Santa Anita

The training and next-race status of sophomore 'TDN Rising Stars' Cave Rock (Arrogate) and Faustin (Curlin) remained unclear Thursday, with trainer Bob Baffert texting a "Don't Know" emoji when asked to outline the game plans for the colts respectively slotted at Nos. 5 and 6 on the most recent TDN Top 12 rankings for the GI Kentucky Derby. The two were apparently not among a contingent of at least 11 other 3-year-old colts transferred out of Baffert's care prior to a Feb. 28 deadline that would have enabled them to...

A four-time Eclipse Award winner and a member of racing's Hall of Fame since 2017, Venezuelan native Javier Castellano has won the 2023 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award via a nationwide vote of his fellow riders. Castellano, 45, will be honored in a Runhappy Winner's Circle ceremony at Santa Anita this spring. Married to his wife, Abby, Castellano, who immigrated to the United States in June of 1997, has three children, Kayla, Sienna and Brady and is the son-in-law of Terry Meyocks, National Director of the Jockeys' Guild. Presented annually...

After being closed for training Friday and Saturday, Santa Anita's main track and training track were open for light training Sunday. According to Santa Anita officials, a total of 6.5 inches of rain fell in Arcadia from Thursday through Saturday, closing the track to both racing and training into the weekend. Horses were able to jog on both tracks under partly cloudy skies Sunday. There have been no timed workouts at Santa Anita since Thursday. More rain is forecast for the first half of next week, but the amount projected...

Due to unprecedented winter conditions forecast for Southern California through the upcoming weekend, Santa Anita Park has cancelled Saturday and Sunday's racing programs prior to entries being taken for either day. The track had previously postponed the Friday racing card, which was a makeup day not originally on the calendar. Blizzard warnings have been issued for the San Gabriel Mountains behind the historic track, with snowfall expected at the 1,000 foot level. It is the first blizzard warning ever issued in Los Angeles County. The storm, which is expected to...

Santa Anita has canceled Friday's card due to heavy rain forecast for the area beginning Thursday. Most of the races scheduled for Friday will be brought back as "extras" on Saturday, according to a notice from the racing office. "We're looking at a low end of probably two inches of rain between late Thursday and Friday with a high end closer to five inches," said Jason Egan, Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary. Friday was originally scheduled to be a dark day at Santa Anita following Monday's special...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-FG, $70K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:00 p.m. Purchased by Coolmore's M V Magnier as a weanling for $600,000 just one hip after his dam herself brought $850,000 in foal to Into Mischief at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, OCEAN CITY (American Pharoah) is the fifth foal out of Unicorn Girl (A.P. Five Hundred), making him a half-brother to champion male sprinter and MGISW Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music). The colt drilled five furlongs from the gate in 1:00 4/5 (2/42) Jan. 27 and again...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 02/10/2023 Licensee: Lorenzo Ruiz, trainer Penalty:...

The deadline to nominate foals of 2022 to the Breeders' Cup program for a one-time late fee of $1,500 is Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The $1,500 nomination entitles each foal with lifetime eligibility to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Breeders' Cup Racing Programs, which include the global Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win & You're In and the U.S.-based Dirt Dozen Bonus Series. All foals sired by a fully nominated North American Breeders' Cup stallion are eligible for nomination to the Breeders' Cup program in...

She had achieved black-type success in France as a two-year-old last season and on Sunday Manhattan Jungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) took her tally of listed wins to two when scoring comfortably at Santa Anita under Frankie Dettori but you won't find her breeder Patrick Headon getting carried away with himself back in Ireland.  The County Offaly operator joked on Monday, "It's vindication for a lot of luck and lack of management!" Of course, Headon was doing his best to deflect praise for his tried and trusted method of producing...

Tracks across the country will hold a moment of silence Feb. 18 in memory of the late jockey Avery Whisman. The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, in coordination with racetracks across the country, is leading the initiative in an effort to shed light on mental health awareness and the challenges jockeys face. Jockeys at all participating tracks will wear black armbands in tribute to Whisman, who died suddenly Jan. 11 at the age of 23 following a prolonged struggle with the physical and mental demands placed on riders. The 1/ST properties:...

After an unsuccessful fifth behind GISW & 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin) on the dirt at Del Mar in November, Ag Bullet made the switch to the grass and immediately found success, posting a 3 1/2-length win Jan. 22 going 6 1/2 furlongs. Stretched out to one mile for the first time in Sunday's Lady of Shamrock S. at Santa Anita, the gray broke as the narrow 2-1 second choice behind eventual runner-up The Wild Grazer and showed good early speed to contest the tempo up front. Jockey Frankie Dettori,...

5th-Santa Anita, $69,000, Msw, 2-12, 3yo, f, 6fT, 1:09.42, fm, 1 1/4 lengths. TEENA ELLA (f, 3, War Front--Beholder {Ch. 3-year-old Filly, 2x Ch. Older Mare, Ch. 2-year-old Filly, MGISW, $6,156,600}, by Henny Hughes), the third foal out of Beholder, became the champion's first winner while making her turf debut at Santa Anita Sunday. The 2-1 favorite broke alertly and was keen while in tight quarters between rivals battling for the lead in the early strides. She settled back just off the dueling leaders behind fractions of :22.76 and :45.71....