kevin kilroy

Kevin Kilroy is currently anchored in Louisville at Churchill Downs, where they will provide the on-track fireworks this Holiday weekend. The two-time National Horseplayers Championship qualifier will join John to analyze three stakes on Saturday. In the Grade 2 Stephen Foster, official 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun will return to the site of his greatest victory where he hopes to bounce back from a disappointing ninth-place effort in the rich Saudi Cup. Two of the most consistent distaffers racing today, will square off in the Grade 2 Fleur De Lis. The headstrong Shedaresthedevil ($2,513,458) will perform her “dare you to run with me” style, against the likes of Pauline’s Pearl ($1,504,200) who has already recorded a Grade 1 win at Churchill this year. With 15 graded stakes scheduled for the 4th of July weekend, we thought we’d bring in our favorite handicapper, Ed Meyer who monitors racing from the harness tracks of the Netherlands to the match races at Cajun Downs in Louisiana. Perhaps the marquee matchup of the weekend will take place in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud Stakes at Belmont Park. The sensational Life Is Good ($3,414,200) is looking for a return to his winning ways after a fourth-place finish in the Dubai World Cup. Waiting for him is Speaker’s Corner ($672,130), a grade 1 winner who is 3 for 3 at the 7-furlong distance. Also on the handicapping menu is the Grade 2 Princess Rooney and Grade 3 Smile Sprint from Gulfstream Park.

Kevin Kilroy has been our “boots on the ground” reporter from the Fair Grounds this season as he performs his duties unearthing gems on the backstretch to share with the media. He’s been a busy man this week as the Fair Grounds will play host to 8stakes races on Saturday – 4 of them graded. Kentucky Derby and Oaks hopefuls can garner plenty of points now that we have entered into the 100-40-20-10 points stratosphere. The $1million Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby is a race ripe for a new star to shine. Asmussen trained Epicenter has become the hometown hero. He closed ’21 with a win in the Gun Runner here and he has already recorded a head-bob defeat in the Grade 3 Lecomte and went wire to wire with an easy win last out in the Grade 2 Risen Star. Asmussen could pull a Oaks-Derby double as champion Echo Zulu makes her seasonal debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 event. Kevin Kilroy is the Publicity Specialist at Fair Grounds, working with Joe Kristufek doing racing analysis, notes writing, and social media. A two-time National Horseplayers Championship qualifier, he finished 21st in 2021. He specializes in trip handicapping, creative analysis, and finding reasons a horse will improve. His love of the sport began in Chicago at Hawthorne Race Course and Arlington Park. Prior to this, he taught for fifteen years, most recently at the Kansas City Art Institute. An author of three books, his novel The Chicago Window came out in 2020 from Spuyten Duyvil Books. Follow him on Twitter/Instagram@KilroyHorseFG. At this time of the season, T.D. Thornton gives out his observations on the top Kentucky Derby contenders each week in the Thoroughbred Daily News. There is not much in the world of racing that Thornton can’t speak pointedly about. He and John will discuss a myriad of topics leading up to Thornton’s latest Derby list. Here is how he describes himself and some of the books he has authored and positions he has held. I'm a Boston-based writer who aspires to give a voice to dark, edgy characters lurking far beneath the radar of mainstream media. Gamblers, grifters, hustlers, prize fighters and racetrackers are among my most appealing characters, and I have a keen interest in writing about “low” subjects with a literary twist. My Adventures with Your Money: George Graham Rice and the Golden Age of the Con Artist details the flair and showmanship of America’s greatest swindler. His first book should be on every racing lover’s reading list. Not by a Long Shot—A Season at a Hard-Luck Horse Track, chronicled a year at a blue-collar racetrack. In 2008 Long Shot won the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award and was named a Highly Recommended finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award.

Kevin Kilroy is the Publicity Specialist at Fair Grounds, working with Joe Kristufek doing racing analysis, notes writing, and social media. A two-time National Horseplayers Championship qualifier, he finished 21st in 2021. He specializes in trip handicapping, creative analysis, and finding reasons a horse will improve. His love of the sport began in Chicago at Hawthorne Race Course and Arlington Park. Prior to this, he taught for fifteen years, most recently at the Kansas City Art Institute. An author of three books, his novel The Chicago Window came out in 2020 from Spuyten Duyvil Books. Follow him on Twitter/Instagram @KilroyHorseFG. There are two graded stakes races at the Fair Grounds on Saturday and Kevin will join John in analyzing the races. The $150,000 Louisiana at 1 1/16 will feature two stars of 2021 that are making their 4-year-old debut. Brad Cox-trained Mandaloun and Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon, two millionaires who relish the long stretch of the Fair Grounds where they traded wins in graded stakes last season. Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) can be earned in The Lecomte Stakes where the body of work achieved by Pappacap should earn him favoritism. From 5 lifetime starts he has earned $576,000. The Mark Casse trainee is a Grade 2 winner and a son of Gun Runner that just couldn’t get by the highly regarded Corniche in two Gr. 1 starts including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. There are several colts who look as though they are ready to take their game to the next level led by Epicenter and Cyberknife. The Winningponies fan favorite, Ed Meyer, will be our second guest. On a rare scheduling day he will join us between his duties as a Kentucky Racing Official and penning one of his regular blogs on the winningponies.com website. Among his varied duties he will play Media Urologist for us and keep an eye on the weather map in his selection of this week’s races. Oaklawn Park has the $150,000 American Beauty on Saturday that is a great betting race, as an evenly matched field of nine Fillies & Mares will line up for the 6-furlongs. On Ed’s homecourt Turfway Park, there are angles galore that await handicappers as the 3-year-olds will stretch to a mile over the Tapeta track.