John Sadler wins races by the bushel in Southern California and is more often than not on the top of the trainer standings at each race meet. He has yet to win a Breeders' Cup race, but 2009 could be his year.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Trainer John Sadler's Zappa, a 6 1/4-length winner of the 2008 Cougar II Handicap, is back to defend his title against Mike Mitchell's top-weighted duo of Big Booster and Church Service in the $150,000 renewal of the 1 1/2-mile event Aug. 5.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Evita Argentina charged from last to post a two-length victory in the $150,000 A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) at Hollywood Park July 18 to become the first 3-year-old to win the race since Honeymoon in 1946.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
She has already beaten colts this season when she captured the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita. Now Evita Argentina will try to become the first 3-year-old since Honeymoon in 1946 to beat older fillies and mares in the A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) on closing weekend at Hollywood Park.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Fourteen sprinters get their shot at grade I glory in an unpredictable renewal of the $300,000 Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park July 5.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Whatsthescript, a 29-1 upset winner a year ago, will carry high weight of 120 pounds as he defends his title in the $150,000 American Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Independence Day program at Hollywood Park.
Wednesday, July 01, 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
Black Mamba, a New Zealand mare who scored her first American stakes victory in last year's Beverly Hills Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park, is back to defend her title June 28 in the $150,000 grass event.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Oil Man struck graded gold for the first time when he surged past his rivals with a big late kick in the $100,000 Cinema Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Hollywood Park turf June 21.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Trainer Bob Baffert said he wanted to test his champion Indian Blessing over Hollywood Park's Cushion Track before deciding which way to go with her this summer. After her fourth-place finish in the $72,800 Desert Stormer Stakes June 14, a race won in front-running style by Coco Belle, the Hall of Fame conditioner had his answer.
Sunday, June 14, 2009Noble Court, closing furiously from the back of the field after following a ferocious pace, surged past the leaders on the far outside to win the $100,000 Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III) in the final strides at Hollywood Park June 6.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Magical Fantasy, winner of the Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita last month, and Black Mamba, who came up a nose shy in a desperate stretch drive, will battle again in the $250,000 Gamely Stakes (gr. IT) on the Hollywood Park turf May 30.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The 8-1 outsider Red Arrow controlled the pace with jockey Joe Talamo and refused to give way in the stretch to win his first graded stakes in the $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park May 16.
Saturday, May 16, 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
Foxysox and Black Mamba, separated by a nose when they ran first and second, respectively, in last year's Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita, return in what should be an intriguing renewal of the $200,000 grass event April 18.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
After defeating males in her most recent start in the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita, Evita Argentina headlines a field of seven 3-year-old fillies in $150,000 Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland April 8.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Belmont Cat, a fire-breathing New Zealand-bred mare who disappointed her connections in her last start, foiled Bel Air Sizzle and 3-5 favorite Visit in a four-horse blanket finish in the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf course March 22.
Sunday, March 22, 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, 2009Emmy Darling, in the midst of a five-race tailspin following a seventh-place finish as the favorite in the Sunshine Millions Oaks only days ago, will try her luck on Santa Anita's hillside turf course in the $100,000 La Habra Stakes (gr. IIIT) Feb. 1.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
She may be named Alpha Kitten, but she ran like Alpha Cougar or Alpha Cheetah, taking charge down the lane and winning the Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) for her first stakes win Jan. 17 at Santa Anita.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Trainer John Sadler sends out a pair of top 3-year-old filly candidates, including multiple stakes winner Evita Argentina, in the $150,000 Santa Ynez (gr. II) at Santa Anita Jan. 17.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The 5-year-old mare Black Mamba, scratched from the one-mile Matriarch at Hollywood Park this past weekend, instead will run in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT) at 12 furlongs Dec. 6 against males.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Whatsthescript, defeated handily by the spectacular filly Goldikova in spite of his big closing effort in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), heads a field of 10 in the $400,000 Citation Handicap (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park Nov. 28.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Speed-burner Bob Black Jack makes his first appearance since the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) in the $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (gr. III) at Hollywood Park Nov. 22.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Evita Argentina, the only graded stakes winner in the $111,100 Moccasin for 2-year-old fillies, surged from last on the turn to defeat favored Mi Chiamano Mimi Nov. 16 at smoky Hollywood Park.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Favored Tasha's Miracle nipped Gorgeous Goose by a nose in Oak Tree's $106,100 Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap (gr. IIIT), snapping a seven-race losing streak in game fashion at Santa Anita turf Park Oct. 11.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Cost of Freedom, claimed for $50,000 this summer by trainer John Sadler, repelled a strong bid from odds-on choice Street Boss to win the Ancient Title Stakes (gr. I) during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park Sept. 27. The victory earned Cost of Freedom a berth in the Sentient Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Defending champion Get Funky, seeking an assured Breeders' Cup berth, heads 12 entrants in the $100,000 Morvich Handicap as the Oak Tree Racing Association launches its 40th season at Santa Anita Sept. 24.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Four complaints have been filed against trainer John Sadler by the California Horse Racing Board, alleging that horses in his care ran with excessive amounts of the synthetic anabolic steroid stanozolol in their systems during the month of August at Del Mar, where Sadler was the leading trainer.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Trainer John Sadler says he unlikely to return to his role as board president of the California Thoroughbred Trainers and could be part of a push to form a new organization.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Favored Whatsthescript got the fast pace he was looking for and unleashed an eye-catching move down the center of the stretch to capture the $328,000 Del Mar Mile Handicap (gr. IIT) by three-quarters of a length on the grass Aug. 24.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
The California Horse Racing Board announced it is stepping up enforcement of its medication rules with increased pre-race and out-of-competition testing and by prohibiting horses from running for 30 days after they've been administered anabolic steroids,effective Aug. 22.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
While he's withholding comment, leading trainer John Sadler says that he and his attorney have discussed a shakedown of his Del Mar stable by California Horse Racing Board investigators Aug. 18 and they will respond soon.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
In the second start of her career, unbeaten Evita Argentina flew down the center of the track to defeat favored Stardom Bound in the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes (gr. III) for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar Aug. 6.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Odds-on choice Black Mamba unleashed a powerful kick in the final furlong to overcome a bit of traffic trouble and earn grade I glory for the first time in the $400,000 John C. Mabee Handicap on the Del Mar turf Aug. 3.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
After finally breaking through with her first stakes victory in the Beverly Hills Handicap (gr. IIT), the consistent Black Mamba finds herself as the likely favorite for the $400,000 John C. Mabee Handicap (gr. IT) on the Del Mar turf Aug. 3.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Controlling the tempo from the outset, Zappa galloped to an easy victory in the $150,000 Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar July 30 and earned a starting slot in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Dirt Marathon at Santa Anita this fall.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Warning Zone put an exclamation point on trainer John Sadler's first spring/summer title at Hollywood Park with a rail-skimming victory in the $156,000 Sunset Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) on closing day July 13.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. guided the maiden Hiatus off the rail in the stretch to win the seventh race at Hollywood Park July 6, earning his 1,000th career victory.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Favored Black Mamba ended a string of seven stakes in-the-money performances without a victory when she captured the $150,000 Beverly Hills Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Hollywood Park lawn June 29, capping a superb weekend for trainer John Sadler.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Dearest Trickski handed trainer John Sadler his third stakes win at Hollywood Park June 28 when she led all the way in the $150,000 A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) on the Hollywood Park Cushion Track.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The prohibitive favorite Daytona ran out of gas mid-stretch, opening the way for 29-1 shot Whatsthescript to score from the off the pace in the $250,000 American Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Hollywood Park turf course June 28.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Trainer John Sadler hopes Tasha's Miracle's route experience can help the filly turn the tables on Million Dollar Run in the $150,000 Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. II) on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track June 8.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Zappa, off the board in two starts since winning the San Pasqual Handicap (gr. II) in January, tries softer company for trainer John Sadler in the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup (gr. III) at 1 1/2 miles on Santa Anita's synthetic racing surface March 29.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Coco Belle, a two-length winner of the Miss Woodford Stakes at Monmouth Park on the Breeders' Cup undercard, makes her 2008 debut for trainer John Sadler in the $100,000 Honest Lady Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 24.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
After running strongly against the likes of Citronnade, Nashoba's Key, and Precious Kitten in her most recent starts, the New Zealand-bred mare Black Mamba should be ready to strike in the $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf course Feb. 18.
Friday, February 15, 2008
With no stakes winner in the field, even-money choice Dawn After Dawn had an easy time of it in winning the $200,000 La Canada Stakes (gr. II) on the front end at Santa Anita Feb. 10.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Trainers Bob Baffert and John Sadler have a fall back plan just in case racing doesn't resume as announced at Santa Anita Feb. 9. They also entered their fillies, Tough Tiz's Sis and Dawn After Dawn, respectively, in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes (gr. II), which is set to run the following day.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Former claiming filly Dearest Trickski, hustled to the front by jockey Mike Smith, never looked back in rolling to an easy win in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita Jan. 26, her fifth consecutive victory.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Trainer John Sadler has a strong one-two punch with recent grade I winner Dearest Trickski and Lady Gamer in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint set for the Santa Anita Cushion Track Jan. 26.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008