Santa Anita Park

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Kalispera at Gulfstream Park.   Ten Sovereigns Filly Delivers In Florida William Werner's Kalispera (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) won her American debut at Gulfstream Park for trainer Brian Lynch earlier this month (video). A product of the storied Annemarie O'Brien breeding programme, the 3-year-old rattled off a trio of group placings at two in her colours when third in both the G2 Debutante...

Announcer Frank Mirahmadi said it best: friends in the morning, but rivals in the afternoons. Muth (Good Magic) put away stablemate Pilot Commander (Justify) en route to an authoritative victory in the GII San Vicente S. to open his 2024 season. First or second for all four starts in his juvenile season, including victory in the GI American Pharoah S. two back and a runner-up effort behind fellow Eclipse finalist Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the betting public heralded this contest as Muth's to...

Nearly seventy years ago, Sports Illustrated turf writer, Jim Murray, penned a love-letter to Santa Anita, and its opening day sonata of sun and sport unmatched by any East Coast oval stunned into icy retreat by the "fierce howlings of blue northers spun across finish lines." Santa Anita, Murray wrote, was an "extravagance of beauty." It was also a well-oiled money-spinner. Huge purses lured the best horses to Los Angeles, and the best horses lured the biggest crowds, their pockets brimming with the spoils of a post-war industrial boom transforming...

Boxing Day is not a holiday observed on the American calendar--thanks, Revolutionary generation. However, the day after Christmas is circled in red by the horse racing cadre because it means one thing: Opening Day at Santa Anita Park. This Tuesday, an 11-race card kicks off at 2 p.m. ET under the picturesque San Gabriel mountains in Arcadia, California--six of which are graded stakes. To entice the horseplayer, the Classic Meet sports a $1 Pick Six, a 14 percent takeout on both the .50 Early and Late Pick 5, and we...

As part of a larger $32 million improvement plan, Santa Anita's training track should re-open in mid-January after it was closed for construction Nov. 12, as it changes from a sand-based surface to an all-weather synthetic one, the track said in a release Friday afternoon. Constructed by Tapeta Footings, the new surface is designed to improve safety while also helping to limit weather-related training disruptions. "The main thing is having synthetic will alleviate a complete stoppage of training because of weather," said Jason Egan, Santa Anita Director of Racing and...

Santa Anita's popular Paddock Captain, John Shear passed away Tuesday from natural causes at age 102 in a rehabilitation facility in Arcadia, according to a statement from the Shear family that was shared via a racetrack press release. Beloved by the many fans with whom he came in contact, as well as by his fellow employees, jockeys and horsemen, Shear opted to retire at age 100 in 2021. That same year he was honored by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters with the Mr. Fitz Award for typifying the spirit...

Junior Alvarado, Alex Birzer, Julien Leparoux, Edwin Maldonado and Rodney Prescott were selected as finalists for the 2024 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, 1/ST Racing said in a release Wednesday morning. Presented by Santa Anita Park, the Woolf Award, which itself is a replica of the life-sized statue which adorns Santa Anita's Paddock Gardens area, is determined by a vote of jockeys nationwide. It can only be won once. The winner of the 75th annual prize will be announced in February. Named in honor of the legendary late jockey George...

His father had long since ceased training, but they still always stood at the same point by the Santa Anita paddock. "There was a spot there, where the horses come out from the saddling enclosure and make a right," Evan Ferraro recalls. "From there you could look at them straight on, so you could see their conformation, their joints, and my dad would point stuff out to me." And there was one filly by In Excess (Ire) that just blew the veteran horseman away: a Harris Farms homebred, saddled by...

1st-AQU, $85k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6fT, 12:20p.m. ET The lone firster in the field, Team Spoor's CURLIN'S GIRL (Curlin) will open her tab in this maiden baby dash on the back of a string of bullet works. Starting Oct. 7, when she went five furlongs in 1:01.88, she flashed speed Oct. 14 going five panels in :59.44 (1/6); Oct. 23 in company with $475,000 KEESEP grad Shop Lifting (Into Mischief)--who ran second by a head on her debut at Saratoga to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies victress Just F Y...

Whether digital or the old school paper variety, it is safe to say that most of the forms will be turned to the World Championship races. However, it should be noted that Saturday does sport some graded stakes action that you will not want to miss from both Santa Anita Park and Woodbine Racetrack. 'The Great Race Place' card gets the Breeders' Cup engines warmed with the GII Twilight Derby for 3-year-olds over the turf. If you are interested in how the course sets up for what's to come, then...

Godolphin's Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), who was slated to start in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff on Saturday at Santa Anita, will scratch from the race and return to Kentucky due to not being 100%, said trainer Brendan Walsh, in a release from the Breeders' Cup Notes Team midday Friday. Walsh confirmed that she would prepare for her 4-year-old campaign. "After traveling, she got a little bit colicky and we had to treat her the next day," said Walsh. "She's looked great on the track, but that's just her....

Irad Ortiz, Jr., currently the nation's leading jockey in both purse winnings and victories for 2023, waived his right to appeal a three-day "careless riding" suspension imposed by the Aqueduct Racetrack stewards for an Oct. 22 bumping incident that resulted in a victory for Ortiz's mount, an inquiry by the stewards, but no disqualification. As a result of waiving the appeal, Ortiz will sit out three days starting this coming Sunday, Nov. 5, the day after he rides the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park, plus next Thursday and Friday,...