Santa Anita News

SANTA ANITA ANNOUNCES RENOVATIONS TO GRANDSTAND & STABLE AREA, FACILITY TO CLOSE FOR TRAINING DURING DEL MAR RACE MEET THIS SUMMER
SANTA ANITA CONGRATULATES RAMON DOMINGUEZ ON GREAT CAREER, MULTIPLE ECLIPSE AWARD WINNING JOCKEY ALSO WON 2012 WOOLF AWARD
HRTV RECEIVES FIVE 2013 OHIO VALLEY REGIONAL EMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

Stakes Quotes

January 2, 2011

JOCKEY QUOTES

RAFAEL BEJARANO, UNZIP ME, WINNER: “After I saw the other speed horse scratch in the post parade I decided to be on the lead. This is the first time she has run after the Breeder’s Cup, so I just tried to get her to relax and stay comfortable with my horse. In the beginning I wanted to get the lead, but not let her go too fast. When I saw everybody getting close to me, I was just waiting for the top of the stretch to close the door. As soon as I got to the dirt, I let her go.

January 1, 2011

ROBERT J. FRANKEL STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

GARRETT GOMEZ, SPRING STYLE, WINNER: “I thought she (Harmonious) made one run at me going to the three-eighths pole. When I first turned for home, I took another peek out there, and she was having trouble getting to me. We went so slow, it’s hard to really come by a horse that’s trying to finish. Even though she’s a good finisher, when you come home quick like we did, it’s hard to pass horses. The last three-eighth’s of a mile we picked it up and came home really solid. It’s hard to make up ground when it’s like that.

DAYTONA STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

GARRETT GOMEZ, DILEMMA, WINNER: “I really didn’t know what to expect from him. I tried to get him involved and get him to do something. I tried to stay as close with him as much as he was willing, without taking away from his run. He put himself in a decent spot, but he kind of worried me when we first crossed the dirt. When I got him outside, he came home well and finished really good. He’s seven, and hopefully coming into his prime now, but apparently he hasn’t lost a step.”

TRAINER QUOTES

TOM PROCTOR, DILEMMA, WINNER: “I thought he’d run good.

December 31, 2010

EDDIE LOGAN STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

GARRETT GOMEZ, SILVER MEDALLION, WINNER: “He’s a little goofy. He’s a difficult horse and Scotty’s (Blasi) been working with him. Mentally, he’s just not there yet, but it’s nice to know that a horse is this talented and he’s not totally focused yet. Hopefully they can get him moving forward, get him serious, and get him to where he really wants to do his job. Right now, he doesn’t even know what his job is.

December 27, 2010

CALIFORNIA BREEDERS' CHAMPION STAKES (FILLIES)

JOCKEY QUOTES

PATRICK VALENZUELA, CALIFORNIA NECTAR, WINNER: “I expected the two (Noise of the Crowd) to go with the one (Teddy’s Promise). When she didn’t and I could see that the one was alone on the lead, I decided to pull some surprise tactics and throw some dirt in her face at the five sixteenths. It worked and my filly just went on with it.

WHEN ASKED WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO WIN HIS FIRST SANTA ANITA STAKES IN FOUR YEARS: “It’s great, it’s like being back home here at Santa Anita. There’s no greater feeling.

SAN GABRIEL STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

RAFAEL BEJARANO, JERANIMO, WINNER: “My horse rushed a little bit at the break. After that, I tried to stay behind and get in the bridle and he started to relax. When I saw the number one (Proudinsky) getting room from the rail, I just stayed on the rail because I knew he was going to have a lot of horse at the end, too. When the number one came out a bit in the stretch, I got the opportunity and my horse came running. I ran the last time with this horse, too, and he won so easy on the turf that I thought he would run the same race today.

December 26, 2010

CALIFORNIA BREEDERS' CHAMPION STAKES

JOCKEY QUOTES

RAFAEL BEJARANO, THIRTYFIRSTSTREET, WINNER: “I thought I was going to finish third, for sure. But at the same time, I was thinking that my horse hadn’t switched leads yet. As soon as he switched leads and got in towards the rail, he showed me a big kick and I just thought to let him keep going. It was a small field, but I think he needs a little more distance. The track is getting better.

THE LA BREA STAKES

JOCKEY QUOTES

JOEL ROSARIO, SWITCH, WINNER: “She’s a one-pace horse. She’s long with her strides, and she just keeps going, she never quits or anything like that. When I was passing the five-sixteenths pole I got a really clean trip inside. The track feels pretty good. It’s a little faster, but I don’t think it’s an issue.”

TRAINER QUOTES

LARRY BENAVIDEZ, ASSISTANT TO JOHN SADLER, SWITCH, WINNER: “Not at all (when asked if he was concerned with her being on the inside).

THE SIR BEAUFORT STAKES

JOCKEY QUOTES

JOEL ROSARIO, SIDNEY’S CANDY, WINNER: “He’s a really good horse and he likes to run free and easy. Even though he went fast fractions, he just kept going. When we went to the first turn, I could hear Trevor (Denman) say we made an easy lead. The fractions were fast and he maybe got a little bit tired at the end. He’s a good horse and he’s improved every time he runs.”

TRAINER QUOTES

LARRY BENAVIDEZ, ASSISTANT TO JOHN SADLER, SIDNEY’S CANDY, WINNER: “I told Joel don’t get cute. Johnny (Sadler) said, ‘just go to the front.

THE MALIBU STAKES

JOCKEY QUOTES

JOEL ROSARIO, TWIRLING CANDY, WINNER: “He’s a nice horse. I wanted to wait until the last minute to make my move, and he responded really well when I asked him. He’s starting to improve a little more; we’ll see what happens later on. The track is staying consistent, but when you’re on the best horse like Twirling Candy, it’s no surprise that he ran that fast.”

RUSSELL BAZE, SMILING TIGER, SECOND: “The horse did everything he could to win the race. He just ran a brilliant race for me.