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April 4, 2013

THE WHOLE DEAL LEADS THE WHOLE WAY IN $58,000 SANTA MARIA PURSE, PROVIDING MALDONADO & KNAPP WITH DOUBLES ON THE DAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 4, 2013)—Breaking from the outside post in Thursday’s $58,000 Santa Maria Purse, The Whole Deal was sent to the front by jockey Edwin Maldonado and he stayed there, winning by a nose while covering 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in 1:12.78.

“I’ve ridden him before and tried to rate him, but he doesn’t like it,” said Maldonado, who along with trainer Steve Knapp, picked up his second win on the day. “He just wants to go to the lead. Today we had the six-hole and we decided to take advantage of it.

OUTSTANDING PANEL OF JUDGES NAMED FOR SANTA ANITA/HRTV FILM FESTIVAL

Arcadia, CA, April 4, 2013 — An outstanding panel of 10 judges has once again been assembled to review and select winners from Santa Anita and HRTV’s second annual non-fiction documentary “A Day at the Races” Film Festival.

All submissions are a maximum of five minutes in length and a complete review is currently underway, with winners to be announced on Sunday, April 14.

April 3, 2013

MULTIPLE GRADE I STAKES-PLACED SCARLET STRIKE APPEARS TO BE CLASS OF SATURDAY’S GRADE III, $150,000 PROVIDENCIA STAKES AT 1 1/8 MILES ON TURF, TEN 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES SET TO GO

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 3, 2013)—Saturday’s Grade III, $150,000 Providencia Stakes attracted a wide-open field of ten 3-year-old fillies set to go 1 1/8 miles on grass, headed by multiple Grade I stakes-placed Scarlet Strike, who comes off a third place finish on the main track in the Grade I, one mile Las Virgenes Stakes, on March 2.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Scarlet Strike was second in the Grade I Chandelier Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on dirt Sept. 29, and was third on Cushion Track in the Grade I Hollywood Starlet Dec.

GRADE I MALIBU CHAMP JIMMY CREED HEADS EIGHT-HORSE FIELD IN SATURDAY’S GRADE II POTRERO GRANDE, COMMA TO THE TOP, UNBRIDLED’S NOTE AMONG VETERANS SET TO COMPETE AT 6 ½ FURLONGS

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 3, 2013)—Idle since winning the Grade I, seven furlong Malibu Stakes on opening day, Dec. 26, Jimmy Creed will break from the outside in Saturday’s Grade II, $150,000 Potrero Grande Stakes for older horses at 6 ½ furlongs—a race which has attracted a field of eight hard-hitting sprinters.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Jimmy Creed won the Malibu at odds of 8-1 by three quarters of a length and earned a Beyer Speed figure of 105, his third lifetime Beyer of 100 or better.

Owned by B.

BEHOLDER LOOMS STANDOUT IN SATURDAY’S GRADE I SANTA ANITA OAKS, ECLIPSE CHAMPION COMES OFF BIG SCORE FOR TRAINER MANDELLA

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 3, 2013)—Reigning Eclipse Champion filly Beholder, fresh off a facile win in the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes March 2, looms a complete standout in Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

Trained by Richard Mandella, the 2012 Eclipse Juvenile Filly Champ overcame a throat ulcer and answered her doubters in winning the one mile Las Virgenes by 3 ¾ lengths at odds of 4-5-thereby stamping herself as an early favorite for the Grade I Kentucky Oaks on May 3.

Owned by B.

STAGE SET FOR 76TH RUNNING OF GRADE I, $750,000 SANTA ANITA DERBY, FLASHBACK LIKELY FAVORITE AS BAFFERT TO SADDLE THREE OF THE NINE RUNNERS—FOUR OF WHOM EXIT GRADE II SAN FELIPE MARCH 9

GRADE I SANTA ANITA OAKS, GRADE II POTRERO GRANDE & GRADE III PROVIDENCIA STAKES ALL OFFERED ON STAR-STUDDED PROGRAM THAT BEGINS AT 12 NOON

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 3, 2013)—Flashback, second as the even money favorite in the Grade II San Felipe Stakes March 9, heads a field of nine sophomores lined up to contest the 76th running of the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday—with the winner to be awarded 100 all-important qualifying points to ensure a berth in the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

Owned by Gary and Mary West, Flashback is trained by Bob Baffert, who will saddle a total of three horses as he seeks a record seventh victory in the Santa Anita’s signature race for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.

An impressive 6 ½ length winner of the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 2, Flashback got caught up in a heated head and head pace duel in the San Felipe and finished an impressive second, beaten a half length, by Hear the Ghost, who will also run in the Derby.

Following the San Felipe, Baffert announced that Garrett Gomez would replace Julien Leparoux, who had ridden the Kentucky-bred son of Tapit in all three of his career starts.

In addition to Hear the Ghost and Flashback, the third and fourth place finishers in the San Felipe, Tiz a Minister and Goldencents, will also run on Saturday.

March 31, 2013

LIAISON IMPRESSIVE OFF BENCH, WINS $70,000 SANTANA MILE BY HALF LENGTH UNDER GARCIA, FAVORED MIDNIGHT TRANSFER SECOND

PICK SIX CARRYOVER INTO THURSDAY OF $88,542

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 31, 2013)—Idle since well beaten in the Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 25, Liaison came back running in Sunday’s $70,000 Santana Mile, defeating favored Midnight Transfer by a half length while getting the distance in 1:36.36.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Liaison broke sharply from post position three and sat a comfortable third behind Hoorayforhollywood and Tres Borrachos through fractions of 23.74, 47.52, 1:11.80, 1:24.03, and overtook Tres Borrachos passing the eighth pole—only to be immediately engaged by Midnight Transfer and Rafael Bejarano.

“He’s a good horse,” said Garcia. “Sometimes he breaks a little slow, but today he broke sharp. I let those other two horses go and he was very comfortable in third. When it was time, I asked him and he really ran hard. When that horse (Midnight Transfer) came to us on the outside, he really dug in.”

Off as the third choice in a field of five older horses at 7-2, Liaison paid $9.00, $4.20 and $2.80. Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Arnold Zetcher LLC, Liaison picked up $42,900 for the win, increasing his earnings to $631,794. A winner of the Grade I CashCall Futurity at two, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Indian Charlie now has an overall mark of 13-4-1-3.

“He’s been working well for this,” said Baffert. “…We had him pretty cranked for today. He ran a great race, he showed some fight, and coming off a long layoff like that makes me think he’s gonna be a good handicap horse later on.”

Midnight Transfer, off at 6-5, trailed early and appeared full of run three wide off the turn for home.

“My horse came running at the end, and I thought he was going to get it but Liaison took off to win,” said Bejarano. “It was a good race, no excuses.”

Midnight Transfer finished 1 ¾ lengths in front of Tres Borrachos and paid $2.80 and $2.40.

The second choice at 3-1, Tres Borrachos overtook Hoorayforhollywood at the 3/16 pole and was third best under Garrett Gomez, finishing 3 ¼ lengths in front of “Hooray.”

March 30, 2013

FAVORED OMEGA STAR TAKES $200,000 ECHO EDDIE WITH TALAMO UP

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 30, 2013)—In a thrilling finish, 9-5 favorite Omega Star and Joe Talamo bested 23-1 longshot Fighting Hussar and Victor Espinoza by a scant nose in Saturday’s $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes, covering 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.19.

With a field of 10 California-bred 3-year-olds engaged, the early lead was hotly contested, with Omega Star, who broke from post eight, an unencumbered three lengths off the lead going to the far turn.

“That was a perfect trip,” said Talamo.

DOINGHARDTIMEAGAIN IMPRESSIVE 3 ½ LENGTH WINNER OF $200,000 EVENING JEWEL STAKES AS BEJARANO & HOLLENDORFER TEAM AGAIN

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 30, 2013)—Ridden for the first time by Rafael Bejarano, consistent Doinghardtimeagain layed close to a fast pace and went on to a resounding 3 ½ length victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies bred in California, covering 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16 flat.

With 3-5 favorite Sweet Marini breaking sluggishly, 7-2 second choice Doinghardtimeagain, drawn in post position nine in the 11-horse field, sat third behind dueling leaders Marks Mine and eventual second place finisher Hail Mary.

“I just tried to find my position and figure it out from there,” said Bejarano. “She was a little hot going to the gate, a little excited, but she was good once she was in the gate. “When I saw that the favorite (Sweet Marini) didn’t break that well, I just had to find my position and go from there.”

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Doinghardtimeagain, a daughter of Ministers Wild Cat, has been a gem of consistency for owner/breeder Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC, as she had two wins and three thirds from six starts coming into the Evening Jewel.

“She ran like we expected,” said Dan Ward, assistant to Hollendorfer. “She was training well and got a super trip. He’s (Bejarano) the best rider. He knew he had it. He’s 17 for 28 on our horses. I just told him she has enough speed to be up close and that she likes to fight. She’s a hard trier.”

Doinghardtimeagain paid $9.20, $4.20 and $3.80. With the winner’s share of $110,000, she hiked her bankroll to $346,270.

“This stud (Ministers Wild Cat) is real hot right now,” said Tom Stull, owner of Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC. “When we saw that the two-horse (Sweet Marini) didn’t have the lead I was pretty happy.”

Hail Mary, who cut out pressured fractions of 21.64, 44.89 and 1:09.66, was engaged by the winner at the top of the lane and proved second-best under Julien Leparoux, finishing four lengths in front of Cloudy Moon and Kevin Krigger.

Off at 7-1, Hail Mary paid $7.00 and $6.00.

BALDWIN AVE. TO BE CLOSED FOR DERBY DAY 5K WALK & RUN, TRAFFIC TO BE RE-ROUTED SOUTH OF 210 FWY. ON SATURDAY, CLOSURE IN EFFECT FROM 7:30 A.M. TO 9:30 A.M.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 30 , 2013)—Baldwin Ave. will be closed from the 210 Freeway to Huntington Drive temporarily early Saturday morning in order to accommodate Santa Anita’s annual Derby Day 5K Walk and Run. The closure will apply to vehicular traffic from 7:30 a.m.
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