Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Mast Track moves to Shirreffs

Benoit & Associates
Mast Track ends a nine-race losing streak in Saturday's Grade 3 Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Mast Track, winner of Saturday's at Hollywood Park, was transferred to trainer John Shirreffs on Sunday and will race in 2010, according to Mike Rogers, racing manager for Frank Stronach.

Stronach acquired Mast Track in a private deal late last week from the Robert J. Frankel Trust. Frankel, the Hall of Fame trainer who died after a lengthy illness on Nov. 16, discussed the sale of Mast Track earlier this fall, according to a person familiar with the estate. Frankel bred Mast Track.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Graded stakes next for She's Funomenal

Benoit & Associates
She's Funomenal wins her stakes debut under Joel Rosario at Hollywood on Sunday.

Unbeaten after two starts, She's Funomenal is ready for a graded stakes after winning her stakes debut in Sunday's Ifyoucouldseemenow Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Dan Ward, assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, said the 2-year-old filly will be pointed to the $150,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 16. She races for Hollendorfer, STD Racing Stable, and Summit Racing. The Grade 2 Santa Ynez is run over seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies, conditions that should ideally suit She's Funomenal.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Breeders' Cup winner Ajtebi riding in Calif.

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Ahmed Ajtebi, who won the BC Juvenile on Vale of York, will be in the U.S. until just before the start of the Dubai Carnival.

Ahmed Ajtebi, who rode Vale of York to an upset win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last month at Santa Anita, is riding in Southern California through Jan. 20, he said on Sunday.

Ajtebi, 27, rode Chilecito to a last-place finish in a field of five 2-year-old maiden fillies at Hollywood Park on Sunday, his first mount in California since Breeders' Cup Day.

He has one mount on Friday, Deluxe Cat in the sixth race.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Santa Anita reopens for galloping

Santa Anita's main track, which was closed Sunday after failing to drain properly, was open for galloping Monday and was expected to allow workouts Tuesday, Ron Charles, the track's president, said Monday morning.

"Out of precaution, we asked people not to breeze today," Charles said. "The outside lanes are still a little wet. The running lanes are fine - if we had racing today, we could race - but we thought we'd be better off being safe than sorry. The track should be wide open on Tuesday."

Santa Anita's opening day is Dec. 26.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Baze hits 400 wins in season for 13th time

Jockey Russell Baze, the only rider ever to record more than three 400-win seasons, reached the 400 mark for the 13th time in his career Sunday at Golden Gate Fields.

Baze won the second race aboard Weekend Escape ($4) and the third with Advance Ticket ($7.40) to reach the 400 mark.

The Hall of Famer hit the 400 mark 11 times in 12 years from 1992-2003, missing only in 1999 because of injury. He reached 400 again last year when he rode 403 winners.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Hulapai wins another for Farias

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Hulapai finished his 3-year-old season with a career-best performance in Sunday's $158,850 Southern California Derby at Los Alamitos, providing another highlight to trainer Adan Farias's remarkable weekend.

Saturday, the Farias-trained Freaky clinched the World Champion title with a victory in the Champion of Champions.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Turf Melody by nose in Springboard

Dustin Orona Photography
Turf Melody captured the Springboard after shipping from trainer Graham Motion's Maryland base.

Turf Melody prefers dirt. After placing in a pair of synthetic-track stakes this fall, he put it all together Sunday at Remington Park, when he nipped six-time winner Man Chester Man on the wire to win the . The rich race for 2-year-olds was the final stakes of the meet, which will close Monday.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Stewards clear Rosario of charges

Leading jockey Joel Rosario has been cleared of charges that he failed to put forth his best effort in a turf race at Del Mar in September.

In a ruling issued Sunday, stewards Albert Christiansen, Kim Sawyer, and Randy Winick ruled unanimously that there was "insufficient evidence" to prove that Rosario failed to put forth his best effort on Cedros in the 11th race over a mile for maidens on Sept. 6.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Root loaded in juvenile stakes at Portland

By the time racing ends Monday at Portland Meadows, the two premier 2-year-old stakes for Oregon-breds may be referred to as the Ben Root Invitationals instead of the Janet Wineberg and Bill Wineberg.

Root trains four of the eight 2-year-old fillies entered in the $20,000 Janet Wineberg at six furlongs.

He sends out two runners, including undefeated 2-1 morning-line favorite Smoken Sham, in the $20,000 Bill Wineberg. Seven are entered in the six-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds.

Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:00

Ex Mountain Cop looks to defend title in Sprint

It's the biggest day of the year for Oregon-breds on Monday at Portland Meadows as the track offers a card with five statebred stakes and two starter handicaps.

"This is what our Oregon-bred runners point for," said trainer Jim Fergason, who has contenders in four of the races.

"This could make our Christmas," said trainer Ben Root, who has the favorites in the two juvenile stakes as well as the favorite in the one-mile Oregon Hers Stakes in Nikki S.