeks, McPeek and the horse’s owners are warranted to be hesitant with their new superstar.

If he does skip the Preakness, Mystik Dan would be the second winner in three years to do so, turning an oddity into a potential trend as owners grow more and more hesitant to race their horses too often. It was common for horses to race once every two or three weeks back in the day. Now, it is rare for them to run more than once a month. The current Triple Crown is a holdover from previous eras, demanding that three-year-olds compete in three races between May and June in five weeks.

Even if Mystik Dan does race in the Preakness, there’s a distinct possibility that he will not earn favoritism among bettors. Though many of his Derby foes are either off the trail or waiting for the Belmont Stakes in New York, trainer Bob Baffert has been preparing superstar colt Muth to run at Pimlico for weeks. The West Coast trainer attempted to get his horse into the Derby. Still, a state appeals court in Kentucky upheld Churchill Downs’ ban relating to 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s disqualification for failed drug tests three years ago.

A different track will be used for the Kentucky Derby moving forward, as an investigation takes place in Churchill Downs, the home of the said Derby.

Last Friday, Churchill Downs issued a statement stating federal and state regulators will continue to investigate the deaths of 12 thoroughbreds in recent weeks.

Over the weekend, races still took place at Churchill but will move to Ellis Park, another Churchill Downs-owned racetrack in Henderson, Kentucky, for the upcoming weeks.

Two horse deaths on May 6 started the streak of deaths during the undercard of the Kentucky Derby.

Experts brought in by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority so far have not found a conclusive pattern.

“What has happened at our track is deeply upsetting and absolutely unacceptable,” said Bill Carstanjen, the chief executive of Churchill Downs.

Despite having “no issues linked with the racing surfaces,” the company still relocated the races, even though dirt and grass surfaces appear consistent with previous measurements and have not raised any concerns.

Carstanjen further remarked, “We need to take more time to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all of the details and circumstances so that we can further strengthen our surface, safety and integrity protocols.”

Lisa Lazarus, the chief executive of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, said in a statement that the authority recommended to Churchill that it cease racing.

There are plenty of opinions on Churchill’s plans to move the race, as some trainers also criticized other recent precautions added.

Rick Hiles, the president of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, issued a statement in response:

“Horsemen question the purpose of this unprecedented step, especially without conclusive evidence that there is a problem with the racetrack at Churchill Downs. We all want to find solutions that will improve the safety of horses. However, we need to discuss allowing trainers and veterinarians to use therapeutic medications that greatly lessen the risk of breakdowns. Drastic steps, such as relocating an active race meet, should only be considered when it is certain to make a difference.”

On Wednesday, a longtime California track superintendent Dennis Moore, looked at the Churchill race track surfaces and offered “an independent analysis of the dirt and turf courses’ suitability” for being used in horse racing.

On Thursday, rules were set at Churchill Downs to discourage trainers from running unsound horses, as these will also be enacted at Ellis Park moving forward. Money incentives are now also only for “the top five finishers” and “will no longer offer incentives to trainers who start horses in its races or pay purse money for first place through last place,” according to a statement from the company.

The statement stated further, “Horses also will be allowed only four starts during a rolling eight-week period and horses that are beaten by more than 12 lengths in five consecutive starts will be ineligible to race until the equine medical director approves their return to racing.”

These “bonus policies” were intended to provide “fuller fields for the betting public,” as these changes in Churchill could make an impact on the horsemen’s decision-making.

The director of equine safety and welfare for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, met with Churchill Downs veterinarians and vets from the state of Kentucky last week to “review necropsies, toxicology reports, and veterinarians’ and trainers’ notes on the deaths.”

These reviews are currently “ongoing” and the causes of death for the Churchill horses are still unknown.

Tragedy has struck yet again in Churchill Downs, as another injured horse has been lost.

According to Darren Rogers, Churchill Downs spokesperson, Rio Moon broke his leg on Sunday. Sometime after the day’s sixth race, the three-year-old colt reached the finish line when the injury was discovered.

An Equibase chart reported, “suffered a catastrophic injury to his left foreleg a few strides after the wire” which resulted in the horse, trained by Dale Romans, of Louisville, being euthanized.

The nearly 150-year-old home of the Kentucky Derby has reportedly lost eight horses since April 29, with seven of the deaths happening over ten days during the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.

“Churchill Downs is unwavering in our commitment to the health and well-being of equine safety,” the facility wrote in a statement. “The equine fatalities leading to this year’s Kentucky Derby are a sobering reminder of the urgent need to mobilize our industry in order to explore every avenue possible and effectively minimize any avoidable risk in the sport. Despite our determination to continually improve upon the highest industry standards, there is more to be done and we will rigorously work to understand what caused these incidents and build upon our existing data, programs, and practices to better understand what has been incredibly difficult for us to witness and accept this week.”

Since then, several more horses have lost their lives during the running of the 149th year of the famed horseracing event. Seven of these deaths happened before the Kentucky Derby even began.

With an NBC-reported 14.8 million viewers for the 2023 Kentucky Derby, a dip from last year’s 16 million

If the name fits…

Rich Strike, an 80-1 longshot, won the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby Saturday evening. In doing so, he collected a purse payout of $1.86 million.

If the name doesn’t ring any bells, it shouldn’t. The horse wasn’t even supposed to run, but an injury to Ethereal Road forced its hand.

Rich Strike, in 17th place in the final turn, began accelerating through the pack—cutting to the inside down the final stretch. The favorites Epicenter (second) and Zandon (third) battled as Rich Strike dashed to victory.

Rich Strike’s owner, Rick Dawson, found out the horse would be running about 30 seconds prior to Friday morning’s entry deadline.

“We always felt if we could just get in, we’d have a shot,” Dawson said. “We proved it today.”

The victory was the greatest odds upset since 1913, when 91-1 longshot Donerail won.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) officials Monday stripped late thoroughbred Medina Spirit of its 2021 Kentucky Derby victory and suspended its Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert for 90 days and fined him $7,500.

The nearly year-long drama concludes after a recent hearing before a three-member panel of KHRC stewards, which ended with the ruling that Medina Spirit—who died in December at Santa Anita Park (Calif.)—is DQ’d after a positive test for a banned corticosteroid (betamethasone) after last year’s Derby.

Betamethasone is commonly used to reduce swelling and pain.

“Medina Spirit is disqualified and all purse money forfeited,” the ruling says. “During his suspension, Mr. Baffert is denied the privileges of all facilities under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Entry of all horses owned or trained by Mr. Baffert is denied pending transfer to persons acceptable to the stewards.”

Baffert’s suspension begins March 8 and runs through June 5, the ruling states. This year’s Kentucky Derby is set for May 7.

Clark Brewster, Baffert’s attorney, said Monday that he and his client immediately appealed the ruling, and, if it comes down to it, they’d take matters directly to the Kentucky state court system.

“There’s no question the substance in (Medina Spirit) came from a salve,” Brewster said. “That was proven, not only scientifically, but from record keeping. The rule dealing with the use of betamethasone only as an intra-articular injectable was never violated.”

Brewster also called shenanigans on the panel, as one member, Tyler B. Picklesimer, is the current director of racing at Turfway Park, which is owned by Churchill Downs.

“There’s no way there wasn’t bias,” he said. “I just don’t think it has any ring of fairness. I’m very confident that when we get the opportunity to be before neutral decision makers who are generally interested in applying the rules to the facts, we win.”

The official 2021 Kentucky Derby winner is now Mandaloun, and the $1.8 million purse money goes to Mandaloun’s connections—including owner Juddmonte. It’s the third time in the 147-year history of the race that a first-place finisher has been DQ’d.

“We were always hopeful that when people saw the facts and rules, that this matter was over,” said Brewster. “That’s not the case, so we’ll weigh our options as to whether to commence action against Churchill at the same time, or proceed with an appeal and file suit at a later time.”

The 69-year-old Baffert still awaits a ruling from the New York Racing Association that, last May 17, issued a temporary suspension of Baffert which includes Baffert being barred from entering any of his horses in races at Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course, and Aqueduct Racetrack.

More fallout from the Kentucky Derby emerges, as winner Medina Spirit is facing disqualification after testing on a second post-race sample confirmed the presence of the steroid betamethasone, lawyers who represent the horse’s owner and trainer Bob Baffert said. One of the attorneys, Clark Brewster, who represents Medina Spirit’s owner, told The New York Times that a laboratory at UC Davis confirmed the presence of betamethasone in the second sample. Attorney Craig Robertson, who represents Baffert, said the second test showed 25 picograms of the steroid, after 21 were found initially.

Even a trace amount of betamethasone is prohibited on race day in Kentucky and is considered a violation. However, Brewster pushed back against the notion that there was any cheating. “I think that will shed the light most prominently on the issue here for us,” he said. “The whole basis for listing betamethasone is because it’s injected into a joint and they want you not to inject the joints too close to the race, so the whole substantive basis is out the window if it’s a salve, and it can be proven scientifically and empirically to be the salve.” He also sent The New York Times a text message that the UC Davis lab didn’t test for other compounds, “which could prove the trace positive came from an inadvertent and materially inconsequential contamination sourced from a topical ointment used to treat Medina Spirit for a skin lesion on his hip.”

Brewster proceeded to tell The New York Times that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has agreed to send Medina Spirit’s original blood and urine samples to an independent laboratory to test for the presence of other compounds. So what does this mean for the results of the Kentucky Derby? Well, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. Sherelle Roberts-Pierre said the commission “values fairness and transparency and will provide information to the media and public at the close of an investigation.” The horse Madaloun appears to be the true winner of the race.

Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert has been prohibited from registering horses in contests at New York racetracks. New York racing authorities announced this development on Monday. This means that Baffert will not be able to run any horses at courses such as Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. This comes along with an investigation into his horse Medina Spirit, who failed a drug test following a win at the Kentucky Derby. Baffert will not be able to compete with Medina Spirit at the Belmont Stakes.

“In order to maintain a successful thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public, and racing participants,” stated David O’Rourke, chief executive of the New York Racing Association. O’Rourke also referenced “failed drug tests in the recent past” by Baffert that caused “the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas.” Five doping violations have been leveled against Baffert’s horses in these states.

Baffert did not make it official that he would compete with any horses for the third piece of the triple crown, but was apparently looking at entering other contests on the day of the Belmont Stakes. These regulations will prevent Baffert, his racehorses, and his assistants from setting foot on the grounds of any New York racetracks. This is an outcome that will without a doubt be unpleasant news to the owners of the various horses that are trained under Baffert.

Craig Robertson, Baffert’s lawyer, has made it apparent that he is appealing the decision and is in talks with Baffert about possible next steps.

“A final determination regarding the length and terms of Mr. Bafferts suspension will be based on information revealed during the course of the ongoing investigation in Kentucky, such as the post-Kentucky Derby Test results of Medina Spirit,” O’Rourke said in regards to the sanctions on Baffert.

Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby win is now in danger after a failed post-race drug test. The failed post-race test resulted in the suspension of Hall of Famer trainer Bob Baffert.

“It is our understanding that Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s post-race blood sample indicated a violation of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s equine medication protocols,” Churchill Downs’ official statement said. “Given the seriousness of the alleged offense, Churchill Downs will immediately suspend Bob Baffert, the trainer of Medina Spirit, from entering any horses at Churchill Downs Racetrack.”

“To be clear, if the findings are upheld, Medina Spirit’s results in the Kentucky Derby will be invalidated and Mandaloun will be declared the winner,” the Churchill Downs officials said in a statement.

Baffert denied any wrongdoing in the failed post-race drug test. “I got the biggest gut punch in racing for something that I didn’t do,” Baffert said of the failed drug test. “And it’s disturbing. It’s an injustice to the horse. … I don’t know what’s going on in racing right now, but there’s something not right. I don’t feel embarrassed. I feel like I was wronged. We’re going to do our own investigation. We’re going to be transparent with the racing commission like we’ve always been.”

Baffert told reporters that he would be transparent and will comply with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. “I intend to thoroughly and transparently investigate the matter to determine how this could have happened,” Baffert said in the statement. “We will have the split sample analyzed and DNA testing performed. That will be the first step in the process.”

Medina Spirit was found to have 21 picograms of betamethasone in its system, Baffert said his barn was told. Medina Spirit is Baffert’s fifth horse known to have failed a drug test in just over a year.

After being postponed to Labor Day weekend last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Derby returns to its rightful place on the first weekend of May, and all eyes are on betting favorite Essential Quality. With two to one odds, Essential Quality easily beats out horses like Rock Your World, Known Agenda and Rod Charlie, who have five to one, six to one and eight to one odds respectfully.

Las Vegas’s confidence in Essential Quality stems from the young horse’s impressive resume, which includes five victories in five chances, all with rider Luis Saez at the helm. The most recent of these victories occurred just a month ago, on April 3, at the Blue Grass Stakes.

Essential Quality will start from post 14, and Rock Your World will start right next to him, at post 15. Rock Your World is second in these odds because he too is undefeated in three previous races. Rider John Sadler was quite happy with the given post, stating “It’s a good post and we’re happy with it.”

While the top five horses have drawn the majority of bets thus far, there are value plays and sleepers. Chief amongst them is Midnight Bourbon, whose currently plus 2000. Midnight Bourbon has placed in all of its seven races thus far. He has two victories, two second-place finishes and three third-place finishes. In its last race at the Louisiana Derby, Midnight Bourbon managed to snag a runner-up finish, only falling to fellow 2021 Kentucky Derby horse Hot Rod Charlie. His rider Steven Asmussen has Kentucky Derby experience as well, placing third in 2016.

Other major things to look out for this weekend, include the implementation of a new rule regarding the use of Lasix. Lasix is a race day medication given to the horses. It’s goal is to prevent or reduce exercise-induced bleeding in the lungs, as well as enabling horses to urinate and lose 20 to 30 pounds of fluid. This urination and subsequent weight loss gives the horses an added speed advantage. A horse hasn’t won a derby without this diuretic in over 20 years, so it should provide an interesting wrinkle to an already fascinating weekend. This is also the second consecutive derby with 20 stalls instead of the typical 14, meaning racers in the 16 through 20 spots must try their absolute hardest to not be bunched outside. With these factors, a favorite everyone wants to see fall and an actual crowd, it’s shaping up to be one of the better derby’s in recent memory.

CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST KENTUCKY DERBY TICKET DEALS!

Maximum Security won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday and basked in glory for all of 20 minutes. Then, the horse was disqualified and Country Horse, given 65-1 odds to win the race, was crowned champion.

Now, Gary West, owner of the disqualified colt, will file an appeal with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, arguing that his horse should be declared the rightful winner of the Derby.

“We are going to file an appeal today with the state racing commission,” West said. “Right after the race, I had the trainer call the stewards and very nicely ask them if they would be willing to visit with us after the races were over. I said, ‘We’ll stay here until 11, 12 o’clock at night, whatever you want,’ and they said, ‘Absolutely not, we won’t be showing the films until Thursday.’ We didn’t really have any alternative legally … the appeal has to be filed within 48 hours.”

“If the state racing commission refuses to hear about it, I think this is something that’s big enough that the entire racing world is looking at this,” he continued during an interview on The Today Show. “And I think they deserve an opportunity to really know what was going on.”

Maximum Security was DQ’d in the Derby, the first disqualification for race riding in the history of the event. At the top of the stretch, what pundits called “clearly the best horse in the race” drifted out to his right and impeded the rightful lane of at least two other horses, almost wiping out the entire field.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission doesn’t actually allow appeals, so West will be fighting with the odds stacked against him this time. According to the rules, stewards are responsible for “all findings of fact as to all matters occurring during and incident to the running of a race,” and “findings of fact and determination shall be final and not subject to appeal.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

West, however, says he’s willing to push on due to the attention the event gets, unusual actions by the stewards and the increased field size at the race.

“I think this is something that’s big enough that the entire racing world is looking at this, and I think they deserve an opportunity to really know what was going on,” West said. “I was a bit shocked and surprised that the stewards wrote a statement that was probably prepared by their lawyers and refused, literally refused, to take questions from the media. So they’ve been about as nontransparent about this whole thing as anything I’ve ever seen in my life.”

West went on, saying:”You shouldn’t have 20 horses in the Kentucky Derby. Churchill Downs, because they’re a greedy organization, has [20 horses] rather than 14 like you have in the Kentucky Oaks, the Breeders’ Cup, every other race in America.”

He also said: “They looked at exactly what the rest of the world looked at, and they didn’t file a stewards’ inquiry. So I can’t imagine it was very obvious to them at the time, either.”

The only prior Derby disqualification took place in 1968. Dancer’s Image won the race but was disqualified several days later when trace amounts of a prohibited substance were found in its body. The owners went to court to fight the disqualification, the legal battle went on for years, and they eventually won their case but it was overturned on appeal.

While the Kentucky Derby is rarely predictable, the 2019 running has taken an unexpected turn. With news of race favorite Omaha Beach dropping out of the race due to an entrapped epiglottis, the field has been shaken up. In his place, Bodexpress, currently given 30-1 odds to win, will enter this years race and run from the outside post.

War of Will, currently at 15-1 odds, drew the inside post for the race. He’s coming off a two-length win at the Rebel. War of Will is supposedly in great health according to trainer Mark Casse but he stumbled out of the gate at the Louisiana Derby and finished ninth. War of Will does his best running early so it’ll be important to watch his get out.

At 9-2 odds, Game Winner will enter the race as the favorite. At just two years old, the horse won all four of it’s starts this year though narrowly escaped defeat in half of those races. With Omaha beach dropping out, the young contender finds itself at an elevated level right now.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Cutting Humor in this race. The horse is given 20-1 odds. He was a no show in the Southwest but rebounded with a win in the Sunland Derby. After Omaha Beach bowed out, Smith found himself available and took on Cutting Humor. While he can’t win the triple crown this year like he did with Justify last year, he’s not in an awful spot.

Master Fencer, at 50-1 odds, is the first Japanese-bred horse to enter the derby. He’s the biggest shock if he wins the derby.

At 6:46 p.m. EST on Saturday, May 4, 19 colts will come bursting out of the gate. It’s anyone best guess who wins but for some, it’s the most exciting race in sports.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Here are some of the best tweets about the race:

Bob Baffert won’t have a horse competing in the 2017 Kentucky Derby, although he does plan on visiting his favorite thoroughbred, Silver Charm.

Bob Baffert to Miss Kentucky Derby but visit Favorite Horse Silver Charm

The legendary trainer, who has won the Derby four times to tie for second-most in history, has only missed the event in Churchill Downs twice since 2009.

According to Associated Press racing writer Beth Harris, Baffert decided to no longer compete in the Derby because his horse Mastery became injured after winning a prep race this winter. Baffert no longer had a thoroughbred for this year’s race, which begins on Saturday.

Baffert’s last victory was in 2015, when American Pharaoh won the Triple Crown — the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes — for the sports’ first triple-race victory in 37 years.

Silver Charm, the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion, is a horse that means a lot to Baffert.

“Each time I see him I get all choked up,” the trainer said of the 23-year-old stallion.

Baffert says he will be watching the Derby from his couch this year.

“I’ll be watching everybody stressing out,” the 64-year-old Hall-of-Famer said. “It’ll be fun.”

Baffert will be cheering on his friend Bode Miller, part-owner of Fast And Accurate, one of an expected 20 horses in the field. The Olympic skier has long been a Derby week regular at Baffert’s barn. The trainer named his pre-teen son after Miller.

“It’s a different feeling if you’ve got a horse in there,” Baffert said. “Believe me, he’ll come out of it with a totally different perception. He’ll understand what it’s all about — the importance of the race, the emotions that run through you. Everybody should go through it.”

LEXINGTON, KY – OCTOBER 29: Trainer Bob Bob Baffert watches his horse Triple Crown winner American Pharoah train in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Racecourse on October 29, 2015 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

For all the horse-racing fans out there, there is some big news.

>BUY TICKETS FOR 143RD KENTUCKY DERBY/KENTUCKY OATS (MAY 5-6)

Tickets for the 143rd Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oats in Louisville this summer are now on sale!

The Derby will be held on Friday May 5 and Saturday May 6 at Churchill Downs. Advance general admission tickets, which are good for both events, are available on ticketmaster.com and are priced at $105.00 plus fees. Print At Home is the only delivery option for tickets.

Since tickets are general admission, there is no track view and no access to the seating areas. The Infield and Paddock are standing room only.

Ticket prices could increase closer to the date of the race.

Two-day package offers may be available for a limited time while supplies last.

Post time for the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby is 6:46 p.m. EST on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

The first race of the day is scheduled for 10:30 am EST, and the final race will be held at 8:10 pm.

Before the Derby, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic is scheduled to be held at 5:25 pm EST.

A thoroughbred named Nyquist won the 2016 Kentucky Derby, and American Pharaoh captured the 2015 title. 

LEXINGTON, KY – APRIL 13: Garrett Gomez rides Palace Malice #5 during the 89th Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keenland Race Course on April 13, 2013 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Something about horse racing has always inspired sports writers to put forth their best work. The sport exists of a time long since past in American history when bookies used to line the wooden railings and owning a horse was the peak of American wealth. Today, it is a rarity if a sports fan watches a race outside of any of the Triple Crown Races; in honor of the Belmont Stakes being run on Saturday we’ve decided to bring you some of the most timeless writing about horse races from men who defined the field of modern sports writing. Check it out below and tune in to the Belmont Stakes on Saturday to see American Pharoah go after the Triple Crown.

Death of A Racehorse by W.C. Heinz

Published in The Sun on July 29, 1949, Death of A Racehorse tells the story of Air Lift, full brother of Assault. The piece is a beautiful example of minimalism in writing; Heinz was a huge fan of Hemingway and you can see it in his clipped yet descriptive prose.

Excerpt: They were going to the post for the sixth race at Jamaica, two year olds, some making their first starts, to go five and a half furlongs for a purse of four thousand dollars.

The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved by Hunter S. Thompson

This particular story was taken from Scanlan’s Monthly in 1970 when the father of “Gonzo” journalism, Hunter S. Thompson, traveled to Churchill Downs for the running of the 1970 Kentucky Derby. It is written in typical Thompson style with run-ins with characters from all walks of life, all told through a first person view. This essay was published one year before Thompson would become a household name after his work Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Excerpt: I decided my only hope for credentials was to go out to the track and confront the man in person, with no warning–demanding only one pass now, instead of two, and talking very fast with a strange lilt in my voice, like a man trying hard to control some inner frenzy. 

Dead Sea Downs by Red Smith

Red Smith was one of the most highly respected horse racing journalists of all time and it’s difficult to pick a single story of his as definitive. Dead Sea Downs stands apart simply due to the unique subject matter of “the lowest gambling hell in the world”.

Excerpt: The gambling hell has no official name. Call it Dead Sea Downs or Qumran Park. It is a little Shoeless Joe of a racetrack on the desert, at present a casualty of last June’s Six-Day War but in its time a center of cheerful debauchery in a region where sin isn’t exactly an innovation.

Pure Heart by William Nack

Finally we get to the classic Sports Illustrated piece about Secretariat, the horse who in 1973 galloped onto the scene and won the first US Triple Crown in 25 years. The story that ran in SI is hailed as one of the great pieces of sports writing of all time. Nack expertly weaves in commentary about the horse’s career with personal observations in order to paint a full picture of Secretariat’s life.

Excerpt: Instead, for a full half hour, I stood by the paddock waiting for Robinson and gazing at Secretariat. The gift of reverie is a blessing divine, and it is conferred most abundantly on those who lie in hammocks or drive alone in cars. Or lean on hillside fences in Kentucky.

Coverage of the 147th Belmont Stakes begins on NBC at 4:30p.m. EST on June 6.