Wednesday, March 10 2010
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10TH, 2010
ZENYATTA TO ARRIVE AT SANTA ANITA THURSDAY FOR 2010 DEBUT SATURDAY
The countdown to Zenyatta’s 2010 debut is on in earnest. The undefeated Breeders’ Cup Classic winner is set to accept high weight of 127 pounds for Saturday’s Grade I, $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap, a race the racing world expects will lead to a showdown with Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the $5 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 9.
Monday, March 08 2010
BAFFERT, GARCIA STRIKE AGAIN WITH SANGAREE IN HERNANDEZ
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 7, 2010) – One day after Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert provided 25-year-old jockey Martin Garcia with the biggest win of his career while riding Misremembered to a one-half length victory in the Gr. I Santa Anita Handicap, the pair struck again Sunday with Sangaree in Santa Anita’s $60,350 Joe Hernandez Stakes.
Garcia rallied 4-1 shot Sangaree between horses in the stretch to defeat Gallant Son by one-half length in a driving finish to the 6 ½ furlong event that had been transferred from the turf to Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface following overnight rain.
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, SUNDAY, MARCH 7TH, 2010
HRTV TO AIR 2010 DEBUTS OF RACHEL ALEXANDRA, ZENYATTA SATURDAY
HRTV will present a special one-hour live show Saturday featuring the 2010 debuts of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Zenyatta.
Entitled “The Champions Return,” the show will be hosted by Scott Hazelton and Gary Stevens, who will be live at the Fair Grounds for Rachel Alexandra’s race, the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies’ Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. It will go as the 10th race at approximately 3:15 p.m. The Santa Margarita will be Santa Anita’s seventh race with a probable post time of 3:40 p.m.
Sunday, March 07 2010
BIG ’CAP DAY PRODUCES CARRYOVER OF $207,271
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 6, 2010)—Most all Pick Six players at Santa Anita on Saturday went off the rails in the Gr. I Santa Anita Oaks, as 1-2 favorite Blind Luck ran third, helping to result in a carryover of $207,271 and the likelihood of a total pool of over $1 million on Sunday.
The Oaks, carded as race eight, which was the third leg in Saturday’s Pick Six, was taken by the John Sadler conditioned Crisp, who paid $13.60 to win. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Crisp is a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by El Corredor, who is owned by Michael Talla.
MISREMEMBERED, GARCIA POWER TO VICTORY IN GR. I BIG ’CAP
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) _ Bob Baffert was so bummed after Misremembered finished second for the third consecutive time in his last start, he decided to shake things up.
The Hall of Fame trainer switched jockeys and gave different riding instructions for Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap.
Misremembered won by a half-length over fast-closing Neko Bay, putting a smile on Baffert's face as he walked into the winner's circle. He also bred the horse, which is co-owned by his wife, Jill, along with George and Lynn Jacobs.
LONGSHOT ALPHIE’S BET DOMINATES GR. III SHAM
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) _ No one is more surprised to find herself on the Triple Crown trail than Alexis Barba.
The veteran trainer is there courtesy of Alphie's Bet, who won the $150,000 Sham Stakes by 2¼ lengths Saturday, helping him establish his credentials for the Kentucky Derby.
"Isn't that amazing?" Barba asked, clutching a bouquet of red-and-white flowers in the winner's circle.
Santa Anita STABLE NOTE, SATURDAY, MARCH 6TH, 2010
WORLD-FAMOUS BOXING TRAINER ROACH TO PRESENT TROPHY AT SANTA ANITA
World-famous boxing trainer Freddie Roach was at Santa Anita Sunday to present the trophy for the $55,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes, in a winner’s circle ceremony.
The affable Roach, who celebrated his 50th birthday last Friday, is a former boxer who is a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame and he has been voted Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America on four different occasions. Regarded as one of the greatest trainers of all time, Roach currently works for superstar fighter Manny (Pac Man) Pacquiao. Roach has trained 25 world champions to date, including Pacquiao, who has held seven separate weight division championships.
Saturday, March 06 2010
FAVORED TANDA GETS JOB DONE IN TURF SPRINT FEATURE
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 5, 2010) – Tanda, the 13-10 favorite with Alex Solis aboard, ran down 25-1 British-import Vanishing Grey to score a 1 ¼ length victory Friday in Santa Anita’s $47,600 optional claiming feature for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs over the track’s downhill turf course.
Closing strongly on the far outside in the field of nine, the Florida-bred daughter of Sweetsouthernsaint recorded her second victory in three starts over the unique grass layout following a second place finish to well-regarded Rose Catherine in the Sweet Life Stakes on Jan. 24. Tanda was timed in 1:13.55.
BIG ‘CAP WEATHER FORECAST ENCOURAGING,
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 5, 2010)—The National Weather Service provided some highly anticipated good news on Friday afternoon, with a revised prediction of significantly less rain than originally predicted for Saturday, the day of the Gr. I Santa Anita Handicap and three other graded stakes at Santa Anita.
In a dispatch issued at 2:57 p.m., PST, the Weather Service in Los Angeles noted: “At this time…the amount of precipitation expected across the area (Southern California) will be limited…Rain is expected to become likely over San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties Saturday morning, with the rain affecting Ventura and Los Angeles Counties Saturday afternoon and night.
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, FRIDAY MARCH 5TH, 2010
RACING GREAT PETE ANDERSON SEEKS BIG ’CAP VICTORY
In a bygone era when racing was in its hey day, Pete Anderson rode with the greats: Shoemaker, Arcaro, Baeza, Hartack. He began his career in the late 1940s and was the leading apprentice jockey in New York in 1948. Among his major graded stakes victories was the 1966 Washington Park Handicap aboard Bold Bidder, in which he defeated future Hall of Fame inductee Tom Rolfe.
In the 1973 Kentucky Derby, he rode the great Forego to a fourth-place finish behind eventual Triple Crown champion Secretariat. Anderson’s most important win came in 1958, when he rode Cavan to an upset over Tim Tam to deny the Calumet Farm colt the Triple Crown.
Friday, March 05 2010
16-YEAR-OLD “BUG BOY” KAPLAN WINS WITH FIRST MOUNT
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 4, 2010)—Under partly cloudy skies and with the San Gabriel Mountains serving as a picturesque backdrop, 16-year-old apprentice jockey Tyler Kaplan lived the dream at 1 1/16 miles on Thursday, as he won with the very first mount of his career, a 5-year-old mare named Soldier Betty, in the fifth race at Santa Anita.
“One of my goals was to win a race at Santa Anita and I’ve accomplished that,” said Kaplan. “When we hit the wire, it was amazing. I couldn’t believe it, I was right here,” he said in the winner’s circle.
UPSET BY VALUE STREAM RESULTS IN SOME UNUSUAL PAYOFFS
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 4, 2010) – Winless in eight starts dating to July of 2008, Value Stream burst back into the victory column Thursday when posting an 8-1 upset in Santa Anita’s $55,920 allowance feature for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.
The 5-year-old A.P. Indy mare, with Joel Rosario in the saddle, stormed from last in the field of seven to defeat 5-2 second-choice Saucey Evening by 2 ¼ lengths while covering the distance in 1:43.52. Divine Legacy, at 21-1, finished a nose back in third.
