Stakes Advances

ARCADIA, Calif.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 17, 2010) – When Bourbon Bay enters the gate in Saturday’s 59th running of the Grade II, $150,000 San Luis Rey Handicap, Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale’s 4-year-old gelding likely will be a solid favorite to complete a victorious double in Santa Anita’s twin mile-and-one-half turf marathons that began with a 4 ¼-length domination of the San Luis Obispo Handicap on Feb. 21.

If successful, David and Jill Heerensperger’s son of Sligo Bay would become the eighth marathoner in Santa Anita history to accomplish the back-to-back feat.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 4, 2010) – As a contingency plan should weather on Saturday lead to a second cancellation of the $150,000 Sham Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, the Grade III event for 3-year-olds would become an additional race, the 10th, on Sunday’s Santa Anita program.

The nine-race card is due to be highlighted by its seventh race, the $55,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on turf. The Sham will be carded provisionally on Sunday and will only be run in the event of a rain out Saturday. The Sham, originally scheduled for Feb. 27, is a major prep for the Gr.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 24, 2010) – Trainer Mike Machowsky’s Nextdoorneighbor, Bob Baffert’s The Program, Eoin Harty’s Kettle River and Richard Mandella’s Setsuko are among ten 3-year-olds who will attempt to solidify their Triple Crown aspirations Saturday in Santa Anita’s 10th running of the Grade III, $150,000 Sham Stakes.

At 1 1/8 miles, the Sham, a comparative newcomer on the nation’s extensive list of Kentucky Derby preps, already has proven a useful tool in the advancement of promising youngsters.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2010) – Stardom Bound, whose up and down career regained a measure of luster when a solid second in the Jan. 17 Gr. II El Encino Stakes, will attempt to complete the redemptive process in Sunday’s 36th running of the Grade II, $150,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies over 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb.