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By Dan Liebman - It leaves a bad taste in the collective mouths of the betting public when it believes it has been misled.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008True Xena, a game second in the Moccasin Stakes in her last start, worked a bullet five furlongs at Santa Anita on Sunday in her final drill for the $250,000 Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles next Sunday.
Sunday, December 11, 2005Stan Fulton's grade III winner Uncle Denny has been withdrawn from the Triple Crown trail after suffering a bone chip to his right front ankle, trainer Rafael Becerra revealed Sunday.
Sunday, March 27, 2005Stan E. Fulton's favored Uncle Denny surged to the front on the home turn and won drawing off for jockey Russell Baze, capturing Saturday's $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) at Bay Meadows.
Saturday, March 12, 2005Stan Fulton's grade II winner St Averil has returned to Southern California and the care of trainer Rafael Becerra after spending several months in Kentucky and Louisiana with trainer David Carroll.
Sunday, February 27, 2005Made the favorite in his turf debut Sunday at Santa Anita Park, 2003 juvenile champion Action This Day failed to fire while finishing ninth. In other stakes on opening day of the winter meeting, Whilly prevailed in the $112,700 Sir Beaufort Stakes and Uncle Denny took the $138,625 California Breeders' Champion Stakes.
Sunday, December 26, 2004Royal Place, ridden by Gerry Olguin, surged to the lead in deep stretch Thursday to capture the $103,598 Lieutenant Governors' Handicap (Can-III) at Hastings Park by a neck, spoiling Lord Nelson's bid for his third straight win in the stakes race.
Thursday, July 01, 2004Rafael Becerra Jr. never wanted to be a horse trainer. Despite spending much of his youth going to the races and visiting the backside often with his trainer father, the 22-year-old was more interested in a career in finance, not furlongs. Until, that is, a horse named St Averil came along.
Thursday, April 29, 2004Castledale was put through his first work since winning the April 6 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on Wednesday, breezing five furlongs in :59 3/5 over Santa Anita's fast main track.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004Despite negative X-rays on St Averil's problem feet, Rafael Becerra remained uncommitted on the colt's participation in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) on May 1.
Friday, April 09, 2004Stan Fulton's St Averil, who just missed by a nose in the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) in his last start, drilled five furlongs in :58 2/5 at Santa Anita Sunday, in preparation for next Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).
Sunday, March 28, 2004Even though Rafael Becerra feels St Averil could be the best 3-year-old he's ever trained, the 49-year-old native of Mexico prefers not to look past Sunday's $250,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) at 1 1/16 miles.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's undefeated grade I winner Lion Heart got his final major prep for his March 6 sophomore debut, breezing six furlongs from the gate under regular jockey Mike Smith in 1:12 4/5 at Santa Anita on Wednesday.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004Santa Catalina Stakes winner St Averil worked five furlongs in an easy 1:02 over Santa Anita's fast main track Sunday morning, after which trainer Rafael Becerra confirmed that the son of Saint Ballado's next start would be the March 13 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II).
Saturday, February 14, 2004Stan Fulton's Santa Catalina Stakes (gr. II) winner St Averil will continue on down the California trail to the Triple Crown, trainer Rafael Becerra said Sunday morning.
Sunday, January 18, 2004Stan E. Fulton's St Averil inched past Lucky Pulpit in mid-stretch and edged away to a 1 1/2-length victory in Saturday's $150,000 Santa Catalina Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
Saturday, January 17, 2004Unbeaten Lion Heart, the probable favorite for Saturday's $200,000-added Hollywood Futurity (gr. I), completed drills for the 1 1/16-mile test with a five-furlong work in :59 1/5 Sunday at Santa Anita.
Sunday, December 14, 2003Special Matter returns to defend his 2002 Carleton F. Burke Handicap (gr. IIIT) victory against nine rivals at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meet Friday, facing a field that includes multiple graded stakes winner Senor Swinger.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003Al Eisman and Bill Currin's Belmont Stakes (gr. I) possibility Outta Here worked one mile in 1:43 4/5 handily around the dogs over Hollywood Park's firm turf Sunday morning. Currin, who trains the colt wasn't prepared to commit to running in Saturday's Triple Crown finale, however.
Sunday, June 01, 2003Stan E. Fulton's Roll Hennessy Roll, scratched from Monday's Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (gr. III) after developing a slight foot bruise, may turn up next in the Riva Ridge Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II) on the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) undercard June 7, trainer Rafael Becerra said.
Thursday, May 29, 2003Stan Fulton's stakes-winning 3-year-old Sum Trick will be out of action for at least three months after undergoing surgery to remove chips from both front knees, trainer Rafael Becerra said. The son of Favorite Trick last raced on May 3 when he finished third in an allowance event over a wet-fast track at Hollywood Park.
Monday, May 26, 2003Stan Fulton's Roll Hennessy Roll, runner-up in the April 6 Lafayette Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland, returned to trainer Rafael Becerra's Santa Anita base this past week and will begin preparations for his next start in the $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park May 26.
Saturday, April 12, 2003Stan Fulton's multiple stakes-winning 3-year-old Roll Hennessy Roll arrived at Keeneland from California and looked magnificent as he galloped over the track Thursday morning preparing for Sunday's Lafayette Stakes.
Thursday, April 03, 2003Stan E. Fulton's Crackup, who finished sixth in the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) on March 8 at Golden Gate Fields, underwent surgery last week to remove bone chips from both front ankles. He will be turned out for several months, trainer Rafael Becerra said.
Sunday, March 23, 2003Trainer Rafael Becerra said that Great State Challenge Juvenile winner Crackup bled badly during his sixth-place effort in Saturday's El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) at Golden Gate Fields and has been declared from consideration for any of the Triple Crown races.
Sunday, March 09, 2003Trainer Rafael Becerra sent out his two Triple Crown hopefuls, Crackup and Sum Trick, for works over a fast Santa Anita main track Friday morning.
Saturday, February 22, 2003Blahut Stables, LLC's Southern Image, who is to make his stakes debut in Saturday's $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, worked over Santa Anita's fast main track Wednesday morning. Dense fog that hovered over the track all morning prevented clockers from recording an official time.
Wednesday, January 29, 2003Great State Challenge Juvenile winner Crackup worked six furlongs at Santa Anita Wednesday morning on his first day as a 3-year-old in 1:14.40.
Wednesday, January 01, 2003A forecast of rain Friday and an off track Saturday brought rain-dance whoops from Maryland to California in the barns of John Scanlan and Rafael Becerra, trainers of Toccet and Roll Hennessy Roll, respectively, as they await Saturday's $375,000-estimated Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 mile.
Wednesday, December 18, 2002Even-money favorite Roll Hennessy Roll wrested the lead from Jimmy O at the quarter pole and cruised to an easy win in Saturday's $125,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III) for 2-year-olds.
Saturday, November 23, 2002Longshot Special Matter, with Tyler Baze aboard, captured the $150,000 Carleton F. Burke Handicap (gr.IIT) at 1 1/2 miles on the turf at Oak Tree Sunday.
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