Santa Anita
Over a week has passed since The Stronach Group (TSG) announced with a short statement light on detail the closure of Golden Gate Fields at the end of the year--a momentous decision that figures to upend a way of life for so many in California. Since then, the company has remained publicly mum on the reasons behind the closure, and its vision for the future. Every day since the announcement, the TDN has submitted a series of questions, to which TSG has responded only once. "For now, the [Sunday] statement...
Pin Oak Stud's Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) exited his victory in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. in good order, trainer Richard Mandella reported Sunday. The victory earned the lightly raced colt an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and Mandella said he has several routes to consider to get to that Nov. 4 race at Santa Anita. The Sept. 23 GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, the Sept. 2 GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar and the Sept. 30 GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita are...
Conclude (Collected) brought his stakes-winning form with him from Santa Anita and returned to the winner's circle in Del Mar's customary opening day feature--the Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside S. A winner a black-type winner at the turf sprint distance last out May 21 in Santa Anita's Desert Code S., Conclude's first race after his freshening from that contest proved fruitful as the 9-2 second choice here. Showing some early speed after the jump but quickly overtaken and outrun by a loose leader on the clubhouse turn, the chestnut son of GI...
After Sunday's announcement that The Stronach Group (TSG) will close at the end of the year its flagship Northern California racetrack, Golden Gate Fields, the company at the helm of the sale has gone silent, ignoring all of TDN's requests for comment this week. To bring much-needed illumination on this seismic decision, the TDN spoke Thursday morning with Greg Ferraro, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) chairman. Among several points raised, Ferraro shared his thoughts on the need for a fixed hub of racing in Northern California to secure the...
The Breeders' Cup released the broadcast line-up for the upcoming championship weekend which, for the first time, will not conclude with the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when it returns to Santa Anita Nov. 3 and 4. The Classic, with a post time of 6:40 p.m. ET Saturday, will mark the end of 3 1/2 hours of live programming on NBC and Peacock and, as NBC Sports moves on to Big Ten Football coverage, FanDuel TV will televise the two final Breeders' Cup races: the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint...
One day on, the fallout from The Stronach Group's (TSG) announcement that it is closing Golden Gate Fields at the end of the year continues to reverberate around the state's beleaguered platoon of trainers, owners, breeders and other stakeholders. "It's like you're Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life, and you're losing your job right before Christmas," said trainer Tim McCanna Monday, while on the road to Del Mar for the track's summer meet. "It just really leaves things up in the air." The reason for the closure of Golden...
Nominations are now being accepted for the Race Track Chaplaincy of America's 21st annual White Horse Award. The White Horse Award is given annually to individuals who have done something heroic on behalf of human or horse in the past 12 months. The winner of the 2022 RTCA White Horse Award was Nery Delcid, who bravely prevented a maliciously set fire from spreading at Churchill Downs. The nomination deadline for the award is Aug. 25. To submit a nomination or for a complete set of rules and criteria for the...
Santa Anita Park's 19-day Autumn Meet will open Friday, Sept. 29 and will feature the 40th Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 3-4. Breeders' Cup preps will dominate the first two weekends of racing as a total of 31 graded stakes will be run throughout the meet. Closing day will be Sunday, Nov. 5. In addition to hosting the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships for a record 11th time, Santa Anita will hold 42 stakes during the Autumn Meet, including 15 Grade Is and four listed stakes restricted to California-bred or...
The Horse Racing Women's Summit (HRWS) will return to Santa Anita Park from Sept. 27-29 in a homecoming of sorts, one year after the inaugural event was held at the same location. "We are thrilled to be back at Santa Anita Park for the second Horse Racing Women's Summit at the beginning of the Autumn meet, which will also feature the 2023 Breeders' Cup World Championships," said HRWS Chair Stephanie Hronis. "In the past year, we have hosted events at Keeneland Race Course, the Global Symposium on Racing, Gulfstream Park,...
Juan Hernandez, Phil D'Amato and Paul and Zillah Reddam's Reddam Racing emerged as the leaders in the jockey, trainer and owner divisions, respectively, during Santa Anita's Hollywood Meet, which concluded a 28-day run at the Los Angeles area oval Sunday, June 18. With a Sunday three-timer, emerging talent Hernandez continued his stranglehold on the Southern California jockeys' premiership, as he booted home 42 winners during the meeting. Hernandez, whose closing-day victories included the ride aboard new 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic), saluted in 10 added-money events, five more than...
Point him at a fork in the road and Matthew Dohman will likely take the one consecrated by Robert Frost. When he founded his mortgage lending company, he did so in the middle of the global financial meltdown when homebuying was as popular as volcano surfing. When he purchased his first horses at the sales, he eschewed sage counsel from agent and trainer and picked 'em largely himself. Didn't do too bad, either. The Cal-bred Guy Code, who he snagged for $63,000, ended up winning nearly a quarter-million. And when...
Chilly on the board at 20-1, Tranche missed the memo, and never looked back from the lead to upset the Fasig-Tipton Futurity in his third start. Seventh on debut in April at Keeneland and then third beneath the Twin Spires May 4, he broke like a shot and quickly cleared his competition to claim his spot on the inside. Showing the way as :22.15 and :45.36 splits sailed by, he cut the corner coming into the homeward trail and continued to extend his lead under right-hand urging. It would be...