Monday, November 23 2009

TALAMO WINS FIVE, INCLUDING MOCCASIN ABOARD BICKERSONS

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 22, 2009) — Jockey Joe Talamo capped a four-win afternoon with a victory aboard eastern horse Bickersons in the $100,000 Moccasin Stakes on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Talamo, 19, rode a perfect race, briefly relinquishing the lead on the backstretch when Bickersons was challenged by Neeko, and the Canadian-bred had plenty left when challenged by favorite Crisis of Spirit rounding the far turn.

Monday, November 09 2009

END OF OAK TREE MEET RELEASE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2009)—Buoyed by perhaps the greatest performance in Santa Anita history, the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting ended on a high note Sunday as the racing world continued to resonate with awe in the wake of superstar Zenyatta’s devastating win against males in Saturday’s Gr. I, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic before an on-track crowd of 58,845.

Held for an unprecedented second consecutive year at the same venue, the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships attracted a total of 96,496 fans on-track, up from 82,578 last year, for an increase of 17 percent. Friday’s attendance of 37,651 was an increase of 20 percent over last year’s day-one crowd of 31,257.

ZENYATTA 2009 OAK TREE HORSE OF THE MEET

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2009) – Undefeated Zenyatta, who etched her mark indelibly into racing lore with a history-making triumph over males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday, was unanimously voted Horse of the Meet in the annual Media Poll for the Oak Tree season.

Her stirring last-to-first victory under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, witnessed by an electric on-track crowd of 58,845, extended her winning streak to 14, surpassing Personal Ensign’s record of 13, and thrust Zenyatta firmly into the forefront for Horse of the Year honors against the 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra. The latter three times defeated males in an unbeaten campaign of eight starts this year but did not compete in the 26th Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

ROSARIO RIDES KAYS AND JAYS TO VICTORY IN CASCAPEDIA STAKES,

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2009) – Zayat Stable’s Kays and Jays, having recovered from a foot abscess that sidelined her in July, returned to action Sunday to turn back fast-closing Irish Gypsy and win the seven-furlong $67,338 Cascapedia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length at Santa Anita.

The second running of the Cascapedia provided Joel Rosario with his second win on Oak Tree’s closing day and moved him to within one victory of leader Rafael Bejarano, 31-30, in the 31-day meet’s jockeys’ standings. Bejarano emerged with the title when Rosario failed to win with his final two mounts.

Friday, November 06 2009

TUSCAN EVENING GETS BACK IN WINNING FORM WITH LAS PALMAS HANDICAP SCORE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 6) – Irish-bred Tuscan Evening, who won 5 of her first 6 starts in the United Stakes prior to a two-race skid, regained her winning form Friday in Oak Tree’s Grade II, $200,000 Las Palmas Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile over Santa Anita’s Camino Real Turf Course.

Sent off as the 7-2 second choice in the stakes race that climaxed Friday’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships program, Tuscan Evening prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths over 28-1 longshot Closeout while running the distance in 1:33.50.

Thursday, November 05 2009

EVER A FRIEND REGISTERS IMPRESSIVE COMEBACK VICTORY IN CATERMAN PURSE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 5, 2009) – A Grade I winner last year before going to the sidelines for 17 months, the 6-year-old gray gelding Ever a Friend made an impressive return to the races on Thursday when he nailed down Oak Tree’s $43,800 Caterman Purse by 1 ¼ lengths over pace-setter Banner Lodge.

Ever a Friend clearly demonstrated that he is back in form following a prolonged recovery from ankle surgery when he covered the 6 ½ furlongs over Santa Anita’s downhill turf course in 1:11.95, not far removed from the course record of 1:11.13.

Stable Notes, Thursday, November 5th, 2009

CASSIDY EXPECTS ‘USUAL’ EFFORT IN GRADE II OAK TREE DERBY

The Usual Q.T. seeks his fourth straight victory and his first in graded company Saturday in the Grade II $150,000 Oak Tree Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

“He’s really quite a nice horse,” said trainer Jim Cassidy when asked if the gelded son of Unusual Heat had exceeded his expectations. “I don’t know how nice he is, but I’ll find out. He hasn’t done much wrong. That one race (fifth by 11 lengths at Hollywood Park last July 5), we showed too much speed and he didn’t run well.

REMATCH OF DEL MAR DERBY IN OAK TREE DERBY; M ONE RIFLE AIMS FOR DAMASCUS WIN ON SATURDAY’S BREEDE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2009) – A contentious Grade II, $150,000 Oak Tree Derby and the speedy M One Rifle’s run at Oak Tree’s $100,000 Damascus Stakes bookend Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships card as the unbeaten mare Zenyatta takes on the boys in the Classic at Santa Anita in a race that will surely dominate the focus of the racing world.

The 40th running of the Oak Tree Derby, which matches 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf, climaxes the two days of championship racing as Saturday’s 10th race with a scheduled post of 4:25 p.m., 40 minutes after the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is to be contested.

Monday, November 02 2009

Breeders’ Cup Notes: $2 Million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf notes Monday

Dynaforce – The daughter of Dynaformer will be making her second consecutive start in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, having finished a troubled seventh last year over the Santa Anita grass course.

The 6yo mare, owned by Dr. John Chandler and trained by Bill Mott, had an unpublished work last Tuesday at Belmont Park, going 1:05 4/5 on a sloppy training track under exercise rider and assistant
trainer Leanna Willford.

CRISIS OF SPIRIT TAKES ANOAKIA STAKES AS SIZZLING BAFFERT WINS UNPRECEDENTED FIRST FOUR RACES

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2009) – Crisis of Spirit provided Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert with his third of four straight victories on Sunday’s Oak Tree card when the 2-5 favorite wore down Well Deserved to capture the 31st running of the $63,672 Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length at Santa Anita.

While running six furlongs in 1:09.39, Mike Pegram’s homebred daughter of Vindication gained her first stakes win. Her dam is an unraced daughter of Silverbulletday, the Hall of Fame filly also owned by Pegram.

Stable Notes, Sunday, November 1st, 2009

OAK TREE ANNOUNCER DENMAN SEES ZENYATTA CONQUERING COLTS

Trevor Denman has called six of Zenyatta’s victories, and the sharp-eyed Oak Tree race caller sees no reason the brilliant mare can’t defeat males should she run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic next Saturday.

“Categorically, she can beat the boys,” Denman said. “In Europe, it’s done all the time, and why shouldn’t she? She’s such a big filly. She’s strong, she’s almost like a male. Definitely she can beat the boys. It’s tough for a filly to beat the colts, but it has been done and always will be done. What does it take? An exceptional filly. Is she exceptional? Oh, yes.”

Saturday, October 31 2009

FAVORED MACIAS SCORES GAME VICTORY IN JACK GOODMAN STAKES

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 31, 2009) – Zayat Stables’ Macias, a 2-year-old Purge colt trained by Bob Baffert, successfully made the transition into the stakes ranks Saturday when denying the closing bid of Hurricane Ike to take Oak Tree’s 35th running of the $60,413 Jack Goodman Stakes by a neck while negotiating six furlongs in 1:08.98.

With Garrett Gomez in the saddle, Macias overtook pace-setter Our Minesweeper entering the stretch, drew clear, and gamely withstood the late challenge by Hurricane Ike with Joe Talamo aboard. Privilaged, the 7-5 second choice ridden by Rafael Bejarano, finished third, two lengths behind the runner-up.