Zayat Stables' Jaycito, who has been battling a right front foot bruise for several days, was scratched from the April 9 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).
Friday, April 08, 2011
The Factor, a flashy, front-running winner of the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) last month, has officially been confirmed for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 16 at Oaklawn Park.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Gilded Gem closed from last on the far outside to win the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes (gr. III) April 2 at Santa Anita Park, registering her first stakes victory for trainer Bob Baffert.
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Premier Pegasus, Jaycito, and Bench Points had strong works April 3 in preparation for the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 9.
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Bob Baffert is going to be tough to beat in the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita April 2. The Hall of Fame trainer entered half the field, including the potent pair of Gilded Gem and Mother Ruth.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Bob Baffert confirmed March 30 that he is leaning toward the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) for The Factor, but was still non-committal about what race his other Kentucky Derby (gr. I) contender, Jaycito, would point toward.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Plum Pretty, shipping from Southern California for trainer Bob Baffert, humbled five rivals by a Rachel Alexandra-like 25 lengths as the 1-20 favorite in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks in New Mexico March 27.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert says Rebel Stakes (gr. II) winner The Factor being considered for both the Arkansas and Santa Anita Derbies.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Add The Factor to this year's list of serious contenders on the Triple Crown trail. The brilliant colt, trained by Bob Baffert, proved his ability to get a route of ground with a crushing win in the Rebel Stakes March 19.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Business picked up during the second and final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training, which concluded with a slight decrease in average and a 24% buy-back rate.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Trainer Bob Baffert said he felt like his son, Bode, in Toys "R" Us when client Kaleem Shah purchased a muscular Flatter colt for $925,000 early during the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Arnold Zetcher's Always a Princess, who cracked both sesamoids during the running of the Santa Margarita Invitational, is resting comfortably following surgery March 13 at the Equine Medical Center in Cypress.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Bob Baffert is hoping to get an invitation to the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) for Game On Dude, while he will keep Misremembered stateside and point for the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II).
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Making his first start since winning last year's Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), Misremembered showed little sign of rust in capturing the $80,200 Santana Mile Stakes by three lengths at Santa Anita March 6.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Still simmering from the non-call by stewards in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) following a rough stretch run March 5, trainer Richard Mandella reported that runner-up Setsuko sustained an injured left front leg.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Game On Dude survived a 12-minute stewards' inquiry to win the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) by a nose over Setsuko March 5, making Chantal Sutherland the first female jockey to win the race in 74 renewals.
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Just five 3-year-old fillies are entered in the $250,000 Santa Anita Oaks March 5, but three of them are grade I winners: Turbulent Descent, Zazu, and A Z Warrior.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Bob Baffert said Feb. 22 that he is leaning toward the $800,000 Sunland Derby (gr. III) on March 27 for The Factor's next start. The Rebel (gr. II) on March 19 is the second choice.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Odds-on The Factor showed his speedy reputation is no hype when he turned back a good group of 3-year-olds in winning the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) by three-quarters of a length at Santa Anita Feb. 20
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Always a Princess reprised her front-running victory over champion Blind Luck last month when she kicked away at the head of the stretch and scored a convincing 3 1/4-length win in the $147,000 La Canada Stakes Feb. 13.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Factor went postward as one of the most hyped two-year-old maidens of the year. A TrueNicks pedigree profile.
Game On Dude, idle since finishing fourth to Drosselmeyer in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) last June, returned to action at Santa Anita Jan. 27 with a sparkling victory as trainer Bob Baffert continued on his torrid pace.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Trainer Bob Baffert continued his domination of the young 2011 Santa Anita meet when Euroears scored an easy front-running 2 1/4-length upset in the $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 22.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Jockey Martin Garcia, arriving from Mexico following an absence of more than two months, worked five horses at Hollywood Park on the morning of Jan. 22, agent Jim Pegram reported.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Lookin At Lucky became the first horse since Spectacular Bid to be named champion 2-year-old male and 3-year-old male. The son of Smart Strike won the Preakness (gr. I), IZOD Haskell (gr. I), and two grade II stakes.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Always a Princess sprinted away in the lane over Santa Anita's speed-favoring main track and easily captured the $150,000 El Encino Stakes (gr. II) to spoil the 2011 debut of odds-on choice Blind Luck Jan. 16.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Indian Firewater refused to give way in the final strides when challenged on the far outside by stablemate Tweebster to give trainer Bob Baffert his fourth victory in the $150,000 San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita Jan. 15.
Saturday, January 15, 2011Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tapizar will be the likely favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Sham Stakes (gr. III) based off his dominating 10 1/2-length maiden victory in November at Churchill.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
In what amounted to little more than a paid workout, Kaleem Shah's highly-regarded 3-year-old filly May Day Rose handled a pair of rivals to win the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 9 at Santa Anita Park.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Two weeks after breaking his maiden in track record time, the speedy 3-year-old zipped through five furlongs on Santa Anita's dirt track Jan. 9 in :58 flat under former jockey Joe Steiner.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
May Day Rose was unable to stay with Turbulent Descent in the Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) in December, but the daughter of Rockport Harbor should bounce back against four rivals in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes Jan. 9.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Lenny and Steve discuss the Robert J. Frankel Stakes, the breathalyzer tests at Gulfstream Park, and remember Edward Evans. Plus, comments from Bob Baffert on the new dirt at Santa Anita.
Baffert is loaded with top 2-year-olds, including impressive maiden winner The Factor...
Despite being pounded by rain for a fourth consecutive day, Santa Anita's new natural dirt main track opened for training with sunshine and partly cloudy skies on the morning of Dec. 23.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Lookin At Lucky, the 2009 champion 2-year-old male and winner of the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), is being retired and will stand at Ashford Stud in 2011.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Wagering at the recently concluded Oak Tree Racing Association meet, operated for the first time at Hollywood Park, was roughly off by nearly 12% for all sources.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Bob Baffert, who trains Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) contender Lookin At Lucky, said he believes Zenyatta must win the Nov. 6 race in order to earn the 2010 Horse of the Year award.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
The $150,000 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II), which attracted a well-matched field of 12 fillies and mares, promises to help get the Breeders' Cup World Championships program off to a good betting start at Churchill Downs Nov. 6.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
A Z Warrior, winner of the Frizette Stakes (gr. I), will break from post 8 as the 7-2 morning line favorite in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Zenyatta and Goldikova will attempt to make history in their respective Breeders' Cup races.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010Four trainers and two jockeys who have won the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) will be part of a special "It's My Derby" event at the Kentucky Derby Museum during Breeders' Cup week.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
A Z Warrior pulled away in the stretch to post a decisive victory in the $300,000 Frizette (gr. I) Oct. 9 at Belmont Park.
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Richard's Kid saved ground all the way, sweeping by odds-on favorite Twirling Candy past mid-stretch to win Oak Tree's $250,000 Goodwood Stakes (gr. I) at Hollywood Park Oct. 2.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Lookin At Lucky, buried near the back of the pack on a sloppy track, rallied wide for jockey Martin Garcia to score a popular victory by 1 1/4 lengths in the $510,900 Indiana Derby (gr. II) at Hoosier Park Oct. 2.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
On paper, Lookin At Lucky should have little problem winning the $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. II) Oct. 2 at Hoosier Park, but it will be his first race since recovering from a illness suffered after he won the Aug. 1 Haskell.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The Korean Racing Authority announced Sept. 29 its purchase of grade I winner Officer for an undisclosed price from Taylor Made Stallions in Central Kentucky.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Real Quiet, who was nosed out of becoming racing's 12th Triple Crown winner, died Sept. 27 in a paddock accident at Michael Jester's Penn Ridge Farm near Harrisburg, Pa.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Lookin At Lucky will run in the Oct. 2 Indiana Derby if he works well next week
Friday, September 17, 2010
A bay ridgling by Smart Strike commanded a seven-figure price during the Sept. 14 session of the Keeneland September yearling sale when he was bought for $1 million by George Bolton.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010A Stormy Atlantic colt was acquired for $500,000 by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert during the Sept. 14 session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. He was consigned by Dromoland Farm, agent.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010