Immigrant workers at Churchill Downs fear deportation The backside of Churchill Downs hums with activity as workers clean stalls, bathe horses and lead the muscular animals on strolls to cool them down after workouts. The quiet is broken when they speak to each other and the horses — in Spanish. Though they do their work a world away from the grandstand and Millionaire's Row, where fans will sip mint juleps, don fancy hats and cheer for their Kentucky Derby favorites on the first Saturday in May, immigrants have become indispensable at Churchill Downs and other tracks, people in the industry say. Now, fear is spreading that a Trump administration crackdown on immigration will be a calamity both for the tracks and for many of their workers. While there's widespread acknowledgement that some jobs go to undocumented workers, many trainers rely on the H-2B visa program to supply immigrant workers legally, and the tightening of that program has contributed to a worker shortage. read more http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2017/...kers-at-churchill-downs-fear-deportation.html
Brooklyn connections run deep for Kentucky Derby favorite They met on the sandlots of Brooklyn in 1966. One was 9 years old, the other 7. They snuck into Aqueduct and Belmont Park, but mostly cherished the Mets, Knicks and Rangers. This Williamsburg friendship has lasted 51 years. Two years ago, they joined forces in the horse racing business and now their stable called “Brooklyn Boyz’’ heads to Louisville this week with one of the two favorites to win Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Anthony Bonomo and Vinnie Viola, with their wives, own Always Dreaming, the 3-year-old dark bay colt who captured the April 1 Grade 1 Florida Derby. He will be either the favorite or second choice to Classic Empire when the morning line is set at Churchill Downs during Wednesday’s post-position draw. Read more http://nypost.com/2017/04/30/brooklyn-connections-run-deep-for-kentucky-derby-favorite/
Kentucky Derby 2017: Early Odds and Predictions for Entire Entry Lineup Tensions are bubbling and excitement levels are rising as the opening leg of this year's Triple Crown gets under way with the 2017 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville this Saturday. "The Fastest Two Minute in Sports" will mark the return of the most eagerly anticipated period in the American horse-racing calendar and bring a climactic end to a fortnight of action at the Kentucky Derby Festival. Classic Empire features among the favourites running in this year's meeting, but Always Dreaming and Irish War Cry are following up closely in the odds ahead of what's sure to be close run this year Read more http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-odds-and-predictions-for-entire-entry-lineup
