Santa Anita Derby

C R K Stable LLC's Honor A. P. (Honor Code) appeared no worse for wear Sunday morning after making the grade and stamping himself as a top GI Kentucky Derby contender with a decisive win in the GI Santa Anita Derby. "He looks good this morning," trainer Shirreffs said. "It's always a surprise when they run like he ran, because no matter how they look in the mornings or how they're training, they have to perform in the afternoon. "It was very gratifying to see him run that well... It...

In a non-pandemic world, this column would be wrapping up the just-concluded Triple Crown, and top-level graded stakes racing in America would be going into that early-summer lull between the spring Classics and the July openings of Saratoga and Del Mar. But this is the new normal imposed by COVID-19, and one of the post-lockdown perks it provides is that elite-level on-track action is just now starting to heat up. Belmont Park's stakes-centric card on Saturday dovetailed nicely into Santa Anita's gauntlet of graded races, and top honors for best...

Honor A. P. (Honor Code) launched into action four wide into the stretch and powered home a dominating winner of Saturday's rescheduled GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. After missing some time with a foot bruise earlier this year, the handsome dark bay made his belated sophomore debut in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7, and ran a big one in defeat after making a strong middle move to chase home loose-on-lead wire-to-wire winner Authentic (Into Mischief). Off as the 2-1 second choice to that re-opposing undefeated foe, Honor A....

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - Matt Winn Results - Ny Traffic was second best. Bankroll: $2765. GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby - I picked Honor A. P. in the San Felipe and see no reason to get off him here with...

In a landscape where so many fixed points have suddenly melted into a mirage--Saturday, remember, was supposed to be the final leg of the Triple Crown--trainers are perhaps better qualified than most to navigate a way forward. For the unchanging cycles of the backstretch, feeding horses and breezing them and hosing them down and walking the shedrow, must be constantly adapted to the flesh-and-blood unpredictability of the Thoroughbred. In normal times, at least, races are like the high tide: consult the handbook, and you'll know post-time to the minute. Then...

West Coast heavyweights Authentic (Into Mischief) and Honor A.P. (Honor Code) meet for round two in a highly anticipated renewal of Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Authentic made it a perfect three-for-three for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, posting a powerful 2 1/4-length wire-to-wire decision over Honor A.P. in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7. He previously aired by 7 3/4 lengths over stablemate Azul Coast (Super Saver), a next out winner of the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Feb. 15, in the GIII Sham S....

With the GI Belmont S. postponed until June 20, NBC Sports presents a special show on NBC at 4 p.m., Saturday, June 6--the original date for the race--headlined by American Pharoah's historic victory in the 2015 Belmont. The two-hour special is entitled "Finally the One: American Pharoah's Run to the Triple Crown." NBCSN also presents TVG Trackside Live at 6 p.m., headlined by live coverage of the $400,000 GI Santa Anita Derby. TVG host and NBC Sports reporter Britney Eurton will provide commentary during the event. Live coverage will be...

B. Wayne Hughes's Spendthrift Farm has acquired a majority ownership interest in 3-year-old colt Authentic (Into Mischief--Flawless, by Mr. Greeley), the undefeated GI Kentucky Derby contender who is set to go postward as the likely favorite in Saturday's GI Santa Anita Derby. Spendthrift joins forces with Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, which have both retained an ownership interest in the undefeated colt. SF Racing, Fred Hertrich, John Fielding and Golconda Stables--all part of the original ownership group--have sold their respective interests in Authentic. "We are very excited to join an...

Authentic has already carved one significant milestone for his sire, his debut success at Del Mar last November having qualified Into Mischief as the first North American stallion to accumulate 200 individual winners in a calendar year. If he can also become a Classic winner, however, he will need a chapter to himself in the Spendthrift phenomenon's epic tale. Because the rise of Into Mischief, sealed by a first general sires' championship in 2019, has primarily been powered by speed. As his books have gained in quality, the last big...

As Honor A. P. (Honor Code) was gearing up for his career debut at Del Mar last summer, owner Lee Searing had some fun with trainer John Shirreffs while inquiring about a potential rider for his stunning $850,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling acquisition. "I asked John, it wasn't like I didn't know, and said, 'Who are you going to be putting on this big horse,'" Searing said of the veteran conditioner widely known for playing his cards close to his vest. "He said, 'Well, I don't know Lee.' As we got...

Confident that racing will resume shortly at Santa Anita, the track's racing department has released a stakes schedule that covers May 16 through the end of the meet on June 21. There are several changes to the stakes program, including new dates for the GI Santa Anita Derby and GII Santa Anita Oaks, as well as reduced purses for many of the track's top races. Santa Anita is hoping to begin racing again on May 15, but is still waiting approval to do so from the Los Angeles County Department...

Santa Anita Park announced Tuesday that it will remain closed for live racing through at least the weekend, prompting the postponement of the GI Santa Anita Derby and GII Santa Anita Oaks, which where scheduled for this Saturday, Apr. 4, to an undetermined date later in the meet. Racing was halted at Santa Anita last Friday on orders of the Los Angeles County Health Department, which has closed all businesses deemed non-essential in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been no known cases of COVID-19 at Santa Anita Park...