US RACING: Authentic gives trainer Bob Baffert Ky Derby contender with Sham victory
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Authentic led all the way in winning the $100,000 Sham Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita, giving five-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert another contender for the first leg of the Triple Crown. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Authentic ran a mile in 1:37.57 on Saturday. The colt was […]
US RACING: 17 horses named to participate in Pegasus World Cup
Gary and Mary West’s Florida Derby (G1) winner and disqualified Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Maximum Security leads a list of 17 horses formally invited Sunday to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park. But with him expected to bypass the event, it's Fox Hill Farm’s Omaha Beach, a three-time Grade 1 winner and the Kentucky Derby […]
US RACING: Triple Crown winner Justify is now a dad
The former home of America’s first Triple Crown winner also claimed the first foal on the ground by the most-recent horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Audley Farm, located in Berryville, Va., on Saturday published photos of a Justify filly out of the Exchange Rate mare Foreign Affair. In a sign […]
Horse euthanized after breaking down in race at Santa Anita
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — A horse broke down in the last race at Santa Anita on Wednesday, the track's first racing death of the winter-spring meet after a spate of deaths last year. Golden Birthday took a bad step in the stretch and jockey Victor Espinoza fell off while trying to pull up the 4-year-old […]
US RACING: Jockey Mike Smith is number one
Santa Anita Park's opening day was certainly a memorable one for jockey Mike Smith. In the process of winning four of seven stakes races on the card, Smith surpassed Jerry Bailey as the all-time leader among jockeys for Grade 1 wins in North America. Smith tied Bailey at 216 when he brought Hard Not to […]
Santa Anita season off to a good start
Should the racing gods ever decree that the consummate book be written on the glory that is Santa Anita Park, the final chapter is poised for history. It was written December 28, when everything that makes Santa Anita great was in full flower, frenetic yet tranquil, in all its natural splendour. Scenic mountains, verdant palms, […]
Easy win for Omaha Beach in Malibu Stakes as Santa Anita gets underway
Soaking in another victory Saturday by Omaha Beach, trainer Richard Mandella joked that he should have had the colt gelded before he became such a superstar. That's about all that would have stopped the 3-year-old's path to his next career at stud, which came a step closer after Omaha Beach waltzed to a 2 3/4-length win […]
Jockey Mike Smith wins record 217th Grade 1 race
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Omaha Beach won the US$300,000 Malibu Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths on opening day at Santa Anita, giving Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith a record 217th Grade 1 victory. Smith surpassed the mark set by retired Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey to become thoroughbred racing's all-time Grade 1 stakes-winning jockey. […]
Meat was the motive – says Peruvians after murder of stallions at prominent stud farm
One day after its four stallions were killed in a break-in which saw the night watchman shot, Haras Barlovento in Peru has issued a statement indicating the perpetrators carried axes and that they believe the sale of the stallions’ meat was the motive for the crime. “We want to thank the countless calls and text […]
US RACING: Prosecutor finds no crime in Santa Anita horse racing deaths
LOS ANGELES (AP) — California prosecutors found no evidence of animal cruelty or other crimes during an investigation into a spike in horse deaths at Santa Anita Park racetrack over the past year, according to a report issued Thursday. A task force formed by the Los Angeles district attorney found the 49 deaths at the […]