The gelded son of Unusual Heat wins his first graded stakes for trainer James Cassidy.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Zenyatta made it look all too easy, becoming the first female to win the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Gio Ponti was second and Twice Over third.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Breeders' Cup announced that the first of the two days of this year's World Championships, Nov. 6 at Santa Anita, showed an increase in attendance and handle.
Friday, November 06, 2009
El Gato Malo's owners had entered their Turf Sprint contender in an optional claiming race Nov. 5, fearing they would get shut out of the big dance. But a spot in the Turf Sprint came open and now they feel they have a shot.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Gayego competed in two legs of the 2008 Triple Crown and captured the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at 1 1/8 miles, but "we think we've found a niche for him in sprint races being a closing sprinter," said Rick Mettee, a key assistant to Godolphin Racing trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
With his versatility and powerful turn of foot, Interactif, a homebred son of Broken Vow trained by Todd Pletcher, certainly looms large in the one-mile contest. But anything can happen amongst inexperienced 2-year-olds and there are several starters that look intriguing -- some of them that could be big prices on the tote board.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Augustin Stable's Informed Decision faces a much-anticipated rematch with Ventura Nov. 6 in the $1-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita Park. When the two tangled back in April on Keeneland's Polytrack, Informed Decision defeated Ventura by a head in the Vinery Madison Stakes (gr. I).
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Gary Player, who won nine majors during his golf career and is also a leading Thoroughbred breeder in his native South Africa, will be the first recipient of the Breeders' Cup Sports and Racing Excellence Award.
Friday, October 30, 2009
A hodgepodge of horses from all walks of life will converge on the Santa Anita Pro-Ride Nov. 7, most of whom would not be a surprise should they win.
Friday, October 30, 2009
What could be more specialized than horses that like to sprint on the turf? Yet all manner of runners make up the 22 pre-entries in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which drew the largest field of all 14 Breeders' Cup races.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Oak Tree Racing Association and Santa Anita Park, site Nov. 6-7 of the Breeders' Cup World Championships -- for the second straight year -- have been accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance, it was announced Oct. 29 in a release.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
If Zenyatta's connections opt to run her in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), she will be the favorite on the official Breeders' Cup morning line.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Breeders' Cup has released the official race order and wagering menu for the 26th Breeders' Cup World Championships, to be held Nov. 6-7 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
A total of 166 horses were pre-entered Oct. 26 for the 2009 Breeders' Cup World Championships to be run Nov. 6 and 7 at Santa Anita.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The favorite from the Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita, where the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be run, is in the field for the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) on Nov. 6. So, too, is the favorite from the Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) at Keeneland, which is also run on a synthetic surface. It should be noted they were favored, but both lost.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Bob Baffert has been quoted as saying Zensational is one of the most talented horses he has ever trained in his Hall of Fame career. The 3-year-old son of Unbridled's Song will get a chance to prove it Nov. 7 in the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Santa Anita.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wertheimer and Frere's impressive homebred Interactif will be the likely favorite for the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) Nov. 7 at Santa Anita, but the son of Broken Vow will have to defeat what is expected to be a full field in the one-mile event.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Canadian champion and two-time grade I winner Kodiak Kowboy will be entered in the Nov. 7 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park even though his experience on synthetic tracks is limited and he has enjoyed his greatest success on dirt.
Friday, October 23, 2009
It can be argued that this year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) is as perplexing and wide open as any time in the event's 26-year history. Between the parity of the top older horses and the wild card factor of Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface, handicappers will have plenty of choices come Nov. 7
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, 46, who retired as a rider in 2005 with over 5,000 victories before opening a California-based training operation in August, gained his first win as a trainer Oct. 16 at Santa Anita when Higher Incentive won Oak Tree's third race and paid $15.40.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Fittingly featuring 2008 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Desert Code, the Sept. 30 Morvich Handicap (gr. IIIT) heads Oak Tree's 31-day season at Santa Anita, one that will be highlighted by the two-day, $25.5-million Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 6 and 7.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Oak Tree Racing Association will kick off its 41st racing season Sept. 30 at Santa Anita, and the highlight of the meeting will no doubt be the 26th running of the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be hosted by Oak Tree for an unprecedented second consecutive year on Nov. 6 and 7.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Santa Anita president Ron Charles announced that HRTV anchor/analyst Jon White has been named as Santa Anita's new morning line maker, replacing the recently retired Jeff Tufts, who served in that position from 1974 through this past April.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Santa Anita Park has created a "Bobby Frankel Get Well Soon!!!" group on the Internet social networking site Facebook.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Magna Entertainment Corp. is asking a Delaware bankruptcy judge to approve an agreement to keep this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park even if the California track ends up in the hands of a new owner.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Soul City Slew, who had run for a $50,000 claiming tag in March, pulled off an upset in the $126,000 Potrero Grande Handicap (gr. II) April 4 at Santa Anita Park in California, defeating favored Halo Najib by a half-length. It was the first stakes win of any kind for Soul City Slew, who had shown flashes of promise previously when he had finished third in both the 2007 Pat O'Brien Handicap (gr. II) and the 2008 San Carlos Handicap (gr. II).
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Joel Rosario, Santa Anita's third-leading rider, will ride El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) winner Chocolate Candy in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on April 4, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Animal Planet announced March 19 that the network's popular docu-drama "Jockeys" would be renewed for a second season of programs. The first season, which concluded March 13, brought Animal Planet viewers into the lives of seven jockeys who race at Santa Anita Park during its Oak Tree Meet last fall.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bobby Frankel and John Sadler will each send out a pair of fillies and mares in the 42nd edition of the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap (gr. IIT), a nine-furlong turf test March 22 at Santa Anita.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The parent company of Magna Entertainment Corp. disclosed March 10 it does not intend to keep on a long-term basis the racing assets upon which it is bidding in MEC's Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, including its "immediate" intention of redeveloping Golden Gate Fields into a commercial property if the bid is successful.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Leading West Coast Triple Crown contender Pioneerof the Nile worked five furlongs on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride March 8 in a bullet :58.80 under regular rider Garrett Gomez for the grade II San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. At Oaklawn, Old Fashioned worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
As of Thursday, March 5, the Thoroughbred Owners of California has assumed administration of the Santa Anita Paymaster funds, according to a memo released by the California Thoroughbred Trainers.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Since a rash of five horse breakdowns in the opening five days of racing at the current Santa Anita meet -- resulting in four fatalities -- there has been just one race-related death since Dec. 31, Dr. Rick Arthur told the California Horse Racing Board.
Saturday, February 28, 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
An intriguing field of 10 3-year-olds was entered for the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 16 at Santa Anita, including the top three finishers from the San Pedro Stakes last month, two horses each from the barns of Bob Baffert and Jeff Mullins, and the Candy Ride filly Evita Argentina, who was second in the Santa Ynez (gr. II) last out and will look to make history by winning the 62-year-old event for the first time since 1947.
Friday, February 13, 2009
The 42nd annual Holy Angels/Santa Anita Jockeys Charity Basketball game will take place Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at La Salle High School in Pasadena, Ca. Proceeds will benefit the Holy Angels athletic department and legendary Hall of Fame jockeys Eddie Delahoussaye and Laffit Pincay Jr. will serve as honorary captains.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Monba and Yankee Bravo, both prominent on last year's Triple Crown trail, will make their returns to the racetrack in the $100,000 Thunder Road Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. However, Irish-bred Ferneley, a near-winner in consecutive graded stakes, could loom the largest in the one-mile turf event.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
The thrills. The spills. The rivalries, rage, and romances. And yes, the flipping, too. It's all there in a new 12-part documentary television series, "Jockeys," that begins Friday night, Feb. 6, at 9 p.m. EST on Animal Planet.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
CashCall Futurity (gr. I) winner Pioneerof the Nile makes his eagerly-awaited 3-year-old debut and attempts to establish himself as one of the West Coast's top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders, as he faces eight sophomore rivals in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Santa Anita Park lost an important link to its past glory when 98-year-old Eddie Logan, Santa Anita's iconic shoeshine attendant since opening day, Dec. 25, 1934, died early on the morning of Jan. 31 at his home in Monrovia, Calif.
Saturday, January 31, 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
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
Fab Oak Stable homebred Nownownow scored a big upset in the $150,000 San Fernando Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 17 at Santa Anita, coming from off the pace to win the 1 1/16-mile event for 4-year-olds by 1 1/2 lengths.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Pamplemousse went from maiden winner to graded stakes winner Jan. 17 at Santa Anita Park, breaking to an early lead and never looking back for an impressive two-length victory in the $100,000 San Rafael Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds on the Pro-Ride surface.
Saturday, January 17, 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
Roberts Evans' Marsh Side, who became a grade I winner last out when pulling a 29-1 upset in the $2 million Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT) at Woodbine, tops a field of 10 older turf routers in the $150,000 San Marcos Stakes (gr. IIT) Jan. 19 at Santa Anita Park.
Saturday, January 17, 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
A total of 126 horses were pre-entered for the Sunshine Millions, which will be run Jan. 24 at Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park, both owned by Magna Entertainment. The eight races feature Florida-breds against California-breds, with purses of $3.6 million.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) runner-up Square Eddie makes his highly-anticipated 3-year-old debut Jan. 17 at Santa Anita when he takes on seven rivals in the $100,000 San Rafael Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
At a meeting Jan. 7 at Santa Anita Park, about 40 trainers met to discuss problems with the track's Pro-Ride synthetic surface.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
