Odds-on choice Bourbon Bay became the first horse in 17 years to sweep Santa Anita's three-race turf marathon stakes series when he captured the $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap (gr. IIT) on closing day April 18.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Prohibitive choice Tuscan Evening picked up her fourth graded stakes win of the Santa Anita season when she led all the way in defeating three rivals in the $147,000 Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIT) April 17.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Top jockeys at Santa Anita Park will hold an autograph session for fans on closing day of the 75th anniversary meet April 18.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Blind Luck cemented her status as the one to beat in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) with an authoritative come-from-behind victory in the $300,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-old fillies at Oaklawn Park April 2.
Friday, April 02, 2010
The ultra-consistent mare Tuscan Evening had no problem handling a little extra distance in the Santa Ana Handicap (gr. IIT), leading all the way for her ninth win in 13 Southern California races March 21 at Santa Anita.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Odds-on choice Bourbon Bay solidified his hold on the distance turf handicap division in Southern California when he rolled to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $150,000 San Luis Rey Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita March 20.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Bourbon Bay, who had won the only prior 1 1/2-mile turf race during the Santa Anita meet, made it two-for-two when he romped home in the $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT) for his first stakes triumph Feb. 21.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Last at the top of the stretch, Blind Luck charged down the middle of the track to capture the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) by a nose over an unlucky Evening Jewel at Santa Anita Feb. 13.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
A winner of six of 10 starts in 2009, Tuscan Evening got her new year off to a great start when she captured the $100,000 Monrovia Handicap (gr. IIIT) as the favorite on the turf Jan. 3 at Santa Anita.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Lava Man made his long-awaited return to competition in the San Gabriel Handicap (gr. IIT) Dec. 27, but it was Proudinsky that found his way back to the winner's circle in the $150,000 turf event at Santa Anita Park.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
With a breathtaking move in the lane, Blind Luck demolished a strong field in the Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) on closing day of the Hollywood Park fall meet Dec. 20.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Big longshot Dancing in Silks, a 25-1 gelding by Black Minnaloushe, poked his nose out in front to win a four-horse cavalry charge in the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park. Heavy favorite Zensational finished fifth.
Saturday, November 07, 2009Irish-bred Tuscan Evening, who won five of her first six starts in the United Stakes prior to a two-race skid, regained her winning form in Oak Tree's $200,000 Las Palmas Handicap (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares at one mile over Santa Anita's Camino Real Turf Course.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Princess Haya, making her graded stakes debut, rallied along the hedge to nose Eclipse Award-winning turf female Forever Together in the $283,376 Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine Sept. 20.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Rafael Bejarano, who was excused from mounts on Sept. 4 and 5 because of an injured thumb on his right hand, has been cleared to ride his two stakes horses -- Meteore in the $350,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) and Parading in the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I) on the Sept. 6 program.
Sunday, September 06, 2009Jockey Rafael Bejarano, who missed 27 days of the 37-day Del Mar meeting because of multiple facial injuries suffered in an opening-day spill, was off his mounts Sept. 5 following an injury to his right thumb on only the sixth day after his return from the earlier injury.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Jockey Rafael Bejarano, preparing to return to action soon after being injured in a spill on opening day at Del Mar, showed up a day early on the morning of Aug. 22, to work two horses.
Saturday, August 22, 2009Jockey Rafael Bejarano, injured seriously in a spill in the July 22 opening day at Del Mar, has been released from the intensive care unit at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla and placed in a private room, according to Dr. John Agostino, a Del Mar track physician.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Rafael Bejarano, who sustained serious facial injuries in a spill July 22 during the third race on Del Mar's opening-day program, was reported to be doing well at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla July 23 by his agent, Joe Ferrer.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Trainer Gary Stute said July 23 that he's "95 percent sure" Bo Hirsch's Papa Clem will make his next start in the $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Jockey Rafael Bejarano was hospitalized July 23 following a bad spill in the third race on opening day at Del Mar Race Course in Southern California.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuscan Evening had the pacesetting Patricia's Gem in her sights all the way, finally edging past her in the final 50 yards and winning a sprint to the wire by a nose in the $250,000 Royal Heroine Mile (gr. IIT) on the Hollywood Park turf July 11.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Jockey Rafael Bejarano notched career win 2,000 when he captured the fifth race at Hollywood Park July 9 with favored Good Time Sally for trainer Kathy Walsh.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Making his graded stakes debut in the $100,000 Affirmed Handicap (gr. III), favored Grazen was never headed while posting a 2 3/4-length win over five 3-year-old rivals at Hollywood Park June 20.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
In an "old school" move, trainer Gary Stute sent out his Papa Clem for a three-furlong blowout at Churchill Downs two days before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Under jockey Rafael Bejarano, the son of Smart Strike threw down a :34 clocking.
Thursday, April 30, 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
Santa Anita Park concluded its 84-day winter/spring meeting in robust fashion on April 19, posting the first gain in on-track attendance at any major California racetrack since the summer of 2007 at Del Mar.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Rafael Bejarano, winner of the last six major Southern California riding titles, has the mount on Backbackbackgone as Hollywood Park's 70th spring/summer meet opens April 22 with the $70,000-added Harry Henson Stakes.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Southern California shipper Papa Clem outfought even-money choice Old Fashioned in a thrilling stretch duel at Oaklawn Park to win the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) by a half-length April 11.
Saturday, April 11, 2009Triple Crown Talk blog, with host Jason Shandler, asks, 'Which Jockey Would You Like to See Win Their First Kentucky Derby?'
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Closing with determination for jockey Rafael Bejarano, the multiple graded stakes winner Foxysox ground past favored Gotta Have Her in the final strides to win the $100,000 Tuzla Handicap (gr. IIIT) by a half-length on good going over Santa Anita's turf course Jan. 25.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Classy Soldier's Dancer, far back for most of the journey, closed with a rush to overtake Presious Passion in the final 50 yards, winning the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at a soggy Santa Anita Park Jan. 24.
Saturday, January 24, 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
Favored In Summation regained some of the sparkle he lost last season with a sharp one-length win in the $98,000 El Conejo Handicap (gr. III) at Santa Anita on New Year's Day.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Favored Proudinsky, ridden with patience by substitute rider Rafael Bejarano, took command near the eighth pole and held off the outsider Ferneley to win the $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park Dec. 28.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Jockey Rafael Bejarano, who did not ride closing day, completed a sweep of the five major Southern California meetings by riding 52 winners at Hollywood Park's 40-day Autumn Meet, which concluded Dec. 21.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
With less than two weeks remaining in the Thoroughbred racing season, nearly all of the 2008 leaders have been decided. The lone category without a clear-cut winner is earnings by owner, and it might take until the final few days of the year to determine a victor.
Friday, December 19, 2008
With one week left until the end of Hollywood Park's 2008 fall racing season, jockey Rafael Bejarano is poised to complete a rare riding feat: a sweep of each victory title at every major meet in Southern California in 2008.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
J. Paul Reddam's Square Eddie moved into striking position rounding the far turn and drew off in the stretch for an easy win under Rafael Bejarano in the $500,000 Lane's End Futurity (gr. I) Oct. 4 on the Keeneland Polytrack. The victory earned the 2-year-old Smart Strike colt an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile later this month at Santa Anita.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Godolphin Stable's Cocoa Beach has raced in her native Chile and in the Middle East, but apparently, she has found a home in New York.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
There were many who questioned whether champion mare Ginger Punch would be able to stretch out to 10 furlongs, something she had never done before. In the $400,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 22 at Saratoga, the 5-year-old daughter of Awesome Again was grateful for the added distance, as she needed every last stride to pass Lemon Drop Mom.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Jockey Omar Berrio was suspended for six months by Del Mar stewards Aug. 13 after he tested positive for cocaine.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Azul Leon remained unbeaten with an assist from the Del Mar stewards, who disqualified the first-place finisher Kelly Leak from victory in the $150,000 Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) Aug. 10.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Bottled up on the inside and running at a slow pace, Ginger Punch showed her grit as a true champion by splitting horses just outside the eighth-pole and finally taking over at the top of the stretch to earn a hard-fought 1 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap (gr. I) July 26 at Saratoga.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Monzante took the overland route in coming from last to catch favored Whatsthescript in the final strides, winning the $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap (gr. IT) in eye-catching style by a half-length on the Del Mar turf course July 20.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Hollywood Park realized a 1.8% drop in all-sources handle during the 70th running of its spring/summer meet, which ended July 13.
Monday, July 14, 2008Azul Leon became the first graded winner and the second added-money winner overall for North America's leading first crop sire, Lion Heart, with a four-length triumph in the $106,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (gr. III) July 5.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Stronach Stables' Ginger Punch, keen on defending her champion older female title of 2007, made it look easy in the $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap with a commanding victory in the Belmont Park fixture June 14.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Lethal Heat gained the lead in the final sixteenth of a mile and scored a head victory over Smooth Performer in a three-horse blanket finish to the $157,600 Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. II) on the Hollywood Park Cushion Track June 8.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Eastern invader Rebellion got a hot pace to run at and emerged with a late-closing victory in the $111,700 Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III) on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track June 7.
Saturday, June 07, 2008