Santa Anita

   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 Mythical Reel at Santa Anita. Breeders' Cup Connection At Play In California Michael House's Mythical Reel (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}) stalked and pounced to take a 1 1/8-mile turf affair at Santa Anita on March 29 (video). He is trained by Phil D'Amato. By a Breeders' Cup winner and out of a mare by 2001 GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Val Royal (Fr)...

Santa Anita continues to report gains in both on-track attendance and total all-sources handle as the track prepares for the final weekend of its Classic meet. The season kicked off Dec. 26 with the largest non-weekend or holiday opening day crowd in 34 years. To date, Santa Anita has hosted more than 293,000 visitors during the Classic Meet, a gain of more than 8% over last year. Last weekend's on-track crowd was up over 30%. The total all-sources mutuel handle, paced by the opening day number of more than $21.4...

   The following continues a look at how long-term economic developments shape today's Thoroughbred sport. To read part I, click here. Defining Development #5--Real Estate Realities Has there ever been a time when rising real estate values have not heavily influenced the physical locations of Thoroughbred breeding farms and racetracks? This economic maxim has been especially dominant in the U.S. in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. As for breeding farms, anyone who has driven over the past four decades along Harrodsburg Road south of New Circle Road  in...

Graded stakes winner Will Then gave trainer Jonathan Thomas his 300th career victory when she charged home an authoritative victress of the China Doll Stakes Sunday at Santa Anita. The even-money favorite settled into second as Amorita bound out to the early lead and was clear through fractions of :23.67 and :48.14. Will Then inched up closer to the pacesetter on the far turn and surged to the lead at midstretch before drawing clear under a hand ride for an easy victory. "I think she really ran awesome," said winning...

Journalism (Curlin), who was the 5-1 favorite in Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager which closed Mar. 16, and the well-related Baeza (McKinzie) each worked five furlongs Saturday morning ahead of their intended appearance in the GI Santa Anita Derby on Apr. 5. Journalism, a sensational first-up winner of the GII San Felipe Stakes Mar. 1, worked in the company of 2024 GI Kentucky Derby runner Endlessly (Oscar Performance) and stopped the clock in an easy 1:01.40 (18/41) under the watchful eye of trainer Michael McCarthy. "It was...

The 55th annual Santa Anita Jockeys vs. Holy Angels Middle School Charity Basketball Game is set for Thursday at La Salle High School in Pasadena. The La Salle High gymnasium will open to the public at 6 p.m. and tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The Santa Anita jockeys' roster includes five of the top 10 riders at the Classic Meet: Juan Hernandez, Hector Berrios, Armando Ayuso, Kyle Frey and Edwin Maldonado. Leading the squad is coach Luis Jauregui, a veteran of the Holy Angels match-ups when a Santa Anita...

Top 3-year-old Journalism (Curlin) returned to the work tab Sunday at Santa Anita following his victory in the GII San Felipe Stakes Mar. 2. Journalism and jockey Umberto Rispoli hit the track together under darkness at about 6:30 a.m. PT. The colt, trained by Michael McCarthy, was clocked working four furlongs in :48.20. He is targeting the GI Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles Apr. 5. "Very good," McCarthy said of the drill. Rispoli reacted with a wide grin and a thumbs up. In the San Felipe, Journalism ran...

Edited Press Release Edison International Foundation is making a $25,000 donation to Foothill Unity Center on behalf of Santa Anita Park for support in ongoing fire relief efforts. For over 40 years, Foothill Unity Center based in nearby Monrovia has helped those in need with programs focused on food, health, job development, housing and homeless services, crisis management, volunteerism and much more. It serves the local San Gabriel Valley Foothill communities of Arcadia, Altadena, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, Duarte, Irwindale, Monrovia, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena and Temple City. "Foothill...

   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 the No Nay Never filly Bunratty Manor.   No Nay Never Filly Third Time Lucky It took three tries, but Bunratty Manor (Ire) (No Nay Never) secured her first career victory at Gulfstream Park for Three Diamonds Farm on Mar. 9 (video). Trained by Rusty Arnold, the bay was bred by Yulong Investments (Australia) in Ireland. The first foal out of Sapphire Ring...

Florida's polarizing decoupling legislation, which would remove a statutory requirement that Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs run a minimum number of live Thoroughbred races in order to operate the respective casino and card room at each venue, recently had its first reading in the House of Representatives and remains pending at the committee level in the Senate. The bill has the backing and was launched at the impetus of Gulfstream's corporate owner, The Stronach Group (TSG). But in a solidarity twist that supersedes his family's business ties, 92-year-old Frank...

10th-Santa Anita, $68,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($50,000), 3-8, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:35.14, ft, 4 1/2 lengths. EAGLES FLIGHT (c, 4, Curlin--Feathered {GSW & MGISP, $577,474}, by Indian Charlie), a half-brother to the once-in-a-lifetime Flightline (Tapit), Horse Of The Year, Ch. Older Dirt Male, MGISW, $4,514,800, cleared his first allowance condition with a dominating victory as the even-money favorite at Santa Anita Saturday evening. Placed in a tracking second on the clubhouse turn, he stuck his head in front on the backstretch, let it out a notch through a half mile in...

When Speedway Stables LLC spent $900,000 at OBS April in 2023 for a daughter of Nyquist, a 4-year-old campaign and perfect record probably weren't the first things on Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's minds. But, nearly two years later, it's likely the partners in Speedway are not upset with a little delayed gratification, as Cavalieri (Nyquist)'s victory Saturday in the $300,000 GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes at Santa Anita made her the newest Grade I winner in their barn. Off at even money, Cavalieri broke in an even...