Press Releases

Syndicate content

January 29, 2011

CARACORTADO RUNS A SMASHER IN SUNSHINE MILLIONS TURF BEFORE 26,694 AT SANTA ANITA; EVENING JEWEL TAKES THE DISTAFF WHILE COST OF FREEDOM UPSET BY AMAZOMBIE IN SPRINT

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 29, 2011) – Victorious in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff, Evening Jewel saved a measure of face for the favored runners in the three stakes races that constituted Santa Anita’s presentation of Saturday’s $1.8 million Sunshine Millions for California and Florida-breds that was held in conjunction with Gulfstream Park.

Rags-to-riches Caracortado, however, was perhaps the most dramatic winner with a smashing victory over The Usual Q.T. in the $300,000 Turf while odds-on favorite Cost of Freedom fell to 11-1 upsetter Amazombie in the $200,000 Sprint before a Santa Anita on-track crowd of 26,694.

January 28, 2011

LEA THE PUNISHER TAKES THE AZERI PURSE IN DRIVING FOUR-HORSE FINISH; BEJARANO RIDES FOUR WINNERS INCLUDING PAIR OF LONGSHOTS

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 28, 2011) – Making her first start on dirt, Lea the Punisher prevailed in a driving four-horse finish Friday to capture Santa Anita’s $57,136 Azeri Purse for older fillies and mares while negotiating 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.20.

With Alonso Quinonez in the saddle, the 4-year-old daughter of Petionville withstood the closing rush of 2-1 favorite Makoma to score by a neck while the much-troubled Gumption gained third another neck back and a head in front of early leader Summer Games.

January 27, 2011

SIZZLING BAFFERT CAPTURES SANTA ANITA CO-FEATURES WITH COMEBACKERS GAME ON DUDE, MYTHICAL POWER, RACKS UP 21 WINS IN AS MANY DAYS

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2011) – Game On Dude, idle since finishing fourth to Drosselmeyer in the Belmont Stakes last June, returned to action at Santa Anita Thursday with a sparkling victory as trainer Bob Baffert continued what seems to be a daily relationship with the winner’s circle.

Guided by Rafael Bejarano, Game On Dude captured the seventh race, a $60,154 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles, by 1 ¼ lengths over When We Met in 1:40.77 to give Baffert and Bejarano a sweep of the day’s co-features.

January 23, 2011

THE USUAL Q.T., EVENING JEWEL GIVE CASSIDY SOLID HAND IN SATURDAY’S SUNSHINE MILLIONS TURF & DISTAFF AT SANTA ANITA; COST OF FREEDOM FIGURES AS SOLID FAVORITE IN SPRINT

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2011) – With multiple Grade I winners The Usual Q. T. and Evening Jewel, New York City-born trainer James Cassidy figures to be a force Saturday in Santa Anita’s portion of the 9th Sunshine Millions competition conducted in concert with Gulfstream Park.

In the bicoastal event offering purses of $1.8 million and comprised of six races exclusively for California and Florida-bred Thoroughbreds, The Usual Q.T. will be the leading challenger to Floridian multi-millionaire Presious Passion among eight entrants in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf. Evening Jewel heads a cast of nine in the $300,000 Distaff. The $200,000 Sprint, featuring Cost of Freedom, completes the Sunshine Million races at Santa Anita.

They will be interspersed among the three stakes taking place at Florida’s Gulfstream Park, with the afternoon’s headliner being the $500,000 Classic. Gulfstream will also present the $300,000 Filly & Mare Turf and the $200,000 Filly & Mare Sprint.

IT TIZ SPRINGS UPSET IN FEATURED MEGAHERTZ, TIZ NOW FILLY FINISHES STRONG WITH FLORES UP

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2011)—A creditable fifth in the Grade I La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26, It Tiz switched to the turf and stretched out a furlong in Sunday’s $79,150 Megahertz Stakes and responded with a determined stretch run, winning by one half length and getting the mile on turf in 1:34.83 with David Flores aboard.

January 22, 2011

BAFFERT’S EUROEARS UPSETS IN PALOS VERDES AS 2-5 FAVORITE SMILING TIGER FINISHES A WELL-BEATEN THIRD; BLOEMER GIRL SURPRISE WINNER OF THE SWEET LIFE; CARRYOVER OF $104,448

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 22, 2011) – At 2-5, the shortest odds in a splendid career sprinting, Smiling Tiger suffered his harshest setback Saturday when leading trainer Bob Baffert’s Euroears ran away with Santa Anita’s 59th running of the Grade II, $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap at odds of 9-1.

With Mike Smith in the saddle, Euroears gained command in the first quarter of the six-furlong event and was never threatened while timed in a fleet 1:07.23. Smiling Tiger settled for third, 2 ¼ lengths behind runner-up Captain Cherokee and 4 ½ behind the winner.

SMILING TIGER FROWNS AT ODDS OF 2-5 IN PALOS VERDES, LONGSHOTS PROVIDE $104,449 PICK SIX CARRYOVER, TOTAL POOL ON SUNDAY EXPECTED TO EXCEED $600,000

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 22, 2011)—Longshots were the order of the day Saturday, and with Smiling Tiger failing in a high profile way at odds of 2-5 in the featured Grade II Palos Verdes Stakes, it came as no surprise that no one hit the Pick Six, resulting in a carryover into Sunday of $104,449.

January 21, 2011

ODDS-ON CHOICE REBA IS TOPS BARELY SUCCEEDS WHILE BOOSTING CAREER EARNINGS TO OVER $400,000

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 21, 2011) – Reba Is Tops, a 7-year-old stakes caliber mare who was running for a $62,500 claiming tag, emerged victorious when bet down to 3-5 favoritism Friday in Santa Anita’s $59,800 optional claiming feature for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

But it wasn’t quite that easy for the hard-hitting Washington-bred who was coming off a solid third in the Grade III Monrovia Stakes just three weeks before.

After drawing off to over a one-length lead on pacesetter Linda Lou in midstretch, Reba Is Tops stubbornly withstood a late resurge by the comebacker to win by a nose.

January 20, 2011

BAFFERT CONTINUES HIS ROLL WITH SALTY SARAH IN FEATURED GUADALAJARA PURSE
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 20, 2011) – Leading trainer Bob Baffert gained his 18th victory on the Santa Anita meet’s 17th day Thursday when his “other” entrant, Salty Sarah, captured the $70,020 Guadalajara Purse for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
SANTA ANITA NAMES RACE FOR RETIRED HANDICAPPER, ‘JERRY ANTONUCCI PURSE’ IS SATURDAY’S FIFTH RACE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 20, 2011)—Santa Anita Park will honor recently retired newspaper handicapper Jerry Antonucci by naming Saturday’s fifth race “The Jerry Antonucci Purse.” The race is for older horses who are entered for a $12,500 claiming tag at one mile, and offers a purse of $16,000.

Antonucci, 64, is well known to Southern California racing fans, as he handicapped races and covered racing for 37 years, first with the defunct L.A. Herald Examiner in 1973.
sponsors budweiser sanmanuel grey goose cashcall pepsi maker's mark Car Title Loans DRF 14 hands