Kentucky

Kentucky Derby-winning Jockey Junior Alvarado to appeal fine, suspension from HISA per report

Published

12 months ago

May 12, 2025

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Kentucky Derby-winning Jockey Junior Alvarado to appeal fine, suspension from HISA per report

Jockey Junior Alvarado is appealing a fine and suspension for excessive crop use in the Kentucky Derby.

Jockey Junior Alvarado is appealing his fine and suspension given to him by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Alvarado’s agent, Mike Sellitto, said the ruling is under appeal, according to Byron King of Bloodhorse.com reporting.

Alvarado was fined $62,000 and suspended two days as the result of excessive crop use during his winning ride on Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

HISA ruled Alvarado used his crop eight times on Sovereignty, when the rule is that jockeys may use their crops no more than six times.

The penalty is 10% of the jockey’s earnings from the race — which would be $31,000 for the Kentucky Derby — and a one-day suspension. Since this was Alvarado’s second violation in the last 180 days, his penalty was doubled.

On Courier Journal columnist C.L. Brown’s podcast, Alvarado said, “I forgot it was a rule. … I was seeing my dream coming true right in front of me. The whip rule was the last thing I had in my mind. I have to pay the consequences, I guess.”

Sovereignty will not run in the Preakness on May 17 and is expected to return for the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont on June 7 at Saratoga.

Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at pstory@gannett.com and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.

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Kentucky

Motorcyclist killed in early morning crash in Southern Kentucky

Published

9 hours ago

April 28, 2026

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Motorcyclist killed in early morning crash in Southern Kentucky

SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. (WZTV) — A 26-year-old man died early Sunday after a motorcycle crash in Allen County.

Investigators say Remington James Matlock, of Scottsville, was riding a 2017 Harley-Davidson north on Macedonia Road just after 1 a.m. when he drove off the road and hit a fence post.

Matlock was pronounced dead at the scene.

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The crash remains under investigation.

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Kentucky

2026 Kentucky Derby expert picks and predictions for Triple Crown race

Published

21 hours ago

April 27, 2026

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2026 Kentucky Derby expert picks and predictions for Triple Crown race

The post positions are set for the 2026 Kentucky Derby and the draw presented this year’s favorite another obstacle to overcome. Renegade, the horse who will enter the 152nd Run for the Roses with the best odds to win, will start from the No. 1 post along the rail, a spot no horse has won the Kentucky Derby from since Ferdinand in 1986.

The curveball only adds to the wide-open feeling entering the first Triple Crown race of 2026 at Churchill Downs, with some experts believing as many as eight of the 20 horses in the field have a legitimate shot at winning the Kentucky Derby this year. The picks and predictions have varied accordingly during the lead-up to Derby week, though Renegade remains the pre-race favorite following the post position draw.

Here’s a breakdown of the latest odds, picks and predictions ahead of the 2026 Kentucky Derby, as well as how to watch the opening Triple Crown race of the year:

When is the 2026 Kentucky Derby?

The 2026 Kentucky Derby is set to be held on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET and post time is scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET.

Kentucky Derby 2026 odds

Odds courtesy of kentuckyderby.com as of 2 p.m. ET on April 27

Renegade (4-1)
Further Ado (6-1)
Commandment (6-1)
Chief Wallabee (8-1)
The Puma (10-1)
So Happy (15-1)
Emerging Market (20-1)
Potente (20-1)
Fulleffort (20-1)
Incredibolt (20-1)
Silent Tactic (20-1)
Danon Bourbon (20-1)
Wonder Dean (30-1)
Golden Tempo (30-1)
Pavlovian (30-1)
Albus (30-1)
Right to Party (30-1)
Litmus Test (30-1)
Six Speed (50-1)
Intrepido (50-1)

2026 Kentucky Derby picks, predictions

Louisville Courier Journal: Commandment is No. 1 pick

The USA TODAY Network outlet’s final ranking of the horses leading into Kentucky Derby week placed Commandment in the No. 1 spot, followed by Renegade, The Puma, Further Ado and Emerging Market

KentuckyDerby.com: Commandment leads pack

Of the seven handicappers and experts listed at the Kentucky Derby’s official website, four had Commandment ranked as the No. 1 horse in this year’s field. Two experts picked Renegade as their top pick and The Puma also received one No. 1 ranking.

Horse Racing Nation: Watch out for Chief Wallabee

“(Chief Wallabee) adds blinkers for this race, which should focus him enough to put it all together. It is true that the addition of blinkers is rare and often unsuccessful in the (Kentucky) Derby, but if anyone knows what they are doing it is (trainer) Bill Mott. … (Chief Wallabee) has the perfect tracking style to get first run on the deep closers and offers a square price in a wide-open Kentucky Derby.”

Odds Shark: Further Ado is best bet

“He has a stakes win at Churchill Downs already. Plus, he crushed all his prep races – winning the Blue Grass Stakes Grade 1 race in April by 11 lengths. He also has fantastic lineage, having been sired by Gun Runner, who placed third in the 2016 (Kentucky) Derby and won the Breeders Cup Classic the following year. Further Ado is trained by Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Brad Cox and will be ridden by experienced jockey Johnny Velasquez.”

Kevin Kerstein, Churchill Downs: Further Ado

“The way that Further Ado has trained for Brad Cox … he’s just really impressed me … He just sort of has to repeat that last race (Blue Grass Stakes). There’s a lot of horses in this race that might have to improve to beat Further Ado in this start.”

Watch the Kentucky Derby on Peacock

How to watch 2026 Kentucky Derby: TV, live stream

The 2026 Kentucky Derby undercard races will be broadcast by NBC Sports Network and Peacock (Noon-2:30 p.m. ET) on Saturday, May 2.

Coverage of the 2026 Kentucky Derby will then shift to NBC and Peacock from 2:30-7:30 p.m. ET, with post time for the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET.

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Mark Pope visiting top-10 recruit and reclass candidate Ryan Hampton on Monday

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2026

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Mark Pope visiting top-10 recruit and reclass candidate Ryan Hampton on Monday

As Mark Pope works frantically to build the 2026-27 Kentucky Basketball roster, we now have a high school reclassification candidate to monitor.

According to On3’s Joe Tipton, Pope is set to have an in-home visit with 5-star wing Ryan Hampton. Tipton also notes that Hampton is a reclass candidate, which he almost has to be for Pope to visit him at a time when nearly all of his focus is on next season’s roster.

Hampton does not currently hold a scholarship offer from the Wildcats, but that may very well come Monday.

The 6-foot-6 Texas native is the brother of former Kentucky recruit R.J. Hampton, a 5-star recruit in the class of 2019 who ended up playing in Australia before being drafted into the NBA, where he spent four years and now plays in China.

The younger Hampton, who plays at DME Academy in Florida, is ranked as high as fifth overall in the 2027 class by 247 Sports. He holds scholarship offers from Kansas, Indiana, Tennessee, SMU, Texas, Louisville, Nebraska, Texas A&M, NC State, and LSU, among others. He’s taken official visits to SMU, Nebraska, and NC State.

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