Thu, 12/07/2023 - 14:49

Los Alamitos to seed upcoming pick six

Benoit Photo

Los Alamitos has announced that they will seed the $2 pick six on Dec. 9 and 16.

Los Alamitos will seed the $2 pick six on Saturday and on Dec. 16 with $10,000, provided the bet does not have a carryover from the preceding day.

The promotion has been in place in recent years for the track’s evening meeting of Quarter Horses and lower-level Thoroughbreds.

Los Alamitos offers a conventional $2 pick six.

Interest in the pick six has grown in Southern California in recent months after Santa Anita and Del Mar abandoned a 20-cent Rainbow pick six in which the entire pool was paid to a single winning ticket or on a day with a mandatory payout.

Thu, 12/07/2023 - 14:38

Contreras to ride Santa Anita winter meet

By Steve Andersen

Coady Photography

Typically based at Woodbine, jockey Luis Contreras will ride at Santa Anita this winter.

Luis Contreras, currently tied for 10th in the standings at Woodbine Racecourse near Toronto, will spend the winter at Santa Anita, according to his California agent Mike Ciani.

Contreras, 37, is expected to begin riding in California on Dec. 26, opening day of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.

Contreras rode at Santa Anita last winter for the first time since the 2016-2017 season. He won 14 races from 99 mounts. His best result in four mounts in stakes was a third aboard Stella Noir in the Desert Stormer Stakes, a sprint for fillies and mares.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 14:45

Golden Gate leading rider Chavez suspended eight days

By Steve Andersen

Alexander Chavez, the runaway leading rider at the current Golden Gate Fields autumn meeting, has been suspended eight racing days beginning on Friday for two recent riding infractions for careless riding.

Chavez was suspended three days – Friday through Sunday – for his ride on Speed Grazy on Nov. 26. Speed Grazy was demoted from first to third for causing interference in the stretch.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 14:45

Five jockeys nominated for George Woolf Award

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Junior Alvarado is the regular rider for Cody's Wish, who is a leading contender for 2023 Horse of the Year.

Five riders who have combined to win 14,508 races through Tuesday have been nominated for the 2024 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award presented by Santa Anita, the track announced on Wednesday.

Junior Alvarado (who has won 2,082 races), Alex Birzer (3,826), Julien Leparoux (2,956), Edwin Maldonado (1,532), and Rodney Prescott (4,112) have been selected as finalists.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 14:45

Small field expected for Starlet

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

After a disappointing try in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Chatalas is likely to head a small field for the Grade 2 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Led by the stakes winners Chatalas and Nothing Like You, the Grade 2 Starlet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos on Saturday is projected to have a small field.

The $200,000 Starlet Stakes is run at 1 1/16 miles and is the final graded stakes of the year for the division in Southern California.

Chatalas won the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 7, but was only ninth of 12 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 for trainer Mark Glatt.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 12:10

Graded stakes winner Two Emmys returns from 10-month layoff

By Marcus Hersh

Four-Footed Fotos

Two Emmys, winner of the Fair Grounds Stakes in February, returns for the first time since that victory in the Dec. 23 Buddy Diliberto Memorial.

Two Emmys, all being well, returns from a long layoff Dec. 23 in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial, principal owner and trainer Hugh Robertson said Wednesday.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 12:00

Nash slated for first stakes in Gun Runner

By Marcus Hersh

Coady Photography

After a debut sprint try, Nash won second out and earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure going 1 /16 miles at Churchill Downs.

Godolphin and trainer Brad Cox will not be wasting any time determining how the talented 2-year-old colt Nash stacks up in stakes competition.

Nash scored a second-start maiden win Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs and is scheduled to have his third outing Dec. 23 at Fair Grounds in the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes.

It’s difficult imagining Nash won’t be favored in the Gun Runner. A 2-year-old dirt route in December offering a $100,000 purse essentially is a glorified allowance race, and Nash has signaled he could be much more than merely an allowance horse.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 12:00

Asmussen sprinters will be formidable

By Mary Rampellini

Skelly wins the Lake Hamilton at OP May 6 2023

Coady Photography

Skelly, who won four consecutive races at Oaklawn last year, hasn't raced since May but is working steadily for trainer Steve Asmussen.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Steve Asmussen might have the two fastest horses on the grounds at Oaklawn Park. Skelly put up a meet-high Beyer Speed Figure of 105 last season in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap and Jaxon Traveler recently covered six furlongs in a blazing 1:07.37 winning the $100,000 Zia Park Sprint.

Skelly was put away after winning the Speightstown Sprint in May at Lone Star Park in order to await the new season at Oaklawn. The horse has won his last five starts, with four coming at Oaklawn.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 11:45

New announcer Dinerman sees himself as a reporter and color commentator

By Mary Rampellini

Emily Shields

Matt Dinerman, 31, will be calling his first season at Oaklawn Park after previously serving as the announcer at Golden Gate Fields and Emerald Downs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – It’s the Christmas gift that keeps giving.

The binoculars Matt Dinerman received from an aunt and uncle as a teenager are the same set he will be using Friday when he announces his first race at Oaklawn Park.

“They’re the ones I call the races with,” said the meet’s new voice.

Wed, 12/06/2023 - 11:45

Purses through the roof as meet opens; Arkansas Derby now $1.5 million

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Photography

Purses are expected to average $900,000 per race card at Oaklawn Park's 66-day meet.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park will launch the most lucrative winter meet in the nation on Friday, when it rolls out a racing program projected to average $900,000 a day in purses.

The 66-day meet runs through May 4.

The track-record riches come courtesy of gains in handle and a thriving casino. They include a 47-race stakes schedule worth $16.2 million. The centerpiece is the Arkansas Derby on March 30. Its purse has been boosted to $1.5 million in a move that puts its value at the same level as this year’s Preakness.

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