Hector Berrios
Mission accomplished. Three months ago, after Thought Process (f, 4, Collected--Creative Thinking, by Creative Cause) kickstarted her 4-year-old campaign with a win in the Feb. 28 GII Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita, Billy Koch of Little Red Feather Racing said, "Ultimately, our goal has always been the Gamely." On Monday, that vision became reality with jockey Hector Berrios pumping his arm in celebration as Thought Process crossed the wire much the best in the 1 1/8-mile GI Gamely Stakes on Santa Anita's Memorial Day program. It marked the chestnut's...
6th-Santa Anita, $61,000, Msw, 10-11, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:37.83, ft, 8 1/4 lengths. SUPER CORREDORA (f, 2, Gun Runner--Super Simple, by Super Saver), a debut fifth to subsequent GISP La Wally (Constitution) at Del Mar July 19, was the distant runner-up to next-out GI Del Mar Debutante winner Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) Aug. 9 and was stretching out as the second betting choice at 2-1 by about $1,000 to Misstrial (Constitution). In behind the leaders in the run to the clubhouse turn, the $400,000 KEESEP yearling was forced to...
Four of the six 2-year-old runners in Saturday's GI American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita had graded stakes experience, but it was one of the two maiden winners making his stakes debut who came home with the victory and secured a 'Win and You're In' spot for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar in four weeks time. Intrepido (c, 2, Maximus Mischief--Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect), named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' in his Aug. 23 Del Mar win, rated and showed fight in between horses...
The Saturday opener at Del Mar featured two of the sexier pedigrees in the entire 2025 crop of 2-year-olds in the form of Provenance (Into Mischief), the first foal to the races out of two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), and Plutarch (Into Mischief), a son of fellow champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind (Curlin). But in the end, it was Intrepido (r, 2, Maximus Mischief--Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect) who stole the show, repelling a wide bid from 1-2 Provenance and shooting clear to score by 3 1/4 impressive...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When he found out he was going to need a new jockey, John Shirreffs didn't blink. He knew who was going to ride Baeza (McKinzie) in Saturday's $500,000 GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. And the jockey isn't all that new, not to Baeza. Baeza will be reunited with California-based Hector Berrios when he steps on the track to take on GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and three others in the 1 1/8-mile traditional prep for the Aug....
Some nice fillies have won the GII San Clemente Handicap over the years, including Flawlessly, Hollywood Wildcat, and Jewel Princess in the 1990s, but few have won it as easily as Thought Process (f, 3, Collected--Creative Thinking, by Creative Cause) Saturday at Del Mar. Pounded into 2-5 favoritism and away in good order, Thought Process was third and tucked away at the fence early, but appeared to get aggressive beneath Hector Berrios when a rank Amorita (Liam's Map) rolled up outside her around the first turn, and she tugged her...
The recipient of a textbook, ground-saving ride from Hector Berrios, Game Warrior (Game Winner) threaded the needle in the stretch and outbattled an unlucky Iron Man Cal (Collected) to the line in the traditional opening-day feature of the Del Mar summer meeting, the restricted Oceanside Stakes. Equipped with the blinkers that were removed for the first time in his career when a closing third to Day and Age (Omaha Beach) as the tepid favorite in a one-mile Santa Anita allowance on June 13, the dark bay colt was allowed to...
Eclipse Award-winning juvenile colt Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) and the well-related Baeza (McKinzie) were each out for breezes Saturday morning as they prep for their respective next starts in the GI Santa Anita Derby on Apr. 5. With former jockey Juan Ochoa in the irons, Citizen Bull went six furlongs in 1:12.60 for trainer Bob Baffert. The $675,000 Keeneland September yearling won three of his four outings in 2024, locking up his championship with a front-running, 3 3/4-length defeat of stablemate Gaming (Game Winner) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile...
GSW Stay Hot (Summer Front) may have been the 6-5 choice in the GII Twilight Derby after finishing in front of Atitlan (c, 3, The Factor--Armanda {Ger}, by Acatenango {Ger}) in both a La Jolla Handicap win and a GII Del Mar Derby placing, but it was the latter who is an improving sort and inverted the results Saturday at Santa Anita to secure his first stakes win. Cathal (Ire) (No Nay Never) finished third in his first stakes try. With Curlin's Kaos (Clubhouse Ride) speeding to the front early...
In defending his title in Del Mar's GI Bing Crosby Stakes, The Chosen Vron (g, 6, Vronsky--Tiz Molly, by Tiz Wonderful) showed why he's the most popular California-bred in years, harkening back to other multiple Grade I winners from the Golden State the likes of California Chrome, Tiznow, and Best Pal. The Bing Crosby is a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint in November, giving the popular chestnut another try and a fees-paid berth into the six-furlong championship race after finishing fifth last year. Closethegame Sugar...
Favored to defend his title in Sunday's GIII San Juan Capistrano S., Planetario (Brz) didn't disappoint, breaking his own course record over the 1 3/4-mile distance at Santa Anita in the process. Installed the 3-5 choice to repeat, the 6-year-old settled at the back as longshots Bee Catcher (English Channel) and Rimprotector (Point of Entry) led through moderate early fractions. Turning for home, 5-2 second choice Rockemperor closed resolutely from the outside, while Planetario launched his own bid in between rivals down the center of course. While the former appeared...
The undefeated Dreamfyre (f, 2, Flameaway--Appreciating, by Sky Mesa), both stretching out and trying turf for the first time, went straight to the front in Sunday's GIII Surfer Girl S. at Santa Anita. Sent at 9-5, she covered the first quarter in :23.55 and half in :48.59 with her ears flicking back and forth as Kentucky Downs maiden winner and Untapable S. third Buttercream Babe (Twirling Candy) tested her from the outside while under a hard hold. Del Mar maiden winner Soho (City of Light) made a huge, eye-catching move...