Mon, 02/06/2017 - 13:06

Arroyo to sit out until Feb. 18

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. will not ride until Feb. 18 after losing two appeals of suspensions issued last October, said Nelson Arroyo, his brother and agent.

Through Sunday, Arroyo, 40, was tied for fifth in the Santa Anita standings with nine wins. He did not ride Friday through Sunday to deal with a family emergency in Kentucky, according to stewards.

Arroyo is suspended from Thursday through Feb. 17, a period of six racing days, after losing two appeals for routine riding infractions issued during the Santa Anita autumn meeting.

Mon, 02/06/2017 - 13:00

Conquest Enforcer goes after the big boys in Arcadia Mile

Benoit & Associates
Conquest Enforcer is set to make his first start Saturday since winning the Mathis Brothers Mile last December.

ARCADIA, Calif. – With eight career starts, Conquest Enforcer has already won five stakes, including the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.

His stakes wins have come in age-restricted races, a category that is behind Conquest Enforcer. A 4-year-old colt by Into Mischief, Conquest Enforcer will try to win a stakes against older horses in Saturday’s $200,000 Arcadia Mile on turf at Santa Anita.

“I don’t think there will be a hiccup in the change of age group,” trainer Phil D’Amato said last weekend.

Mon, 02/06/2017 - 12:20

Lone ticket sweeps Rainbow 6 pool worth $810,713

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – As dusk neared Sunday evening, most gamblers had their attention on the impending Super Bowl kickoff. That’s right about when someone pulled off quite a coup, taking down the entire Rainbow 6 pool for a whopping $810,713 with the lone perfect ticket.

Gulfstream officials said the ticket was purchased through a wagering hub in Maryland. The jackpot had not been swept in 14 prior racing days and had grown to $572,495 through Saturday, whereupon another $297,827 in wagers was added.

Mon, 02/06/2017 - 12:16

Late-developing 3-year-olds join fray

Barbara D. Livingston
Battalion Runner (left) won in his first attempt at two turns last Saturday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Apart from the Holy Bull being run last weekend as the first major stakes in the division here this year, the 3-year-olds Battalion Runner and Beasley put in solid performances when finishing one-two in a Friday allowance, and Hedge Fund dominated a maiden race Saturday by four lengths. Both races were at 1 1/16 miles.

Mon, 02/06/2017 - 12:16

Divisidero all prepped up for Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
Divisidero will make his second start off a layoff for trainer Buff Bradley on Saturday in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For a trainer, the first start back for a horse following a layoff is like a big gulp of medicine. You might not like it, but you know it’s probably going to help.

In that vein, Buff Bradley feels better now that Divisidero has a tightener under his belt. In his first race in seven months, Divisidero showed his usual closing kick when finishing third in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale last month over the Gulfstream Park turf, and now it’s onward and upward for the rest of the year.

Mon, 02/06/2017 - 12:06

New trainer Summers ready to start fast with Mind Your Biscuits

Barbara D. Livingston
Chad Summers, 32 was recently approved for a trainer's license by Gulfstream stewards.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When Grade 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits makes his 4-year-old debut later this month at Gulfstream Park, it will be for a new trainer: a thirtysomething New Yorker named Chad currently based at the Palm Meadows training center.

But stop right there – it’s not whom you’re thinking of. Chad Brown, the 2016 Eclipse Award winner for outstanding trainer, does not have his hands on another up-and-coming horse formerly trained by someone else.

Mon, 02/06/2017 - 11:56

Unique Bella gaining that Songbird aura

Emily Shields
Making her first start around two turns, the 3-year-old filly Unique Bella and Mike Smith romps by 8 3/4 lengths in the Las Virgenes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The rapid success of Unique Bella this winter has triggered familiar memories for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and jockey Mike Smith.

Since Thanksgiving weekend, the 3-year-old Unique Bella has won three consecutive races, including two stakes, by a combined 26 1/2 lengths. The latest was a cozy win by 8 3/4 lengths in Sunday’s $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile at Santa Anita.

Mon, 02/06/2017 - 09:18

Tepin to miss Endeavour Stakes due to minor bout of colic

Tom Keyser
Tepin wins the Endeavour on Feb. 13 at Tampa Bay Downs.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tepin’s eagerly awaited 6-year-old debut has been delayed after the two-time champion turf mare had a brief bout of colic following her training Sunday at the Palm Meadows training center.

Sun, 02/05/2017 - 16:28

Finest City breezes slowly, Conquest Enforcer's work labeled 'sensational'

Benoit & Associates
Conquest Enforcer goes wire to wire under Flavien Prat in the Mathis Brothers Mile on Monday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A 2016 champion and several multiple stakes winners and promising 3-year-olds were among the 227 horses given recorded workouts on a busy morning at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Finest City, the champion female sprinter of 2016, worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds, her first workout since a win in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes on Jan. 21.

Fri, 02/03/2017 - 15:10

Alsvid eyes Hot Springs Stakes

Churchill Downs/Coady Photography
Alsvid will prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint inthe Eddie D. Stakes on opening day of Santa Anita's fall meet.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Alsvid, the millionaire who won his 8-year-old debut Jan. 26 at Oaklawn, will be considered for the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes here on March 11, trainer Chris Hartman said Friday. The race is the local springboard to the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, which Alsvid won in 2015.

Alsvid was a one-length winner of an optional $50,000 claiming race last month and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81.

“He ran a good race,” Hartman said. “It wasn’t too taxing on him, so that’s a good thing at 8 years old.”