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February 28, 2013

CLASSY WILLYCONKER TAKES GRASSY WRIGHTWOOD PURSE WITH GOMEZ UP, IRISH-BRED WINS BY 1 ¾ LENGTHS

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 28, 2013)—Irish-bred Willyconker displayed a tangible turn of foot when challenged and won Thursday’s $65,000 Wrightwood Purse at Santa Anita by 1 ¾ lengths under Garrett Gomez, getting one mile on turf in 1:33.44.

A winner of the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile (turf) a year ago, the 6-year-old gelding was never a factor when finishing 10th at 22-1 in the Grade II Arcadia Stakes on Feb. 2.

PLAYERS’ PICK 5 CARRYOVER OF $226,900 INTO FRIDAY, POPULAR 50 CENT WAGER EXPECTED TO GENERATE TOTAL POOL IN EXCESS OF $1,000,000—FIRST POST AT 1 P.M.

PICK SIX CARROVER OF $44,521, TOTAL POOL COULD REACH $300,000

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 28, 2013)—Santa Anita’s popular Players’ Pick 5, which features a 50 cent minimum wager and requires punters to select the winners of the first five races, will carryover into Friday, with $226,900 in the pool. It is expected that Friday’s total Pick 5 pool will exceed $1,000,000.

First post time on Friday is 1 p.m.

February 27, 2013

SUGGESTIVE BOY HEADS FRANK E. KILROE MILE ON SATURDAY, McANALLY TRAINEE GOES FOR TWO IN ROW

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 27, 2013)—Argentine-bred Suggestive Boy, an impressive 2 ½ length winner of the Grade II Arcadia Stakes at one mile on turf Feb. 2, heads an eight-horse field in Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (turf), named for the legendary racing secretary who was largely responsible for Santa Anita’s ascension as a world-class racing venue.

Trained by Hall of Famer Ron McAnally, Suggestive Boy got the attention of the racing world when he ran a huge second in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile (turf) on June 30, his U.S. debut.

ECLIPSE CHAMP BEHOLDER OUT TO MAKE AMENDS IN SATURDAY’S GRADE I LAS VIRGENES AS REMATCH SET WITH RENEE’S TITAN; FIELD OF EIGHT TO GO ONE MILE ON DIRT

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 27, 2013)—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Champ Beholder, America’s Eclipse Champion 2-year-old filly for 2012, will try to avenge her odds-on defeat at the hands of longshot Renee’s Titan in the Grade II Santa Ynez stakes on Jan. 21, as they’ve both been engaged to square off at Santa Anita in Saturday’s Grade I, $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the main track.

In her sophomore debut, the Richard Mandella-trained Beholder was sent off as the overwhelming 1-5 favorite in the 6 ½ furlong Santa Ynez.

GAME ON DUDE, RON THE GREEK HEAD CONTENTIOUS 10-HORSE FIELD IN SATURDAY’S GRADE I SANTA ANITA HANDICAP; IT’S BAFFERT VS. MOTT IN FIRST-EVER MEETING OF TWO PAST BIG ’CAP WINNERS, FIRST POST IS 12 NOON

TWO OTHER GRADE I STAKES; THE KILROE MILE AND THE LAS VIRGENES, FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES, OFFERED ALONG WITH FREE TOTE BAG

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 27, 2013)—For the first time in its 76-year history, Saturday’s Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino will feature a showdown between two past winners--Bob Baffert’s Game On Dude, and Bill Mott’s Ron the Greek.

Game On Dude, winner of the 2011 Big ’Cap, comes off a sensational front-running win in the Grade II San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 3, and last year’s winner, Florida-bred and based Ron the Greek, demolished a field of Floridians in winning the Sunshine Millions Classic by 11 ¼ lengths from off the pace at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 19.

With contrasting styles, both 6-year-olds are in the hands of Hall of Fame trainers and each earned dazzling Beyer Speed figures in their last starts, with Game On Dude securing a 116, and Ron the Greek a figure of 115—all of which helps to set the stage for an epic showdown as 10 older horses get set to run a mile and a quarter in North America’s longest continually run “hundred grander.”

The complete field for the Big ’Cap, to be run as the 10th race on an 11-race program from the rail out, with comment, morning line and jockeys, is as follows:

Ron the Greek 5-2 Jose Lezcano

A winner of the Big ’Cap last year from way off pace, Florida-bred “Ron” demolished a group of Floridians in the Sunshine Millions Classic Jan. 19, earning a 115 Beyer. Fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he’s on edge to defend his title for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and owners Jack Hammer, Brous Stable and Wachtel Stable.

STRENGTHS: Trainer Mott has the 6-year-old gelding in top form and he looks more than ready to defend his crown in the Big ’Cap. Moreover, if Game On Dude is challenged early, Ron the Greek should be rolling from well off the pace under Lezcano, who won a “Dude-less” Big ’Cap a year ago. Although he carries six pounds more than he did last year, he gets three pounds from the favorite—which has Baffert Tweeting.

WEAKNESSES: Ask any rider who’s ridden more than one Big ’Cap and they’ll tell you it’s tougher to win from off the pace than up-close. If the favorite makes an uncontested lead, which is very possible, it may be impossible for Ron the Greek to overcome that kind of pace scenario. A deep closer, it would probably work to the “Greek’s” disadvantage if Lezcano were to try to alter his style.

February 24, 2013

AIN’T NO OTHER ADDS BLINKERS AND ROLLS TO VICTORY WITH BEJARANO IN $100,000 SENSATIONAL STAR STAKES, TOMMY TOWN HOMEBRED TRAINED BY HOLLENDORFER

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 24, 2013)—Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, fresh off victory in Saturday’s Grade II San Carlos Stakes, fitted veteran gelding Ain’t No Other with blinkers for the first time and the result was a three quarter length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Sensational Stakes for older horses bred in California at 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course. The 5-year-old son of Old Topper negotiated the course in 1:11.53.

“I worked him in blinkers and he worked really well,” said Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward. “He didn’t try to lug in. He didn’t try to wait on horses, he just went on.”

Off as second choice in the eight-horse field at 9-2, Ain’t No Other sat third early, four lengths behind pacesetting longshot Coach Bob and Victor Espinoza. With fractions of 21.24, 43.05 and 1:05.50, the Sensational Star set up for horses coming from behind.

As the field approached the dirt crossing at the top of the lane, Bejarano split horses and made the lead in mid stretch, and then held off a fast finishing Starspangled Heat and Corey Nakatani, who was flying at the rail.

“Today he showed me a lot of speed from the gate, but I didn’t want to be on the lead, so I let the speed go a little bit,” said Bejarano. “I found my position quickly though. He wore blinkers and he showed me a big kick today.”

Owned and bred by Tom and Debi Stull’s Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC, Ain’t No Other paid $11.40, $6.00 and $4.00. With the winner’s share of $60,000, Ain’t No Other increased his earnings to $434,973. His record now stands at 24-8-6-6.

With today’s victory, Bejarano has now won with 10 of 17 mounts for Hollendorfer at the current meet and Hollendorfer, currently third in the trainer standings with 19 wins overall, is a near-perfect four for five with Tommy Town starters.

MARIO PINO TO RECEIVE SANTA ANITA WOOLF AWARD ON APRIL 14; HIGH HONOR TO BE PRESENTED BETWEEN RACES

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb.

February 23, 2013

SAHARA SKY WINS GRADE II SAN CARLOS FROM OFF PACE, TALAMO GUIDES HIM TO SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY

PICK SIX CARRYOVER OF $101,001, SUNDAY POOL SHOULD EXCEED $750,000

$75,000 JOE HERNANDEZ HANDICAP TAKEN BY UNBRIDLED’S NOTE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 23, 2013)—With a blistering early pace to take advantage of, Sahara Sky, with Joe Talamo up, came roaring from far off the pace to take Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Carlos Stakes by three quarters of a length, covering seven furlongs in 1:21.28.

As Comma to the Top and Justin Phillip ding-donged through fractions of 22.11, 43.88 and 1:08.09, Talamo was content to lag far back early in the field of eight.

“They had a real hot pace,” said Talamo. “It really set up good for us today. I’ll tell you what, this horse is one of those that only gets better with age…He runs well fresh. It was going so fast up there and they stopped pretty good for us, but my horse was really running the last part.”

As Comma to the Top and Edwin Maldonado opened up a length on Justin Phillip and Mike Smith at the top of the lane, Sahara Sky, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, was in high gear four-wide and at the sixteenth pole, there was little doubt he would prevail.

“He got a good trip and it was just about a perfect ride, you might say," said Hollendorfer. "I hope he can maintain it (good form). He sure is a good horse.”

Fresh off victory at 21-1 in the Grade II Palos Verdes Stakes going six furlongs on Jan. 19, Sahara Sky proved that win was no fluke and improved his overall mark to an outstanding 14-6-2-4. With the winner’s share of $120,000, his earnings now stand at $356,680.

“This horse is a different horse this year,” said Kim Lloyd, who races as Sweetwater Stable and owns the 5-year-old in partnership with Hollendorfer. “He’s run well all the time, but he would put so much into his races when he was fresh that he didn’t seem to have that same finish in his subsequent races. He’s matured now though and he’s firing back to back. He might be a pretty good horse.”

February 22, 2013

$200,000 Donation Aids Health Care for Racetrack Workers

The California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation, which benefits the some 5,000 backstretch workers and family members involved in Thoroughbred horse racing throughout the state, has announced that a donor who prefers to remain anonymous recently made a contribution of $200,000.

Trainer John Sadler was integral in securing the donation from a Thoroughbred owner he worked with for many years.

MAJESTIC MOMENT WINS SANTA ANITA ALLOWANCE FEATURE FROM WAY OFF PACE UNDER ESPINOZA

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2013)—If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And that’s exactly what Victor Espinoza and Majestic Moment did in Santa Anita’s sixth race Friday, a $58,000 first condition allowance for older horses at 1 1/16 miles, as they overcame repeated trouble early to win by a half length in 1:43.86.

“I wanted to send him, but he stumbled leaving the gate and then we got squeezed and he clipped heels,” said Espinoza, who was riding the 4-year-old colt by Malibu Moon for the first time.
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