Churchill Downs Racetrack
In the competition for the Oliver Lewis Leading Jockey Award, which honors the jockey with the most wins in the year across spring, September, and fall racing at Churchill Downs, Jose Ortiz was leading with 106 wins to Luis Saez’s 83 as of Friday’s races. In the contest for the Ansel Williamson Leading Trainer Award, Brad Cox led with 43 wins over Joe Sharp’s 36. Godolphin held a lead of 19 to 15 against David Jacobson for the Henry Price McGrath Leading Owner Award.
California’s seaside track is hosting the FanDuel Fall Turf Festival this weekend, featuring over a dozen shippers entering eight stakes races in the final three days of the Bing Crosby season. However, FedEx received notice from the FAA to suspend horse air transport operations for inspection and repairs on their MD-11 cargo planes—key for moving Thoroughbreds nationwide—following a tragic UPS plane crash earlier in Louisville. Despite this, of the 13 horses scheduled for farm arrival this weekend, only one failed to arrive, forcing trainer Todd Pletcher to withdraw his colt Noble Confessor from Saturday’s Hollywood Derby due to canceled flights. The other 12 horses managed to arrive or were already at the venue by Tuesday’s deadline.
David Jerkens shared that FedEx contact Tex Sutton is coordinating efforts, noting that although all flights were reportedly unaffected Tuesday, uncertainty remained. Now the challenge is how horses will return after Sunday, especially those heading back to the East Coast. Trainer Chad Brown, with three horses at Del Mar, explained they’ll have to transport the horses back by van and are still organizing the logistics. While inconvenient, Brown added that the timing isn’t disastrous as the horses would have rested post-race regardless. Assistant trainer Dominic Boccia confirmed that filly Sweet Little Lila will travel back by van instead of plane, likely taking a winter break at home.
Trainers Graham Motion, Miguel Clement, Michael Stidham, and Saffie Joseph Jr. are among those working through these transportation challenges. FedEx remains the sole provider of equine air travel in the U.S., operating 28 MD-11 aircraft, which they usually halt horse flights mid-December through the New Year for the holidays. Jerkens took a positive outlook, pointing out how fortunate the timing was not to impact the Breeders’ Cup.
Oaklawn Park
At Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the winter meet is projected to average over $900,000 wagered daily from 2025 to 2026. According to Jason Milligan, Oaklawn’s Horse Racing Director, combined statistics from the holiday season and classic racing will determine the 2025-2026 champions for both horses and humans.
Trainer Kenny McPeek highlighted the $250,000 Smarty Jones race on January 3 for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn, the first of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races at the track. Sleeping Gon Freedom, a Kentucky mare out of Siesta by Tiznow, earned her starting allowance at Churchill Downs with a win at Keeneland on October 11. McPeek purchased her for $60,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September foal sale.
Fan Take: This update not only shines a light on top jockey, trainer, and owner performances but also highlights the unprecedented challenge posed by FedEx’s suspension of horse flights, impacting transport logistics and race participation. It underscores the resilience and adaptability of the horse racing community while hinting at potential long-term changes in how horses are moved, making this a pivotal moment for the sport’s operational future.
