Tag: Santa Anita Park

Midcourt's last victory came in February's San Pasqual Stakes. He is odds-on to repeat as Native Diver Stakes champion. (Image: Benoit Photo)

With Better Rivals Retired, Midcourt Ready to Hold Court in Native Diver

- 3 min read

There is no Maximum Security or Improbable to trouble Midcourt this time. This time, being Saturday’s Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar, where Midcourt is the trouble. Midcourt is the one to beat in the $100,000 Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes. The 1-1/8-mile jaunt for older horses sends a condensed […]

Knicks Go broke the track record in the Breeders' Cup Dirt mile earlier this month. He could run the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Dec. 5. (Image: Coady Photography/Keeneland)

Don’t Take a Holiday on These Late-Season Races

- 3 min read

The Breeders’ Cup is in the rear-view mirror, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any prime late-season races on the horizon. The end of the year may seem like a racing lull before the calendar flips, but don’t let the last two months of the horse racing season go by […]

Once beleagered Santa Anita Park has not had a racing fatality in 2020. (Image: Harry How/Getty)

Santa Anita Park Enjoys Fatality-Free Fall Meet

- 2 min read

Santa Anita Park, which became a poster track for horse fatalities after a nightmarish 2018-2019 season, completed its Autumn Meet without a racing or training fatality. The iconic Southern California track just concluded its 16-day Autumn meet, sending 1,106 horses racing over the dirt track and turf course. In addition, […]

The payouts for Santa Anita's eighth race Friday. This produced a single winning Rainbow 6 ticket worth more than $450,000. (Image: Santa Anita Park's Twitter)

Single Bettor Hits Santa Anita Park’s Rainbow 6 for $450,706

- 2 min read

A horse named New Heat brought new riches to one lucky ticket holder who held the lone winning ticket for $450,706.96 in Friday’s Santa Anita Park 20 cent Rainbow 6 Jackpot. New Heat went off at 14/1 in the maiden special weight eighth race. The 3-year-old, Cal-bred daughter of Unusual […]

Spielberg was a breeder's box-office smash, selling for $1 million a year ago at Keeneland. He strives for his first victory in Saturday's American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park. (Image: Keeneland)

Favored Spielberg Shoots for Winning Close-Up in American Pharoah

- 4 min read

Could this be Spielberg’s long-awaited Oscar moment? Is Saturday’s Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park the race where Spielberg finds box-office – or winner’s circle – gold? The $1 million juvenile comes into his third race as the 3/1 morning line favorite in this eclectic, but well-bred, […]

United owns six victories in 15 career starts, including the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes. He is the expected favorite in Sunday's John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita. (Image: Benoit Photo)

United Seeks Redemption in John Henry Turf Championship

- 3 min read

The John Henry Turf Championship is the perfect race at the perfect place for United — a meeting of opportunity and talent in a setting the standout turf runner should devour. And United has devoured Santa Anita Park. Three of his six career victories came at Santa Anita. Missing on […]

Victor Espinoza geared down Princess Noor after she ran away from her rivals in the Del Mar Debutante. She looms large in Saturday's Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita Park. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Princess Noor Arrives as the Brightest Light in the Chandelier Stakes

- 3 min read

Bob Baffert is sending three of the five starters out for Saturday’s Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita Park, but make no mistake as to which Baffert bears attention: precocious Princess Noor. The Chandelier is one of seven stakes on Santa Anita’s packed Saturday card. It sends the five […]

Improbable turned aside Mr. Buff to win the Whitney at Saratoga. He'll find winning his third consecutive Grade 1 a bit tougher in the Awesome Again Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita. (Image: NYRA/Dom Napolitano)

Stakes, Stakes, and More at Stake this Weekend at Santa Anita Park

- 3 min read

Santa Anita Park’s postponed opening created a bettor’s bonanza this weekend. The Southern California track will open with 12 stakes races – 11 of those graded stakes events. Officials pushed opening weekend at the iconic track back a week due to air-quality concerns from the nearby Bobcat Fire. One of […]

Smoke and flames from the Bobcat Fire forced the evacuation of 305 homes near Santa Anita Park. THe track pushed back its 2020 fall meet opener due to the poor air quality and ensuing flames. (Image: County of Los Angeles Fire Department)

Santa Anita Park Pushes Fall Opener Back Due to Nearby Bobcat Fire

- 3 min read

The massive Bobcat Fire, burning just five miles away from Santa Anita Park, resulted in the Southern California track pushing its opening day back a week to Friday, Sept. 25. Originally set to open this Friday, a week earlier than usual, Santa Anita returns to its customary last weekend of […]

The start to the Breeders' Cup Classic is like watching an all-star race. This year's Preakness Stakes sends its winner to the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland. (Image: Breeders' Cup World Championships)

For the First Time, Preakness Joins Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series

- 3 min read

For the first time in the Breeders’ Cup’s nearly 40-year history, a Triple Crown race will be part of its “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series of races. The 145th Preakness Stakes became one of 44 Challenge Series races offering spots in the Breeders’ Cup field over the next two […]

Horses prepare to tackle the 80-foot dirt crossing on Santa Anita Park's unique downhill turf course. That course may re-open as the track builds a new turf chute on the first turn. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

Santa Anita Builds New Turf Chute, are Downhill Turf Races Coming Back?

- 3 min read

Santa Anita Park began construction on a new turf chute that allows the track to create more turf sprint races of varying distances. The track also announced it may reinstitute sprint races on its hallmark downhill turf course, which closed in March 2019. The Southern California track announced the renovations […]

With the San Gabriels framing the track, horses go through their morning paces at Santa Anita Park. The Southern California track's fall season opens Sept. 19 -- one week earlier than usual. (Image: Jenna Schoenfeld/NY Times)

Santa Anita Park Falls into Autumn Meet with 24 Stakes Races

- 2 min read

Santa Anita Park’s fall season begins a week earlier than usual, but features 24 stakes – 15 graded – over its 18-day autumn campaign. The Southern California track opens Sept. 19 and runs through Oct. 25. Usually, Santa Anita’s opening weekend loads up with graded stakes races. But with the […]

This is one of Flavien Prat's 98 victories this year, aboard Toinette in the Wilshire Stakes June 20. The West Coast's top jockey tested positive for COVID-19 Sunday. (Image: Benoit Photo/AP)

Flavien Prat is Fifth Los Alamitos Rider Testing Positive for COVID-19

- 3 min read

The COVID-19 outbreak from Los Alamitos’ July 4 card claimed another jockey Sunday when Flavien Prat tested positive for the coronavirus. Prat, the West Coast’s leading rider, just captured the Santa Anita Park riding title. He’s also the fourth jockey from Los Alamitos’ Independence Day card to test positive, joining […]

Ollie's Candy won her first three races and has finished in the money 10 times in 12 races. She goes for her second Grade 1 victory at Belmont Park Saturday in the Ogden Phipps. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

Ollie’s Candy Heads East in Search of a Sweet Trip in Ogden Phipps

- 3 min read

Instead of shipping her cross-country to Belmont Park for Saturday’s Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes, John Sadler could have run Ollie’s Candy on his home track at Santa Anita Park. The Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes was cozily sitting right there, like a ripe-for-the-picking peach. Plus, the Santa Maria came […]

Bob Baffert usually rides high in the saddle at the Santa Anita Derby. He's going for his 10th victory in the premier West Coast Kentucky Derby prep. (Image: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Baffert Gets an Authentic Opportunity for Santa Anita Derby Three-Peat

- 4 min read

Even in a year where the COVID-19 pandemic pushed matters from April to June, Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby storylines begin where they usually do – in Bob Baffert’s Santa Anita Park barn. After all, where else to begin than the barn that produced nine previous Santa Anita Derby […]

Maryland's Laurel Park received approval to resume racing Saturday. It plans running through Aug. 22. (Image: Laurel Park)

Maryland’s Laurel Park Reopens for Racing Saturday

- 2 min read

After receiving unanimous approval by the Maryland Racing Commission on Thursday to resume racing, Laurel Park will waste little time reopening its starting gates. It joins the racing resumption parade Saturday. Laurel Park’s summer meet opens with three days of live racing from Saturday through Monday, and will run every […]

His Preakness Stakes win showed why War of Will was one of the most talented and unpredictable 3-year-olds last year. He's back on turf as one of the favorites in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita. (Image: Eclipse Sportswire)

Preakness Winner War of Will Headlines Deep Shoemaker Mile Field

- 4 min read

Flavien Prat will ride War of Will in Monday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita Park. And if that doesn’t set off the irony bells and whistles – while running red flags from every mast – nothing else will. Last May 4, Prat found himself a Kentucky Derby-winning jockey […]

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