ARCADIA, Calif. – The decade-old purple saddle towel looks brand new. It was not worn very many times, in 2009 for about a week, probably, and those who saw it in person will never forget the runner whose name appeared in white block letters below the Breeders’ Cup logo: ZENYATTA.
On Nov. 7, 2009, Zenyatta roared from last of 12 with a wide rally to score her 14th consecutive victory the BC Classic. For thousands and thousands of racing fans, there has been no greater moment in modern racing.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Dixie’s Gamble didn’t have to face the imposing champion Pink Lloyd in Saturday’s Overskate Stakes, and the Ivan Dalos homebred had no problem disposing of a depleted field Saturday in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired runners.
Dixie’s Gamble had failed to duplicate his impressive second-level optional-claiming score of June 9 in three subsequent stakes starts, which were all won by Pink Lloyd. But he rebounded from a fading fifth in the Aug. 28 Kenora on Saturday with a handy score over Magical Man.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Strong, deep fields in the Classic and Mile, Horse of the Year candidates who loom as strong favorites in the Distaff, Turf, and Filly and Mare Turf, and another top-rated horse in the Dirt Mile highlight the second of two Breeders’ Cup days this weekend at Santa Anita, the nine-race card to be run Saturday.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Dale Romans wanted an inside post for Dennis’ Moment for Friday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. He just didn’t want the extreme inside post.
But Dennis’ Moment did indeed draw the rail in a nine-horse field entered Monday for the 36th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Dennis’ Moment, a 19 1/4-length maiden winner and the winner of the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, was made the 8-5 morning-line favorite by Santa Anita linemaker Jon White.
The DRF Millionaire Maker is a free-to-play contest that offers players the chance to win as much as $1 million by selecting the winners of the nine Breeders’ Cup championship races on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019.
To play, fans simply choose who they think will win the following races at Santa Anita Park on Saturday:
ARCADIA, Calif. – The man in the announcer’s booth at Santa Anita this weekend can trace his affection for racing to the inaugural Breeders’ Cup at Hollywood Park in 1984.
Back then, Frank Mirahmadi was a 17-year-old high schooler fascinated by the runners, the sport, the pageantry, and the pari-mutuel activity surrounding horse racing.
“The first Breeders’ Cup was one of my favorite memories of life,” Mirahmadi said while watching morning training on Monday.
Mirahmadi, 52, attended the 1984 Breeders’ Cup with his father, George, an electrical engineer.
Santa Anita
Monday, October 28, 2019
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast
Turf: Firm
Temperature: 50
ARCADIA, Calif. – Only five potential Breeders’ Cup starters worked Monday at Santa Anita, but two of them, McKinzie and Midnight Bisou, are expected to go postward the favorites in their respective races Saturday.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Zulu Alpha went from beating Arklow by 3 1/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 7 to finishing sixth behind that rival by the same margin in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Oct. 5.
The result of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, run at a slow pace, left trainer Mike Maker convinced he did not see the best from Zulu Alpha.
“We threw the race out,” he said on Monday.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Walk In Marrakesh, second in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine in September, will not start in the Friday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, trainer Ignacio Correas said on Monday.
“She’s not as good as we want her to be,” he said. “She won’t be entered.”
:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2019: See DRF’s special section with fields, odds, comments, and more
Correas said Walk In Marrakesh “was tired after her plane trip” last week.
Blue Chipper will make some history on Saturday when he starts in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old son of Tiznow, who has won his last six starts by a combined margin of 45 1/4 lengths, is based at Busan Racecourse in South Korea.
“He’s the first horse to represent Korea in the Breeders’ Cup,” said Seungho Ryu, general manager of the international department of the Korea Racing Authority.
