Quarter Horse trainer Ramiro Castillo has been banned from operating a stable at Los Alamitos after five of his horses died as a result of injuries sustained in races or because of illness since March, the track announced on Monday.

The decision comes days before Castillo was scheduled to start two leading contenders in Saturday’s $700,000 Champion of Champions – the multiple stakes winners Stanley Cartel and Scoops Dynasty. They have been transferred to trainer Luke Lindsey, according to a track spokesman.

CYPRESS, Calif. - Consequent is the latest name on a remarkable list of nine consecutive wins in the Grade 2 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos by the powerful stable of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Consequent remained unbeaten after two starts with a one-length victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Starlet Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, closing from third in a field of five under jockey Kazushi Kimura.

In his career, Baffert has won the Starlet 12 times, including three runnings at Hollywood Park before that track closed in 2013. The Starlet was moved to Los Alamitos in 2014.

Woody Stephens and D. Wayne Lukas hold the record for most wins in the Kentucky Oaks with five. It’s not crazy to think that in 2026 trainer Todd Pletcher could join them. 

Pletcher, a four-time Oaks winner, appears to have a top candidate for the May 1 Oaks in Zany, who made it 2 for 2 with an authoritative 8 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle. Her final time of 1:50.55 was .42 seconds faster than Paladin’s final time for the Remsen later on the card and translated to an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Paladin and Renegade, the one-two finishers from Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct, will soon head to South Florida to prepare for their 3-year-old seasons, but it’s uncertain if both will take the same path to try and get to the Kentucky Derby. 

Even though the distance of the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 14 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack is 1 1/8 miles, trainer Brad Cox believes Bishops Bay - who is a top-class miler - fits in the world’s richest horse race. 

“Because it’s one turn,” Cox said. “If it was a two-turn mile and an eighth, it might not be as exciting. That it’s one-turn could be something that favors him.” 

CYPRESS, Calif. - Sunday’s nine-race daytime program at Los Alamitos has a carryover of $44,571 in the $2 pick six.

A win by Consequent ($7.60) in Saturday’s Grade 2 Starlet Stakes, the day’s eighth race, clinched the carryover. There were no winning favorites in the first five races of Saturday’s pick six.

On Sunday, the pick six covers the fourth through ninth races on a program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific. The pick six races have fields of 8, 11, 8, 8, 6 and 11 before scratches.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. not only rode four winners from five mounts on his first day riding at Gulfstream Park’s winter meet on Thursday, but in doing so, he set a single-season record for earnings by a jockey with $39,200,190 – with nearly four weeks remaining in the year.

Ortiz, who could very well become the first rider to eclipse the $40 million mark in one year, broke his own record of $39,193,365 set in 2023.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though racing resumed Thursday at Aqueduct following a dispute between the jockeys and New York Racing Association management, there were still some who harbored bitter feelings toward the jockeys regarding the circumstances that led to the cancellation of the final eight races of Sunday’s card.

Sandy Goldfarb, a prominent New York owner, came to Aqueduct Thursday not only because he had a horse running but because he wanted to tell the jockeys how upset he and his fellow owners were over their refusal to ride on Sunday.

Jockey Dylan Davis, who suffered multiple injuries in a spill at Aqueduct on Nov. 14, is home from the hospital and is hopeful to return to riding in late winter, according to his agent, Mike Migliore.

“We’re looking end of February-March,” Migliore said. “I’m looking for March more than February. He’s feeling good, he’s antsy to get back, but I told him to take it easy. I told him [to] use this time to be with your family. In this business, you never get a break.

“Physically, I know he’ll be fine. I want to make sure mentally he’s okay."

Five Bars, an eye-catching debut-winning 2-year-old filly at Saratoga who finished third in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes, suffered fatal injuries during a workout Saturday morning at Belmont Park. 

Five Bars, who was being pointed to next Saturday’s Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct, fell while galloping out. She suffered a broken neck in the fall, which was likely caused by an injury Five Bars suffered to a sesamoid bone in a front leg.