Del Mar announced that all-sources handle reached $164.85 million during its 13-day autumn meeting that ended Sunday, a figure above the $147.2 million bet during a 13-day season in 2019, but below the $196.2 million wagered over 15 days in 2020.
The 2021 fall meeting handled $354.9 million but included Breeders’ Cup races.
The handle figures include dark-day simulcasting.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jonathan Wong, the dominant trainer in Northern California in recent years, is shifting his stable to Kentucky and plans to greatly downsize his operation in California.
Wong said on Sunday that the decision has the support of his leading client, Tom and Debi Stull’s Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, one of California’s leading owners and breeders.
Wong said the Stulls have sold some of their broodmares and racehorses recently and will continue to do so. The Stulls are scouting for farm property in Kentucky, Wong said.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Flavien Prat won six races on a single card for the fourth time in his career on Sunday at Del Mar, and for the second time this year.
Prat was a victory short of equaling the most wins on a single program at Del Mar, a milestone accomplished by Victor Espinoza in 2006 and Drayden Van Dyke in 2018.
Prat equals Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay Jr., and Rudy Rosales as jockeys who have won six races on a program at Del Mar. Pincay won six races twice.
Prat has won six races at Santa Anita three times, most recently on Jan. 1 of this year.
DEL MAR, Calif. – In his 15-year career, trainer Chad Brown has trained seven fillies and mares honored with the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding turf female.
There may be an eighth in the near future.
Regal Glory’s win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar was her third win in a race at the highest level this year and puts the now-retired 6-year-old firmly at the front of discussions regarding the 2022 turf female championship.
From Brown’s perspective, she’s done that and more.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When Honor Tori ran off the screen to an eye-catching 17 1/4-length victory to win her maiden at second asking in Sunday’s second race it capped a huge weekend for trainer Michael Yates, who had won a pair of races the previous afternoon, including the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs with Dorth Vader.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On and off the track, jockey Katie Davis enjoyed a pretty nice week.
On track, Davis won two races as she attempts a comeback after being away 16 months preparing for and following the birth of her first child. On Dec. 1, Davis won a maiden $75,000 claiming race aboard Narciso Dali for trainer Amira Chichakly. On Dec. 3, Davis won a $16,000 claimer on Diva Banker for trainer Ray Handal.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Ray Handal is enjoying a productive fall meet at Aqueduct, something he hopes is a harbinger for the winter when he will have strings in both New York and South Florida.
Through the first 18 days of the 29-day Aqueduct fall meeting, Handal has nine wins from 28 starters, tying him for second in wins with Todd Pletcher, both five behind Chad Brown. Handal has won with claimers, allowance types, and on Nov. 27 he captured the Tepin Stakes with the promising 2-year-old turf filly Sweetlou’sgotaces, who entered the race as a maiden.
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., long has lured horses from a large swath of jurisdictions and that again will be the case for the meet that gets under way Friday. The nine-race opener has drawn runners who last raced in New York, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio, Delaware, New Mexico, and even Chile.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Julia Shining, narrow winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes, left for South Florida on Monday morning and will take residence at trainer Todd Pletcher’s Palm Beach Downs base.
Pletcher indicated to the New York Racing Association press department that Julia Shining could make her 3-year-old debut in the Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs. Though the race is only a mile and 40 yards, it would keep her racing around two turns. It is the same race Pletcher used with Nest to kick off her 3-year-old campaign in 2021.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Following her career-best performance winning Saturday’s Grade 3 Go for Wand Stakes in the slop at Aqueduct, Dr B will likely target the Grade 3, $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes on Feb. 18 at Laurel Park, trainer Butch Reid said Sunday.
