With concerns regarding field size on the forefront in both regions of California, the California Horse Racing Board discussed a potential rule change that would restrict horses claimed in the state from running outside the state.
Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate logged his final timed workout for the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) under the watchful eye of Bob Baffert and met his trainer's expectations with a six-furlong run in 1:11 flat.
On July 4 when Santa Anita Park’s spring-summer meet came to an end, the jockey standings showed a tie at the top between Flavien Prat and 19-year-old Evin Roman, which produced a storyline last mentioned nearly 70 years ago.
Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate stepped up his workout regimen July 8 at Santa Anita Park in preparation for his next start in the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2).
Santa Anita Park's all-sources handle for its 103-day racing season, which began Dec. 26 and concluded July 4, showed a $23.5 million increase over last season, a 2.5% gain, according to track officials.
With even-money favorite Om close behind all the way in the $100,000 American Stakes (G3T) July 4 at Santa Anita Park, Nick Alexander's Tribal Rule homebred turned back the multiple graded stakes winner and picked up a graded victory of his own.
Trainer Bob Baffert has a habit of comparing his horses to human athletes, and with a wide grin on his face he went to the well again July 2 at Santa Anita Park.
Santa Anita clockers timed Arrogate's six furlongs in 1:12 3/5, with a gallop out to seven furlongs in 1:26 1/6.
A five-time California-bred stakes winner before her start in the $100,000 Wilshire Stakes (G3T), Nick Alexander's Enola Gray had yet to beat open-company stakes competition in three tries, but she cleared that hurdle impressively July 1.
The margin may have only been a neck over challenger Ransom the Moon, but the context of Danzing Candy's win in the San Carlos Stakes (G2) may put his performance at or near the top of his résumé.
D P Racing's Prize Exhibit (GB) seeks a return to form via a class drop July 1 in the $100,000 Wilshire Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares going a mile over the Santa Anita Park lawn.
The parade of Bob Baffert-trained top threats is set to march on this weekend with Danzing Candy installed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite to keep the train rolling in the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park July 1.
Street Surrender took it to grade 1 winner Nickname in the $75,000 Southern Truce Stakes, when he guided West Point Thoroughbreds' Street Surrender to a frontrunning victory in the 1 1/16-mile test.
Champion Arrogate continued his preparations for the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) with a six-furlong work in 1:12 2/5 under jockey Martin Garcia June 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Speedway Stables' Collected continued to trounce his competition in Southern California June 24 with a dominant victory in the $100,000 Precisionist Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Battle of Midway's connections were looking for a Betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1) prep June 24 in the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes (G3), and they accomplished their mission at Santa Anita Park.
Battle of Midway may face a short field in the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park June 24, but at least one of his connections is a little disappointed.
Zedan Racing Stables' Keane came into Doug O'Neill's Southern California stable in December with some lofty expectations.
William Peeples' Spirit of Shanghai became the first winner for her sire Shanghai Bobby when she took a maiden claiming race for juvenile fillies at Santa Anita Park June 18 by a length.
Trainer Richard Mandella was hopeful Claiborne Farm's homebred Bendable would come back as strong as she was before she fractured a splint bone in October, but he wanted to see her do it on the racetrack.
After a stint at Julie Adair-Stack's farm—where trainer Richard Mandella also sent four-time champion Beholder for some time off—Paradise Woods got back to serious training June 18 at Santa Anita Park with an easy half-mile breeze.
Baoma Corporation's Faypien continued her trip up the class ladder June 17 with a victory in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita Park, but she needed every ounce of effort in the final strides.
After his first day back racing since Jan. 26, when a fall broke his arm and knocked him out cold at Santa Anita Park, jockey Drayden Van Dyke has a different perspective on his riding career.
Joe Turner's homebred Sircat Sally will bring her undefeated record into the $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes (G2T) June 17 at Santa Anita Park, and her Hall of Fame trainer appears to be as confident as her 3-5 morning-line odds.
Richard Mandella-trained filly fractured a splint bone in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Oct. 8.
The Bob Baffert-trained duo of Faypien and Noted and Quoted—the top two finishers in the May 14 Angels Flight Stakes—will stretch out and square off once again in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks (G2) June 17 at Santa Anita Park.
Unraced since November 2015, grade 1 winner Big Macher returned a winner in Santa Anita Park's $100,000 Thor's Echo Handicap June 11 for trainer Richard Baltas.
Santa Anita Park's stewards issued jockey Kent Desormeaux an official warning June 10 for his controversial actions during a workout May 28 at the Southern California racetrack.
The Lane's End first-year sire and grade 1-winning millionaire Morning Line had his first winner when Surrender Now took a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies June 9 at Santa Anita Park.
Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate got back to work June 6 at Santa Anita Park, where he put in his first timed breeze since his victory in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1).
Fox Hill Farm's Songbird logged her final workout June 6 for her 2017 debut in the $750,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) June 10, and is set to depart for Belmont Park.
Santa Anita Park cancelled its second Thursday card of the season because of a lack of entries for the June 8 slate, and track executives put most of the onus on the local horsemen June 4 to run more horses and fill cards.
Tom Mansor and Tachycardia Stables' Big Macher has a special place in trainer Richard Baltas' heart.
Hronis Racing's Stellar Wind and jockey Victor Espinoza simply imitated the tactics they used to take down the four-time champion and namesake of the race at Santa Anita Park.
Rounding the turn for home in the $400,000 Shoemaker Mile (G1T) June 3 at Santa Anita Park, Bal a Bali again validated owner Calumet Farm's decision to keep the striking bay off their stallion roster for another year.
Circumstances required trainer John Shirreffs to throw two entirely new elements at Jerry and Ann Moss' Gormley June 3, in his final work for a potential Belmont Stakes (G1) start.
Fresh off What a View's front-running victory as the 1-2 favorite in the Crystal Water Stakes for California-breds on May 20, trainer Kenny Black is holding to the old adage of running his charge when he's right.
Songbird may be heading to New York, but the short field entered for the June 3 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park still features a showdown of champions and another with similar aspirations.
Sharp handling of grade 1 winner Illuminant brought big rewards May 27 at Santa Anita Park for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sol Kumin's Head of Plains Partners, and SF Racing.
An eight-month layoff seemed to have little effect on Cupid in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) as he won the 1 1/4-mile test May 27 by 3 1/4 lengths.
Out of her comfort zone up near the pace in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes (G1T) May 27 at Santa Anita Park, Sheep Pond Partners' Lady Eli once again showed her enduring class.
Rockingham Ranch's Stormy Liberal ran to his 1-2 odds and captured the $150,000 Daytona Stakes (G3T) May 27 at Santa Anita Park, but just in the nick of time.
Before and after Gormley logged his workout May 27 at Santa Anita Park, trainer John Shirreffs emphasized that, although the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1) is under consideration, nothing is set in stone.
Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week a pair of grade 1 races at Santa Anita Park and graded stakes at six other racetracks.
Three graduates from the April Siren Lure Stakes will face each other again in the Daytona Stakes sprinting 6 1/2 grassy furlongs over the Santa Anita Park downhill turf course
Midnight Storm will have another shot at a grade 1 win on dirt in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, and he won't have to contend with Shaman Ghost, who came back to win the Pimlico Special Handicap (G3) May 19 off his Big 'Cap victory.
The California Horse Racing Board's Race Dates Committee, which normally handles year-to-year disputes between industry stakeholders in the Northern and Southern regions of the state, discussed a wider issue of horse racing's future May 24.
The grade 2 Monrovia Stakes, at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill course at Santa Anita Park, features a field of nine fillies and mares topped by grade 1-placed Enola Gray and grade 1 winner Illuminant.
Multiple grade 1 winner Lady Eli headlines a field of six in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park May 27.
Ransom the Moon stepped up in class May 20 when he took the $200,000 Kona Gold Stakes (G2) by 2 1/4 lengths in his first stakes attempt.
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