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Horse Racing Sense

Horse Racing Sense

Real horse racing insight from a Louisiana Thoroughbred owner with 30+ years of experience—handicapping, ownership, breeding, care, and equipment based on firsthand experience.

Road to the Kentucky Derby — Updated Sept. 28

The Early Derby Picture Just Changed Again

Hopeful winner The Good Life is out for the rest of 2026, leaving unbeaten Iroquois winner Salahudin with the early points lead. Booked, Twinkle Town, Mystrix, and U.S.S. Valor still have plenty to prove—and the three Grade 1 races on Oct. 3 are the first big test of who can carry their talent farther.

See the Updated Derby Watch List →
2026 Travers Recap: Leading Change Stuns Golden Tempo | Kentucky Derby Guide: How the Road to Louisville Works

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After 30+ years around racehorses, I’ve put together a running list of riding boots, cowboy boots, ice boots, bits, bridles, and supplements I actually use and recommend on my own horses.

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Miles Henry, Louisiana Thoroughbred racehorse owner and author of Horse Racing Sense

Written by a Thoroughbred Owner

Louisiana-based Thoroughbred racehorse owner, breeder, and author with more than 30 years of hands-on experience. I hold a Louisiana racing license and have raced horses at Fair Grounds, Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs, and Louisiana Downs. Most articles are informed by horses I have owned, bought, or raced through Louisiana tracks and regional claiming circuits.

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Latest Horse Racing Articles

The Travers Didn’t Go to Either Triple Crown Winner

Golden Tempo came to Saratoga with the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes on his resume. Napoleon Solo had the Preakness. Neither got the Travers. Leading Change upset the 2026 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, running down Preakness winner Napoleon Solo in the final strides to win by a half-length in 2:02.98. Manuel Franco rode the Brad …
Thoroughbred racehorse galloping during a race.

2026 Travers Stakes Preview: Can Sea Strike Beat Golden Tempo?

The Travers Stakes gives Saratoga the matchup it wanted all summer: Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo against Jim Dandy winner Renegade. Haskell winner Baby Vino, Preakness winner Napoleon Solo, and Curlin Stakes winner Sea Strike add real depth behind the two established stars. The question is whether Renegade can turn the tables …
Racehorse in training, highlighting the importance of early detection in EPM

How Tall Is Your Horse? Learn to Measure It Correctly

Two inches can change how a horse looks on paper. At a sale, a 16-hand colt and a 15.2-hand colt may bring different expectations before they ever walk into the ring. In pony competition, even a small measurement difference can determine eligibility. Knowing how to measure a horse correctly is not just a technical detail …

The 2-Year-Olds Shaping the Early 2027 Derby Trail

The 2027 Road to the Kentucky Derby is underway, and the early 2-year-old picture has already shifted more than once. If you’re trying to sort out which colts matter right now and which early headlines deserve a little caution, here’s where things stand heading into October. No 2-year-old has separated himself yet, and one of …

About Horse Racing Sense

Horse Racing Sense is written by Miles Henry — a licensed Thoroughbred owner and breeder who has raced horses at Fair Grounds, Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs, and Louisiana Downs for decades. Every article on this site is grounded in hands-on ownership experience, not secondhand research.

The site covers horse racing betting, handicapping, racehorse ownership, breeding, and racing history. Our content has been referenced by Wikipedia, Inside Edition, and multiple publications. Miles has also appeared as a guest on podcasts discussing ownership, handicapping, and the realities of running horses at regional tracks.

If you're learning to handicap, thinking about claiming your first racehorse, or just following the sport seriously — this is the right place to start.