News

Mystik Dan wins the Kentucky Derby by a nose

Published

2 years ago

May 5, 2024

Mystik Dan wins the Kentucky Derby by a nose

Sierra Leone, with jockey Tyler Gaffalione, (2), Forever Young, with jockey Ryusei Sakai, and Mystik Dan, with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., cross the finish line at Churchill Downs during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race Saturday, in Louisville, Ky.

Kiichiro Sato/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Kiichiro Sato/AP

In a close finish, Mystik Dan won the Kentucky Derby by a horse’s nostril over Sierra Leone.

Contenders waited with bated breath in the seconds before the official decision was made. The thoroughbred had entered the race with 18-1 odds — a longshot compared to favorite Fierceness at 3-1 odds.

Mystik Dan’s trainer Ken McPeek on Saturday became the first trainer since 1952 to win the Kentucky Oaks and Derby in the same year, according to the NBC broadcast. It was jockey Brian Hernandez’s first Derby win. The duo won the Oaks a day earlier with filly Thorpedo Anna on a muddy track.

McPeek praised the jockey for the victory.

“Brian is amazing,” he told NBC Sports during the post-race broadcast, “probably one of the most underrated riders in racing — but not anymore, right?”

For Hernandez, winning the Derby is a dream he’s had since he was 6 years old.

“This is a lifetime achievement,” he said. “To be able to live that dream that — when I was a 6-year-old kid riding my bike around my grandparents’ farm, telling them all I was going to the Kentucky Derby one day — and here we are.”

Behind Sierra Leone, Forever Young placed third.

The weather behaved on Saturday at the 150th running of the race. The longest-running sporting event in the U.S. was held following changes aiming to clean up the sport.

Larry Demeritte will be the first Black trainer in the Kentucky Derby in decades

Multiple scandals have plagued the horse racing industry in recent years, including a sudden uptick in horse deaths and doping allegations. In 2020, more than two dozen people were indicted in a racehorse doping scheme. Last year, Churchill Downs drew increased scrutiny after 12 horses died at the track within a month.

About a year later, multiple investigations have found no pattern connecting those deaths, reported member station Louisville Public Media.

The sport in general is dangerous for horses. Last year, 336 horses died from racing-related injuries, according to the Jockey Club.

In response to doping and abuse allegations, Congress in 2021 approved the creation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which aims to set national standards to regulate the sport.

Horse racing is on the cusp of major changes in the U.S. after years of scandal

The federal body put new anti-doping rules into effect at Churchill Downs this year. HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus told LPM this week that the horses have been repeatedly tested.

“If they’re running in the Derby, it means they have not had an issue with our program,” she said.

News

US says Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 American jets

Published

1 hour ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

US says Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 American jets

The U.S. and Israel have been conducting strikes against targets in Iran since Saturday morning, with the aim of toppling Tehran’s clerical regime. Iran has fired back, with retaliatory assaults featuring missiles and drones targeting several Gulf countries and American bases in the Middle East.

“All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” Central Command said.

“The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” it added.

In a separate statement later Monday, Central Command said that American forces had been killed during combat since the strikes began.

“As of 7:30 am ET, March 2, four U.S. service members have been killed in action. The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks, eventually succumbed to their injuries,” it said.

Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification,” Central Command added.

This story has been updated.

News

Satellite images provide view inside Iran at war

Published

13 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Satellite images provide view inside Iran at war

Smoke rises over Konarak naval base in southern Iran on Sunday. The base was one of hundreds of targets of U.S. and Israeli forces throughout the country.

Planet Labs PBC

hide caption

toggle caption

Planet Labs PBC

Commercial satellite images are providing a unique look at the extent of damage being done to Iran’s military facilities across the country.

The U.S. and Israeli military campaign opened with a daytime attack that struck Iranian leadership in central Tehran. Smoke was still visible rising from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s compound following the attack that killed the supreme leader.

An image by the company Airbus taken on Saturday shows the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Iran’s Leadership House in central Tehran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening wave of attacks.

Pléiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026

Advertisement

hide caption

toggle caption

Pléiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026

Israel and the U.S. have gone on to strike targets across the country. Reports on social media indicate that there have been numerous military bases and compounds attacked all over Iran, and Iran has responded with attacks throughout the Middle East.

U.S. forces have also been striking at Iran’s navy. In a post on his social media platform, President Trump said that he had been briefed that U.S. forces had sunk nine Iranian naval vessels. U.S. Central Command did not immediately confirm that number but it did say it had struck an Iranian warship in port.

An image captured on February 28 shows a ship burning at Iran's naval base at Konarak.

An image captured on Saturday shows a ship burning at Iran’s naval base at Konarak.

hide caption

toggle caption

Numerous satellite images show burning vessels at Konarak naval base in southern Iran. Images also show damage to a nearby airbase where hardened hangers were struck by precision munitions.

Hardened aircraft shelters at Konarak airbase were struck with precision munitions.

hide caption

toggle caption

And there was extensive damage at a drone base in the same area. Iran has launched numerous drones and missiles toward Israel and U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Many drones have been intercepted but videos on social media show that some have evaded air defenses and caused damage in nearby Gulf countries. In Dubai, debris from an Iranian drone damaged the iconic Burj Al Arab, according to a statement from Dubai’s government.

Buildings at an Iranian drone base at Konarak were destroyed in the strikes.

hide caption

toggle caption

Iran’s most powerful weapons are its long-range missiles. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have hidden the missiles deep inside mountain tunnels. Images taken Sunday in the mountains of northern Iran indicate that some of those tunnels were hit in a wave of strikes.

Following Khamenei’s death, Iran declared 40 days of mourning. Satellite images showed mourners gathering in Tehran’s Enghelab square on Sunday.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told NPR on Sunday that Iran will continue to fight “foreign aggression, foreign domination.”

A White House official told NPR that Trump plans to talk to Iran’s interim leadership “eventually,” but that for now, U.S. operations continue in the region “unabated.”

A large crowd of mourners fill Enghelab Square in Tehran on Sunday, following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

hide caption

toggle caption

News

Video: What the Texas Primary Battle Means for the Midterms

Published

23 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Video: What the Texas Primary Battle Means for the Midterms

new video loaded: What the Texas Primary Battle Means for the Midterms

The first battle of the midterm elections will be the U.S. Senate primary in Texas. Our Texas bureau chief, David Goodman, explains why Democrats and Republicans across the U.S. are watching closely to see what happens in the state.

By J. David Goodman, Alexandra Ostasiewicz, June Kim and Luke Piotrowski

March 1, 2026