Aggie Engineer turned a soft early lead into the first graded stakes win of his career when he bounded away leaving the final turn to win the $100,000 Native Diver Handicap (gr. III) by 1 3/4 lengths at Hollywood Park Dec. 4.
Even-money choice Cost of Freedom rushed to the lead for jockey Joe Talamo and never looked back in taking the $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (gr. III) by 1 3/4 lengths in the Thanksgiving Day feature at Hollywood Park.
A total of 27 members of the Jockeys' Guild have been elected to the organization's senate, including newcomers Deshawn Parker, Joe Talamo, and Jay Conklin.
Soul Candy made a success of his first synthetic start when he ran down favored Enriched in deep stretch to win the $150,000 California Cup Classic going away by 1 1/4 lengths Oct. 30 at Hollywood Park.
Patrick Valenzuela, a five-time champion at Del Mar but riding at the seashore for the first time in three years, will ride 2-1 morning line favorite J P's Gusto in the $150,000 Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) Aug. 8.
Jockey Joe Talamo suffered a fractured left wrist Aug. 5 at Del Mar after he was unseated during the running of the third race.
Wesley Ward's unbeaten filly figures to be the choice in the 6 1/2-furlong Sorrento Stakes (gr. III) at Del Mar; faces challenge from a pair of Bob Baffert-trained juveniles
Spendthrift Farm's Temple City took advantage of an ideal set-up, going wire-to-wire under Joe Talamo to win the $125,000 Cougar II Handicap (gr. III) on Del Mar's Polytrack July 30.
One month after a record-setting victory in her debut at Arlington Park, Dawnie Macho made a successful transition to California, leading throughout to win the $100,000 Landaluce Stakes July 11 at Hollywood Park.
I Want Revenge, scratched on the morning on the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), makes his long awaited return to racing in the $300,000 Suburban Handicap (gr. II) July 3 at Belmont Park.
Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Sidney's Candy continued to show his affinity for Churchill Downs when he zipped six furlongs in 1:11 3/5 at Churchill Downs on the morning of Saturday, April 24.
Unzip Me dictated the pace en route to an easy win in the $100,000 Las Cienegas Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita April 11, earning her fourth consecutive win for trainer Marty Jones.
Dream Nettie, making his stakes debut for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, scored a 9-1 upset in winning the $100,000 La Puente Stakes on the Santa Anita turf April 10.
Sidney's Candy overcame a stumble at the start to post an authorative front-running victory in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 3, defeating odds-on favorite Lookin At Lucky, who was involved in a mishap.
Front-running Sidney's Candy, making his first start around two turns, led all the way in winning the $150,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita March 13.
Rebounding from a 10th-place finish in the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), Bickersons took the field nearly all the way in winning the $100,000 Moccasin Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths at Hollywood Park Nov. 22.
In what trainer Chip Woolley labeled "pretty much perfect," Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird worked five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 at Santa Anita Nov. 2 in preparation for the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
Favored California Flag led nearly all the way to win the $100,000 Morvich Handicap (gr. IIIT) on opening day of the Oak Tree Racing Association meet at Santa Anita Park Sept. 30, earning a repeat victory in the hillside turf course event over runner-up Get Funky and a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
Black Astor, handed a 10-length lead with a mile to run in the closing-day $142,500 Sunset Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park, made it stand up over his three rivals July 19.
Belmont Stakes contenders Summer Bird, sixth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), and Charitable Man, winner of the Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) earlier this month, are both scheduled to breeze May 23 on the main track at Belmont Park in preparation for the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 6.
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.
Crafty 8-year-old Ball Four, reunited with trainer Patrick Biancone for his first start in four months, dealt heavily-favored Rail Trip his first career defeat by going gate to wire to win the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II) at Hollywood Park May 9.
The Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) isn't just about the horse. This edition boasts an unusually fertile crop of human-interest stories in the connections behind the horses.
The Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) isn't just about the horse. This edition boasts an unusually fertile crop of human-interest stories in the connections behind the horses.
I Want Revenge was one of five horses posting workouts April 21 at Churchill Downs in preparation for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), completing five furlongs on a slightly-off track in 1:01 3/5.
Jockey Joe Talamo has pledged $25,000 to Children's Hospital in New Orleans if he wins his first Kentucky Derby (gr. I) May 2.
California invader Santa Teresita has won multiple races on the West Coast, including a triumph in the Santa Maria Handicap (gr. I). But now the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid will have to prove her form on dirt when she takes on five rivals in the $200,000 Sixty Sails Handicap (gr. II) April 18 at Hawthorne Race Course.
David Lanzman and IEAH Stables' I Want Revenge, the possible favorite for the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), turned in his first serious training move since his arrival at Churchill Downs when he worked an easy half-mile over a muddy track on April 14.
His recent form had been poor but Stream Cat turned things around when given extra ground in the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup Handicap (gr. III) at 12 furlongs, spoiling the return to action of favorite Big Booster at Santa Anita March 28.
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.
March means many things to owners and trainers of horses on the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) trail. There's the nail-biting, the sleepless nights, and the early morning phone calls that every owner dreads. And for many it sadly means the end of the road.
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.
Shipping in from California and making his first start on natural dirt, I Want Revenge put away Mr. Fantasy at the top of the stretch and scored by 8 1/2 convincing lengths in the $250,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) March 7 at Aqueduct.
Santa Teresita, with just a minor stakes win previously, pulled a big surprise when she bettered a top-notch field of older fillies and mares in the Valentine's Day $300,000 Santa Maria Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park Feb. 14.
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."
One of racing's long-standing jockey/agent relationships came to an end when jockey Alex Solis handed agent Scotty McClellan his pink slip Jan. 27 after a successful run of 16 years.
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.
Twelve episodes of a 30-minute show featuring the lives of seven jockeys during the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet will air on Animal Planet beginning with a pair of shows Feb. 6.
Favored California Flag rebounded from a disappointing effort in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint last month with a front-running romp in the $150,000 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT) Nov. 29.
Front-running California Flag drew away in stunning fashion to register a 22-1 surprise in track record time while winning the $112,500 Morvich Handicap (gr. IIIT) over Santa Anita's hillside turf course on opening day of the 40th Oak Tree Racing Association meet.
Diamond A Racing's Tiz West withstood a determined bid by favored Afleet Ruler to prevail by three-quarters of a length in Santa Anita's $109,900 La Puente Stakes for 3-year-olds on the grass, denying 18-year-old jockey Joe Talamo his fifth victory on the 11-race program.
Inside Information features Funny Cide, prisoners and horses working toward rehabilitation, and communication between trainers and jockeys on race day.
Another Louisiana-born jockey, another national title. This time the honor goes to Joe Talamo, who won the Eclipse Award on Jan. 21 as the top apprentice jockey. The New Orleans native rode 249 winners and earned $10,705,403.
Final Fling came off the rail in the home stretch to overtake Grace Anatomy en route to an upset win in the $108,900 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Jan. 13. Odds-on favorite Turn Away was pulled out of the race on the final turn.
HRTV's "Inside Information" featuring owner Maggi Moss and jockey Joe Talamo.
Bushwacker has only one way of going so when the 5-year-old horse took command in the $105,800 Vernon O. Underwood (gr. III) soon after the start Dec. 2, his four Hollywood Park rivals did not appear to be concerned. They should have been.
Jockey Joe Talamo has gained the mount on Lewis Michael, one of the leading contenders in the inaugural running of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, which takes place Oct. 26 at Monmouth Park.
The ESPN family of networks will set a record for length of Breeders' Cup coverage, with 9 1/2 hours devoted to the two-day Breeders' Cup event and a preview show Wednesday.
Artiste Royal, making just his second start of 2007 for trainer Neil Drysdale, drew alongside prohibitive favorite The Tin Man approaching the eighth pole and edged away to a one-length victory in Oak Tree's $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Oct. 6.
She's the queen of the California breds. Nashoba's Key takes an unblemished record into the Breeders' Cup next month after she turned back odds-on choice Citronnade in the $400,000 Yellow Ribbon (gr. IT) on the turf during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Sept. 29.
