Horse Racing News by David Grening

Going into the first turn of Friday's $237,400 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs, Banned was only in front of three of the 11 rivals he was facing in the Grade 2 event. His jockey, Garrett Gomez, was a little concerned.

If Unrivaled Belle is to record a repeat victory in the Grade, $300,000 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs, she will again have to defeat a Kentucky Oaks winner and reigning champion to do so.

The 11-week meet, which will include 56 cards of racing, runs through July 17 before the move to Saratoga on July 22.

Haynesfield, who drew post 5, will meet five opponents in the Westchester, which is run at one mile and serves as the local stepping-stone to the prestigious Grade 1, $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap to be run here on May 30.

Looking to alleviate that stress from his life, Durkin will no longer be the voice of the Triple Crown, deciding not to seek a renewal of his contract with NBC Sports, with whom he has been affiliated for 27 years.

As he watched the Jerome unfold on television from his home in south Florida and saw Justin Phillip range outside of his 3-year-old Adios Charlie, trainer and part-owner Stanley Hough was going to be happy if his horse could hang on for second.

A wide trip, sloppy track, and nine accomplished opponents were no obstacles for Duke of Mischief, who made a long, sustained bid under Joe Bravo to win Saturday night's Grade 3, $1 million Charles Town Classic by 2 1/4 lengths.

The connections of Uncle Mo believe they have a reason why their horse did not run up to expectations in last weekend's $1 million Wood Memorial, and are still hoping to get last year's 2-year-old champion to the Kentucky Derby on May 7.

When trainer Jim Hooper opted to run Inherit the Gold in the Grade 3 Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct on April 2, he all but ruled out running the gelding back in the $1 million Charles Town Classic this Saturday.

Beaten Wood Memorial favorite Uncle Mo returned to the racetrack Wednesday, jogging once around a wet Belmont Park training track.