Island Fashion will vie for her third straight Grade I win in the $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap, part of a loaded Presidents' Day race card at Santa Anita Park on Monday. The $200,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIt), a 1 1/2-mile tilt for older turf horses, also headlines the program.
Dan Hendricks is inclined to draw a line through Runaway Dancer's last race, an eighth-place finish in the William L. McKnight Handicap (gr. IIT) at Calder Race Course on Dec. 27.
Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) winner Fairly Ransom, unplaced as the favorite in the San Marcos Handicap (gr. IIT) in his last start, will get a chance to redeem himself in the Feb. 16 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita, Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally said.
Seven weeks after stealing the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT), Red Oak Stable's Sweet Return employed similar front-running tactics in Monday's $150,000 San Marcos (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita with the same result: a gate-to-wire victory.
A classy field of 11 three-year-old fillies and nine turf marathoners head two highly competitive stakes races at Santa Anita Park on a special day of racing Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally sent Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) winner Sweet Return and runner-up Fairly Ransom out for works over Santa Anita's firm turf course Wednesday morning in preparation for a rematch in the Jan. 17 San Marcos Stakes (gr. IIT).
Jockey Julie Krone milked a slow pace with unexpected front-runner Sweet Return and the longshot colt had the stamina to hold off his fast-closing stablemate Fairly Ransom to claim Sunday's $600,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) by a half-length.
Making his third United States start, French import Fairly Ransom put it all together to win the $300,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) on the grass Saturday by 1 1/4 length over Devious Boy and Sweet Return.
Led by La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIIT) winner Singletary, a field of 10 3-year-olds is entered Saturday in the $300,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) at 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Little Red Feather Racing's Singletary, who flopped when heavily favored in each of his three starts, put it all together Saturday in winning the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds on the Del Mar turf course.
Seven 3-year-olds with thoughts of the Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) dancing in their heads will tackle the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIIT) at 1 1/16 mile on the northern San Diego County track's Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Senor Swinger, a prime candidate for Saturday's 63rd La Jolla Handicap, a prep for the Del Mar Derby on Saturday, September 6, turned in a strong half-mile work in 47.20 Monday morning over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course at Del Mar.
