Santa Anita

Baoma Corp.'s Himika (f, 2, Curlin--Motivated Seller, by Into Mischief), a $900,000 purchase out of this year's OBS April Sale, looked in a bit of trouble through the opening three panels of a five-furlong maiden at Santa Anita Thursday. But when Juan Hernandez was able to push away from the inside and with dead aim on pacesetting Stuffy Mist (Maximus Mischief), the athletic bay gathered that one up with ease a few strides later and whistled home to score by a half-dozen eased-down lengths to become a no-brainer 'TDN Rising...

2nd-SA, 60K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 4:33 p.m. Baoma Corp went to $900,000 to acquire HIMIKA (Curlin) just two months ago at OBS April after the filly worked in a co-fastest :9.4. Bred by Klaravich Stables, she is the first foal out of stakes-placed Motivated Seller (Into Mischief), who set a new track record at Saratoga in 2021 going 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.48. Himika signaled her readiness with a near-bullet four-furlong work June 7 in :46 4/5 (2/74). TJCIS PPS 2nd-CD, 120K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 5:29 p.m. First-crop...

   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 victories of Sapphire Beach and Hey Nay Nay. No Nay Never Sires Pair Of Juvenile Debut Winners Sapphire Beach, flying the flag for Three Diamonds Farm, won a five-furlong sprint over a sloppy Churchill main track on May 30 (video). Trained by George "Rusty" Arnold, the Charlie Brooks-bred re-rallied to finish second after being cut off by the winner, and the placings were reversed in...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - After a post-race visit for a beer and some hors d'oeuvres at the downtown Whitman Brewing Company, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott was home, conked out on the recliner. "I must have slept in the chair for an hour," Mott said. "I turned the TV on and, at the count of three, I was gone. I woke up at midnight and went to bed." And that is how Mott spent his night after his talented 3-year-old colt Sovereignty (Into Mischief) turned the 157th running of...

Kathy Walsh, the former trainer who died last month at age 85, will be honored with a 'Celebration of Life' Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the 100-1 room at Santa Anita. In addition, the fifth race is named in Walsh's honor. The reception at the 100-1 includes a cash bar and free appetizers compliments of Santa Anita. All are welcome to attend. Walsh was a trainer from 1970 until her retirement in 2021. She won 1,232 races and earned training titles at Longacres in Washington state and Canterbury...

Opting for a confidence-builder over a trip to Saratoga for next weekend's GI Metropolitan Handicap, Baoma Corp's 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) made light work of three rivals in Saturday's GIII Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita, strolling home under little encouragement from Juan Hernandez to score as a mile the best. The slowest away from the inside stall, the prohibitive favorite methodically made his way through at the inside and poked his head in front as they raced in post-position order into the far turn. The comebacking Dr. Venkman...

1st-Santa Anita, $63,600, Msw, 5-30, 2yo, f, 5fT, :58.31, fm, 2 1/4 lengths. QUEEN BAY (f, 2, Charlatan--Queen Medb {Ire} {SW, $147,062}, by Kodiac {GB}) wrapped up with a bow the second win for her freshman sire on Friday afternoon. Charlatan collected his inaugural score at Gulfstream Park May 2. Unveiled at 40 cents on the dollar here, the filly exited the gate cleanly, but appeared to take a misstep as a pair hooked up on the engine along the backstretch. The juvenile recovered easily and around the far turn...

   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 Lope De Vega's Growth Trajectory at Monmouth Park.   Chad Brown. Check. Klaravich Stables' silks. Check. Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling grad. Also check. That particular combo combined in Lope De Vega's 3-year-old filly Growth Trajectory, who blitzed a field of Monmouth maidens by 3 1/2 lengths on May 25 (video). Bred by The Wekeela Partnership in Britain, she was an 180,000gns purchase...

In 10 days, Frank Mirahmadi will be in the announcers' booth to call the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, both on-track and for the national Fox broadcast. His best trick to combat the nerves? His imagination. "Once the big Fox broadcast starts, there's no question the adrenaline goes to a new level," said Mirahmadi, appearing as the Gainesway Guest of the Week on the TDN Writers' Room podcast, presented by Keeneland. "The key with the big races--and I've learned this over many years, it's almost 30 years now that I'm calling...

If one could look up the word 'workmanlike' in racing's lexicon, it surely would have a picture of Alonso Daniel's Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator). And the 6-year-old one again proved that he fits the bill with a professional one-length score over Midnight Mammoth (Midnight Lute) in the GII Hollywood Gold Cup on Santa Anita's Memorial Day card. Installed the 4-5 choice following a third in the nine-furlong GII Oaklawn Handicap Apr. 19, the two-time GII Charles Town Classic winner broke cleanly and settled in an even-tempo fifth as Packs a Wahlop (Creative...

King of Gosford (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) sailed to the lead in the shadow of the wire to win the GI Shoemaker Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Monday. The 4-1 shot settled well off the pace in a strung-out field as longshot Goliad (War Front) opened a clear advantage through fractions of :22.92 and :45.68. King of Gosford began picking off foes on the far turn, but was still some eight lengths back approaching the stretch where Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) was first to overtake the tiring pacesetter. King of...

Mike Ryan's Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) kicked off the graded stakes action on the holiday card at Santa Anita Monday with a wire-to-wire victory in the GI Gamely Stakes, giving trainer Saffie Joseph his first-ever win at the Arcadia oval. The Florida-based Joseph doubled up in the very next race when Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) won the GII Hollywood Gold Cup. Sent off at 2-1, Be Your Best bound out to the early lead and was under a snug hold from Irad Ortiz, setting fractions of :22.99 and :46.15 while...