So with that introduction, here are my top three horses and my favorite long shot. We would LOVE to hear your choices in our comment section or on social media.

Top 3 Derby Picks

Emerging Market Win

So Happy Place/Show

Further Ado Place/Show

Favorite Longshot

Litmus Test

My Reasons

When I first started looking at this race about a month ago, So Happy was the horse I had a great deal of interest reading about. Santa Anita winner. Mike Smith jockey. Fast. But unproven at this length AND was not really challenged by other Derby horses. He piqued my interest first. Hate to throw away first impressions!

Further Ado is another horse that stood out. Winning the Blue Grass Stakes. Great rider in John Velazquez. Super fast but will he tire at the 1 ¼ mile Derby? He has won at Churchill before. If Jerry Bailey, a long-time jockey picks him as his winner, how can I not include him in my top 3?

But for me Emerging Market has my vote for claiming the 152nd Kentucky Derby. Flavien Prat riding, Chad Brown training and a championship pedigree. I am a bit concerned with only two starts. But both were wins, so there’s that!

I did not choose to include any Florida Derby entrants, like Commandment, Chief Wallaby and The Puma, which is usually one of the best predictors for Derby success. But I was high on The Puma until his scratch this morning. I had him in my top three!

I am waiting to make my Place and Show decision, though. 15-8-18 will be my trifecta, but could be 15-18-8. A statistical note: always pick a favorite in the trifecta. I believe 11 of the past 14 years the favorite has been in the top three.

Longshot

Now the longshot is different. I can see a few horses there. I picked Litmus Test because no one has been talking about this. Bob Baffert trained this horse and said early in the year this is his best horse to win. I know the colt’s last race was not great – a seventh-place finish against tough competition. But I like his four post position. He was one of the top horses in 2025. Yet, I am concerned if his rider, Martin Garcia, will get him quick out of the gate or cause havoc like in prior races? (See the Breeders Cup in 2014 and last year’s Derby!)

All told this could be one of the most fascinating and exciting Derby’s in year’s past. So make sure you are watching at 6:57 PM EST on NBC or the TwinSpires app or in the grandstand at Churchill Downs. 

Good luck to all!

Who do you have winning? Let us know!

The post My Derby Picks! appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Silent Tactic was scratched due to a foot injury after a morning session which seemed to be good. Mark Casse, Tactic’s trainer, said he was experiencing an issue “kind of like you ever get something under your nail.” A change of the horse’s shoes did not improve the situation

Originally in the 13th post position and with 38-1 odds, the colt was replaced by Great White, trained by John Ennis. Great White is in due to the horse’s standing in the points table. The horse will be in position 21.

Thursday, David Grening from the Daily Racing Form, announced that Fulleffort was a scratch with a chip left hind ankle. Ocelli moved into the 22nd position with the announcement. Trainer Whit Beckman and jockey Joseph Ramos hope the maiden horse (one who has never won) will overcome the odds where a maiden has never won the Derby.

Expect both horses to go off at 50-1 or worse!

WHO: Three-Year-Old horses

WHAT: The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby

WHEN: Saturday, May 2nd, Post time 6:57 PM EST.

WHERE: Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY

TRACK: 1 and 1/4 miles or 10 furlongs

PURSE: $5 million

TV: NBC, TwinSpires.com, Peacock

LAST YEAR WINNER: Sovereignty, Trainer (Bill Mott), Jockey (Junior Alvarado), Owner (GoDophin, Dubai)

The post Two Scratches for the Kentucky Derby appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Snacks

Pimento Cheese Spread

Courtesy of lairenslatest.com.

Do NOT buy store bought. Never. I have used my Master’s recipe which is divine. I will link it here. If you have a Pinterest account, drop me a DM (@petrorock44) and I can share it.

I also make homemade Amish sandwich bread and it’s a culinary delight!

Feeling adventurous? Try the Pimento Mac and Cheese. Just add the pimento cheese spread to elbow macaroni and pop it in the oven!

Cucumber canapes

tasteofhome.com

Louisville friends of mine say this is one of their parents and relatives favorites. Grab the small pumpernickel bread or puff pastry in your grocers refrigerated section. Careful though. Cukes have a higher water content so spread them on the bread/pasty just before serving to minimize the soggy factor.

Drinks

Mint Julep

It’s hard to find a drink more associated with a sporting event (even a social event) than the Kentucky Derby and Mint Juleps. But my suggestion is to make the mint sugar syrup in advance. I’ve had them muddled before. Good, but not that great. I’ve had them when the host SAID it was a sugar syrup, but my taste buds said…nope. Straight water.

MUST be bourbon. I had a person serve with whiskey and it’s just NOT the same! But buy the mint NOW. Stores will run out of this. I’m sure Trader Joe’s will make sure they have plenty! But don’t chance it. But it must be simple. No strawberry or mango or anything else. Classic. Period.

Try it mock style with unsweetened ice tea or maybe ginger ale! 

Main meal

Kentucky Hot Brown

When I was a restaurant manager and moved to Dayton, Ohio, we had similar sandwiches called Hot Shots. These hot browns are better! Thick, crusty bread. Turkey, bacon, tomatoes, and a mornay sauce. Sign me up! Wow!

Dessert

Kentucky Bourbon Pie. Whoa Nellie! What a treat!

We know this isn’t sports, per se. But it’s what we eat when we watch the Derby. Share with us what you like on Kentucky Derby day!

The post Your Kentucky Derby Fare! appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Bazzana making his debut. #GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/TKZ3WRlNNG

— Natalie (@nats_sportschat) April 28, 2026

Cleveland made room by optioning infielder Juan Brito to Triple-A Columbus. Perhaps turning to Bazzana as the club searches for a spark amid an uneven start and a lineup that had struggled for consistent contact and on-base production.

Bazzana gets the call

The 23-year-old left-handed hitter arrived from Columbus with a strong early-season line at Triple-A: a .287 average with a .422 on-base percentage and a .511 slugging percentage in 24 games. Plus eight stolen bases and a pile of extra-base hits that included 11 doubles. The combination of plate discipline and gap power convincing the Guardians the timing was right.

Bazzana said he learned of the promotion after Columbus’ doubleheader in Buffalo on Sunday and that a wave of family and mentors were able to make the trip for the moment. He also didn’t shy away from the expectations that come with being a top pick. “It’s the beautiful part of it,” Bazzana said before the game. “I’ve worked really hard to be in a place where there is expectations and pressure… Any expectations that are out there, I have just as great for myself.”

Manager Stephen Vogt said the decision was both need-driven and performance-based, noting the club wanted “a little jolt” and liked what it saw from Bazzana’s at-bats in Triple-A. Vogt’s message for the rookie was simple: “Go have fun,” he said, adding that Bazzana had earned the day he’d pictured since childhood.

A long way from Australia

Bazzana, a native of Hornsby, Australia, became the first player born outside the United States to be selected No. 1 overall when Cleveland took him out of Oregon State. His climb accelerated despite a 2025 season interrupted by an oblique strain, and the Guardians have viewed him as a potential long-term fixture in the infield. Their most anticipated position-player debut since Francisco Lindor’s arrival a decade earlier.

For his walkup song, he chose “Down Under” to pay homage to Australia and talked about it postgame.

Travis talked about choosing his walk up song for his MLB debut. (And why “Waltzing Matilda” wasn’t it) pic.twitter.com/mbFRXYZyLF

— Natalie (@nats_sportschat) April 29, 2026

Bazzana went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks (one intentional) and a strikeout in the Guardians 1-0 loss to the Rays.

For Cleveland, the call-up is as much about stabilizing second base as it is about injecting upside. With Bazzana in the middle infield, the Guardians can keep their best bats in the lineup more consistently and focus on the slumping offense.

The post Guardians call up top pick Travis Bazzana for major league debut in Cleveland appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Currently, Silent Tactic sits at 25-1. At post position 13, the horse owned by John C. Oxley has a 6.4% chance of winning in that spot and a 21.8% chance of being in the money according to history of the “lucky” 13 spot! Jockey Christian Torres will attempt to be a first-time winner on his bay colt. 

Casse’s story

Getty Images

But for Casse, this race is his passion. And training horses is pretty much all he knows.

Training horses, it’s like flying a plane. As long as everything’s going fine, you’re good. But when you hit trouble, it’s nice to have the pilot that’s been doing it for 35 years. And that’s me.

Mark Casse was 12 years old when he went with his dad to the Hall of Fame for Horseracing. “Some day I’ll be in here,” he told his dad. I’m sure his dad told him kindly, “Sure thing, son.” What dad who’s son shared his love for horses wouldn’t?

Mark spent his teen years working on his training license which he received at 17. His first winner? Solid Rocket, September 23, 1978. In the mid 1980’s Casse decided to head to Canada. “Kind of got a little burnt out on it all.” He was still training in the US at Churchill Downs and Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky prior to the official move to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. His move to the Great White North paid dividends as a 12 time winner of trainer of the year. After roughly 3000 wins, he was honored as the 2016 inductee in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. And in 2020 he found himself in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, like his 12 year old self relayed to his dad those forty plus years ago.

2019 and Casse’s first Triple Crown Victory!

Casse finally grabbed his first Triple Crown win with War of Will at the 2019 Preakness. In the Derby just a few weeks prior, Mark’s horse finished officially 7th after the disqualification of Maximum Security, who had drifted into Casse’s horse in the homestretch, leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione to pull his horse back to avoid the collision. The Preakness was a crowning affair!

It was so important to win it. I just wanted him to get his chance to show everyone how good he is because he is a super horse. We thought we were going to win it two years ago [with Classic Empire] and we got beat at the wire so I kept trying to figure out where the wire was. 

A winner in Baltimore!

But then, that wasn’t the only Triple Crown race Casse would win. Enter the Belmont! Casse had two entries in the race. Sir Winston, who eventually won in a tight battle, and War of Will who finished 9th. There was some discussion at the end of the race that Sir Winston’s jockey, Joel Rosario, had pinched War of Will down the homestretch. The stewards at the Kentucky Derby felt the disqualification was merited for their race, while the Belmont folks felt differently. So the final stood and Casse won two of the three Triple Crown races in 2019.

Interestingly the horse that Sir Winston beat? Tacitus, who happens to be Silent Tactic’s stud father! You can’t make this craziness up sometimes!

Casse lifetime statistics as of 2026.

Starts 25,524

Firsts 4,178

Places 3,794

Shows 3,346

Total Earnings $279,027,411

In 2026 alone, Mark has amassed 58 wins in 367 starts. As of April 28, his winnings this year total $6,886,383. But he has never won the Kentucky Derby. He hopes to fix that with his horse, Silent Tactic.

Silent Tactic

(Renee Torbit/Coady Media)

Casse entered his horse in six races this season, which also happened to be the ONLY six he’s ever raced in. His results? Two wins and four places! A great start for Tactic. His first two races were at Woodbine in Canada and garnered his first win in his first race and a 2nd in his second on the all-weather surface. 

Casse then decided upon an interesting strategy for the colt. Let’s race him at Oaklawn in the dirt for the others. Oaklawn is considered one of the tracks closest to what a horse and jockey will face at Churchill Downs for the Derby. Tactic often starts slowly which could impact his ability Saturday. But no one questions his ability to close with speed and power. But as Mark said today to the Courier Herald, “We need the perfect storm.” If he’s at the 5/16th pole in fourth or better, Tactic can fly and have a chance. Torres needs to keep him in the middle of the pack for most of the race then let him gallop to the wire, as Mark shared with reporters.

Courtesy of https://www.americasbestracing.net/horses/silent-tactic

Other Derby Challengers

Silent Tactic has raced other entries in the Derby like Strategic Risk and early favorite Renegade. In fact, Silent Tactic is the only horse to have run all four of the Derby prep races this year. First, in the Smarty Jones Stakes he finished 2nd. Southwest Stakes he won. The Rebel Stakes saw him have the lead but lost to Class President, a horse injured and not available for the Derby. And he really didn’t have a chance in the Arkansas Derby against Renegade where again he finished second. But to race in all four is an impressive and “old school” feat.

Pace? Tactic’s got it!

Silent’s speed overall is not overwhelming due to poor to average starts in his six races. But in his last two starts his Equibase numbers were 99 and 101, solid numbers for a Derby favorite. But for context, Renegade’s win in Arkansas nabbed a 107 rating.

But you see why Mark is so keen on the horse. Six races and in the money in all? Incredible. He is improving each race. But was Silent Tactic part of the group’s “A-team”? No. I will let Mark share his feelings on the horse in this interview a few days ago. Go to the 5:32 mark to hear his story on how Tactic made the decision for Oxley, Casse and Torres. He also hits on a key idea to watch Saturday: Does this field have pace?

Bottom Line

I really like this horse, jockey, and trainer. But it just seems like too many variables to overcome. Indeed, a perfect storm could push the colt to the finish line. But I like my chances taking him to place or show. Yet, if a horse can pull off this incredible feat, it will be one trained by Mark. 

“Sometimes you just got to let these horses…come into their own.”

The post Mark Casse: A 40 Year Overnight Sensation and His Horse! appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Favorites for the Derby

The early favorite for the Derby is Renegade, who grabbed the first post position. Trainer Todd Pletcher’s horse is 4-1 as of Sunday morning. Next are two Brad Cox trained horses. Further Ado (6-1) in the 18th position and Commandment 6th. Chief Wallabee rounds out the early favorites, riding in at 8-1 and in the 12 post position.

Notes on the Derby

Technically there are 24 horses potentially. If any horse in the main draw of 20 scratches, any one of the four will step in. Right now, in order from 21-24th, the horses on the eligible list include Great White, Ocelli, Robusta, and Corona de Oro.

Nineteen of the twenty entries listed currently have ties to Secretariat. Last year all twenty were from the great horse!

Bob Baffert is back in the house again! After serving a suspension for his horse Medina Spirit’s disqualification back in 2021, the hall-of-fame trainer is gunning for a seventh Kentucky Derby winner. His horse, Potente, sits in 10th place on the points list. He also has Litmus Test running this year. Last year was technically his first back at Churchill Downs, but one of his horses was a scratch and Citizen Bull ended 15th.

Every year there are great stories. This year could be a plethora of them. So Happy, trained by Mark Glatt, is right up there for fans of the race. He has two wins this year (San Vincente and Santa Anita Derby) but you will have to wait for the rest of the story!

Another fascinating story is Danon Bourbon, who won most of the his in Japan. This horse is a stalker, a horse that loves to lay back, keep pace, then make their move. He has raced different styles and can be an interesting and lucrative Derby bet.

From https://db.netkeiba.com/horse/2023110038/

Which brings us to another gem that of Riley Mott, son of last year’s winning trainer, Bill Mott. The younger Mott has two horses in this race, Albus and Incredibolt, both part of the Pin Oak Stud farm owned by Dana Bernhard in her first Kentucky Derby! And the story of her husband’s death and the challenges they have overcome might make you a bit teary eyed.

So stay with us this week as we prepare you for the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports!

WHO: Three-Year-Old horses

WHAT: The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby

WHEN: Saturday, May 2nd, Post time 6:57 PM EST.

WHERE: Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY

TRACK: 1 and 1/4 miles or 10 furlongs

PURSE: $5 million

TV: NBC, TwinSpires.com, Peacock

LAST YEAR WINNER: Sovereignty, Trainer (Bill Mott), Jockey (Junior Alvarado), Owner (GoDophin, Dubai)

The post 2026 Kentucky Derby is a week away! appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

It was another good night at the 2026 NFL Draft for the Cleveland Browns. On Day 2 and rounds 2 and 3 the Browns drafted big wide receiver Denzel Boston from Washington with pick No. 39. They then made a trade with the San Francisco 49ers and moved up in the same round to draft safety Emmanuel McNeil- Warren from Toledo with pick No. 58. Cleveland also took another offensive tackle Austin Barber with the No. 86 pick.

After Day 1 and the 1st round of the draft where the Browns took tackle Spencer Fano and wide receiver KC Concepcion, these latest moves are making the new and improved Browns much better for new head coach Todd Monken well before the first snap in Week 1.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry has continued his hot streak of drafting great football players. In last year’s draft, Berry helped draft linebacker Carson Schwesinger, defensive tackle Mason Graham, running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin.

The newly drafted wide receiver Boston was projected by many football analysts as a 1st round talent but slipped into the 2nd round where the Browns were quick to grab him. He had an excellent career at Washington. This past season he caught 62 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s a big receiver standing at 6’4 and has speed and good route running skills to separate from his opponent. With his size he was also able to win on those 50/50 jump balls thrown by the quarterback.

That ability to stretch the field but also get in the passer windows closer to the line of scrimmage and win those short routes make him an intriguing talent.

Considering Cleveland had last drafted a wide receiver in the 1st round back in 2016 when they chose Corey Coleman out of Baylor, taking Boston at the No. 39 pick and Concepcion in the 1st round make what the Browns are prioritizing even more interesting.

There were some Cleveland fans that were disappointed on Day 1 of the draft when their team passed up safety Caleb Downs of Ohio State. Well, that disappointment might have subsided some when the Browns drafted Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, a safety out of Toledo with pick No. 58. McNeil-Warren was considered by many projections as the second or third best at the safety position.

McNeil-Warren is considered one of the best at his position because of his flexibility at the safety position. He’s excellent at covering at the line but also dropping back into pass coverage. He collected 214 tackles, 11 for losses, deflected 13 passes and had five interceptions. He also forced nine fumbles and recovered two of them.

It’s been a great first two days for the Browns in this draft. The draft will continue on Saturday with rounds 4-7. Stay tuned!

The post Browns win Day 2 of the NFL Draft appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

The Cleveland Browns scored big on the first night of the 2026 NFL Draft. The team selected Spencer Fano a left tackle from Utah with their No.9 pick. Cleveland then took wide receiver KC Concepcion from Texas A&M at the No. 24 pick.

There had been a lot of buildup to this year’s draft for Browns fans as many of them hoped that they would draft local product wide receiver Carnell Tate out of Ohio State. However, Tate was taken by the Tennessee Titans in a surprise selection at the No.4 pick.

Cleveland had the No.6 pick and ended up making a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs who took Cleveland’s pick at 6. In exchange the Browns got new picks at No. 9, No.74, and No.148.

With that No.9 pick Browns chose to go with the offensive tackle in Fano instead of going for a wide receiver or another Ohio State player like safety Caleb Downs.

The Browns need to build their team in the trenches to  help protect their starting quarterback of the future. So, the selection of Fano is a good step in the right direction. NFL draft projections had Fano as one of the top one or two offensive tackles. With the Browns, adding other free agent offensive lineman like Zion Johnson in recent weeks this only helps steady the offensive line.

Cleveland definitely needs to fill many gaps. They have many glaring needs, especially on the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver.

Photo via Imagn Images

Drafting Concepcion is another good foot forward in giving their offense a boost. It’s only the third time in recent Cleveland draft history that they’ve taken a wide receiver in the first round. The team drafted wide receiver Corey Coleman back in 2016 and Braylen Edwards in 2005.

Concepcion was considered a first or second round pick by most NFL draft predictions so the Browns taking him at pick No.24 was a good selection. He has exceptional speed and the ability to separate from his defender.. He will give the Browns offense and their quarterback a new weapon to hopefully open up the field.

He collected over 2200 yards receiving and 25 touchdowns in his time at Texas A&M and North Carolina State. This past season he caught 61 passes for 919 yards.

He also took back kicks and punts for the Aggies, and he could be used that way by the Browns as well next season.

So, the Browns’ first day at the draft was considered a success. Let’s see what the team does in round two and three beginning on Friday night followed by rounds 4-7 on Saturday..

The post Browns score a touchdown with their 1st Round picks appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Of note, school consolidations are anticipated this summer within Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Youngstown City School District, which will result in some schools within those districts being reclassified into higher divisions. The OHSAA annually sets September 10 as the date to collect enrollment data from new schools and schools that have consolidations.

Starting Monday, schools will have a two-week window to opt up to Division I, per OHSAA bylaw 2-1-1, which could result in additional changes to divisional assignments.

Prior to those consolidations and potential opt-ups, the current 2026 divisions and regions are posted at: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Football/Football-2026

2026 OHSAA Football – Report Showing All Schools

A total of 37 schools moved up a division from their 2025 assignment, which is due to the 2026-27 school year being the start of a new two-year base enrollment cycle, and/or also the OHSAA’s competitive balance process.

Schools can have up to 13 days of practice without pads during the summer, beginning May 15. An additional five days are permitted beginning July 15 for schools to complete the mandatory five-day acclimatization period. The OHSAA does not set a limit on physical fitness and conditioning workouts in the summer.

2026 OHSAA Football Divisional Breakdowns

Division Adjusted Enrollment          Number of Teams

I              601 and more                     72

II             356 to 600                          106

III            257 to 355                          106

IV            197 to 256                          104

V             150 to 198                          105

VI            107 to 149                          107

VII           148 and less                        108

               Total Teams                        708

2026 OHSAA Football Calendar

Summer Period: May 15 through July 31 (13 practices permitted, plus five days for acclimation)

Practice Begins – August 1

Regular-Season Begins – Week of August 17 (first Friday is August 21)

Regular-Season Ends – Saturday night, October 24

Playoff Qualifiers Announced – Sunday, October 25

Regional First Round – Friday, October 30

Regional Quarterfinals  – Friday, November 6

Regional Semifinals – Friday, November 13

Regional Finals – Friday, November 20

State Semifinals – Friday, November 27

State Championships – December 3-5, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton

OHSAA Official Press Release

The post OHSAA Announces 2026 Football Divisions and Regions appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

This is the first time in franchise history that Cleveland has had two players earn Player of the Week honors within the first four weeks of the season.

Chase DeLauter has been named the A.L. Player of the week.

It’s the first one for a Guardian not named Jose Ramirez since Josh Naylor in 2024.

— Al Pawlowski (@AlPawlowski) March 30, 2026

Ramirez’s nine  awards are the 5th-most among active MLB players, trailing Detroit’s Justin Verlander (10), LA Dodger’s Freddie Freeman
(10), LA Dodger’s Shohei Ohtani (10) and NY Yankee’s Aaron Judge (15).

From April 13-18, Ramirez hit .364 (8-for-22) with one double four home runs, five RBI, eight walks, five steals, nine runs and a 1.488 OPS.

Ramirez owned a .133 (6-for-45) batting average with one home run, five RBI and a .464 OPS through his first 12 games of the season. However, over his last 12 games since April 8, Ramirez is hitting .333 (14-for-42) with five home runs, seven RBI, eight stolen bases, 12
walks, 14 runs scored and a 1.279 OPS. Over this stretch, he ranks T1st in MLB in runs, T1st in steals, 2nd in OBP, T3rd in walks and
T5th in home runs.

Ramirez is two walks away from tying Andre Thornton (685) for 8th-most in club history. The records keep stacking up for Cleveland’s beloved third baseman.

The post Jose Ramirez named American League Player of the Week breaking another franchise record appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.