During the years that Webb Everett has been making weights for the Santa Anita Handicap, the closeness of the finishes has made him look like a man whose foresight closely matches his hindsight.
Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman's Melmich left no doubt Nov. 29 at Woodbine, smashing the course record for 1 3/4 miles by nearly two seconds in the $150,000 Valedictory Stakes (Can-III).
Multiple grade II winner Twilight Eclipse will stretch out to two miles Friday, June 6 when the 5-year-old Purim gelding faces an expected 11 rivals in the inaugural $200,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes.
Stella Perdomo's 7-year-old gelding Forte Dei Marmi has the distinction of being the only grade I winner in the full 14-horse field set for the April 26 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland.
Quaesitor earned the first stakes victory of his career amidst a frosty conclusion to the 2013 season at Woodbine, closing from last to capture the marathon Valedictory Stakes (Can-III) from favorite Eagle Poise.
After reviewing the Sycamore Stakes contested Oct. 17 at Keeneland, the American Graded Stakes Committee has decided not to reinstate the grade III status of the scheduled turf race that was moved to main track.
Shadwell Stables' Najjaar returned to Polytrack for the first time since his 2-year-old season and handled the switch with success Oct. 17, taking an off-the-turf edition of the $100,000 Sycamore Stakes.
Facing males for the first time, top-notch turf mare Marketing Mix stubbornly denied Dhaamer in his bid for a repeat victory in the closing-day Sunset Handicap (gr. IIIT) July 14 at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Dhaamer meets the top class turf mare Marketing Mix as he attempts to defend his title in the $100,000 Sunset Handicap (gr. IIIT) July 14, closing day of the final spring/summer meet at Betfair Hollywood Park.
The grade III, $100,000 Sunset Handicap might not be what it once was during its glory days, but the July 14 closing-day feature at Betfair Hollywood Park has more glamour than usual.
Thirty-three years after his first victory in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap (gr. IIT), Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally did it again April 21 with late-running Interaction on closing day of the Santa Anita Park meet.
Sky Kingdom showed his staying ability with an easy win in the Tokyo City Cup last month, so now's the time to find out if he can transfer that same success to the turf in the $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap April 21.
Calidoscopio makes his first appearance since he scored a major upset in last fall's Breeders' Cup Marathon (gr. II) when he takes on seven opponents in the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup (gr. III) March 23 at Santa Anita Park.
Casino Host, a recent addition to the Southern California male turf division, conquered the 1 3/8-mile distance in his first try with a late-running victory in the $200,000 Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 25.
An automatic berth in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) will be on the line when nine well-matched horses line up for the $200,000 Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 25.
Just four rivals are up to the challenge of taking on defending champion Acclamation in the $300,000 Eddie Reads Stakes (gr. IT), the first grade I event of the year at Del Mar July 21.
Trainer Mike Mitchell, who had surgery to remove a tumor from his brain late last month, was on hand as odds-on Dhaamer turned the closing-day Sunset Handicap (gr. IIIT) into a romp at Betfair Hollywood Park July 15.
Following his first United States victory for trainer Mike Mitchell, Dhaamer goes for his initial graded win in the $100,000 Sunset Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the turf July 15 at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Canadian-based Simmard took the lead at the head of the stretch and held off Joinem to win the $115,200 Louisville Handicap (gr. IIIT) in stakes record time at Churchill Downs May 26.
Simmard was assigned high weight in the Louisville Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs at 1 1/2 miles May 26, and it's easy to see why.
The longest race at Santa Anita Park, the closing day San Juan Capistrano Handicap (gr. IIT), was settled by about an inch when Bourbon Bay came from far out of it at the quarter pole to tag Eagle Poise at the wire.
Bourbon Bay will start as an overwhelming favorite in the marathon $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap (gr. IIT) as the curtain comes down on Santa Anita Park for the 75th season April 22.
The 1 1/2-mile San Luis Rey Stakes (gr. IIT) at rainy Santa Anita came down to the final jump when favored Bourbon Bay nipped Slim Shadey by a head on the turf March 25.
Dynamic Host, claimed for $40,000 last summer, became a graded stakes winner when he held off British import Dhaamer by a neck in the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup (gr. III) at Santa Anita Mach 24.
Improving Slim Shadey aims for his second straight graded stakes win over Santa Anita's turf course when he faces five opponents in the $150,000 San Luis Rey Stakes (gr. IIT) March 25.
| Horse | Trainer | Breeder / Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Bonfire Knight (GB) | Steven Miyadi |
|
| Dhaamer (IRE) | Mike R. Mitchell |
|
| Eagle Poise | H. Graham Motion |
|
| Harrods Creek | Archibald J. Kingsley, Jr. |
|
| Hog's Hollow | Patrick Gallagher |
|
| Race | Track | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmed S. (G3) | SA | 6/24 |
| Precisionist S. (G3) | SA | 6/24 |
| Southern Truce S. | SA | 6/25 |
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