John Cherwa is a special contributor to the Los Angeles Times. He started at The Times in 1980 and left in 1995 to be sports editor of the Chicago Tribune and Tribune Co. sports coordinator in 2002. He rejoined The Times in 2009 and left his post as deputy sports editor late in 2017. Currently, his major coverage area is horse racing, where he can be found at big races at Santa Anita, the Triple Crown series and Breeders’ Cup. He also can be found at the Olympics, having just finished the Tokyo and Beijing double, marking his 11th Olympics. Cherwa also contributes general interest stories from Florida.
Latest From This Author
Churchill Downs indicates it will not revisit Justify’s win in 2018 after court rules horse should be disqualified in Santa Anita Derby.
Dec. 2, 2023
A judge rules Triple Crown winner Justify should have received a potential disqualifying ruling after testing positive. He finished his career undefeated.
Dec. 1, 2023
Del Mar will host the Breeders’ Cup two years in a row after getting the 2025 event. Southern California will host the event for three consecutive years.
Nov. 8, 2023
Cody Dorman, 17, dies a day after his namesake, Cody’s Wish, wins his second Breeders’ Cup race. He died of a medical event on a flight from Los Angeles to Kentucky.
Nov. 6, 2023
After being involved in a long saga that involved its trainer being suspended and a transfer of ownership, White Abarrio wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Nov. 4, 2023
Fierceness win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by more than six lengths, giving trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez an upset win over Bob Baffert.
Nov. 3, 2023
Bob Baffert’s Arabian Knight is the favorite in the $6-million Breeders’ Cup Classic. There are no Triple Crown race winners in the field of 12.
Nov. 3, 2023
Bob Baffert has three starters in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. With 18, he is two wins away from tying Wayne Lukas for most number of lifetime wins.
Nov. 2, 2023
Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Geaux Rocket Ride is euthanized four days after a rare reaction to surgery. It’s the second Cup horse to die this week.
Nov. 1, 2023
Deaths at Churchill Downs, Belmont Park and Saratoga Park have Santa Anita trying to stop a trend, but another horse was euthanized Wednesday ahead of Breeders’ Cup.
Nov. 1, 2023