Garrett Gomez is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the new Breeders' Cup Jockey Bet Nov. 6-7 at Santa Anita Park. The line was set based on mounts the jockeys have in the 14 World Championships events.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
April Pride overcame her outside post and some heavy traffic in the homestretch to post an impressive upset win in Oak Tree's $100,000 Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap (gr. IIIT), her American graded stakes debut for trainer James Cassidy Saturday on the Santa Anita grass.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Favored Champs Elysees, in likely the final race of his career, went out on top with a come-from-behind victory in the $1,927,556 Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT) at Woodbine Oct. 17.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Godolphin's good fortune leading up to the Breeders' Cup continued at Santa Anita Oct. 11 when 6-5 choice Gayego stormed down the center of the track to register a one-length win in Oak Tree's $300,000 Ancient Title Stakes (gr. I).
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Versatile Cowboy Cal went gate to wire to win the $150,000 Oak Tree Mile Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf course Oct. 10, and earned the right to advance to the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) next month.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Undefeated Lookin At Lucky handled his first try at two turns successfully in the $300,000 Norfolk Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 4, allowing Bob Baffert to look forward to the Nov. 7 Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
With champion jockey Garrett Gomez aboard, Indescribable moved into contention approaching the final turn, put the challenge to pacesetter Whirlie Bertie, and drew off in mid-stretch to win the Kentucky Cup Distaff (gr. III) by 3-1/2 lengths.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Ventura became the first female to win the Woodbine Mile (Can-IT) in 13 years when she swept past the field on the outside to post a one-length victory Sept. 20.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Even-money choice Lookin at Lucky remained unbeaten in three starts and gave trainer Bob Baffert his ninth win in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) in the past 14 years Sept. 7 at the seaside track.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Internallyflawless, making her second start of the year for trainer Bob Baffert, took the lead into the stretch and held off challenges from heavy favorite Well Monied and outsider Nan to win the $350,000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) on turf Aug. 22.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Whether it's the Osbournes or the Jon-Kate Eight, Americans love watching the real-life tension of personal relationships played out on their television screens. For jockeys Mike Smith and Chantal Sutherland, whose romantic affair was a primary focus during the first season of "Jockeys," it was enough to give them second thoughts about their involvement in the documentary series.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Favored Lookin at Lucky, in the familiar Mike Pegram silks for trainer Bob Baffert, jumped into graded company with a three-quarters of a length win in the $150,000 Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) at Del Mar Aug. 9.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Jockeys at Del Mar will be using softer equine friendly riding crops in all races under a "house rule" that will take effect at the track on Aug. 12, the Jockeys' Guild announced.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Colonel John, who had not raced since finishing fourth in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita late last December, exhibited no signs of rust as he scored an impressive victory July 31 in the $91,970 Wickerr Stakes at one mile over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course at Del Mar.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. II) winner Advice will be shipped from Kentucky to California for the $300,000 Swaps Stakes (gr. II) at Hollywood Park July 18, according to the Inglewood track's racing office.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Odds-on choice Black Mamba always seems to run her race, and in the $147,000 Beverly Hills Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park June 28, the grinding effort was just good enough for the New Zealand-bred mare to make it consecutive wins in the 1 1/4-mile turf event.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Kent Desormeaux, one of Maryland's all-time leading riders and a two-time winner of the Preakness (gr. I), took home the $14,000 first prize in the inaugural Pimlico Jockey Challenge May 15.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Heart Ashley opened up on the turn for home, looked like she would coast to an easy win, and then had to hold off the late charge of Cinderella's Wish to win the $100,000 Adena Stallions Miss Preakness Stakes (gr. III) by a head May 15 at Pimlico Race Course.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Favored Chamberlain Bridge, a former claimer that had lost two in a row, overcame a rough start and bounced back in the $112,800 Aegon Turf Sprint Stakes (gr. IIIT) May 1 at Churchill Downs. He charged down the stretch late and held off the rallying Cannonball by a neck.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Compari posted a mild upset under Garrett Gomez in the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes, but Rafael Bejarano stole the spotlight with a five-win afternoon on the 10th annual California Gold Rush program April 25 at Hollywood Park.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
In a decision they agonized over for weeks, jockey Garrett Gomez and agent Ron Anderson finally have decided to stick with Pioneerof the Nile as their Kentucky Derby (gr. I) mount.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Six weeks ago, WinStar Farm looked as though it would be without a starter in the upcoming Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Now, the powerful outfit could have three, the final potential starter coming thanks to a eye-catching, last-to-first victory by Advice in the $300,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. II) April 18 on the Keeneland Polytrack.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Stardom Bound, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2008, will have a new jockey when she attempts to get back on the winning track in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) in Eclipse Award winner Garrett Gomez.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Pioneerof the Nile had his final workout at Santa Anita on a blustery but sun-drenched morning April 15, busting four furlongs on the Pro-Ride racing surface in a bullet :46 1/5, the fastest of 39 drills at the distance.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Eight of the nation's top jockeys, including Eclipse Award winners Kent Desormeaux, Edgar Prado, Garrett Gomez, and John Velazquez, will square off in the inaugural Jockey Challenge at Pimlico Race Course May 15, the day before the $1 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Friday, April 10, 2009
Tuscan Evening, an impressive winner over Santa Anita's hillside turf course in both of her American starts, can provide jockey Garrett Gomez with a record-tying stakes mark at the meet April 12 if she can win the $100,000 Las Cienegas Handicap (gr. IIIT).
Thursday, April 09, 2009
A lack of pace changed the game plan for odds-on choice Pioneerof the Nile, but jockey Garrett Gomez improvised, enabling the son of Empire Maker to hold off Chocolate Candy for a one-length win in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on a picture-perfect day in Arcadia, Calif.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Quality Road turned back a bid from even-money favorite Dunkirk in upper stretch and drew away for a sensational 1 3/4-length victory in the $750,000 Florida Derby (gr. I) March 28 at Gulfstream Park. The son of Elusive Quality set a new 1 1/8-mile course record in 1:47.72.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Favored This Ones for Phil was awarded victory in the $150,000 Swale Stakes (gr. II) when Big Drama was disqualified for interference in the stretch after posting a track record for seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park March 28.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Even-money choice Life Is Sweet became a grade I winner when she circled the field leaving the turn for home and mowed down the leaders through the lane to win the $300,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita March 14.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Odds-on choice Pioneerof the Nile got the test he needed in preparation for his big showdown with The Pamplemousse next month, turning back a challenge in the stretch to win the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita March 14.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Colonel John, the morning line favorite for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 7, has been scratched after spiking a temperature on the morning of the race.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
On March 1, Brother Keith will make his grass debut against seven rivals in the $100,000 Baldwin Stakes (gr. IIIT) on Santa Anita's downhill turf course. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint is the feature on Santa Anita's nine-race program.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Odds-on choice Georgie Boy turned the $150,000 San Carlos Handicap (gr. II) into a procession at Santa Anita Feb. 21 with a long sustained move from off the pace in the seven-furlong event.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Dunkirk, who made headlines before he ever started as a $3.7 million Keeneland September yearling buy, figures to be making many more on the track following his impressive 4 3/4-length win in an important 3-year-old allowance race at Gulfstream Park Feb. 19.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Heavily favored Jibboom, able to post soft fractions while dueling for the lead into the stretch, pulled away in the lane to score an easy 2 1/2-length win in the off-the-turf $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap (gr. III) at soggy Santa Anita Feb. 16.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Compared to Stardom Bound, the 3-year-old filly Evita Argentina found the nine males she faced in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) easy pickings at stormy Santa Anita Feb. 16.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Favored Life Is Sweet hardly had an ideal set-up in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes (gr. II), racing at the back of the pack behind extremely slow fractions. But the full sister to champion 2-year-old filly Sweet Catomine refused to be denied, swinging to the outside under Garrett Gomez in the homestretch to overtake Magical Fantasy in the final strides at Santa Anita Feb. 15.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Triple Crown contender Pioneerof the Nile, overcoming traffic problems on the final turn, charged from the back of the pack to win the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) in the final strides over 17-1 shot Papa Clem at Santa Anita Feb. 7.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Bob Baffert, an old hand at getting horses ready for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), starts heading down the Triple Crown path once again when he saddles Pioneerof the Nile for the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita on Feb. 7.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
The result never seemed in doubt as odds-on choice Ventura shook off stablemate Jibboom with a furlong to run to en route to a measured one-length win, giving trainer Bobby Frankel and Juddmonte Farms the exacta in the $300,000 Santa Monica Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita Jan. 31.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Johnny Eves and jockey Garrett Gomez got the jump on their six rivals in the $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) and never looked back, cruising to a 1 3/4-length victory at Santa Anita Jan. 25.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
An Omaha, Neb., woman with inoperable cervical cancer fulfilled a lifelong wish with a trip to Santa Anita Park this weekend.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Georgie Boy and jockey Garrett Gomez found room at the rail in the homestretch and stormed past to a convincing 2 1/4-length victory in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint at Santa Anita Jan. 24.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
David and Jill Heerensperger's Artiste Royal didn't show his age when he went from last to first to win the $150.000 San Marcos Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 19.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Marty and Pam Wygod's homebred Life Is Sweet returned from a more than seven-month layoff to become a graded stakes winner in her 4-year-old debut, coming from off the pace to take the $150,000 El Encino Stakes (gr. II) by 2 1/2 lengths Jan. 18 on the Santa Anita Pro-Ride surface.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Two-time grade I winner Country Star looks to rebound from a disappointing sophomore campaign when she makes her 4-year-old debut in the $150,000 El Encino Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 18 at Santa Anita. A full field of a dozen 4-year-old fillies are entered in the 1 1/16-mile event on Pro-Ride.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Bottled up in the homestretch, favored Jibboom got free with less than a furlong to run and collared Christiana's Heat in the final strides to win the $100,000 Monrovia Handicap (gr. IIIT) by a half-length on the Santa Anita hillside turf course Jan. 3.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Top jockey Garrett Gomez and a group of Southern California based riders will contribute $16,500 to the Winners Foundation Jan. 3 at Santa Anita Park. The Winners Foundation helps individuals and families in the racing industry with alcohol and substance abuse problems and is based at Santa Anita. The foundation is funded primarily by racing associations throughout California.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Steven Asmussen, Garrett Gomez and Zayat Stables, LLC head the individual lists of the leading trainers, jockeys and owners, respectively, by North American earnings in 2008, according to final statistics released Jan. 1 by Equibase Company LLC, the Thoroughbred industry's official database for racing information.
Thursday, January 01, 2009