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Defector


<p>A founding member of the Billings, Montana-to-Brooklyn sportswriting pipeline, Patrick Sauer has written for many large digital publications you’ve heard of and even more smaller ones that no longer exist. Check out his work at <a href="http://patricksauer.contently.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://patricksauer.contently.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1782568830003000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2lJRPIa8YxoLI3taZ9zsro">patricksauer.contently.com</a> or follow him on Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pjsauer.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bsky.app/profile/pjsauer.bsky.social&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1782568830003000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1pDFKunGJ4lkfhBy4EMrEt">@pjsauer.bsky.social</a>.</p>


Patrick Sauer

Horse Racing

A Final Day At Aqueduct, New York’s Forlorn And Forgotten Racetrack

Kathryn Xu

A racegoer holds an umbrella which is inside out on Grand National Day of the Randox Grand National Festival 2026 at Aintree Racecourse.

Life's Rich Pageant

Please Enjoy These Photos Of Damp And Drunk People At An English Horse Race

Dave McKenna

Jockey Umberto Rispoli crosses the finish line on Journalism #2 to ahead of jockey Luis Saez and Gosger #9 win the 150th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 17, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Journalism Finally Meets Its Deadline, Wins The Preakness

One Last Trip To Pimlico, A Dead And Damned Racetrack

Ray Ratto

Journalism, who is a horse, is washed during the morning training for the 151th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 30, 2025.

Are You Sure You Want To Bet On Journalism?

A racegoer relaxes on day two of the Grand National Festival horse race meeting at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, north-west England, on April 4, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Please Enjoy These Photos Of Drunk People At An English Horse Race

Racegoers fight each other as they scuffle on the second day of the Grand National Festival horse race meeting at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, north-west England, on April 12, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

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Pat Robertson, Anti-Gaming Crusader And Horse Racing Enthusiast, Is Dead

Albert Burneko

Horses race in the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs

Horse Racing To Hide Somewhere Else Until Storm Blows Over

Barry Petchesky

That’s Too Many Dead Horses

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

You Simply Must Hoot And Holler At The Zooming Horse

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 12: Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness entrant Medina Spirit is bathed following a training session for the upcoming Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 12, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Dead Horse Guilty


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

A horse track that's all dark except from the reflection from the scoreboard

The Neigh-t The Lights Went Out

DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 05: Jockey William Buick rides Modern Games after Albahr in the two hole wouldn't load into the starting gate before the start of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Race Track on November 05, 2021 in Del Mar, California.

Breeders’ Cup Fiasco Ruins Bettors’ Friday Night

Patrick Redford

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 02: Kentucky Derby Trainer Bob Baffert looks on during morning workouts in preparation for the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Bob Baffert Admits Horse’s Butt Fungus Treatment, Not Cancel Culture Nor Pee Whoopsie, Caused Positive Test

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 03: Kentucky Derby trainer Bob Baffert looks on before the 145th running of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Bob Baffert: My Horse Is The Victim Of Both Cancel Culture And Some Hay With Bad Pee On It

David Roth

Medina Spirit leads down the stretch at the 147th Kentucky Derby.

Florida Blogger: Even The Horses Are Junkies Now That Trump Is Not President Anymore

<div class="gmail_default">
<div class="gmail_default">Ryan Goldberg is an award-winning journalist and author who has written for <i>Texas Monthly</i>, The Intercept, <i>The</i> <i>New York Times</i>, <i>Popular Science</i>, and ProPublica, among many other publications. Some of his best stories ran in the old Deadspin. He lives in Brooklyn, and leads regular walks for the Brooklyn Bird Club. You can find more of his work at <a href="http://ryangoldberg.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://ryangoldberg.net&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758917926877000&amp;usg=AOvVaw04lh06uBoaa598nfG5ro-G">ryangoldberg.net</a>.</div>
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Ryan Goldberg

Is Horse Racing Still Too Big To Fail?

Samer Kalaf

Second Dead Horse Sat On

CHELTENHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Trainer Gordon Elliott on the gallops at Cheltenham Racecourse on March 08, 2020 in Cheltenham, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Defector Up All Night

Champion Horse Trainer On Photo Of Him Sitting On A Dead Horse: I Had To Take A Call, My Bad