Kentucky
Belmont Stakes Matches Top Three Kentucky Derby Finishers
The Belmont Stakes-G1 is back at Saratoga for the second year in a row, and it looks to be a highly competitive race. With Belmont Park still under construction, the race has shifted north and the distance has been trimmed to 1¼ miles, same as the Kentucky Derby-G1. The change has transformed the traditional “Test of the Champion” into a Travers-G1 preview.
This year’s race includes a rematch of the top three finishers from the Kentucky Derby: Sovereignty, Journalism, and Baeza. Sovereignty, the Derby winner, skipped the Preakness-G1 to rest and is the second favorite on the morning line at 2-1.
Journalism, who finished second in the Derby and won the Preakness in thrilling fashion, is favored at 8-5, while Baeza, who was third in Louisville has been assigned 4-1 morning line odds.
The field also includes Hill Road, winner of the Peter Pan Stakes-G3, and Rodriguez, trained by Bob Baffert, at 6-1.
Longshots Uncaged and Heart of Honor round out the eight-horse lineup.
The race is set for Saturday, June 7, with a post time of 7:04 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on FOX and streamed on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports app.
Trainer Michael McCarthy expressed confidence in Journalism’s condition and adaptability, pointing out that his charge is the only horse to compete in all three legs of this year’s Triple Crown.
“Obviously, he put forth a heck of an effort in the Preakness, and he’s coming back here in three weeks’ time,” McCarthy told the Times Union, adding that the colt’s last — and only — workout since the Preakness was “solid,” with “little to no urging.”
Jockey Umberto Rispoli, who has been in the saddle for six of Journalism’s seven career starts, was also impressed with his mount’s June 1 work, noting afterward that the son of Curlin “looks like he didn’t even run two weeks ago.”
John Shirreffs, who will saddle Baeza on Saturday, was also optimistic about his chances, telling the New York Post that jockey Flavien Prat said “he didn’t get all the run he could have out of Baeza had he had an opportunity to get out a little sooner.”
Meanwhile, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty, is looking to prove that his 1½-length victory wasn’t a fluke. As it is, his jockey, Junior Alvarado, faced controversy and was fined and suspended for alleged whip overuse during the Derby, a ruling he is currently appealing.
Here’s a look at the field:
|
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1- Hill Road |
Chad C. Brown |
Irad Ortiz Jr. |
10-1 |
|
2-Sovereignty |
William Mott |
Junior Alvarado |
2-1 |
|
3-Rodriguez |
Bob Baffert |
Mike Smith |
6-1 |
|
4-Uncaged |
Todd A. Pletcher |
Luis Saez |
30-1 |
|
5-Crudo |
Todd A. Pletcher |
John R. Velazquez |
15-1 |
|
6-Baeza |
John Shirreffs |
Flavien Prat |
4-1 |
|
7-Journalism |
Michael W. McCarthy |
Umberto Rispoli |
8-5 |
|
8-Heart of Honor |
Jaime Osborne |
Saffie Osborne |
30-1 |
Belmont Stakes: Is Journalism Running On Fumes?
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13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
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