The California Crown Stakes, run for $1 million last September, and two other stakes on the same program worth $750,000, will not be run for those values later this year, according to Santa Anita officials.
The California Crown was previously run as the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes for 3-year-olds and older horses at 1 1/8 miles, a race that serves as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic each autumn.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Eric Kruljac, whose stable included the California star sprinter The Chosen Vron in recent years, has retired from training.
Kruljac, 72, said last weekend that he plans to continue his involvement in the sport as an owner and breeder, and recently transferred his small stable to his son, Ian, 36.
Eric Kruljac had his last runner at Santa Anita when Uffda finished fourth in a $20,000 claimer at Santa Anita on March 15. Three of his former runners started for Ian Kruljac at Santa Anita last weekend.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Forever Young set the bar for Japan-based horses participating in the Kentucky Derby when he was beaten a head at odds of 7-1 in last year’s race while getting bumped in deep stretch.
Forever Young and T O Password, who finished fifth at odds of 48-1, have produced the two best finishes among eight Japan-based horses to compete in the Kentucky Derby.
Saturday, in Kentucky Derby 151, Japan will be represented by Luxor Cafe and Admire Daytona, both of whom are coming off stakes wins, but neither of whom are being fancied like Forever Young was last year.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Things have gone so well all spring for Journalism that the sometimes nerve-wracking event that is the Kentucky Derby post-position draw didn’t weigh heavily on his trainer, Michael McCarthy.
But Journalism did fare extremely well, drawing post 8 in a field of 21 entered Saturday for the $5 million Kentucky Derby to be run May 3 at Churchill Downs. A stalking-type runner, Journalism did draw outside most of the expected speed in the race with the exception of East Avenue, who drew post 12.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Take Charge Milady's status for next week's Kentucky Oaks is in doubt as the filly's team deals with a foot abscess she recently developed.
"We don't know if we have enough time to get that together - there's a chance she could miss the race," trainer Kenny McPeek said Saturday morning after the filly turned in a routine gallop. "It's minor, but at the same time, timing's a little bit tricky. At this point, we're going to enter her, and we're going to see what kind of week we have."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and Woodbine Entertainment have finalized a settlement agreement following an AGCO investigation into a series of equine injuries in fall 2024.
Between Oct. 28 and Dec. 15, 2024,19 horses sustained injuries while racing or training on Woodbine’s all-weather Tapeta surface. Ten of those injuries resulted in euthanasia, including three on Nov. 9.
Beginning Friday, Juan Hernandez, the leading rider at Santa Anita, will have one day off through May 4. The hectic schedule is by design.
Hernandez is riding at Santa Anita from Friday through Sunday and then flying to Kentucky on Monday to ride at Churchill Downs from Tuesday through May 3. He will be back at Santa Anita to ride on May 4.
Next week marks the second time in a month Hernandez has ridden in Kentucky. He won with two of nine mounts from April 9-13 at Keeneland during a week in which Santa Anita did not race.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer George Weaver handicapped the weather perfectly when laying out his final workout plans for his Kentucky Oaks candidate Five G. Choosing instead to complete her preparations in South Florida at Palm Beach Downs, rather than dodging raindrops and dealing with a wet racetrack like so many of his colleagues were forced to do Friday and likely Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Five G breezed four furlongs in 49.60 seconds per Weaver on Thursday morning in relative anonymity at her winter home before boarding a van for a soggy Louisville the following morning.
Just F Y I, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2023, has been retired from racing, trainer Bill Mott said Thursday. She will be bred to Into Mischief.
Just F Y I was pulled up at the three-eighths pole of the Doubledogdare at Keeneland on April 18. She was vanned off the track, but was not injured, according to Mott.
“Don’t see anything wrong with her, but she’s done enough,” Mott said. “She dropped the bit and went from 60 to zero. She was still in his [jockey Junior Alvarado] hands when she stopped. She came back sound.”
Fierceness, the 2-year-old champion of 2023 and the Travers winner in 2024, will make his 2025 debut in the Grade 2, $750,000 Alysheba Stakes on Friday at Churchill Downs, his connections confirmed. Fierceness was being originally being pointed to the Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester Stakes at Aqueduct on May 4.
Todd Pletcher, who trains Fierceness, is also pointing Locked, winner of the Santa Anita Handicap in his last start, to the Alysheba, run at 1 1/16 miles.
