#Santa Anita Handicap

January is always a good time of year to search maiden special weight entries for promising 3-year-olds making their debuts. Often there are well-bred youngsters to be found. Such is the case this week. A half-sister to Dortmund and a colt produced by Dame Dorothy are two of the half-dozen notable names we're highlighting in Prospect…

Ramon Vazquez / 7 Edwin Maldonado / 5 TRAINERS / WINS Philip D'Amato / 8 Doug O'Neill / 7 Bob Baffert / 6 Peter Miller / 5 George Papaprodromou / 4 Friday • $175000 Real Good Deal Stakes, 3-year-olds bred in CA, 7 furlongs Saturday • $400000 Grade I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles • $150000 California…

Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park will embark upon their inaugural 1/ST Saturday promotion tomorrow, featuring 15 stakes, six at Santa Anita and nine from Gulfstream. In addition to unrivaled world class racing, a number of outstanding wagering opportunities will be available, including a pair of one dollar Pick Fives with a low takeout of 12…

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…

Horse racing fans get the holiday gift they really want - albeit a day late - when the SoCal winter racing season celebrates its traditional post-Christmas opening day on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park. That date marks the start of a new season in racing at the Arcadia, Calif., track and kicks off one of the country's premier annual winter/spring race…

The Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes are the most iconic US horse racing events. These races have been running since the late 19th century, offering bettors plenty of opportunities to make extra cash. In addition to these two significant races, many other US horse racing tracks and events offer betting opportunities. These include the…

The horse everyone will be watching and quite possibly betting next Saturday put in another eye-catching work Saturday morning at Del Mar, not so much for the speed at which he glided around the track, but at how effortless it appeared. Flightline set fractions of:12.80, :24.60, :36.40, and stopped the clock at:59.60 for the five furlongs. Not bad…

The history of horse racing is filled with rags-to-riches stories of jockeys, trainers, and horses that rise from humble beginnings to achieve success at the highest levels of the sport. Few such stories can compare with that of the remarkable gelding Lava Man, who went from claimer to Hall of Famer to dominate California horse racing for much of…

Fresh off a game runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, Warrant looks like the likely favorite among a field of eight older males entered in Saturday's $300000 Ben Ali at Keeneland. A 4-year-old son of Constitution, he was beaten just ahead by the streaking Express Train in the Big Cap seven weeks ago. The Brad Cox-trainee closed out…

Colorful Breeders' Cup-winning trainer Julio Canani, who died in Pasadena last week at the age of 82, made an indelible mark on horseracing throughout California. Here Team Valor International boss Barry Irwin, a longtime friend and associate, pays tribute. Such was the make-up of Julio Canani that many others are bound to have better, funnier and…

Coming in off huge victories in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Life Is Good will look to conquer new worlds when he headlines a field of 11 older males set for Saturday's $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse. A son of Into Mischief, trained by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good will not only be making his first…

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…

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…

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…

In the latest chapter of his widely acclaimed series recalling his personal favorites, Jay Hovdey tells the story of an unsung hero who ran in four different races in four years at the Breeders' Cup Let's hear it for the unsung heroes. The anonymous donor. The unnamed benefactor. The Good Samaritan who was first to help at the scene of the crash,…

Nest takes a shot against males in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday for trainer Todd Pletcher, a man who has won this race with the filly Rags to Riches in 2007. Even though Nest belongs in the Belmont, choosing the filly requires faith that the 1 1/2 miles elevates her to a new level. On previous form alone in normal route races, Nest…

It's quite an honor for a breeder to watch their horse win a Breeders' Cup race. The penultimate the Classic. To see two of their horses, win, amazing. A sire, son. Outstanding. How about two of the deepest fields in Breeders' Cup Classic history. Phenomenal. Frank Stronach has done just that. In 1998, campaigned for Stronach Stables and racing…

Yibir, shown winning the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf, preps for another American invasion with a start Friday at Newmarket in England. Photo by Carolyn Simancik/Eclipsesportswire, courtesy of Breeders' Cup April 29 (UPI) -- With a week to go before the Kentucky Derby, there's plenty of racing action to keep fan interest alive with Breeders' Cup runners…

The 154 running of the Belmont Stakes will take place Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. While the Triple Crown won't be on the line, Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will be part of the eight-horse field. Post time for the race is set for approximately 6:49 p.m. In last year's edition of the race, favorite Essential Quality came in…

Man o'War, Gallant Fox, Secretariat and American Pharoah all came unstuck at Saratoga, which has long had a reputation as a dangerous venue for short-priced favorites. But is it any different at York and Del Mar in August? Geir Stabell investigates It's that tasty time of the year again - when the most exciting meet of the US racing calendar is in…

Through the years, we've seen some memorable performances in the historic Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park. Sham clocking 1 1/8 miles in the stakes-record time of 1:47 flat in 1973… future Triple Crown winner Affirmed cruising by eight lengths in 1978… the filly Winning Colors leading all the way to dominate in 1988… I'll Have Another battling…

BALNIKHOV TO WAIT UNTIL THE DEL MAR DERBY SEPTEMBER 3 Little Red Feather Racing, et al's Balnikhov brought a baggage full of promise with him when he arrived from Ireland at the first of the year. He finally met those expectations Friday afternoon on Opening Day at Del Mar when the 3-year old son of Adaay dropped down on the rail and surged to…

A busy weekend of Breeders' Cup challenge series races already is underway as Santa Anita Park kicked off its fall meet Friday with three "Win and You're In'' races. Hopefully, your handicapping is about complete for Santa Anita's opening day, which features the $300000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds. Post time for this one is 8 p.m.…

Imagine a race day like no other. Two legendary racetracks 15 stakes races 14 graded stakes Coast-to-coast Pick 5's on dirt and turf with a low 12-percent takeout The chance to win a $5 million sweepstakes An Ultimate Betting Challenge Welcome to 1/ST Saturday, an extraordinary, unprecedented and innovative day of Thoroughbred racing Saturday,…

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…

For bettors who enjoy competitive fields with high quality, the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Saturday looks like a great race to study. This edition of the 1 1/4-mile dirt race for older horses features nine well-matched horses. The 3-1 morning line favorite Express Train is a capable horse, as well as a consistent one with 10…

Ce Ce, shown winning the Azeri Stakes on March 12 at Oaklawn Park, is among the favorites for Saturday's Grade I Apple Blossom over the same track. Coady photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park April 22 (UPI) -- As spring blossoms, horse racing stars including Letruska, Ce Ce, Pizza Bianca, Malathat and Channel Maker return from winter vacations this…

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…

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) - Trainer John Sadler woke up feeling confident on Pacific Classic day, believing he had the best horse in the field. "The toughest thing all day was getting into the parking lot," he said. Accelerate never gave Sadler reason for concern, living up to his name with a record 12 1/2-length victory in the $1 million race at Del…

He will be the favorite next week for the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. But is it too soon to declare Essential Quality the favorite for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic? Not in the dark recesses of offshore futures. After holding off Hot Rod Charlie in a signature stretch duel to win the Belmont Stakes, Essential Quality burnished his place in…

Seventy years ago this week, 50000 fans congregated at Hollywood Park to witness what must be considered among the finest assemblages of Thoroughbred accomplishment for any race of that era, and to this day certainly one of the best of all time. That a race of such caliber would be held in December is unusual by today's standards and was even more…