Karl Broberg led all trainers in wins in North America for the second year in a row in 2015, and for the new year has divisions of his stable in place at five different tracks in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas.
Friday's main event is an optional $25,000 claimer, which drew a full field of 14 older fillies and mares going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf.
The decision to move the six-furlong Hutcheson up on the calendar from the middle of the winter gave horsemen a second option to the one-mile Mucho Macho Man for their 3-year-olds here on Saturday. And as a result, the races wound up splitting the available talent.
There was still a buzz in the backstretch air last Sunday morning, the day after Santa Anita's opening day, when a reported crowd of 44,873 poured forth from the suburbs of Los Angeles to enjoy a brisk afternoon of Thoroughbred sport. From barn to barn, the mood was light. The energy of opening day provided a bracing tonic, which only made sense. If you work in show business, when the curtain rises, you like to see people in the seats.
Following the dominant victory by Jan's Reserve in the King's Swan Stakes here on Nov. 27, trainer Mike Dilger's first inclination was to ship the young horse to south Florida. Upon further review, Dilger discovered that New York's program for 3-year-old sprinters was a bit more attractive than the one offered at Gulfstream Park.
Smooth Roller, who missed the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31 because of a tendon injury, will resume training in early April, trainer Victor Garcia said on Wednesday.
Pretty N Cool, who won Grade 2 races at Del Mar and Belmont Park last year, and Treasuring, who was second in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar in November, are part of the projected field for the Santa Ynez Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Trainer Carla Gaines is poised for another potential upset in a stakes if Texas Ryano can run to his early autumn form in Saturday's $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita.
Pay the Fine had an excellent 3-year-old season in 2015, winning three times on turf at Del Mar and Santa Anita. The colt is winless in four career starts on dirt, however, and can reverse that streak in a second-level optional $62,500 claimer at Santa Anita on Friday.
Regal Ransom, a Grade/Group 2 winner and resident of Darley’s American stallion operation, was euthanized Tuesday due to complications from colic. He was 9 years old.
