Shakin It Up, making his first start in nine months, mowed down the field for trainer Bob Baffert to earn his first grade I victory in the $300,000 Malibu Stakes at odds of 17-1 on opening day at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26.
TimeformUS Stakes Plays for the Mr. Prospector Stakes and more. read blog
Hollywood Park has sadly faded into the Southern California sunset, but Santa Anita Park opens for a new season Dec. 26 with a couple of extra months tagged on at the end of the meet.
Flashback, favored in each of his five career starts, figures to be the choice again when he runs in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Park on opening day of the winter meet Dec. 26.
Malibu Stakes winner Jimmy Creed, who was being pointed to the San Carlos Stakes after missing the Strub Stakes on Feb. 2 due to a cough, will miss the San Carlos on Feb. 23 due to the same malady.
Jimmy Creed, a disappointment in last month's Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), rebounded with an emphatic victory in the $301,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) on opening day of the winter meet at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26.
M One Rifle, winner of the 2009 Malibu Stakes (gr. I), has been officially retired to trainer Bruce Headley's equine complex in Arcadia, Calif.
The Lumber Guy, whose big effort in the Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) last month produced a runner-up finish, heads a field of 10 sophomores for the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) on opening day at Santa Anita.
Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic runner-up My Miss Aurelia worked a half mile in :48 3/5 on Santa Anita's fast main track on the morning of Dec. 20 in preparation for next week's La Brea Stakes (gr. I) at seven furlongs.
Fog City Stable and George Bolton's The Factor zipped to a decisive victory in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) before a crowd of 44,579 on the Dec. 26 opening day card at Santa Anita.
With The Factor giving way badly after setting a hot pace from the rail in his past two starts, trainer Bob Baffert was feeling better after his grade I winner drew the far outside post for the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I).
Tom, Ian and Les from Twinspires.com handicap the Malibu Stakes on opening day of the Santa Anita winter/spring meet. watch video
There aren't many grade I races in California that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert hasn't won, but the Malibu Stakes is one of them. He'll take a mighty whack this year with four entrants, including The Factor.
Led by the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) on opening day Dec. 26, Santa Anita Park announced its 2011-12 stakes schedule which will include nine grade I events over the course of its 79-day meet which will conclude April 22.
The Santa Anita Handicap is the next goal for the Strub winner. Read More
John Sadler and Joel Rosario completed a sweep of the three graded stakes on the opening day program at Santa Anita Dec. 26 when Twirling Candy nosed Smiling Tiger in a thrilling finish to the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I).
Santa Anita Park unveils its new natural dirt track Dec. 26 with a quality nine-race card that includes the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I), which drew a well-balanced field of 11 3-year-olds.
Tom, Evan, and James Scully of brisnet.com preview the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) and the La Brea Stakes (gr. 1). Watch Video
Caracortado, the California-bred gelding who won the first five races of his career including the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II), breezed three furlongs Sept. 21 at Hollywood Park in his first work since the Preakness.
M One Rifle, a 7-1 shot, went all the way on the front end to post an easy win in the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) over favored Misremembered for veteran trainer Bruce Headley Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
Tom, Evan and James Scully of twinspires/brisnet, preview the Malibu Stakes (gr. I). Watch Now!
Trainer Bob Baffert, who won a pair of grade I stakes on the closing weekend of the Hollywood Park fall meeting, is in a prime position to do it again as the Santa Anita winter meet opens Dec. 26.
Malibu Stakes (gr. I) winner Bob Black Jack is undergoing tests to determine the exact nature of an ailment that is expected to keep sidelined for several months.
Bob Black Jack went gate to wire to easily win the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-olds on opening day of the 2008-09 season at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26. It was the first graded stakes win for the California-bred Bob Black Jack.
The renovated Cushion Track at Santa Anita Park produced a track record at seven furlongs in the second race of the opening day card on Dec. 26. Bob Black Jack hit the wire in 1:20.37, .53 seconds faster than the previous mark set during the fall Oak Tree Association meet. While new surfaces always mean new records, the previous dirt record for seven furlongs set by Spectacular Bid in 1980 was 1:20.
James Barry's Divine Park looks to make it a perfect 4-for-4 in his young career, but will have overcome post 14 and defeat a full field of challengers in the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) Dec. 26 on opening day at Santa Anita Park.
Horse Greeley, winner of the 2006 Del Mar Futurity (gr. II), is preparing for a return to the races and could start in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) on Dec. 26.
Divine Park, undefeated winner of the Withers (gr. III) at Aqueduct in April, will run for the first time since that race in the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Nov. 15.
Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Brother Derek is the marquee entrant among the 13 horses entered in the 44th running of the grade I Malibu Stakes as Santa Anita Park begins its 70th year of racing at noon on Tuesday, Dec. 26.
Swaps Stakes (gr. II) winner Arson Squad completed his major work for Tuesday's opening day Malibu Stakes (gr. I) Friday morning with a half-mile blow out in a scintillating :45 1/5, the best of 32 works at the distance and nearly two seconds faster than the next best time.
Sent off at 20-1 odds, Proud Tower Too outdueled favored Attila's Storm for a one-length triumph in the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I), the feature on Monday's opening day card at Santa Anita.
Fourteen horses are entered for the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-olds Monday, the headline race on opening day of Santa Anita's 71st winter/spring meeting.
Greeley's Galaxy, absent since finishing a distant seventh in the Preakness (gr. I) on May 21, returns to the races in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) Monday at Santa Anita when the track begins an 86-day meeting that runs through April 23.
Trainer Richard Schosberg's Attila's Storm begins the long and arduous path to the 2006 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Churchill Downs with Monday's seven-furlong Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.
The hole opened up for Rock Hard Ten near the eighth pole and the strapping colt burst through to win the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-olds Sunday in front of 31,874, the largest opening-day crowd since 1999 at Santa Anita Park.
Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) winner Love of Money was delayed in Texas due to inclement weather and will not run in Sunday's $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I), according to the agent for Victor Espinoza, who was slated to ride.
Grade II winners Rock Hard Ten and Love of Money return from layoffs to head up Sunday's $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I), a test for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs that kicks off Santa Anita's 85-day winter meeting.
Minister Eric, who ran third in his only race since an eventful 16th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) May 1, will wear blinkers when he tackles a competitive field in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) Sunday at Santa Anita Park.
Away since Aug. 2, lightly raced Southern Image motored down the middle of the track to catch 33-1 shot Marino Marini in the final strides for a head victory in Friday's $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-olds on opening day at Santa Anita.
The Malibu Stakes (gr. I), which features the return to competition of Buddy Gil and a trio from the Bobby Frankel barn, highlights Friday's opening day card at Santa Anita Park.
Hal J. Earnhardt III's grade II winner Rojo Toro, who hasn't raced since a fifth-place finish in the San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita March 22, is back in full training and getting ready for a return to action within the next few weeks, trainer Bob Baffert said.
Dan Borislow, encouraged by Toccet's solid third-place finish behind Congaree and Midas Eyes in the Cigar Mile (gr. I) has decided to send the colt back to Santa Anita and point for the Strub Series, beginning with the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes (gr. I) Dec. 26.
Grade I winner Buddy Gil has resumed full training and is being pointed toward the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) on opening day at Santa Anita, trainer Jeff Mullins said.
Serengeti Stable's Eugene's Third Son, who made a dazzling return to competition on Thursday at Churchill Downs, may find himself in California by the end of the year.
Saturday's Sprint winner, Cajun Beat, is getting some rest, but trainer Steve Margolis is already thinking about his colt's next possible start.
Not the least disheartened by Mayakovsky's ninth-place finish in the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita on opening day, trainer Patrick Biancone says the 4-year-old Florida-bred is ready to go as he prepares for the $1 million Ocala Breeders' Sales Classic at 1 1/8 miles in the Sunshine Millions at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25.
Santa Anita kicks off its annual meeting Thursday with an intriguing 11-horse field in the $200,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-olds.
Century City, who finished eighth in a field of nine as the 2-1 favorite in the Hollywood Derby (gr. I), is switching from the turf to dirt for his next race.
Amidst calendar-picture weather, a crowd of 27,713 marched forward on Dec. 26 to take in Santa Anita's seasonal opener, and there, standing front and center yet again, was Bobby Frankel, placing perhaps the final bow on his gift-wrapped year following Mizzen Mast's clear-cut triumph in the $200,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) in 1:22.13.
A field of 13 3-year-olds will assemble on Wednesday for the seven-furlong, $200,000 Malibu Stakes on opening day of the Santa Anita meeting. Should all 13 run, it would be the largest Malibu field since 1988.
