1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Bob Baffert Hints Kentucky Derby May Run in June or September Due to COVID-19 Concerns
Legendary horse trainer Bob Baffert has made many headlines regarding his sport's signature race in the past. He did so again on Saturday, but his remarks had nothing to do with his two horses that ran during the day. Rather, he shed...
Indiana Orders State-Licensed Casinos, Tracks to Close by Monday, Tribal Four Winds Plans to Remain Open
Indiana became the latest state to close its casinos, when the state’s regulatory body announced on Saturday that all gaming venues would close temporarily to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. The move will affect the 10 state-licensed casinos, two racinos,...
Nadal Favored in Rebel Stakes as Road to Kentucky Derby Makes Stop at Oaklawn
A week after Bob Baffert scored a big victory with Authentic in the San Felipe Stakes, the legendary trainer rolls out another one of his big Kentucky Derby contenders Saturday at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming. Nadal is the 5-2 favorite for the...
Illinois, Ohio Casinos to Close as the Two Midwestern States Fight the Spread of COVID-19
First, it was the sports world that felt the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. Now, it’s the casinos' turn in Illinois and Ohio. On Friday, casinos in Illinois received notice from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) that they...
Coronavirus Pandemic Ushers In ‘Unprecedented’ Time as US Sportsbooks Adjust To No Leagues
This weekend should have been some of the best days on the sports betting calendar. Friday would have seen most of the major college basketball conferences hold their tournament semifinals, with the possibility of Duke-Florida State and Louisville-Virginia matchups in the ACC...
March Madness Muted: COVID-19 Outbreak Forces NCAA to Cancel College Basketball Tournaments
March Madness became a casualty to the coronavirus pandemic, as the NCAA announced the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments, as well as other winter championships, would be canceled. The news came just a day after NCAA President Mark Emmert initially announced...
Coronavirus Concerns Prompt NCAA to Ban Fans from March Madness Tournament, NBA Suspends Season After Player Tests Positive
The US sporting world Wednesday was thrown into the chaos, as fears grew about coronavirus spreading led to numerous announcements and reports. It prompted the NCAA to announced that the association’s upcoming championship events – including the men’s and women’s Division I...
Kentucky Sports Betting Bill Sponsor Remains Optimistic as It Awaits Floor Vote
The Kentucky state House of Representatives passed a nearly $24 billion budget plan last week. While that spending proposal did not include potential revenues from sports betting, the lawmaker leading the charge to legalize the activity isn’t deterred. State Rep. Adam Koenig...
Maximum Security Trainer Jason Servis Among 27 Facing Federal Charges in Horse Racing Doping Scheme
Trainer Jason Servis faces up to five years in federal prison, as he’s one of 27 individuals charged in a scheme to administer illegal performance-enhancing drugs to several racehorses. That includes Maximum Security, a winner of multiple graded stakes races, who ended...
Kentucky Derby Futures Bettors Believe in Baffert-Trained Authentic After Winning San Felipe Saturday
With Saturday’s three Kentucky Derby preps now behind us, it appears Tiz the Law now has a competitor to be the favorite when the horses gather in Louisville on May 2. And his name is Authentic. The Bob Baffert-trained colt cruised to...
