Press Releases

May 18, 2013

OXBOW MAKES HISTORY FOR CONNECTIONS IN PREAKNESS VICTORY

KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER ORB DISAPPOINTS AS ODDS-ON FAVORITE

BALTIMORE, 05-18-13– Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas made history at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday when he saddled Oxbow for a front-running upset victory in the 138th Preakness Stakes (G1). The 15-1 long shot gave his 77-year-old trainer his sixth Preakness victory, as well as his 14th triumph in a Triple Crown event.

Lukas, who had been tied with legendary “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons since saddling Commendable for a Belmont Stakes victory in 2000, became the winningest trainer in Triple Crown history.

Overlooked by the bettors, who made Kentucky Derby winner Orb their 3-5 favorite in the field of nine 3-year-olds, Oxbow was in control throughout the 1 3/16-mile Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown on his way to victory by 1 ¾ lengths under Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.

Shug McGaughey-trained Orb, who finished 9 ¾ lengths ahead of Oxbow while winning the Derby by 3 ½ lengths, was never a factor in the Preakness, finishing nine lengths behind the winner, who was one of three 3-year-olds representing Lukas.

A crowd of 117,203 flocked into Pimlico, the fourth highest mark in the history of the event. The day included the fifth annual InfieldFest which featured concerts by six bands, including headliners Pitbull and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

The 13-race card generated an all-sources handle of $81,940,233. The handle ranked as the sixth best for Pimlico’s signature day.

“It was a fantastic day to cap what was a wonderful weekend of racing and entertainment,” Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas said. “I challenged my team to match last year’s record-setting afternoon and they answered the call. The initial feedback on the concerts is positive and the racing office put together a quality card from bottom to top.”

Oxbow, who finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby, joined the Lukas-trained Codex (1980), Tank’s Prospect (1985), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995) and Charismatic (1999) as a Preakness champion.

Oxbow’s triumph also created history for Stevens, who became the oldest jockey, at 50, to ride a Preakness winner. Eldon Nelson was 45 when he rode Bee Bee Bee to an upset win in 1972.

The Lukas-trained winner, who ran 1 3/16 miles in 1:57.54, also made more history for his owner, Calumet Farm, which celebrated its record eighth Preakness success and first since Forward Pass’s victory in 1968.

May 17, 2013

Fiftyshadesofhay Gets Up To Win Black-Eyed Susan Stakes

BALTIMORE, 05-17-13– Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman’s Fiftyshadesofhay closed with a rush to claim a narrow victory in the 89th running of the $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the daughter of Pulpit rated off the pace under jockey Joel Rosario before launching an outside stretch run and reeling in Marathon Lady by a neck at the finish. Fiftyshadesofhay ran the 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies in 1:52.73.

May 15, 2013

CHRISTINE A. MOORE NAMED OFFICIAL MILLINER OF THE BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Owners and fans can order Custom-made Headwear Designed In the Silks of Breeders’ Cup Horses

NEW YORK (May 15, 2013) – The Breeders’ Cup announced today that Christine A. Moore, of Christine A. Moore Millinery, New York, one of the world’s leading headwear designers, has been named the official milliner of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

April 25, 2013

SANTA ANITA DERBY WINNER GOLDENCENTS BREEZES SIX FURLONGS IN 1:16.20, O’NEILL TRAINEE TO SHIP TO KENTUCKY EARLY SATURDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 25, 2013)—In his final work in preparation for the Kentucky Derby on May 4, Grade I Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents breezed six furlongs in 1:16.20 Thursday morning at Santa Anita under regular exercise rider Jonny Garcia, as trainer Doug O’Neill, jockey Kevin Krigger, and several owners watched from the grandstand.

Working from the half mile pole around the Club House turn to the three quarter pole, Goldencents was timed through splits of 27.20, 40.20, 51.20 and 1:03, according to Santa Anita clocker, Dane Nelson.

“We had him galloping out seven furlongs in 1:29 and two (fifths) and the mile in 1:43 and two,” said Nelson.

“We try to make his workouts similar to a gallop,” said O’Neill, who won last year’s Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies with I’ll Have Another. “We try not to zap him. This is very similar to what he does every day, just a little quicker.

“I thought he went great. My biggest focus was to have him finish up stronger than he started off, and he did just that. I got him in forty (seconds) for the first three furlongs, and thirty six for the second three furlongs, so he definitely picked it up when Jonny (Garcia) asked him to, and I liked the gallop out. I’m very happy.

“This is all the ‘tune up’ he needed. He’ll leave here Saturday at about 4 a.m.”

For his part, Krigger was ecstatic about the move and how it was executed.

“Jonny gets along with this horse so well and he gets him to relax early,” said Krigger, who will be riding in his first-ever Kentucky Derby. “Ever since the San Felipe (a disappointing fourth place finish on March 9), Doug has been trying to gear him down and get him to relax. Jonny did a great job this morning and he finished up real strong, which is what Doug wanted.”

April 21, 2013

GAME ON DUDE ‘HORSE OF MEET’ IN MEDIA POLL

Baffert, Bejarano Earn Honors as Top Trainer and Jockey

ARCADIA, Calif.

SANTA ANITA CONCLUDES 76TH WINTER/SPRING MEET UP IN ALL-SOURCES HANDLE, INCLUDING STRONG INCREASE IN ADW

THE GREAT RACE PLACE WELCOMES RETURN OF BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ON NOV. 1 & 2

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 21, 2013)—Santa Anita Park, which will again host the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 1 & 2, concluded its 76th winter/spring meeting on Sunday with overall handle up four percent. The increase was fueled, in part, by strong gains in Account Deposit Wagering (ADW) handle through its 71-day meet which began on Dec. 26.

Santa Anita Derby Day, April 6, proved to be the high-point of the meet, as an on-track crowd of 33,005 wagered $4,047,710, which contributed to a total pari-mutuel handle of $19,897,306—a $2- million increase over last year.

Trainer Doug O’Neill won his second consecutive Santa Anita Derby, as Goldencents, romped home by 1 ¼ lengths. Owned by NCAA Champion basketball coach Rick Pitino, Glenn Sorgenstein, Josh Kaplan and Dave Kenney, and ridden by Kevin Krigger, Goldencents will attempt to follow in the steps of the O’Neill-trained I’ll Have Another and become the 10th horse to win both the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert finished the meet with 38 wins to take his third consecutive Santa Anita training title and record 11th overall. Baffert began the meet with two wins on opening day and continued to build on the momentum as he prevailed in a close contest that saw three trainers; John Sadler, Jerry Hollendorfer and O'Neill, finish tied for second with 35 wins.

Baffert’s biggest win came in the 76th running of the Santa Anita Handicap when favored Game On Dude, who was also named horse of the meeting, romped by a record 7 ¾ lengths to become just the fourth horse to ever win the Big ’Cap twice-- this time under jockey Mike Smith for Joe Torre’s Diamond Pride LLC, the Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable LLC and Bernard Schiappa.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano returned to the top of the riding standings to win his fourth title as Santa Anita’s leading rider with 93, 31 more than second-place finisher Edwin Maldonado. Bejarano had finished second in the riding standings the previous two seasons.

For the second consecutive year, Kosta Hronis’ Hronis Racing led all owners with by races won, with 11 victories.

This Santa Anita season was also marked by several very successful on-track activities designed to broaden the track’s reputation and brand as not only the crown jewel of Thoroughbred racing, but as an important member of the Southern California entertainment community.

More than 50 young women competed to be among the finalists to represent California in the first-ever Ms. Racing Queen pageant held at Gulfstream Park in Fort Lauderdale. Tatiana Schoeppler, who resides in Los Angeles, was named Ms. Racing Queen and she won the top prize of $100,000. She will spend the next 12 months as an ambassador for Thoroughbred racing around the country.

FRANK GARCIA UNANIMOUS CHOICE AS SANTA ANITA EMPLOYEE OF MEET; ARCADIA HIGH GRAD, AIR FORCE VET GREETS FANS, EMPLOYEES & HORSEMEN DAILY

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 21, 2013)—Frank Garcia, Santa Anita’s Head Stable Gateman, who greets fans, horsemen and employees with an acknowledging smile at the track’s Association Gate from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April 20, 2013

CONSISTENT CHIPS ALL IN SPRINGS UPSET IN GRADE III SAN SIMEON STAKES DOWN HILLSIDE TURF COURSE, BAZE & MULLINS TEAM FOR WIN

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 20, 2013)—Hard hitting Chips All In, second beaten a nose down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course on Feb. 23, came back firing in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 San Simeon Stakes, as he ran down even money favorite Obviously in deep stretch to win going away by a half length under Tyler Baze, getting 6 ½ furlongs in a rapid 1:11.28.

Trained by Jeff Mullins, Chips All In, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by North Light, sat a comfortable third early as Irish-bred Obviously set sizzling fractions of 21.52, 43.16 and 1:05.28.

HEAVILY FAVORED LADY OF SHAMROCK FOULED IN DEEP STRETCH AND IS MADE WINNER OF GRADE II SANTA BARBARA VIA STEWARDS’ INQUIRY

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 20, 2013)—Lady of Shamrock, the prohibitive 1-5 favorite with leading rider Rafael Bejarano aboard in Saturday’s Grade II, $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap, took up sharply in deep stretch, finishing second, beaten 1 ½ lengths by longshot Viva Carina and Victor Espinoza, but was subsequently placed first via a stewards’ inquiry.

Last early in the five-horse Santa Barbara, for older fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on turf, Lady of Shamrock, trained by John Sadler, was full of run at the rail turning for home and had dead aim on pacesetting Viva Carina, but had to take up sharply a sixteenth of a mile out, costing her a chance at victory.

“I don’t think he (Espinoza) knew I was there,” said Bejarano. “I tried to come running but I also wasn’t screaming and (I) didn’t let him know. He was surprised, it wasn’t his fault. His filly just kept coming in. I tried to sneak through there…When I saw the opportunity on the rail in the stretch and I saw a lot of room, I just kept running but unfortunately when Victor used the right-hand stick, his horse kept coming in and completely crossed my lane.

“I was completely on her heels so I didn’t have any choice but to hold my horse and stop riding a little, and then let her go again.”

Although heavily favored, Lady of Shamrock was faced with a tall order around the far turn, as Viva Carina had cut out a slow pace of 25.17, 49.98, 1:14.41 and 1:37.92. Off at 8-1, Viva Carina hit the wire as the unofficial winner in 2:00.91.

The race high weight with 123 pounds, Lady of Shamrock spotted eight pounds to Viva Carina and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10.

“She’s gotten very relaxed this year, so it’s pretty scary,” said Sadler of Lady of Shamrock. “She wants to sit back and close and she had to give away a lot of weight on top of it, so I’m going to go out and find her a rabbit (next time).

“He (Bejarano) had her rolling and it looked like she had room and he was going to get there, so I thought it was the right call…so we’re going to take it.”

Owned by Kosta Hronis’ Hronis Racing LLC, Lady of Shamrock picked up $90,000 for the win, boosting her earnings to $825,400. Second as the even money favorite in the Grade II Santa Ana Stakes March 24, Lady of Shamrock improved her overall record to 13-7-2-1.

The Santa Barbara marked the 11th win of the meet for Hronis Racing, and for the second year in a row, Hronis Racing LLC is Santa Anita’s leading winter/spring owner by races-won.

“We’re very honored to be part of the industry and proud to be leading owner again,” said Hronis. “We’re very happy.”