#santa anita based

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella can add to his record number of wins in the Malibu Stakes when he sends out the speedy Forbidden Kingdom in the 2022 Malibu Stakes on Monday at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. The 72-year-old Mandella has won the Malibu six times, most recently in 2019 with Omaha Beach. He goes for No. 7 with two-time Grade…

The undefeated Flightline can cement his legacy as one of the top horses in decades when he leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course. A perfect 5-for-5 in his career, Flightline has won his starts by a combined 62 ¾ lengths, an average winning margin of 12 ½ lengths. The 126 Beyer Speed Figure…

The Bob Baffert-trained Arabian Lion can strengthen his case as one of the top contenders for the 2023 Kentucky Derby when he leaves the starting gate on Saturday in the 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif. A 2-year-old son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, Arabian Lion has a win and a second in two career…

One horse will become a Grade 1 winner for the first time when the starting gate opens in the 2022 Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita Park. Also known as the Big'Cap, the storied event quickly became one of the country's top races after Seabiscuit made multiple attempts to win it in the late 1930s. This year, the John Shirreffs-trained…

After winning the Belmont Stakes with Sarava in 2002, trainer Kenny McPeek did not have a top-three finisher in the race again until Atigun a decade later. The 59-year-old is hoping a 10-year span is a charm again when Creative Minister runs in the 2022 Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Listed at 6-1 in the 2022 Belmont Stakes odds, Creative Minister is…

Reigning 2-year-old champion Echo Zulu will try to take a step toward another Eclipse Award when she leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Echo Zulu is a perfect 5-for-5 in her career. Last year, she won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies en route to earning…

The Michael McCarthy-trained Smooth Like Strait will try to end a five-race losing streak when he leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Shoemaker Mile on Memorial Day at Santa Anita Park. A son of Midnight Lute, Smooth Like Strait has not won since going gate-to-wire to win last year's Shoemaker Mile over Say the Word. In five races since, he has…

Trainer Bob Baffert can extend his record number of wins in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes when he saddles two horses in the 2022 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita Park. The 69-year-old Baffert has won the race nine times, including the last three years with Medina Spirit (2021), Thousand Words ('20) and Mucho Gusto ('19). He will attempt…

The Richard Mandella-trained Royal Ship will try to win the Grade 1 race that barely eluded him last year when he leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Hollywood Gold Cup on Memorial Day at Santa Anita Park. A son of Midshipman, Royal Ship had the lead with one furlong to go in last year's Hollywood Gold Cup before losing by a head to Country…

The post-Triple Crown season gets started in earnest on Saturday when the starting gate opens in the 2022 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. The $1 million Haskell Stakes 2022 is the first major race for three-year-olds since the Belmont Stakes and traditionally serves as a prep race for the Travers Stakes next month in Saratoga. With the…

Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas will extend his record number of starters by a trainer when he saddles Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath in the 2022 Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course. Secret Oath will be the 46th starter for the 86-year-old Lukas, who has won the race six times. Bob Baffert is second among all trainers in Preakness…

The late-running Gufo will try to win a Grade 1 race for a third time when he leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Manhattan Stakes on Saturday in Elmont, N.Y. Trained by Christophe Clement, the 5-year-old Gufo has won almost $1.5 million in his career. He is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the 2022 Manhattan Stakes odds. The Brendan Walsh-trained…

The brilliantly fast Forbidden Kingdom can prove that he can stretch his speed out to nine furlongs and be a major contender for the Kentucky Derby when he leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday at Santa Anita Park. A son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Forbidden Kingdom has three wins, one second and one…

Eleven of the world's top horses, including the No. 1-ranked horse in the world, will battle in the 2022 Dubai World Cup on Saturday at Meydan Racecourse. The Dubai World Cup has been won by some of racing's greats, including Cigar, Silver Charm and Arrogate. The 2022 Dubai World Cup field includes Life Is Good, the No. 1-ranked horse in the world;…

Trainer Bob Baffert can add to his record number of wins by a trainer when he sends out Taiba in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course. The 69-year-old Baffert has won the race four times, most recently with Authentic in the 2020 Classic, which also was held at Keeneland. No other trainer has won the Breeders' Cup…

Travers Stakes winner Epicenter can cap off a sensational three-year-old season when he leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Epicenter has four wins, including the Travers, and three runner-up finishes in 2022 and is one of the major contenders for champion…

Post positions have been drawn for Saturday's 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic, and the undefeated Flightline drew perfectly in what may be the final race of his brilliant career. A perfect 5-for-5, Flightline was assigned post No. 4 in the middle of the eight-horse 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic field. He's the 3-5 favorite in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic…

Longshot Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will try to pull off another shocking upset when he leaves the starting gate in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course. Six months ago, Rich Strike became the second biggest longshot to win the Kentucky Derby when he crossed the finish line at 80-1 odds. Since then, he is…

Trainer John Sadler will try to win for just the second time when he saddles the undefeated Flightline in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course. The 66-year-old Sadler won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2018 with Accelerate, his only winner among six all-time starters in the race. On Saturday, he goes for No. 2 with…