Down the Stretch for March 23, 2026

Pietro Moran continues to sizzle in Hallandale. Trainers Kevin Attard, Steve Owens and Marty Drexler were winning at Gulfstream. Melanie Giddings scored at Aqueduct. There were two Kentucky Derby Preps - the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway and the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds each offered 100 points to the winner. No one wins more races than Bruno Schickedanz, but he tells Down The Stretch he does not believe he’s favoured to win the Sovereign as Canada’s Outstanding Owner, Bruno has a horse named Hunt Master who did something in two consecutive races we have never seen before. What we have seen before is James Macdonald winning in big numbers at Mohawk. MacDonald talks about how he and his fellow horsemen raised money last weekend for the family of driver Hunter Myers. Another harness driver, J.R. Plante found the winners circle for the 3000th time and tells us now that he’s getting more comfortable at Mohawk, his passion for driving has been reignited.