Returning to the dirt for trainer Bob Baffert, Fiftyshadesofhay shook loose of her rivals and romped to her first stakes victory in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel (gr. III) over a wet/fast track at Santa Anita Park Jan. 26.
In his final start before retiring to stud in California, grade I winner Coil outlasted Ultimate Eagle by a head after a terrific stretch duel in the $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 5 at Santa Anita Park
Millionaire Coil turned in a bullet move at Santa Anita Park Dec. 29, and will make the final start of his career in the $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 5, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert confirmed.
Front-running Really Mr Greely, the longest shot among four entrants from trainer Bob Baffert in the $100,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III), prevailed over odds-on favorite Super Ninety Nine by half a length Nov. 22.
Owner and trainer William E. "Billy" Morey had been added to the board of directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, filling a vacancy created recently by the resignation of Ron McAnally.
Five 2-year-olds passed the entry box for the Nov. 22 Hollywood Prevue Stakes at seven furlongs...and four of them are trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
Trainer Bob Baffert carries his usual quiet confidence about the chances of favored Executiveprivilege into the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
The six-furlong Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) isn't the ideal distance for two top contenders in this race, say their trainers, but it's the race that fits them best at this time.
Like dealing with a bad tooth, California racing representatives are coming to terms with the fact that Betfair Hollywood Park will eventually have to be replaced.
Coil earned his first stakes win since last year's Haskell Invitational and earned a spot in the XpressBet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) with his upset victory in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (gr. I) Oct. 6.
Undefeated Executiveprivilege stamped herself as the likely favorite for this year's Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) with a smashing victory in the $250,000 Chandelier Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.
Odds-on choice Executiveprivilege remained perfect in four starts with her victory in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) Sept. 1 but had to dig deep to defeat determined pacesetter Beholder by a nose.
The Breeders' Cup confirmed Aug. 9 that the 2013 World Championships will be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2.
Executiveprivilege runs to her 2-5 backing facing seven 2-year-old fillies in Del Mar's Sorrento Stakes, defeating Speedthruthecity by 1 1/4 lengths.
Trainer Bob Baffert describes Executiveprivilege as "pretty special" and it was easy to see why after her impressive 3 1/4-length tally in the $150,000 Landaluce Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park July 14.
Executiveprivilege, who brought $650,000 in April to top the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, made her career debut a winning one.
Though trainers David Hofmans and Elliott Walden ended historic bids, they'll be rooting for I'll Have Another to become racing's 12th Triple Crown winner in the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Drill remained perfect in three tries at seven furlongs when he rallied between horses in deep stretch to defeat pacesetter American Act by a half-length in the $98,000 Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (gr. III) May 12.
Four-time stakes winner Secret Circle, most recently runner-up to stablemate Bodemeister in the Arkansas Derby (gr. I), will miss up to four months with a sesamoid injury, co-owner Mike Pegram confirmed April 19.
Eight of 10 incumbents are among the 15 individuals that won election to the Thoroughbred Owners of California board of directors.
Secret Circle handed trainer Bob Baffert his third consecutive victory in the Rebel Stakes (gr. II), taking over from Scatman in mid-stretch and holding off a late run by longshot Optimizer to score the $500,000 event.
Drill, who defeated American Act by a nose in the Feb. 19 San Vincente Stakes (gr. II), was a high-energy horse with a lot of potential even as a yearling.
A game Secret Circle outdueled Scatman in the stretch to win the second division of the $250,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III), giving trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Rafael Bejarano a sweep of the President's Day features.
Rebounding from four consecutive disappointing efforts, Drill won the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) by a desperate nose over a determined American Act Feb. 19 at Santa Anita. Creative Cause finished third at 1-2 odds.
Grade II winner Ventana has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2012 at Gayle Gerth's Dana Point Farm in Lenhartsville, Pa.
Thoroughbred Owners of California board chairman Mike Pegram has filed suit against California Thoroughbred owner Jerry Jamgotchian, alleging defamation and false light.
With no discussion, the California Horse Racing Board approved an eleventh-hour settlement between rival horsemen's groups Nov. 17 aimed at heading off a decertification vote of the Thoroughbred Owners of California.
A bitter dispute between two Thoroughbred owners' groups in California has apparently come to an end after the organizations reached an agreement with the California Horse Racing Board.
The Bob Baffert-trained Secret Circle carried a big lead into the stretch and then held off a rail bid from longshot Shumoos to win the inaugural running of the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint Nov. 4 at Churchill.
Coil, winner of the Haskell Invitational Stakes (gr. I), worked a mile in 1:38 4/5 at Santa Anita Sept. 20.
Book Three of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale opened with significant improvement in all key indices over 2010 figures, with the gross rising 24%.
A forced change of tactics helped Coil capture the the $1 million Resorts Casino Hotel Haskell Invitational (gr. I) in a spirited stretch duel with favored Shackleford at Monmouth Park July 31.
Trainer Bob Baffert said Aug. 1 that Haskell Invitational (gr. I) winner Coil emerged from the race without any problems and is being considered for the Aug. 27 Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.
Front-running Irish Gypsy, all-out under urging from Martin Garcia, got to the wire in the $200,000 A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) by an official nose over favored Ultra Blend at Hollywood Park July 16.
Trainers Jim Cassidy and Ron Ellis have been elected and Glory Haley re-elected to the board of California Thoroughbred Trainers. Voting was conducted in June to fill three positions on the nine-member CTT board.
Faced with criticism and a move to decertify it as the official horsemen's organization in California, the Thoroughbred Owners of California held a public forum at Hollywood Park June 25.
Irish Gypsy capped a big card at Hollywood Park for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Martin Garcia on Father's Day when she captured the $76,050 Desert Stormer Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths as the favorite June 19.
Coil appears to be the latest top-notch 3-year-old in the barn of trainer Bob Baffert after the son of Point Given passed his initial route test in the $100,000 Affirmed Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park June 11.
Letthebighossroll, a million-dollar earner that was among the first of Bob Baffert's top horses after he became a Thoroughbred trainer, died May 23 of a pulmonary hemorrhage at the age of 23.
Two introductory seminars on horse ownership, 'Derby Fever!' are being offered by the Thoroughbred Owners of California free of charge at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita Park April 2.
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.
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.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert collected the 2,000th win of his carer when the maiden Free Pourin held off Baffert stablemate Tokubetsu in the third race at Hollywood Park Dec. 5.
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.
Lenny and Steve discuss who's going where in the Breeders' Cup, John Shirreffs, and the top 10 changes Mike Pegram will make at Del Mar. Plus, an update on Leftlenythelegend, and Zenyatta and T.O. Watch Video
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.
Arnold Zetcher was elected the new chair of the Thoroughbred Owners of California during a meeting of the board of directors July 23 at Del Mar.
The Thoroughbred Owners of California will be looking for a new chairman after Marsha Naify, who has headed the organization's board of directors since May 2007, was not re-elected to the post.
Donato Lanni's is the bloodstock services director for Hill 'n' Dale Farms near Lexington. But he's also the person Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert turns to when he searches for future classic winners.
The good karma returned, as Lookin At Lucky had a dream trip to win the Preakness. Read Column
