Thirsty John returns from layoff to win California Cup Derby

The $1.82 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita on Friday was going to determine which of Fierceness' previous two starts was the fluke performance: his 11 1/4-length debut romp at Saratoga or his no-show as an odds-on choice in the Champagne (G1). The fluke performance turned out to be the Champagne, as Fierceness displayed complete…

Adare Manor, in search of her fifth consecutive win andfourth graded-stakes score, was dispatched as the prohibitive 1-9 favorite inSunday's Grade 2, $200000 Zenyatta Stakes, and she certainly ran to thebetting, coasting to a 5 1/4-length score under Juan Hernández. Trained by Bob Baffert, Adare Manor got 1 1/16 miles eased atthe wire in 1:43.70,…

The stage is set for what could be one of the most compelling stories of this year's Breeders' Cup. Trainer Mark Glatt's 5-year-old Dr. Schivel, beaten by a heartbreaking nose when second in the 2021 Breeders' Cup Sprint, out-gamed a determined Speed Boat Beach by a head in taking Saturday's Grade 2, $200000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. The…

Kangaroo Court (outside) winning the Echo Eddie over Bus Buzz. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire) Stable Notes By Jim Charvat DEL MAR, Calif.-The lucrative Golden State Series for Cal-breds resumes Friday at Del Mar when a six pack of 3-year-olds battle in the $175000 Real Good Deal Stakes at seven furlongs on the main track. It features two colts who…

BERRIOS VAULTS TO THE TOP OF THE JOCKEY STANDINGS IN WEEK 2 Jockey Hector Berrios put together back-to-back riding triples last weekend to climb into a first-place tie with defending riding champion Juan Hernandez in the Del Mar jockey standings. Berrios came into last Saturday with five victories and by the time the final race was in the books…

Top The Jockey, Trainer & Owner Standings As Santa Anita's Classic Meet Closes Santa Anita Press Box ARCADIA, Calif.-Santa Anita's 43-day Classic Meet, which began on Dec. 26, drew to a close on Sunday, with Juan Hernandez atop the jockey's division, Phil D'Amato bagging yet another training title and Tim and Mark Cohen's Rancho Temescal and Red…

Only a handful of Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve qualifiers take place over synthetic tracks. One of them is the $100000 El Camino Real Derby, contested over the Tapeta course at Golden Gate Fields. The El Camino Real Derby hasn't produced a Kentucky Derby winner since it shifted from defunct Bay Meadows to Golden Gate…

Lovely Ride wins Saturday's Pippin Stakes at Oaklawn Park Coady Photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Trainer Bob Baffert saddled the first three finishers in Sunday's $100000 Grade III Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" race, while the other weekend qualifier went to a colt who might find the Derby distance…

Trainer Peter Miller was worried he might not have Thirsty John fit enough for Saturday's Cal Cup Derby at Santa Anita off an eight-month layoff, but his plan worked out just fine on a racing day devoted to Cal-breds. Miller had Thirsty John fit enough to go gate to wire and hold off stablemate Giver Not a Taker by a half length in the $200000 race…

Cairo Consort made her debut for new connections a winning one in Saturday's $100000 Ginger Brew S. at Gulfstream Park, a one-mile turf test for three-year-old fillies. Winner of the Catch a Glimpse S. at Woodbine and subsequently placed in the Natalma (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) last fall, Cairo Consort was strongly favored…

The trail toward the first Saturday in May reaches its next step on the first Saturday in January. Arctic Arrogance is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the $150000 Jerome Stakes. Post time from Aqueduct is 3:16 p.m., with FS2 showing the one-mile event for 3-year-olds. The Jerome awards its top five finishers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a…

Carmelita's Man. (Benoit Photo) Stable Notes By Victor Ryan / ARCADIA, Calif.-The 10th and final race on Saturday's California Cup program is the $200000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic for older state-breds going 1 ⅛ miles on turf. While a field of nine was entered, led by 2-1 morning-line favorite Carmelita's Man, only eight will go postward as The…

The first full weekend of live racing action in 2023 features a pair of Kentucky Derby prep races - the Jerome Stakes from Aqueduct on Saturday and the Sham Stakes from Santa Anita on Sunday. Both races offer 10-4-3-2-1 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby to the top five finishers. Saturday's $150000 Jerome Stakes has drawn a field of…

The Saturday card from Santa Anita Park features the California Cup Sprint. Giver Not a Taker was installed as the morning line favorite. Post: 12:00 PM PT; $150k Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint S. going 6 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 6 #2 BIG CITY LIGHTS (8-5) gets the top selection. He shouldn't have trouble with the 6 furlong distance. This one…

Gary Barber's Perfect Flight rallied from last under Ricardo Santana Jr. to upset Apprehend and Ramon Vazquez and give trainer Peter Miller a one-two finish in Tuesday's $250000 Zia Park Derby at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M. The Derby was one of seven stakes on the Land of Enchantment Day program with purses totaling $900000 and came one race after…

Chismosa winning the Generous Portion. Photo by Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire DMTC News DEL MAR, Calif. - The Stakes action at Del Mar's Bing Crosby meet continues next weekend with the possibility of all three races featuring winners from the summer meet. There are two stakes on tap for Saturday, the seven furlong $100000 Desi Arnaz Stakes for…

Notes & Quotes From the Real Good Deal Stakes: Big City Lights (Big City Lights wins Friday's Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar / Benoit Photo & Courtesy of Del Mar) From the Del Mar Media Team: William Peeples' Big City Lights did what he does best Friday at Del Mar when he went to the front early, then just couldn't be caught late as he captured…

From Flightline's Malibu To Taiba's Runhappy Derby, Top Performances Were The Order Of The Day Throughout 76-Day Winter/Spring Meet Closing Day Handle Of $17.1 Million Up 12.2 Percent, Average Daily Handle Up Two Percent ARCADIA, Calif.-From an 11 ½ length blitz by superstar Flightline in the opening day Malibu Stakes Dec.

Off mounts last weekend due to being kicked in a paddock mishap on May 20, Jessica Pyfer, the 2021 Eclipse Award winner as outstanding apprentice jockey, notched her first stakes win Saturday at Santa Anita as she put Bally's Charm on the lead and never looked back en route to a 5 ¾ length win in the $150000 Snow Chief Stakes. The Snow Chief was…

As the horse racing world prepares to descend upon Churchill Downs for next week's Kentucky Derby, this weekend's horse racing action focuses on Santa Anita Park. There will be four graded stakes on Saturday's card, headlined by the return of Big'Cap winner Express Train in the Grade 2 Californian. Keeneland's closing day is on Friday, topped by…

1 of 2 | Golden Goal wins Maktoum Challenge Round 1 at the first meeting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival. Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The first meeting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival was the big doings in weekend horse racing, as some of last year's heavy hitters returned from long vacations to sort out their chances for…

Cal-bred champ doing'Super' for Santa Ana; Mandella says United up to speed in training ARCADIA, Calif.- Doug O'Neill hopes The Great One rebounds from his disappointing fifth-place finish behind recently sidelined Life Is Good in the Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 6 when he runs in the Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby next Saturday, April…

Forbidden Kingdom stamped himself a prime Kentucky Derby contender Saturday with a front-running, 5 ¾-length victory in the $400000, Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Forbidden Kingdom covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.98 and paid $4 as the even-money favorite. "I was anxious to see this…