Sun, 01/13/2013 - 19:59

Santa Anita: Jeranimo's rally in San Gabriel soothes Bejarano's aches and pains

ARCADIA, Calif. - At 4 p.m. on Saturday, jockey Rafael Bejarano was being discharged from a local hospital, cleared of injury after a spill that day at Santa Anita.

Shortly after 4 p.m. on Sunday, Bejarano was in the winner’s circle at Santa Anita after guiding Jeranimo to a brilliant win in the $150,500 San Gabriel Stakes on turf.

“I feel better because of this horse,” Bejarano said.

Sun, 01/13/2013 - 18:17

Gulfstream Park: Saez helps Csaba get job done in Hal's Hope

Leslie Martin
Csaba, under Luis Saez, holds off Pool Play by a neck to win the Grade 3 Hal's Hope.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.-  Csaba showed he belongs at the next level, as did his jockey Luis Saez, after the pair combined for a hard-fought neck victory over the fast-closing Pool Play in Sunday’s $150,000 Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream Park.

Sun, 01/13/2013 - 17:16

Santa Anita: Snow Fall's win in Paseana may earn her shot at Santa Maria

Benoit & Associates
Tyler Baze guides Snow Fall to her first stakes win since arriving in California in the Paseana Handicap.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Snow Fall won her first stakes in California, and the second stakes of her career, in Sunday’s $81,700 Paseana Handicap for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

Snow Fall ($13) had an ideal trip under jockey Tyler Baze to secure a convincing win by 3 1/4 lengths in the race over 1 1/16 miles. She was timed in 1:42.66.

Baze had Snow Fall in second for the first half-mile, stalking pacesetter Distracting through fractions of 23.80 and 47.61 seconds.

Sun, 01/13/2013 - 17:04

Santa Anita: Zenyatta's sister Eblouissante set to make second start Thursday

Shigeki Kikkawa
Eblouissante, a half-sister to the great Zenyatta, wins her career debut by 4 1/4 lengths Friday at Hollywood.

Eblouissante, a half-sister to 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, is entered in a first-level optional $40,000 claimer over 1 1/16 miles in Thursday’s seventh race at Santa Anita.

Trained by John Shirreffs for breeder Eric Kronfeld, Eblouissante is part of a field of five. A 4-year-old filly, Eblouissante has made one start, winning a maiden race over 1 1/16 miles at Betfair Hollywood Park on Nov. 16. She was entered in an optional claimer at Hollywood Park on Dec. 15, but was scratched 30 minutes before the race after striking her hip on a door in the receiving barn.

Sun, 01/13/2013 - 16:55

Santa Anita: San Carlos may be next after Midnight Transfer earns 103 Beyer in comeback

Shigeki Kikkawa
With Victor Espinoza out of action, Midnight Transfer will need a replacement rider for the Santa Anita Derby.

Midnight Transfer, a stakes-winning sprinter as a 3-year-old in 2012, won his comeback race in an optional claimer over 6 1/2 furlongs on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Midnight Transfer closed from fifth in a field of seven to win the optional claimer by 1 1/4 lengths as the 6-5 favorite. He was timed in 1:15.70, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 103.

Sunday, trainer Carla Gaines said that Midnight Transfer is likely to start in another sprint this winter. The $200,000 San Carlos Stakes over seven furlongs on Feb. 23 is a consideration.

Sun, 01/13/2013 - 16:41

Santa Anita: San Fernando's top trio likely to meet again in Strub

Shigeki Kikkawa
Trainer Bob Baffert says San Fernando winner Fed Biz (above) and stablemate Guilt Trip, who was third, are probable for the Feb. 2 Strub Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The first three finishers of Saturday’s $151,000 San Fernando Stakes – Fed Biz, Tritap, and Guilt Trip – are likely to have a rematch in the $200,000 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 2.

Fed Biz won the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes for 4-year-olds by a head over 9-1 Tritap. Guilt Trip closed well from sixth in a field of nine to finish third, a half-length behind Tritap.

Bob Baffert trains Fed Biz and Guilt Trip.

“We thought Fed Biz would be the horse to beat if he ran his race,” Baffert said.

Sun, 01/13/2013 - 11:24

Santa Anita: Bejarano, Gutierrez able to ride Sunday after being shaken up in separate spills

Shigeki Kikkawa
Rafael Bejarano is favored to win a second Del Mar riding title this summer.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Three jockeys, including leading rider Rafael Bejarano and Mario Gutierrez, who won the 2012 Kentucky Derby, were hospitalized briefly after being involved in separate spills at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Bejarano, Gutierrez, and Iggy Puglisi were not seriously hurt. Bejarano and Gutierrez were scheduled to ride on Sunday. Puglisi, who was diagnosed with a swollen ankle, according to track officials, did not have any mounts on Sunday.

Sun, 01/13/2013 - 11:14

Santa Anita: Pick six carryover of $231,345 for Sunday's card

ARCADIA, Calif .- There is a two-day pick six carryover of $231,345 for Sunday’s nine-race program at Santa Anita, the first major carryover of the winter-spring meeting.

The pick six carryover was clinched after Chasing the Heat ($59) won Saturday’s ninth race for $12,500 claimers. There is also a carryover of $26,860 in the $1 super high five for Sunday’s ninth race.

Sunday’s pick six covers the fourth through ninth races on a nine-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 19:35

Santa Anita: Fed Biz fights hard to capture San Fernando by a head

Benoit & Associates
Fed Biz and jockey Mike Smith (right) barely outfinish Tritap and Corey Nakatani to win the San Fernando Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif .- Fed Biz can win a stretch duel as well as any horse in California these days. The trouble is he is not always in contention at that stage of a race.

Last August, Fed Biz won the El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar over Jimmy Creed by a neck after fighting through the final furlong. Jimmy Creed later won the Group 1 Malibu Stakes here on Dec. 26.

Saturday, Fed Biz outfinished Tritap by just a head to win the $150,000 San Fernando Stakes for 4-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 19:22

Sunland: Tyger Teras handles big class jump to take La Senora

Coady Photography
The 3-year-old filly Tyger Teras, whose most recent race had come against $12,500 claimers, captures the La Senora under jockey Derek Bell.

Tyger Teras prevented Back Seat Roll from winning her fifth straight race Saturday, when she held that rival off by 1 1/4 lengths  in the $85,000 La Senora at Sunland Park. Back Seat Roll finished a clear second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Lakehouse Fun.

The La Senora was run over six furlongs and was restricted to 3-year-old fillies bred in New Mexico.