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.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 19:15

Turf Paradise: Class drop to Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap pays off for Tiz Gianni

Tiz Gianni (left), ridden by Jake Barton, ships in from Southern California to win the Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap.

PHOENIX,  – Tiz Gianni found Grade 2 waters far too deep when seventh in the Hollywood Turf Cup on Dec. 15 but a change of venue and change of class altitude did the trick as he captured Saturday’s $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap at Turf Paradise.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 19:07

Fair Grounds: My My My Maria goes from $7,500 claimer to Pan Zareta winner

Hodges Photography/ Lynn Roberts
My My My Maria, claimed for $7,500 on Nov. 1, takes the off-the-turf Pan Zareta under Brian Hernandez Jr.

Two of the sharpest $7,500 claims in the land reside in the same barn. On Friday at Fair Grounds, trainer Tim Glyshaw sent out Tiban to win a second-level allowance sprint, his sixth victory since being claimed in May. Saturday, My My My Maria took her turn, comfortably capturing the $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes with a decisive move off the turn and into the homestretch.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 18:58

Golden Gate Fields: California Derby begins badly, ends great for Zeewat

Marcel Langevin/Vasser Photography
Zeewat, ridden by Russell Baze, scores as the favorite in the California Derby.

ALBANY, Calif. – The finish of the $100,000 California Derby was much better for odds-on favorite Zeewat than the start.

Zeewat ($3.80) hopped as the gate opened, breaking awkwardly and getting shuffled back early in the 1 1/16-mile race that is the major local prep for the Grade 3, $200,000  El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 16.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 18:38

Gulfstream Park Mucho Mas Macho surprises Ft. Lauderdale at 40-1

Courtney Heeney
Juan Leyva guides Mucho Mas Macho to a 40-1 upset in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -   Mucho Mas Macho, the second longest price on the board at 40-1, rallied from the rear of the pack to register a  shocking neck victory over the 19-1 Tiz Sardonia Joe in a roughly run edition of the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The race became a little more wide open earlier in the day when Dominus, the 12- pound highweight and likely favorite, was scratched.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 18:15

Tampa Bay: Oxley stablemates run one-two in Pasco

John Duca/Tom Cooley Photography
Dynamic Sky shrugs off traffic trouble under Luis Conretras to outfinish stablemate Sky Commander by three-quarters of a length in the Pasco for 3-year-olds.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Dynamic Sky overcame some traffic problems in the stretch of the $100,000 Pasco Stakes for 3-year-olds to rally past his entrymate Sky Commander and stamp himself as one of the early favorites for local Kentucky Derby prep races with a most impressive victory.

Sat, 01/12/2013 - 16:43

Aqueduct: Lady Banks benefits from winning strategy in Ruthless

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Lady Banks, kept close to the pace by Eddie Castro, wins the Ruthless by two lengths.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After watching the races earlier on Saturday’s card at Aqueduct, trainer James Lawrence and owner George Autry decided to change tactics with their 3-year-old filly Lady Banks for the $75,000 Ruthless Stakes.

Rather than have jockey Eddie Castro take back and make one run, Lawrence instructed Castro to keep Lady Banks close to the pace.