J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1), Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), and UAE Derby (G2).

Charles Fipke’s homebred grade 1 winner by Unbridled’s Song was euthanized March 17 due to complications from injuries suffered while foaling a Medaglia d’Oro colt March 15.

Horse Racing Ireland’s CEO Brian Kavanagh stepping down after 20 years of service.

As slow as the Thoroughbred racing industry may have been to embrace the virtues of working with national television networks, the New York Racing Association has quickly made up for all that lost time—and then some.

With an unanimous vote March 25, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights amended Private Member’s Bill C-218 to offer protection to the horse racing industry in Canada.

A year after facing the uncertainty of when racing would fully resume and stable areas would reopen to transfer horses between racetracks amid COVID-19, horsemen are largely hopeful for what this spring will bring.

Voted California-bred Horse of the Year for 2020 by the CTBA, Mucho Unusual finished second last out in the Feb. 20 Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) after scoring back-to-back graded stakes victories over the Santa Anita turf.

After settling for minor awards in the $20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racetrack Feb. 20, U.S-trained horses will pursue another top prize in the Middle East in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) March 27 at Meydan Racecourse.

Trainer Ken McPeek won last year’s Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) with 9-1 shot Swiss Skydiver. This year he will send out the 5-2 morning-line favorite Crazy Beautiful for Phoenix Thoroughbreds III.

A New York Racing Association spokesperson said in a March 24 statement that the organization is continuing to work with the New York State Department of Health and New York State Gaming Commission to obtain permission to allow fans at its tracks.