Horse Racing News

Crown of Thorns, a leading contender for Saturday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, was scratched from the race on Friday after he developed a recurrence of an old injury to his right knee.

Jockey Garrett Gomez was thrown to the Churchill Downs turf in a spill entering the second turn of the sixth race at Churchill Downs Thursday, and his mount, Indy Bouquet, who broke down, appeared to fall on top of the jockey.

There's plenty of action on Friday, what with six Breeders' Cup races. There will be cameras, what with ESPN2 televising four hours, beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern time.

Midday will be strongly favored to succeed where Ouija Board failed by winning the Filly and Mare Turf for the second year in a row.

She won the 2009 Breeders' Cup Mile from post 10, and Goldikova will be asked to overcome another wide draw, post 10, in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Workforce drew post 6 and was installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf. The question for coming days is whether Workforce will actually contest the race or scratch and go home.

Zenyatta was assigned post position 8 for the greatly anticipated final start of her career, the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, to be run Saturday at Churchill Downs.

The way you could tell Zenyatta was getting close to the Churchill Downs backstretch was by the helicopter following her convoy from the airport.

Briecat's upset win in the $150,000 Las Palmas Handicap at Hollywood Park on Sunday equaled the most prestigious win of her career, but it meant more to trainer Vladimir Cerin.

Dancinginherdreams confirmed the confidence her connections showed in her when romping to an easy victory Sunday in the Grade 2, $165,450 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs.