Sun, 01/28/2024 - 18:40

Fierceness leads field of eight in Saturday's Holy Bull

Barbara D. Livingston
Fierceness won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in November.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Recently elected Juvenile champion Fierceness will make his much-anticipated 3-year-old debut as expected Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes. The Grade 3 Holy Bull drew a field of eight to go 1 1/16 miles and will be run as the final event on a 12-race program that includes four other stakes, all for 3-year-olds.

Sun, 01/28/2024 - 16:48

Trainer Galvin makes move to Santa Anita, finds success

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Brendan Galvin recently relocated his 20-horse stable from Golden Gate Fields to Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Before Friday’s program, trainer Brendan Galvin had never won a race at Santa Anita and had not had a face-to-face meeting with Richard Meyer, his client who races as Four Quarters Corp.

Dazzle the Command changed all of that with a win in his 13th career start in a maiden race on turf.

“That was the first time I met the owner,” Galvin said on Sunday morning. “It was a good day. It’s good to be here.”

Sun, 01/28/2024 - 16:25

Newgrange, after San Pasqual triumph, targets Dubai World Cup

Benoit Photo
Newgrange was given a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's victory in the San Pasqual Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday was designed as a prep for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 2. Instead, it will have greater ramifications for the Dubai World Cup program in the United Arab Emirates on March 30.

Race winner Newgrange, who has won two stakes this winter at Santa Anita for trainer Phil D'Amato, is scheduled to make his next start in the $12 million Dubai World Cup, while third-place finisher Mixto will be considered for a race on the same program.

Sun, 01/28/2024 - 15:09

Oaklawn's delayed Southwest Stakes Day will feature large crowd of entries

Barbara D. Livingston
Maycocks Bay's first win was a maiden special weight in September at Parx Racing.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The decision to delay Southwest Stakes Day a week after a winter storm impacted training at Oaklawn Park paid dividends at the entry box Sunday, when 12 horses were entered for Saturday’s Southwest on a 12-race card that drew a total of 139 horses.

“That’s a lot of horses,” Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said.

Sun, 01/28/2024 - 14:09

Senor Buscador gets Saudi Cup invite following runner-up finish in Pegasus

Barbara D. Livingston
Senor Buscador was given a 105 Beyer Speed Figure for his runner-up finish in Saturday's Pegasus World Cup.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.  - Watching his Senor Buscador get within 2 1/2 lengths of the 5-2 favorite National Treasure at the eighth pole after having trailed by more than a dozen lengths in the run down the backstretch, trainer Todd Fincher admitted he was feeling pretty good about his chances of pulling off the upset in Saturday’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

Sun, 01/28/2024 - 12:27

Glyshaw ends training career with winner at Turfway

Coady photo
B G Warrior takes an easy victory in the Wishing Well Stakes at Turfway Park on Saturday.

Tim Glyshaw concluded his training career in fitting fashion Saturday night at Turfway Park as the final horse he saddled, Leo’s Roar, sent him to the winner’s circle one final time.

Sun, 01/28/2024 - 10:16

Equine surgeon Tommy Bullard, also bred, raced Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, dies at 83

Tommy Bullard, an equine surgeon who built a significant stallion operation and bred and raced both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, died Jan. 22 at his home in Texas, according to family and friends. He was 83.

Bullard had spent the past three years battling multiple myeloma, according to his obituary posted by White’s Funeral Home in Weatherford.  

Sat, 01/27/2024 - 15:52

Santa Anita plans 'California Crown' as counterpart to Pegasus World Cup

Barbara D. Livingston
Santa Anita plans to run the California Crown for 3-year-olds on Sept. 28.

The parent company of Santa Anita plans to launch later this year a counterpart to the Pegasus World Cup program held at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

Belinda Stronach, the chairwoman of the parent company for both tracks, 1/ST Racing, told the Associated Press on Friday that the California Crown for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles will be held at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, the first weekend of the track’s autumn meeting.

Fri, 01/26/2024 - 13:35

Three champions vault Mott to fourth training Eclipse Award

Sara Kauss Photography
Kelly Dorman, father of Cody Dorman, addresses the audience after his son’s namesake, Cody’s Wish, was named Horse of the Year. Cody’s Wish was also voted champion older dirt male.

PALM BEACH, Fla. – Nearly three decades after winning his first Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer, Bill Mott won his fourth for the job he did in 2023, campaigning three individual champions including Cody’s Wish, who was also crowned Horse of the Year.

Mott, who the Eclipse Award in 1995, 1996, and 2011, became the seventh trainer to win at least four Eclipse Awards, joining Todd Pletcher (8), Bobby Frankel (5), Laz Barrera (4), D. Wayne Lukas (4), Bob Baffert (4), and Chad Brown (4).

Thu, 01/25/2024 - 20:36

Eclipse Awards: Cody's Wish elected Horse of the Year

Barbara D. Livingston
Cody's Wish, winning his final career start in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, won 4 of 5 starts in 2023, including three Grade 1s.

PALM BEACH, Fla. - Cody’s Wish, whose bond with a young man stricken with a rare genetic disorder became a feel-good story for horse racing the last two years, was honored for his on-track achievement in 2023 by being named Horse of the Year, it was announced Thursday at a black-tie ceremony held at The Breakers resort.

Cody’s Wish received 134 of the 219 ballots cast, outdistancing fellow finalists White Abarrio (37) and Idiomatic (21). Also receiving votes were Up to the Mark  (9), Arcangelo (6), Auguste Rodin  (6), Elite Power (4), and Practical Move (1).