INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Seven years after Lisa Lewis brought a stable to Santa Anita for the winter, she has returned to California this winter with 16 horses.
A New York-based trainer, Lewis is based at Hollywood Park this time. She said the change in venue was greatly influenced by the track's recently installed synthetic surface.
Her presence is part of a wider trend of Eastern-based trainers coming to race in California.
Delta Downs in Vinton, La., will conduct Thoroughbred racing for the first time in 19 months when it opens its season Wednesday night. While the meet is not the first since Hurricane Rita damaged the track's grandstand and 20 of its barns on Sept. 24, 2005, it will signal a return to normalcy for Thoroughbred horsemen whose lives were impacted by the storm.
Delta reopened for racing April 13, when it began a meet for Quarter Horses. By then, new barns had been constructed, and the wind and water damage sustained by the grandstand had been repaired.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The most dominant owner-trainer team in recent years on the Kentucky circuit has split up. Owner Ken Ramsey and trainer Dale Romans confirmed Monday that 47 horses Romans has had in training for LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The most dominant owner-trainer team in recent years on the Kentucky circuit has split up. Owner Ken Ramsey and trainer Dale Romans confirmed Monday that 47 horses Romans has had in training for Ramsey and his wife, Sarah, are being moved into different stables this week.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Jockey Kyle Kaenel believes he made the right decision when he came here to ride on a full-time basis in northern California this summer.
The 18-year-old Kaenel has made a positive impression on horsemen here and currently ranks fourth in the Bay Meadows standings with 7 wins from 34 mounts. He lost an eighth win on Sunday when Brave Sun ducked in twice on longshot Cover Magic in the stretch and was disqualified to second despite Kaenel's attempts to keep him straight.
Beautyandthebeast continued her outstanding fall campaign with a hard-fought win in Sunday's $150,000 Las Palmas Handicap at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.
Beautyandthebeast ($6) closed from sixth in the final half-mile to win by a head over Clinet. Quemar, a 23-1 shot, finished third in the field of eight fillies and mares.
Ridden by Corey Nakatani for trainer Neil Drysdale, Beautyandthebeast finished a mile on turf in 1:33.33. Beautyandthebeast was more than eight lengths behind pacesetter Sandra's Rose on the backstretch before moving into contention on the turn.
Garrett Gomez started off his Breeders' Cup week at Churchill Downs the right way Sunday by riding both winners in the twin Grade 3 stakes for 2-year-olds on Sunday, opening day of the 21-day fall meet.
Both of the Gomez winners were favored. Tiz Wonderful was an emphatic winner of the Iroquois Stakes about an hour before Change Up wore down front-running Mistical Plan to capture the $114,300 Pocahontas Stakes.
The pair of one-mile stakes highlighted the first of two "Stars of Tomorrow" programs - with all races for 2-year-olds - this fall at Churchill.
Eldon's Effort dominated the $66,300 Governor's for 2-year-olds at Zia Park on Sunday, rolling to a 12 1/4-length win over favorite Daddy Warbucks. It was another neck back in third to Bold Vow.
The Governor's was one of two stakes on the card. All for Fashion won the $65,400 Cap Rock for 3-year-old fillies by 8o3/4 lengths.
Eldon's Effort ($16.20) led throughout the six-furlong Governor's, setting fractions of 22.40 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.60 for the half-mile mark before going on to cover the distance in 1:10.80.
Ookashada held off a late bid by Mountain Musician to win Sunday's $134,227 Ascot Graduation Breeders' Cup by a head at Hastings. The 1o1/16-mile race was the richest race for 2-year-olds at Hastings and the final stakes race at the meet, which will conclude on Nov. 26.
With Pedro Alvarado aboard, Ookashada forced a quick pace while racing three wide and then had just enough left to hold on to beat Mountain Musician.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Attendance and ontrack handle figures showed an increase at the 26-day Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting that concluded on Sunday. The five-week meeting had an average attendance of 9,125, an increase of 5 percent over the 31-day meet in 2005, according to figures released by the track. The track announced that ontrack handle was $2 million per day, a 1 percent increase from 2005.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Beautyandthebeast continued her outstanding fall campaign with a hard-fought win in Sunday's $150,000 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.
Beautyandthebeast ($6) closed from sixth in the final half-mile to win by a head over Clinet. Quemar, a 23-1 shot, finished third in the field of eight fillies and mares.
Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Beautyandthebeast finished a mile on turf in 1:33.33. Beautyandthebeast was more than eight lengths behind pacesetter Sandra's Rose on the backstretch before moving into contention on the turn.