Back in 2003, Bob Baffert unleashed a Panamanian hotshot on the Southern California 3-year-old ranks. A second by a head in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby sent Indian Express to Churchill with dreams of glory and roses. However, at 10-1, Indian Express was never a factor in the Kentucky Derby, finishing 14th of 16, and came out of the race with an injury.
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DRF Past Performances
Few things made Cotton Fitzsimmons happier than beating the Los Angeles Lakers.
So it's only fitting that in the race renamed in honor of Fitzsimmons, the late former coach and executive of the Phoenix Suns and a fixture at the Turf Paradise turf club, some tough Southern California invaders will line up against the Phoenix contingent.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Like everybody else, trainer Angel Penna Jr. will have to wait another day before finding out if Mr. Light owns the world record for running one-mile on the turf.
Mr. Light was credited with a final time of 1:31.41 when he won Monday's finale over the new Gulfstream Park turf course. That would break the existing record of 1:31.63, set by Elusive Quality at Belmont Park in 1998. But many fans and horsemen have doubts that the clocking - which came in an allowance race - is valid, including Penna, who trains Mr. Light for owner Earle Mack.
HALLANDALE BEACH - Who's going to claim a 7-year-old mare coming off a 7 1/2-month layoff from a Hall of Fame trainer like Allen Jerkens for $50,000?
That question was answered at Calder three weeks ago, when there were no takers for Lilah, who won an optional claiming race by five lengths while running a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, only 1 point shy of her career best.
The next question is, Who is willing to claim an 8-year-old mare coming off a near career-best performance from a Hall of Fame trainer like Allen Jerkens for $75,000?
One day into the first year of the rest of his training life, Steve Asmussen was on pace to win 2,775 races in 2005.
Try this twisted logic: Asmussen won one race on Jan. 1, 2004, and 554 more the rest of the year, smashing Jack Van Berg's single-season training record and vaulting into the race for an Eclipse Award. Asmussen rang in this New Year with five winners, four at Fair Grounds alone last Saturday afternoon, tying a track record. At five times the strike rate, 555 becomes 2,775.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Ian Jory, who trained Best Pal at 2 and 3 and several other stakes winners in the last 15 years, is disbanding his stable to take a position as a private trainer in Saudi Arabia this spring.
Jory will train for Prince Sultan al Kabeer, and will oversee 200 horses in training in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Jory, 46, said he would continue to train in California through Jan. 29 before dispersing his 16-horse stable to other trainers. He will travel to Dubai in March to watch racing and will begin training in Saudi Arabia in April.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Budget Surplus and Frankelstein, who won maiden races at Hollywood Park in the fall for trainer Marty Jones, make their first starts against winners in a $52,000 allowance race for California-breds at Santa Anita on Friday.
Both geldings have similar styles - they are most effective when racing from the front.
The pair have seven opponents in a race over 1 1/16 miles. Many of the entrants made their last starts in claiming races and have won multiple races against older horses.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - At this time last year, trainer Rick Violette had an accomplished New York-bred 3-year-old he thought could be a player on the Triple Crown trail. Although Qualified Opinion may not be another Read the Footnotes, he has done some things in his first two races to get Violette excited.
After winning his first two starts, both sprinting, Qualified Opinion will stretch out for the first time in Saturday's $75,000 Count Fleet Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.