Santa Anita
With escalating fears over the spread of the coronavirus, racing will continue, but without the public at racetracks across the globe. The upcoming Dubai World Cup card Mar. 28 at Meydan will go ahead without spectators and, and effective immediately, Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, Aqueduct, Turfway and Laurel Park will continue to race, but all will be closed to the public. "We heard Gov. Newsom's call and we are responding accordingly for the protection of our customers and employees," said Aidan Butler, Acting Executive Director, California Operations, The...
One day after the bombshell announcement that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York had filed indictments against 27 Thoroughbred veterinarians and trainers for an array of drug offenses, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) released its long-awaited report on the 23 equine catastrophic injuries that marred Santa Anita during the first few months of its 2018-2019 winter-spring meet. The resulting report provides not only an extremely detailed dive into the multi-factorial nature of the causes behind these catastrophic injuries, but a lengthy series of recommendations...
Super talented 'TDN Rising Star' Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo) kicked off her potential trip to the GI Kentucky Oaks with a truly dominant romp in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. at Santa Anita Sunday. The 1-5 favorite, freshened since a runner-up effort in the GI Starlet S. last December, was away awkwardly and forced to bide her time toward the back of the field early. She eventually settled into a more comfortable rhythm while saving ground and creeping up down the backside, and appeared absolutely loaded while traveling in third...
John Sadler's chance at a record-setting third straight win in the GI Santa Anita H. looked imperiled when he had to scratch morning-line favorite Gift Box (Twirling Candy) Saturday morning, but the trainer was able to pick up the historic achievement when Combatant (Scat Daddy) came home first in the 1 1/4-mile race Saturday afternoon. "It was a great day; we were just thrilled," said Sadler, who also sent out Flagstaff (Speightstown) to take the GII San Carlos S. Saturday. "To win our third Big 'Cap in a row is...
Despite having to scratch defending champion and morning-line favorite Gift Box (Twirling Candy) due to filling in an ankle Saturday morning, trainer John Sadler and Hronis Racing still managed to score their third consecutive Big 'Cap victory with recent acquisition Combatant. Campaigned for his first 22 starts by trainer Steve Asmussen, Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, Combatant hit the board in several preps for the 2018 GI Kentucky Derby before finishing 18th in the Run for the Roses. He tried turf with some success later that season, finishing a...
Flashy Authentic (Into Mischief) emerged from Saturday's GII San Felipe S. as the still-unbeaten Bob Baffert trainee with a stylish performance as part of another big day for his superstar sire. Well-regarded Honor A. P. (Honor Code) and champion 2-year-old Storm the Court (Court Vision) were second and third, respectively, while Authentic's stablemate Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) came under a ride early and checked in fourth. Into Mischief was also responsible for Saturday's GIII Gotham S. winner Mischievious Alex at Aqueduct, and an exciting 'TDN Rising Star' in the...
The highly regarded Gamine (f, 3, Into Mischief-Peggy Jane, by Kafwain) lived up to the hype in her much-anticipated unveiling for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Saturday, easily good enough for 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Gamine breezed four furlongs in :46 2/5 (3/43) at Santa Anita Mar. 2 (XBTV Video), and was pounded into 1-9 favoritism for this debut run. She broke like a shot over her three overmatched rivals, led through fractions of :22.42 and :46.17, cornered for home in complete command, and was never seriously...
River Boyne continued to rack up wins over the Santa Anita turf course, scoring for the eighth time in Arcadia after sneaking inside of favorite Got Stormy late. Hugging the fence from fourth under a snug hold, River Boyne inched slightly closer and into the pocked after a :46.49 half prompted by Got Stormy. Forced to wait for clear sailing as pacesetter Kingly (Tapit) faded in front of him, he worked his way off the rail to avoid that foe before diving back inside to snatch victory from the public's...
Hronis Racing's Gift Box (Twirling Candy), the 6-5 morning-line favorite and defending champion, has been scratched from Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. The 7-year-old had been expected to make his 2020 debut in the race. In his most recent start, he won his second straight GII San Antonio S. Dec. 28. Trainer John Sadler, looking to become the first trainer to win the Big 'Cap three years in a row, will still be represented in the race. He will saddle Combatant (Scat Daddy). With the scratch, the Big 'Cap, which...
Flashy 'TDN Rising Star' Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo) makes her sophomore debut in Sunday's GIII Santa Ysabel S. in Arcadia. The $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream grad crushed her competition by 9 1/4 lengths first out sprinting here Sept. 28, and her connections immediately tested deeper waters in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1. Favored in that track-and-trip event, she was a neck second to eventual champion British Idiom (Flashback), and one slot ahead of Bast (Uncle Mo), who came back to upset Donna Veloce in the GI Starlet S....
Sixty regulatory and official racetrack veterinarians from jurisdictions around the world participated in the third annual Regulatory Veterinarian Continuing Education Conference at Santa Anita Park Mar. 2 and 3. Presented by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) and National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety & Integrity Alliance, the meeting provided training and presented best practices related to racehorse injury prevention, and track and veterinary preparedness. The California Horse Racing Board's Dr. Barrie Grant gave a demonstration and led a discussion on pre-race exams. Attendees participated in on-track emergency drills...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency MCCARTHY UNVEILS PRICEY UNCLE MO COLT 2nd-SA, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 3:00p.m. Michael McCarthy saddles a firster with a big price tag in Mr. & Mrs. William Warren Jr.'s $1.4-million KEESEP purchase BELIEVE NOW (Uncle Mo). He is out of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Secret, who is a half-sister to MSW Inspired (Unbridled's Song); SWs & GSP Silver City (Unbridled's Song) and Elope (Gone West); and SW Initiation (Deputy Minister). Bob Baffert has a pair of firsters who cannot be overlooked in American...