Wed, 03/06/2013 - 15:12

San Felipe Stakes: Hear the Ghost could make noise at Santa Anita in two-turn debut

Shigeki Kikkawa
Hear the Ghost has made both of his starts at six furlongs but will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles for the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – In his first start around two turns, Hear the Ghost may be a late threat to 3-year-old stars Flashback and Goldencents in Saturday’s $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita.

Hear the Ghost has started twice at six furlongs, winning his debut in a 16-1 upset against maidens at Betfair Hollywood Park on Dec. 15 and running a game second in the San Pedro Stakes here Jan. 21.

Wed, 03/06/2013 - 14:56

Santa Anita: Italian Rules returns off of win, claim in Friday sprint

Shigeki Kikkawa
Italian Rules will make his first start for trainer Bill Spawr on Friday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – In recent years, trainer Bill Spawr has kept an eye on the veteran horse Italian Rules as a potential rival for his champion sprinter Amazombie.

“I always respected him,” Spawr said. “In the Cal-bred races, I thought he’d be a horse to beat.”

When a group of Spawr’s clients asked him to claim the 8-year-old Italian Rules last month, the trainer was ready.

“The owners picked the horse out and I said, ‘I love him,’ ” Spawr said.

Wed, 03/06/2013 - 14:13

Los Alamitos: Mr Ease Cartel back with Flores after federal seizure

When federal marshals swept into Los Alamitos last June and seized horses owned by members of Mexico’s Los Zetas drug cartel, trainer Jose Antonio Flores lost two of his best 2-year-olds – Mr Ease Cartel and Super Long Straw.

Both had qualified for the $1,001,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity but were in federal possession by the June 24 final. The loss of Mr Ease Cartel was particularly painful for Flores.

“I never thought I’d see him again,” he said.

Wed, 03/06/2013 - 12:40

2013 Calder Race Course Spring - Summer Stakes Schedule

2013 Calder Meet Racing Dates

April 6 - August 31

Post Times

12:50 pm ET


Handicapping Information

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 17:03

Santa Anita notes: Clubhouse Ride may head to Charles Town Classic

Shigeki Kikkawa
Clubhouse Ride earned $150,000 for his runner-up finish in the Santa Anita Handicap, the richest payday of his 26-race career.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Clubhouse Ride, second to Game On Dude in the Santa Anita Handicap last Saturday, is being considered for the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 20, trainer Craig Lewis said on Monday.

Game On Dude is a candidate for the same race.

“Most likely, he’ll chase Game On Dude across the country,” Lewis said.

“It will be a good field. We’ll take a chance.”

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 16:36

Delta Downs: Guadalupe High out to make Azalea her second stakes in a row

Coady Photography
Guadalupe High has won her last two races by more than 10 lengths.

Trainer Ronny Werner gets together with extended family members each Thanksgiving, and for years the dinner conversation has swirled around getting a horse together. Talk has finally become action in the form of Guadalupe High, who on Thursday night will be going for her second straight stakes win when she starts in the $75,000 Azalea at Delta Downs.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 16:11

Santa Anita: Omega Star getting tough test in San Felipe

Benoit & Associates
Omega Star will be ridden for the first time by Joe Talamo in the San Felipe.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Omega Star will make his graded stakes debut in Saturday’s $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita, just in time to make an impression in the last major prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6.

Trained by John Shirreffs for Marty Wygod and Herman Sarkowsky, Omega Star has had three starts, but never faced a field as tough as the one expected for the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes. Run over 1 1/16 miles, the San Felipe is expected to be led by recent graded stakes winners Flashback and Goldencents, top contenders for the Santa Anita Derby.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 16:04

Oaklawn: Smashing debut winner Jan’s Perfect Star returns

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Jan’s Perfect Star will be making her first start for new connections, her first start against winners, and her first start against open company when she runs in Thursday’s eighth race at Oaklawn. She comes into the first-level allowance sprint for fillies and mares off a 12-length debut win Feb. 7 at Oaklawn for which she earned a Beyer of 89.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 15:57

Oaklawn Park: Super Ninety Nine, Oxbow part of big group pointing to Rebel Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Super Ninety Nine could return to Oaklawn Park for the Rebel Stakes on March 16.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Super Ninety Nine and Oxbow are both being pointed to the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 16, their respective trainers said Tuesday. Rafael Bejarano has the mount on Super Ninety Nine, according to trainer Bob Baffert, while Mike Smith will be aboard Oxbow, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 15:50

Oaklawn: Flashy Gray and Brethren to have Mike Smith aboard

Barbara D. Livingston
Flashy Gray, who is pointing for the Grade 3 Honeybee on Saturday, was bet down to 6-1 favoritism in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Mike Smith will be active in both stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, when he rides Flashy Gray in the Grade 3, $150,000 Honeybee for trainer Bill Mott and and Brethren in the Grade 3, $150,000 Razorback Handicap for trainer Steve Asmussen.