Santa Anita

Meaning (f, 3, Gun Runner--Figure of Speech, by Into Mischief), a Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners colorbearer, proved her win over Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly Super Corredora (Gun Runner) in the Las Virgenes Stakes Feb. 8 was no fluke and asserted herself as California's division leader with a resounding victory in the GII Santa Anita Oaks Saturday. The Santa Anita Oaks awards 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points toward the May 1 GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. The complexion of Saturday's race changed shortly out of the gate when GIII Santa...

Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), already named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' for his debut win over course and distance March 7, stepped up to face winners Saturday for the first time. Racing without his blinkers as the 1-2 favorite, the Triple Crown-nominated colt had early traffic to deal with as he sat off the pace from just behind a leading pair past the half-mile pole. Circling the field under his own power, he easily headed For All Mankind (Into Mischief) off the far turn and opened up in...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Darya at Santa Anita. Persian King Filly Crowned In Arcadia Darya (Persian King) steamed home a 2 3/4-length winner at Santa Anita in late March (video). Raced by Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify, the three-year-old filly was bred Emir Alkas. A 40,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, she failed to meet her reserve when passed in for 20,000 out of...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, GI Santa Anita Derby and GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. All three offer 100-50-25-15-10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Last Saturday's Results - Commandment (Into Mischief) established himself as one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby with a thrilling last-to-first victory at 9-5 in the GI Curlin Florida Derby. Blackout Time (Not This Time) sat the trip I was looking for just behind the leaders, but had...

4th-KEE, $110K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 2:36 p.m. ET. PHANTOM BLUE (Ghostzapper), a Resolute Racing purchase for $1.2-million during the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, was sent to trainer Brendan Walsh. Out of the winning Seeking the Blue (Arch), the filly is a half-sister to MGSP Janis Joplin (California Chrome), MSP Vino Rouge (Vino Rosso) and as of Mar. 27 she has a new half-brother by Not This Time. Phantom Blue's third dam is MGSW Atlantic Ocean (Stormy Atlantic). On the same Speightstown-Medaglia d'Oro cross that yielded current sires...

The long run of preps for the GI Kentucky Oaks will come to a close this weekend as the last of the 3-year-old filly preps will be run. All eyes will be on Keeneland Friday as the track will host the only Grade I prep for the Oaks, the GI Ashland Stakes. The favorite will be Zany (American Pharoah), who hasn't been out since the Feb. 7 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Should she win, she will most likely be the favorite come May 1 at Churchill Downs. So,...

This week's rankings include two Oaks-bound fillies and a remarkable Arkansas-bred mare. 6-RASHMI, SA, Wilshire Stakes (Gr. III), 3/28, 1 mile (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-89 (m, 5, Oscar Performance--Ponytail, by Lonhro ({Aus}) O-Augustin Stables. B-George Strawbridge (Ky). T-Jonathan Thomas. J-Kasushi Kimura. The Strawbridge homebred came out firing despite a year-plus layoff to decisively earn her second graded score at 2/5 odds against four rivals with no graded black type. Thomas explained that Rashmi's layoff involved no major issues and that she has returned a "bigger, stronger version of herself."...

A trio of fillies nominated to Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks--Cashed (I'll Have Another), Hypergamy (American Pharoah) and Nimah (Gun Runner)--worked Sunday. Also working at Santa Anita, British Isles (Justify) returned to the tab following his win in the GI Santa Anita Handicap. Cashed and Hypergamy are both trained by Doug O'Neill. Cashed worked four furlongs in :49.8, while Hypergamy worked five furlongs in 1:02. Cashed most recently set the pace in last month's Sunland Park Oaks going one mile before weakening to sixth. The California-bred previously was second in...

Over two months have lapsed since the California Department of Justice (DOJ) swooped into Santa Anita midway through the races to remove 26 Racing-on-Demand terminals that allow a form of pari-mutuel wagering on previously run races. Santa Anita subsequently filed suit against state attorney general Rob Bonta making several claims including how the state "unlawfully seized" the terminals "without warning or warrant," and that they have yet to provide "any legal basis or explanation for their warrantless seizure of Petitioner's property, which Respondents have threatened to destroy." At the heart...

This week's list starts with a venerable 7-year-old, but gets younger as it goes. 6. GOLDEN EIB MICRPHN, PRX, 3/17-Allowance, 1 mile 70 yards (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-85 (m, 7, by Keen Ice--Annabill, by Outflanker) O-Super C Racing and Jagger. B-Calumet Farm (Ky). T-Jamie Ness. J-Mychel Sanchez. Flashing "talent on loan from God" in earning a career-high Beyer, the former $4,000 yearling continued her upward track since being claimed Dec. 28 by Parx perennial leading trainer Jamie Ness for $12,500. In 39 starts prior to the claim, she topped 70...

Shortly after Journalism (Curlin) worked five furlongs in company at Santa Anita Sunday, trainer Michael McCarthy said he is looking at three potential races to kick off the colt's 4-year-old campaign. Last season's GI Preakness winner could return in either the GII Oaklawn Handicap or GIII Ben Ali at Keeneland, both on Apr. 18, or wait for the GII Alysheba at Churchill Downs on May 1. "All three of those races are in play," McCarthy said. Both the Oaklawn Handicap and Ben Ali are 1 1/8 miles. The Alysheba is...

Last year's Eclipse champion juvenile filly, Super Corredora (Gun Runner), will miss the GII Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 4 after getting sick earlier this week, trainer John Sadler reported Friday. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine has had a rough start to her 2026 campaign with two non-factor efforts in the Feb. 8 Las Virgenes Stakes and last out Mar. 8 in the GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes, where she missed the break and trailed far off her customary position. Super Corredora reportedly ran a fever earlier this week that...