ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Richard Baltas had a runner in the winner’s circle for the first time in 19 months, and the first time in California in nearly 21 months, on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Baltas completed a one-year suspension in December for violations related the administration of raceday supplements in the spring of 2022. Baltas reformed a stable in December, had the first runner of his comeback later that month and won a $32,000 claimer on turf with Flavius on Saturday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – By Thanksgiving weekend a few months ago, Balladeer was a tired gelding. He could only manage a fourth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in his second start of November and his 11th start of 2023.
“We ran him too much, with the Breeders’ Cup and all that,” trainer George Papaprodromou reflected last weekend.
A 5-year-old, Balladeer had a brief rest in December before resuming training in advance of his 2024 debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita.
A group of Northern California-based owners, breeders, and trainers were urged by officials with the California State Fair in Sacramento on Friday to present elaborate details in February for a proposed Thoroughbred race meeting at the venue to begin as soon as late September.
The proposed race meeting would replace Golden Gate Fields as Northern California’s primary racing venue. Golden Gate Fields is scheduled to close in June.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Exercise rider Arturo Mares was hospitalized on Saturday with serious injuries after he was involved in a one-horse spill during morning training at Santa Anita, according to trainer Hector Palma.
Mares, 64, was taken to nearby Huntington Memorial hospital for treatment, and was on a respirator, Palma said.
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Perfecto Diaz, a widely respected groom and hotwalker known throughout tracks in the Midwest, died Friday of injuries sustained during a Wednesday morning training accident at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., according to family members. Diaz was 55.
Diaz died at a local hospital from head trauma sustained in an accident Wednesday, according to close family member Griselda Meraz. Diaz was injured when a loose horse coming off the track collided with him near one of the gap areas.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Liberal Arts is on pace to launch his 3-year-old campaign next Feb. 3 in the Grade 3, $800,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, trainer Robbie Medina said Friday.
The draw for the Kentucky Derby points race will be held Sunday. The first five finishers from the 1 1/16-mile race will earn points on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2.
A month into the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, trainer Mark Glatt has one of the hottest stables in Southern California.
Through Thursday, Glatt had won with 11 of 27 starters since Dec. 26, good enough to be tied for first-place in the standings with Phil D’Amato, who had 55 runners in the same span.
“We’ve hit a hot streak,” Glatt said on Friday. “I know it won’t continue, but we hope it will.”
With a month to go before a start in the richest race of his career, White Abarrio was pronounced fit for the $20 million Saudi Cup by trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr., on Friday.
White Abarrio worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 under exercise rider Emily Ellingwood at Santa Anita on Friday, the 5-year-old’s sixth workout since Christmas Eve for the Saudi Cup at about 1 1/8 miles on dirt in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 24.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- Warm Heart, the favorite for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf, blew out a half-mile in 52.82 seconds Friday morning over the Gulfstream Park main track.
Exercise rider Rachel Richardson was aboard for the move which Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch timed in splits of 13.35 seconds, 26.26, and 52.82. Richardson said a blowout the day before a race is typical for Warm Heart, who is trained by Aidan O’Brien.
Laurel Park has canceled its Friday live racing program, citing the effects of last weekend’s winter storm and ongoing rain, the track’s parent company said on Thursday.
Friday’s 10-race card was scheduled to be the first to be held at the track since Jan. 14. Like many tracks throughout the east, Laurel canceled its Friday, Saturday, and Sunday cards last weekend due to frigid weather conditions and snow.
