
'It stinks, but it's a job': Scooping poop at the Kentucky Derby
A very busy crew is constantly working to clean up the mess 1,400 horses leave behind as Churchill Downs prepares for the Kentucky Derby. WAVE's Logan Perrone reports.May 2, 2025

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Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Rising TV star to make Royal Ascot debut leading up father's horse in big race
Andie Biancone, one of the emerging broadcasting talents in US horse racing, is leaving her mic at home to help prepare Patrick Biancone's Queen Mary Stakes hope One of the rising stars of US racing broadcasting is to make her Royal Ascot debut - as a groom. Andie Biancone, 28, has soared to fame covering US racing's biggest events including the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup as a roving reporter and analyst for FanDuelTV. And while the network will have a team on site at next week's royal meeting, Biancone will instead be helping supervise her dual Arc-winning father Patrick's first Royal Ascot runner since he left Europe 35 years ago. While based in France, Patrick Biancone trained one of the most powerful strings in world racing as head trainer to Daniel Wildenstein. He won back-to-back editions of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Sagace and All Along in 1983 and 1984. He also trained the great Triptych to win the Irish Champion Stakes in 1987 and Coronation Cup in 1988 but has yet to saddle a Royal Ascot winner. At the height of his fame he moved to Hong Kong in 1990, where he met Andie's mother Elaine Sung Wing-yan, a former Miss Hong Kong, and the 73-year-old now operates a boutique stable in Florida which will be represented by Lennilu in the Queen Mary Stakes. 'I have never been to Ascot,' said Andie. 'I will be riding her work and leading her up and I cannot wait. I definitely would have expected to have gone there as a TV reporter before we had a runner. I am so excited. Even just to go is an immense blessing.' Lennilu is unbeaten in two starts, winning on debut at Keeneland before earning her trip with an impressive success in a Royal Ascot-qualifier at Gulfstream Park. 'She is lovely,' said Andie. 'I travelled with her when she went to Keeneland for her debut and she was an absolute pro. She was very professional on the track, very professional in the paddock. We have carried the baton forward and she has been outstanding in every sense. 'From the field she ran against at Keeneland, the Todd Pletcher filly came back and won, the third place runner came back and won, the fourth placed runner came back and won, so it was a very key race. She beat a good group, she did it well. 'Her jockey Luis Saez has always had utmost confidence in her as well. He did her first gate breeze. I was on her company and she dusted me so bad. After that work, Luis said. 'She'll win for sure at Keeneland'. We knew she would be better on the grass as well.' She added: 'I really think she has a shot at winning. She's been so impressive, it takes a very special horse to be able to travel and do what she has done so far by passing every test. I was very impressed by her last work as well.' Patrick Biancone saddled Triptych to finish third in the 1986 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He rarely travels away from home but is making an exception for Royal Ascot. 'He doesn't do any spectating,' said Andie. 'It's his barn, his horses, his life. We had to beg him not to take the horse plane with her. He's 73 and we made sure he flew business class.' She continued: 'It would be incredibly special to win, especially as my whole family will be there. My sister works for Tattersalls and her husband for Godolphin and they will be taking time off work to be there. My brother who lives in New York is coming over for the race. 'Typically in the US Dad will send me. He doesn't usually come to the races so it will be fun to have everybody there. I just hope he gets a hair cut because he is definitely rocking the Florida hair right now. He has some interesting style.'


North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Sovereignty makes it a Classic double in Belmont Stakes
The Bill Mott-trained Sovereignty provided the Godolphin operation with a first taste of Kentucky Derby glory at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, beating Michael McCarthy's hot favourite Journalism into second place. With connections of Sovereignty resisting the temptation to shoot for Triple Crown immortality and running in Preakness Stakes a fortnight later, Journalism took full advantage with a narrow success at Pimlico, setting up a tantalising rematch at Saratoga. Journalism was the first of the big two to commit for home, quickening to the lead off the final bend under Umberto Rispoli, but Sovereignty and Junior Alvarado joined him entering the final furlong before pulling three lengths clear to confirm his status as America's star three-year-old colt. Speaking on the Godolphin website, Mott said: 'We had a repeat of the Derby – the first three finishers in the Derby finished one-two-three here – and the form is holding up. They are three really good horses and I'm glad that Sovereignty was able to come back and put in a race like he did in the Derby. 'If we hadn't won today, we would have taken a lot of criticism for missing the Preakness, but it turned out good. Sometimes, you make the right decision and a lot of times you make the wrong ones. Today, it really worked out well.' Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin USA, said: 'It's the most fantastic feeling in the world. Sovereignty was trained to the minute by Bill and his team to come here off a five-week rest. 'We knew that he was a good horse going into the Kentucky Derby and he showed it that day. To come back here and show it again, and beat a really, really good horse in Journalism, it was a fantastic result for us. 'It's fantastic to win two legs of the Triple Crown. We are very, very happy with doing it – coming here after the Derby was the plan and it teed up a really good race, with the Derby winner and the Preakness winner having a showdown in the Belmont.' Considering plans for the rest of the year, Banahan added: 'There are races down the road that we would really like to win – the Travers is very special. We've won it before, but I don't think Bill has, so it would be great for him to do that. 'It would be great, if the horse is healthy and well, to try to get to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup Classic. It's a race that we have run in several times without having the opportunity to win yet.' The Jamie Osborne-trained Heart Of Honor represented British hopes but he could finish only sixth under Saffie Osborne.

Rhyl Journal
4 days ago
- Rhyl Journal
Sovereignty makes it a Classic double in Belmont Stakes
The Bill Mott-trained Sovereignty provided the Godolphin operation with a first taste of Kentucky Derby glory at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, beating Michael McCarthy's hot favourite Journalism into second place. With connections of Sovereignty resisting the temptation to shoot for Triple Crown immortality and running in Preakness Stakes a fortnight later, Journalism took full advantage with a narrow success at Pimlico, setting up a tantalising rematch at Saratoga. Journalism was the first of the big two to commit for home, quickening to the lead off the final bend under Umberto Rispoli, but Sovereignty and Junior Alvarado joined him entering the final furlong before pulling three lengths clear to confirm his status as America's star three-year-old colt. Speaking on the Godolphin website, Mott said: 'We had a repeat of the Derby – the first three finishers in the Derby finished one-two-three here – and the form is holding up. They are three really good horses and I'm glad that Sovereignty was able to come back and put in a race like he did in the Derby. 'If we hadn't won today, we would have taken a lot of criticism for missing the Preakness, but it turned out good. Sometimes, you make the right decision and a lot of times you make the wrong ones. Today, it really worked out well.' Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin USA, said: 'It's the most fantastic feeling in the world. Sovereignty was trained to the minute by Bill and his team to come here off a five-week rest. 'We knew that he was a good horse going into the Kentucky Derby and he showed it that day. To come back here and show it again, and beat a really, really good horse in Journalism, it was a fantastic result for us. 'It's fantastic to win two legs of the Triple Crown. We are very, very happy with doing it – coming here after the Derby was the plan and it teed up a really good race, with the Derby winner and the Preakness winner having a showdown in the Belmont.' Considering plans for the rest of the year, Banahan added: 'There are races down the road that we would really like to win – the Travers is very special. We've won it before, but I don't think Bill has, so it would be great for him to do that. 'It would be great, if the horse is healthy and well, to try to get to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup Classic. It's a race that we have run in several times without having the opportunity to win yet.' The Jamie Osborne-trained Heart Of Honor represented British hopes but he could finish only sixth under Saffie Osborne.