At the conclusion of Sunday's final day of racing at the Santa Anita Spring Meet, the leading trainer and jockey standings look very similar to the results from the track's Winter Meet, with Phil D'Amato and Rafael Bejarano taking home their respective titles.
Phil D'Amato won his first-ever title at the Winter Meet, and made it two in a row at the meet that began May 5, compiling a total of 25 wins through the eighth race on closing day.
“Everything's been firing,” said D'Amato. “I've got great stock across the board, from younger horses to older horses, and most importantly, I've got owners who let me pick the spots to run them in and it's working out great.”
While D'Amato is enjoying a relatively recent string of successes at the highest level, Bejarano is a stalwart atop the riders standings, earning his 15th overall title at the Arcadia oval. The journeyman rider recorded 46 wins through the eighth race Sunday.
The California racing schedule shifts southward to Del Mar's summer meet, which begins Friday, July 15. One of the centerpieces of the iconic meeting is the July 30 GI Clement L. Hirsch S., which is set to feature a rematch between three-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder (Henny Hughes) and last year's champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind (Curlin). The latter worked six furlongs Sunday in Arcadia, her fourth drill since running second to Beholder in the GI Vanity Mile at Santa Anita June 4.
“It was an excellent work,” said regular rider Victor Espinoza. “She was brilliant today. Now she's ready to go. The Vanity got her fit for the next race and even though it's against Beholder who's a champ, too, you never know what will happen. Stellar Wind is doing great.”
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