BOURBON BAY, DEFENDING CHAMP IN GRADE II SAN MARCOS, MAY RELISH RETURN TO SANTA ANITA TURF IN EFFORT TO AVENGE LOSS TO SANAGAS    ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 8, 2012) – A return to Santa Anita could prove the tonic for multiple graded stakes winner Bourbon Bay when defending his championship against German-bred upstart Sanagas in Saturday’s 60^th running of the Grade II, $150,000 San Marcos Handicap at 1 ¼ miles on turf.           In his last start of 2011, Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale’s 6-year-old gelding fell 3 ¼ lengths short when Sanagas was shipped from the East by trainer H. Graham Motion to dominate the Grade I Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 ½ miles on Nov. 19.           But that was Hollywood Park, and the runner-up finish ran Bourbon Bay’s report card to zero-for-six over the grass in Inglewood. Santa Anita’s turf course has been quite another matter for David and Jill Heerensperger’s son of Sligo Bay. Bourbon Bay has won five-of-six starts over the course in Arcadia, four of them Grade II events including the 2011 San Marcos by 1 ¾ lengths over Champ Pegasus. His only Santa Anita setback, in fact, was by a scant nose to Champ Pegasus in the Grade II San Luis Obispo last year.           Even assuming Bourbon Bay improves over his last start – “He’s doing really well,” says Drysdale – the San Marcos outcome may depend on the depth of Sanagas’ talent in a field of eight that includes such other notables as millionaire The Usual Q.T. and Norvsky, winner of last month’s Grade II San Gabriel Stakes over the course.           Following his smashing victory in the Hollywood Turf Cup, which was his first Grade I win, Sanagas was purchased by BC 3 Thoroughbreds and David Bernsen with the long range aim of competing in Australia’s renowned Melbourne Cup in November.           Meantime, the 6-year-old gelding is progressing superbly under the care of new trainer Peter Miller. “He’s doing super,” reported Miller, “with all those black-letter works, and he’s doing it easily. In fact, I’m trying to slow him down, which isn’t easy with that super-duper long stride of his.”             Sired by Lomitas out of the German mare, Scotia, who is by Irish stallion Marju, Sanagas did not begin his racing career in Germany until April of his 4-year-old season. He won 4 of 5 starts at marathon distances – three of the races on grass; two over synthetics. But none of those competitions in the country of his birth were Group or graded events.           Shipped to the United States in the spring of last year, Sanagas won a minor stakes race at Saratoga over 1 5/8 miles on turf and the Grade III Syracuse Stakes at the same distance over Keeneland’s synthetic surface in four starts. He then was sent West from Motion’s Maryland-base for the Hollywood Turf Cup.           Despite relatively modest accomplishments that included a single Grade III victory and career earnings of $132,282 in nine starts at the age of 5, Sanagas was sent off as the 8-5 favorite over 2-1 Bourbon Bay in the Hollywood Turf Cup. Eastern-based jockey Rajiv Maragh was in the saddle.           The stalking Sanagas swept past pacesetting Miss Match and Norvsky heading into the final turn and opened up an insurmountable advantage in the lane. He cruised home under a vigorous hand ride. “The winner cut on the turn, and I just couldn’t keep pace,” said Garrett Gomez, who rode Bourbon Bay. “I just couldn’t quicken with the winner.”  The winning purse of $150,000 elevated the earnings of Sanagas to $282,282 from a 7-1-0 log in 10 races. Maragh, aboard in all five of the gelding’s U.S. starts, will be replaced by Joel Rosario on Saturday. Sanagas will carry 123 pounds as will Norvsky. The others were weighted at 118 pounds. With Gomez on the mend from a broken heel, Rafael Bejarano will ride Bourbon Bay as he did in all of the bay gelding’s stakes victories at Santa Anita. A winner of but one of his eight starts since last year’s San Marcos, Bourbon Bay returns with earnings of $779,536 from a 7-5-4 record in 23 career starts.   The Usual Q. T., who returned from nearly eight months on the shelf to finish third behind Norvsky in the Jan. 12 San Gabriel, will be attempting 1 ¼ miles on turf for only the second time in his productive career. His previous try resulted in victory over Battle of Hastings and Acclamation in the Grade I Hollywood Derby in 2009, the fifth win during a six-race victory streak for the California-bred son of Unusual Heat. “His schedule was a bit advanced to make the San Gabriel,” noted trainer James Cassidy. “We’ve had more time to prepare for this race. Not only that, I think the mile-and-a-quarter will be easier on him.  .  .and he’s doing well.” Regular rider Victor Espinoza will be atop the 6-year-old gelding owned by Don Van Kempen, Michael Nentwig, George Saadeh and Jeffrey Byer. Bred by Carlee Van Kempen, The Usual Q. T. has earned $1,531,240 from a record of 8-6-5 in 23 career starts. He has not won, however, since taking the Grade I Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar on July 24, 2010. The Usual Q. T. has subsequently run second twice and third five times in eight starts. After finishing fifth behind Sanagas and Bourbon Bay in the Hollywood Turf Cup, Norvsky rallied strongly to capture the San Gabriel by 1 ½ lengths over odds-on favorite Jeranimo with The Usual Q. T. another 2 ¾ lengths back. A stablemate of 2011’s Eclipse Award-winning older male Acclamation, who is preparing for a comeback, Norvsky recorded his first graded stakes win in the San Gabriel. Trained by Don Warren for breeders E. W. and Judy Johnston along with Robert Riggio, the gelded 6-year-old son of Vronsky has posted a 6-7-3 record in 18 career races while winning $487,844. He will be ridden by Joe Talamo. The complete field for the San Marcos Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Utopian, Mike Smith, 118; Norvsky, Joseph Talamo, 123; Worth Repeating, Martin Pedroza, 118; Sanagas, Joel Rosario, 123; Ashtar, Kevin Krigger, 118; The Usual Q. T., Victor Espinoza, 118; Slim Shadey, David Flores, 118, and Bourbon Bay, Rafael Bejarano, 118. The San Marcos will be contested as the ninth race on a program of 10 races with first post at 12:30 p.m. GAME ON DUDE RETURNS AS MAJOR PLAYER WITH 5 ¼-LENGTH ROMP IN SAN ANTONIO STAKES; DECISION PENDING ON BIG ’CAP DEFENSE             ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 5, 2012) – In his first start since a gritty second in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic last Nov. 5, defending Santa Anita Handicap champion Game On Dude gave every indication Sunday that he again would be a major player among the nation’s older horses at the age of 5.             With regular rider Chantal Sutherland at the controls for trainer Bob Baffert, Game On Dude ran off with Santa Anita’s 74^th running of the Grade II, $200,000 Santa Antonio Handicap while defeating Uh Oh Bango by 5 ¼ lengths and covering 1 1/8 miles in a brisk 1:46.88.             In scoring his fourth win in as many races over Santa Anita’s dirt surface, the 3-10 favorite was in control throughout. Although not breaking as alertly as usual in the field of five, Game On Dude soon gained a stalking position just behind early leader Skipshot.             He overtook Skipshot on the backside after traversing four furlongs in 45.91 and widened rounding the far turn just as 4-1 second choice Uh Oh Bango, winner of last month’s Grade II San Pasqual Stakes, launched his bid.             But Game On Dude would have nothing to do with that. He simply increased his advantage under Sutherland’s urging while passing six furlongs in 1:09.12 and one mile in 1:33.91. Uh Oh Bango, with Mike Smith aboard, finished 12 ¼ lengths clear of the third horse, Victory Pete, handled by Martin Garcia. The winner paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10. Uh Oh Bango returned $3 and $2.20. Victory Pete paid $3 to show.             Former Dodgers and Yankees manager Joe Torre, who owns Game On Dude in partnership with Ernie Moody, the Lanni Family Trust and Bernie Schiappa, greeted Sutherland and the Awesome Again gelding in the winner’s circle. It was the first time Torre had an opportunity to personally watch the winner of over $1.9 million in 2011.             “He’s such a good horse,” Sutherland exclaimed. “He was strong today and we had a lot left. He wasn’t even sweating when he came back. It was like a workout for him. I had to look at the TV to see if anybody was around because I couldn’t hear anybody. When I looked at the TV and saw it was clear sailing, I was so happy. “What’s amazing about this horse is that when I went up to Joe Talamo’s horse (Skipshot), he was so aggressive and wanted to pass him. Once he passed him, he relaxed. I knew he needed to keep doing his business, and he was very responsive to me.” “He ran hard,” Baffert said. “He’d been training really well. We knew he was up for a big race, but I thought my horses yesterday would run great, and they laid eggs. “Talamo was out there going really fast, I thought. You’ve got to watch out for certain jockeys picking up speed. But she (Sutherland) put the horse in a spot and that’s what you have to do to win.” Baffert was noncommittal on what might be next for Game On Dude, whose career earnings rose to $2,254,658 from a 6-4-1 record in 15 starts. His options are to remain at Santa Anita and defend his title in the Big ’Cap prior to Santa Anita’s hosting of the Breeders’ Cup in early November or going to Dubai for the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31 and running over a less desirable synthetic surface. “We’ll talk to the owners,” Baffert said, “but a lot has to do with what kind of weight we get and all that stuff. Last year, we got in real light (115 pounds in the Santa Anita Handicap). We’re just trying to enjoy this right now. “He’s nominated to Dubai, but the thing about Dubai is that it’s getting more and more difficult for American horses to win there because of the new track layout and the synthetic. You don’t know what to expect. We can think about it. It’s an option, so we’re gong to leave all options open for now.” Torre deferred on the Santa Anita Handicap option. “When I was managing,” he said. “I always relied on my coaches when I had to make decisions on the baseball field. The main thing is, we want to do what’s right for the horse, and the one who knows best about that is Bob Baffert.” Torre added that he thoroughly enjoyed Sunday’s experience. “This is exciting,” he said. “Last time, at the Breeders’ Cup, my daughter had a performance, so that obviously took precedence. It’s been a great day.”                   After dark days on Monday through Wednesday, Santa Anita racing resumes on Thursday with an eight-race program beginning at 1 p.m. SAN ANTONIO STAKES QUOTES Sunday February 5, 2012 JOCKEY QUOTES CHANTAL SUTHERLAND, GAME ON DUDE, WINNER: “He’s such a good horse. He was strong today and had a lot left. He wasn’t even sweating when he came back; it was like a workout for him. I had to look at the TV to see if anybody was around because I couldn’t hear anybody. When I looked at the TV and saw it was clear sailing I was so happy. What’s amazing about this horse is that when I went up to Joe Talamo’s horse (Skipshot) he was so aggressive and wanted to pass him. Once he passed him he relaxed. I knew he needed to keep doing his business and he was very responsive to me.” TRAINER QUOTES             BOB BAFFERT, GAME ON DUDE, 3-10 FAVORITE, WINNER: “He ran hard. He’d been training really well. We knew he was up for a big race, but I thought my horses yesterday would run great and they laid eggs, so, (today) it worked out. “(Joe) Talamo was out there (on Skipshot) going really fast, I thought, you got to watch out for certain jockeys picking up speed. But she (Sutherland) put the horse in a good spot and that’s what you have to do to this horse. You gotta let him run, and once he gets to running, (it’s) come get me. He’s tough. He likes to run like that. “I think Chantal did a great job not panicking when he didn’t break . . . She got him running. They were going pretty rapid up front, but this horse, once you get him in a high cruising speed, he’s so dangerous. If you grab a hold of him, he’s not effective at all.” Next race, Santa Anita Handicap on March 3 or Dubai World Cup March 31? “A lot has to do with what kind of weight we get and all that stuff. Last year he got in really light (115 pounds). We’re just going to enjoy it right now. He’s nominated to Dubai, but the thing about Dubai is it’s getting more and more difficult for American horses to win there because of the new track layout and the synthetic, you don’t know what to expect. We can think about. It’s an option, so we’re going to leave all options open for now.” JOE TORRE, CO-OWNER, GAME ON DUDE:  “This is exciting. This is the first time I’ve been able to watch him in person. Last time, at the Breeders’ Cup, my daughter had a performance, so that obviously took precedence. It’s been a great day.”  WHEN ASKED IF GAME ON DUDE WOULD STAY HOME AND DEFEND HIS TITLE IN THE SANTA ANITA HANDICAP: “When I was managing, I always relied on my coaches when I had to make decisions on the baseball field . . . the main thing is we want to do what’s right for the horse and the one who knows best about that is Bob Baffert.” WHEN ASKED IF HIS LONGTIME COLLEAGUE DON ZIMMER HAD WATCHED THE RACE:  “I spoke with Don yesterday and all he wanted to know was ‘what are the odds going to be?’ He likes to play 20-1 shots, so I don’t think he got involved today.” JOE TORRE: “I trust my trainer . . . what can I tell you, and most of all, Chantal. This is the first chance I’ve had a chance to see Dude run in person, so it’s a good thrill for me.” STABLE NOTES 2/5/12 · CAL-BRED THE USUAL Q.T. PEAKING FOR GRADE II SAN MARCOS · SETSUKO TO RETURN IN SANTA ANITA HANDICAP ON MARCH 3 · BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR GUTIERREZ AFTER BIG WIN THE USUAL Q.T. IN STRONG SAN MARCOS LINEUP ON SATURDAY The Usual Q.T., one of Unusual Heat’s wealthiest and most successful progeny and one of a rash of California-bred Thoroughbreds to gain national prominence recently, hopes to add to his millionaire status Saturday when he runs in the Grade II, $150,000 San Marcos Stakes for older horses at 1 ¼ miles on turf.             Second to then-stablemate Evening Jewel in last year’s California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Horse of the Year voting for horses bred in the Golden State, The Usual Q.T. was third in the Grade II San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Jan. 16. It was the first race in nearly eight months for the 6-year-old gelding, and trainer Jim Cassidy had to employ a less-than-ideal training schedule to make the race.             But it’s business as usual for the San Marcos. The Usual Q.T. worked six furlongs on Santa Anita’s fast main track Friday in 1:15.60 under regular rider Victor Espinoza.  “His schedule was a bit advanced to make the San Gabriel,” Cassidy said, “and we’ve had more time to prepare for this race. Not only that, I think the mile and a quarter will be easier on him . . . and he’s doing well. Victor was very happy with his work on Friday.”             The Usual Q.T. is a multiple Grade I winner and has earned $1,531,240 thanks to eight wins, six seconds and five thirds from 23 career starts. He is owned by Don Van Kempen of Carlsbad, Michael Nentwig of Fremont, and George Saadeh and Jeffrey Byer, both of San Diego.             Among the recent California-breds to be saluted nationally are Acclamation and Amazombie, who received recognition last month by earning Eclipse Awards as outstanding Older Male and Outstanding Male Sprinter, respectively.             Acclamation and Amazombie are also CTBA finalists for Cal-bred Horse of the Year honors in 2011. The winner will be announced at the organization’s annual dinner Monday in Pasadena.             Probable for the San Marcos: Bourbon Bay, Rafael Bejarano; Norvsky, Joe Talamo; Sanagas, Joel Rosario; Slim Shadey, David Flores; The Usual Q.T., Victor Espinoza; and Worth Repeating, Martin Pedroza. SETSUKO ON COURSE FOR ANOTHER TRY AT SANTA ANITA HANDICAP             Setsuko, beaten a nose at 25-1 in last year’s Santa Anita Handicap, punched his ticket for a return trip on March 3 with a comfortable victory in an allowance test in Saturday’s finale. It was the first start for the 5-year-old son of Pleasantly Perfect since the Pacific Classic, in which he finished ninth and last on Aug. 28.             “His schedule was a little tight, which is why I wasn’t sure he would make the Big ‘Cap this year, but it worked out fine,” Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday morning. “Three weeks ago I didn’t think he was quite that fit and then his works just stepped right up so I said, ‘let’s go.’             “He ran good yesterday and came out good, so we’ll give it another try.” GUTIERREZ CELEBRATES BIGGEST WIN IN GRADE II ROBERT LEWIS             Mario Gutierrez was back working horses at Santa Anita Sunday morning, hours after he registered the biggest win of his career with a 2 ¾-length victory on 43-1 shot I’ll Have Another in Saturday’s Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes, a major steppingstone to the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 7.             “I had worked the horse (for trainer Doug O’Neill) at Hollywood, so I knew he was a good horse,” said Gutierrez, a 25-year-old native of Vera Cruz, Mexico, who made his bones at frigid outposts like Hastings Park in Canada. Gutierrez is represented by octogenarian agent Ivan Puhich.             “I wasn’t really expecting to ride him, because there are so many good jockeys here. But then I saw my name on him when the entries were out and I was very happy. Doug just told me rate him if another horse wanted to go out there, but if no one wanted to take the lead, to take it myself.” ‘PARADE’ OF GOOD REVIEWS CONTINUES FOR “LUCK” ON HBO TONIGHT The second showing of “Luck” airs on HBO tonight at 9 p.m. Filmed in large part at Santa Anita, the racing-themed series has received favorable reviews such as the following that appeared in Parade Magazine on Jan. 29: “Deadwood creator David Milch and director Michael Mann team up for a fascinating series about strivers, power brokers, and sad sacks who convene at the Santa Anita race track. With a language all its owns and racing photography so thrilling you’ll be itching to place a bet yourself, this drama’s a sure thing. Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte lead the splendid cast.”             Viewer response to “Luck” has been so favorable that HBO has announced renewal of the series for a second season. FINISH LINES: Bob Baffert said Liaison and Sky Kingdom came out of their disappointing showings in Saturday’s Robert B. Lewis Stakes in good order, while Steve Asmussen said Tapizar came out of his fourth-place finish as the 4-5 favorite in the Strub Stakes “great.” . . . Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager and long-time racing aficionado Joe Torre was a Santa Anita visitor Sunday . . . NBA Hall of Famer Dan Issel was in the house on Saturday . . . With all six remaining ShowVivor contestants selecting 2-5 favorite Mr. Commons in yesterday’s Arcadia Stakes, each advanced to play again going into Sunday’s races.             ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 4, 2012) – After two days of no winning tickets in the Pick Six, Santa Anita will offer a super two-day carryover of $353,248 into Sunday’s Pick Six when there will be an early post of 11 a.m. in deference to the late afternoon Super Bowl.             It is estimated that the pool will approach $1.5 million by the time wagering closes on the popular exotic.              With an abbreviated eight-race program on Super Sunday, the Pick Six sequence will commence with the third race scheduled to be run at 12 noon and conclude with the eighth at approximately 2:30 p.m.             Numerous players are bound to consider Sunday’s seventh race, the Grade II, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, to be a “free square.” The San Antonio marks the return of defending Santa Anita Handicap champion Game On Dude, who has not raced since his second-place finish in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5. Game On Dude is the 4-5 favorite in a field of six on oddsmaker Jon White’s morning line.             The first race in the Pick Six sequence, the third, is an allowance event at 6 ½ furlongs over the hillside turf course. Mint Humor is the 5-2 favorite, but 5 of his 7 rivals are listed at odds of 6-1 or less. Briteness is the 2-1 choice among nine entrants in the fourth, a maiden special weight for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. The fifth, the Super Bowl Party Starter Handicap at seven furlongs, attracted 10 runners with Gatheratthealter a tepid 3-1 favorite.             Eight turf horses with compete in the contentious sixth, an allowance race at one mile on grass for fillies and mares. Celestial Kitten has been established as the 5-2 pick with Whisper Louise at 3-1. The last leg of the Pick Six brings together 12 maiden $20,000 claimers going six furlongs. Second in his last two starts against tougher, Meadow Road is tabbed as the 9-5 choice.             The two-day carryover was largely precipitated by longshot winners I’ll Have Another at 43-1 in Saturday’s Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds and Ultimate Eagle’s $17 upset in the Grade II Strub Stakes.  ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) _ With trouble unfolding behind him, 43-1 shot I'll Have Another went on to stunning upset in the Grade II,  $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, surprising his trainer and owner as much as the bettors.    The longest shot in the field of eight 3-year-olds won by 2 3/4 lengths Saturday at Santa Anita, with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's two colts finishing out of the money.     "Oh my God that was nice," trainer Doug O'Neill said in the winner's circle, squeezing owner Paul Reddam.     "He's always trained fantastic, but we never saw this coming," O'Neill said.     I'll Have Another ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.84 under Mario Gutierrez and paid $88.60, $35.80 and $12. Empire Way, a son of 2003 Kentucky Derby runner-up Empire Maker, returned $11.80 and $6.20.     Gutierrez was aboard I'll Have Another for the first time after exercising him in the morning just once.     "I love this kid," O'Neill said.     I'll Have Another came in off a five-month layoff and was running two turns for the first time. The colt had sore shins after losing in the slop in the Grade I Hopeful at Saratoga in September, leading to the layoff.     "He hasn't missed a beat since then," O'Neill said.     I'll Have Another is named for Reddam's response to his wife's nightly query of "Do you want any more cookies?" as he lies on the couch. He paid $35,000 for the colt.     "I was probably the only one who wanted to run here," Reddam said. "We didn't know how good he was off his 2-year-old form."     O'Neill added, "Paul likes putting up the money and taking chances." Reddam demurred when asked about taking a shot at the May 5 Kentucky Derby. He's had four previous Derby runners, including two trained by O'Neill.     "We want to take a lot of time until his next race," he said. "Everyone wants to be in Kentucky, but so many things happen between this race and Kentucky."     Liaison, the 3-2 favorite trained by Baffert, got squeezed in the stretch, clipping heels with Groovin' Solo and causing his rider Rafael Bejarano to fall passing the eighth pole. Bejarano was sore, but not injured. Baffert's other entry, 7-2 shot Sky Kingdom, finished sixth.     "This was a weird run race," Baffert said. "(Liaison) was up there but he was a little fresh. He got rank with him and then he was trying to get him to relax and get back, but he just emptied out."     After a stewards' inquiry, Groovin' Solo, ridden by Victor Espinoza, was disqualified from third to last for getting in the way of Liaison and Rousing Sermon was moved up to third. He paid $3.40 to show.     "I thought the inside horse (Isn't He Clever) moved out," Espinoza said. "I tried to help as much as I can. When another guy asks for help I move out as much as I can."     Isn't He Clever and Corey Nakatani finished fifth after drifting out in midstretch. Bejarano said he had room between horses when making his move, then saw Groovin' Solo lugging in, so he yelled to let Espinoza he was there.     "He tried to correct his horse, but at the same time when he corrected his horse, he was just coming in too much," Bejarano said. "The horse on the inside (Isn't He Clever) didn't even give me a chance to check his horse because he was coming out too. He just kept going and was coming out little by little, but he didn't even try to check his horse. That's why it felt so tight and I clipped heels."     Liaison's three-race winning streak ended. He was coming off a win in the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in December, a race in which Sky Kingdom (another son of Empire Maker) finished fourth and Empire Way fifth.     In the $200,000 Strub Stakes, 7-1 shot Ultimate Eagle romped to a 7 1/4-length victory in his first start on dirt, with jockey Martin Pedroza stroking his horse's mane as they crossed the finish line. The 4-year-old colt ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.08 and paid $17, $8.40 and $6.40.     "Without a doubt this is the best horse (he’s ever ridden)," Pedroza said. "He's like a freak. Believe me, this horse is just learning how to run." Baffert's duo of Jaycito and Prayer for Relief _ both owned by Ahmed Zayat _ finished 2-3, with 4-5 favorite Tapizar fourth. Jaycito returned $10 and $8.20, while Prayer for Relief paid $4.20 to show.     In the $150,000 Arcadia Stakes, Mr. Commons came from off the pace to beat Willyconker by a length under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.     Smith angled Mr. Commons down toward the rail in midstretch, found a hole between horses and took the lead under Smith's urging to beat older horses for the first time. The 4-year-old colt ran one mile on the turf in 1:33.41 and paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10 as the 2-5 favorite for trainer John Shirreffs.    "He loves to be in the pocket, so I took the chance," Smith said. "I have so much confidence he'll go wherever I point him, and he did. He went through another tight hole again and did it with a lot of courage."    Ireland-bred Willyconker returned $4.80 and $3.40, while Massone was another half-length back in third and paid $6.40 to show. There was a stewards' inquiry into the stretch run, but there were no changes to the order of finish.    Racing resumes at Santa Anita on Sunday with an eight-race card that gets underway 11 a.m.  There is a two-day Pick Six carryover of $353,248 and it’s expected the total pool could reach $1.5 million. STRUB STAKES QUOTES Saturday February 4, 2012 JOCKEY QUOTES MARTIN PEDROZA, ULTIMATE EAGLE, FIRST: “My plan was to take the lead. When I didn’t see Corey on the lead I figured he might have broke a step slow. I was in front and he took the lead easily and Corey came and then Rosario and then my horse took off. After that it was like a three-horse race. I wanted to let Corey go but my horse was pulling so hard I didn’t want to choke him down. After that he did the rest. Without a doubt this is the best horse. He’s like a freak. Believe me this horse is just learning how to run.” COREY NAKATANI, TAPIZAR, 4-5 FAVORITE, FOURTH: “We were trying something different with him. I knew Martin had speed and I was just going to settle and see where he was at. He puts his heart out there. He ran so hard last race that I think this race coming back so soon took a little more starch out of him then we believe. He’s bucking, squealing, knocking down the barn. He probably needs a little more time to recover between starts.” TRAINER QUOTES MIKE PENDER, ULTIMATE EAGLE, WINNER: “It (my confidence in the horse) was unwavering and he just went out there and proved what I thought he could do all along. We did take the heart right out of Tapizar, which I thought he (Ultimate Eagle) would.” When (Martin) Pedroza (on Ultimate Eagle) let out a notch and opened up going to the half-mile pole: “I looked at the guy next to me, my groom, and I said, ‘It’s over.’ We were standing together. I said the race is over. He took it to him at the half-mile pole, there was no catching him. “This is a special horse and people have to start realizing it. Just because he wins on the turf, it doesn’t mean that he can’t do it anywhere else.” Asked about the Santa Anita Handicap (March 3): “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but we’re just so pleased with the horse. It took so much to get to this point, with the near-death experience (colic in his 3-year-old year). It’s just an unbelievable miracle that we’re here today.” BOB BAFFERT, JAYCITO SECOND AND PRAYER FOR RELIEF, THIRD: “Jaycito ran a great race and the other horse, he’s rounding back to form. He ran a lot better.” ROBERT B. LEWIS STAKES QUOTES Saturday February 4^th, 2012 JOCKEY QUOTES MARIO GUTIERREZ, I’LL HAVE ANOTHER, WINNER: “This is my biggest win. It’s a great thrill.” RAFAEL BEJARANO, LIASON, 3-2 FAVORITE,  “I had my hole when I saw two horses that split out. I had plenty of room in between horses. When I asked my horse to go, he was coming little by little, but the horse on the outside (Groovin Solo) was lugging in a little bit. I started screaming to let him know I was there and he (Victor Espinoza) tried to correct his horse, but at the same time when he corrected his horse, he was just coming in too much. The horse on the inside (Isn’t He Clever) didn’t even give me a chance to check his horse because he was coming out too. At least the outside horse (Groovin Solo/Victor Espinoza) tried to correct himself but the other horse from the inside (Isn’t He Clever/Corey Nakatani) didn’t do that. He just kept going and was coming out little by little, but he didn’t even try to check his horse. That’s why it felt so tight and I clipped heels. I ended up clipping heels with Victor’s horse because Corey Nakatani’s horse was coming out and it was enough to push me out. Other than that, I feel good. I’m just a little sore. VICTOR ESPINOZA, GROOVIN SOLO, DISQUALIFIED FROM THIRD TO LAST: “I thought the inside horse moved out. I tried to help as much as I can. When another guy asks for help I move out as much as I can. There’s nothing else I can do. I think he ran great.” COREY NAKATANI, ISN’T HE CLEVER, FIFTH: “My horse was running well, but he just got tired.” TRAINER QUOTES DOUG O’NEILL, I’LL HAVE ANOTHER , WINNER:  “He’s an incredibly talented colt and we decided to take a chance in here. We thought he could hit the board and we’d move forward, but he ran unbelievable. Mario (Gutierrez) gave him a great ride. He’s always trained fantastic, but we never saw this coming to be honest with you. This is incredible. We’ll look at the Santa Anita Derby (Grade I, $750,000 at 1 1/8 miles on April 7) if all goes well. Asked how he engaged Gutierrez: “Paul (owner J. Paul Reddam) saw Mario ride about a month or so ago here and said, ‘If we ever get in trouble, think about using that kid.’ That’s how that came up. Then he came over (to Hollywood Park) and worked the horse; he worked great and it couldn’t have worked out any better.” Asked about pre-race instructions to Gutierrez: “We just didn’t want to get into a head and head crazy  duel, not get caught up in a speed duel, and he did just that.” DENNIS O’NEILL, BROTHER AND ASSOCIATE OF DOUG O’NEILL: “We bought him at the OBS (sale) in April of last year and we’ve loved him since Day One. He trained like a really good horse from Day One, trained like a two-turn horse from Day One. He came out of his Saratoga race with sore shins, so when we got him back going, Paul (owner J. Paul Reddam) said to take our time with him. “We paid $35,000 for him. It’s great for Paul. Paul’s put a lot of money in the game and this is fantastic for Paul.” BOB BAFFERT, LIAISON, 3-2 FAVORITE, EIGHTH: “This was a weird run race. He was up there but he was a little fresh today. He got a little rank with him (Bejarano) and then he (Bejarano) was trying to get him to relax and get back but he just emptied out.” ON SKY KINGDOM, SIXTH: “He broke and then he got shuffled again and on this track you have to really ride the track a little bit. You’ve got to be up there close. I was disappointed in him but once we go a mile and an eighth he’ll be better. But this track is a little speedy. I thought he would run better than that.” ARCADIA STAKES QUOTES Saturday February 4^th, 2012 JOCKEY QUOTES MIKE SMITH, MR. COMMONS, WINNER: “He’s just incredible. Like I said before, he makes me feel like a kid again. When I ride him he gives me a whole lot of guts because I believe in him so much. I know that he’s going to go anywhere I ask him to go, and he does it with extreme acceleration. He just makes my job really easy.” In regards to the inquiry: “I didn’t feel I bothered anybody because I accelerated so quickly. I think Corey (Nakatani) thought I was going to interfere with him but I accelerated so fast I got out of his way before there could be any trouble. I wanted to get in the pocket, and I was a little bit worried about getting inside of M One Rifle because it was his first time on the grass. Going a mile, I thought if he didn’t kick on, which he didn’t, around the turn then I might get stuck in behind him. “I had already committed myself at that point, so I didn’t want to make the race any harder on my horse than it had to be. He loves to be in the pocket, so I took the chance. Like I said, I have so much confidence he’ll go wherever I point him, and he did. He went through another tight hole again and did it with a lot of courage.” RAFAEL BEJARANO, WILLYCONKER, SECOND: “He tried really hard. He can do anything he wants. I didn’t think I had a chance to hold off the eight (Mr. Commons). My horse had all the opportunity to win the race just the eight was the best.” TRAINER QUOTES JOHN SHIRREFFS, MR. COMMONS, WINNER: Asked how he felt when the horse was saving ground down the backside: “I have a lot of confidence in Mike (Smith). He knows the horse so well, that he’s just waiting for an opening.” Asked if he was concerned when Willyconker made a run outside of Mr. Commons in the stretch: “Not really . . . Obviously, that’s what we’re hoping (that he runs in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Nov. 2 and 3). Last year he was a little immature and had a little trouble in the race (finishing fifth in the BC Mile on Nov. 5). Now he’s handling tight spots very well . . . There’s so much difference between him now and when he ran in the Santa Anita Derby (third last April 9), you cannot imagine. Totally different. Experience is a great teacher.” Asked if the Grade I, $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf March 3 would be next: “I don’t know. We’ll see. Hopefully we can make that race. It’s hard to say right away.” NOTES: The winning owner is Ian Banwell of Versailles, Ky., who races as St. George Farm Racing, LLC. STABLE NOTES 2/4/12 · UH OH BANGO SEEKS UPSET OF GAME ON DUDE IN SUNDAY’S SAN ANTONIO · OUT OF BOUNDS ON COURSE FOR MARCH 10 SAN FELIPE STAKES SMITH EXPECTS ANOTHER BIG EFFORT FROM UH OH BANGO Mike Smith hopes history repeats Sunday when he rides Uh Oh Bango in the Grade II, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes, a major steppingstone to the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 3. Smith was aboard Uh Oh Bango for the first time on Jan. 7 when he guided the 5-year-old Arizona-bred horse to a 1 ¾-length victory in the Grade II San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. The San Antonio is a sixteenth further at a mile and an eighth. “He ran great for me,” Smith said of Uh Oh Bango in the San Pasqual, “so I’m hoping the second time will even be better. His last three races were good. His ran really well finishing second to Bold Chieftain (in the Bull Dog at Fresno on Oct. 16).             “In the All American (at Golden Gate on Nov. 25), he reared up at the start and still finished fourth. It was a horrible start. It cost him the race. Then he came back and ran a bang-up race in the San Pasqual.             “I think he’s going to come back and run big again, because look at his works. I don’t think the extra distance will be a problem. He’s a stayer. He’ll have no problem with a mile and an eighth. The question will be, is he good enough?”             Trained by Kory Owens for his father, Richard, of Glendale, Arizona, who races as Triple AAA Ranch, Uh Oh Bango has a 5-5-2 record from 17 starts. The son of Top Hit has earned $532,712. The field for the San Antonio with Santa Anita morning line oddsmaker Jon White’s revised morning line following the scratch of Tres Borrachos: Uh Oh Bango, Mike Smith, 3-1; Game On Dude, Chantal Sutherland, 3-5; El Gato Malo, Corey Nakatani, 10-1; Ashtar, Kevin Krigger, 20-1; Victory Pete, Martin Garcia, 5-1; and Skipshot, Joe Talamo, 8-1. SIX CANDIDATES QUALIFY BY PETITION FOR 2012 TOC BOARD ELECTION The Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) have announced that six persons have qualified through the nomination-by-petition process to run for the TOC Board of Directors. Qualifying by petition were Tom Bachman, Joel Eichenberger, John Harris, Jerry Jamgotchian, Roxanne Smith, and Michael Wellman. Along with the 24 candidates nominated by TOC, they will make up the ballot for an open election to fill all 15 seats on the TOC board.            The 24 candidates previously nominated were Madeline Auerbach, Bob Baffert, Dennis Cardoza, Jim Cassidy, Will DeBurgh, Mark Dedomenico, Dennis Grenier, Gloria Haley, Mike Harrington, Allan Kirkwood, George Krikorian, Ron McAnally, Ed Moger, Kevin Nish, Jack Owens, Pete Parrella, Mike Pegram, Keith Pronske, John Sadler, George Schmitt, Pablo Suarez, George Todaro, Kathy Walsh, and David Wilson. TOC expects ballots and candidate statements to be mailed on Feb. 15 to all TOC members. The postmark deadline to return ballots is March 15, and following a vote tally by an independent auditor, the newly elected board will be seated at the April board meeting. FINISH LINES: Sham Stakes winner Out of Bounds remains on course for the Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 10. “He’s had three works since we ran him (in the Sham on Jan. 7) and he’s got four more until he runs again,” said trainer Eoin Harty, who was not caught up with Derby Fever at this early juncture. “It’s a long time between now and May,” he said. The Kentucky Derby is run this year on May 5 . . . Marathon turf stakes winner Bourbon Bay, prepping for next Saturday’s Grade II San Marcos Stakes at 1 ¼ miles on grass, worked six furlongs on Santa Anita’s turf course this morning in 1:15.40 for Neil Drysdale . . . Norfolk Stakes winner Creative Cause, prepping for his 3-year-old debut in the Grade II San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 19, worked  six furlongs on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track Saturday in 1:13.80 for Mike Harrington . . . Raven Run winner Great Hot worked five furlongs on Santa Anita’s main track Friday in a bullet 59.40, fastest of 46 drills at the distance. The average time was 1:01.16. “We’re looking at the Santa Maria,” trainer A.C. Avila said. The Santa Maria is a Grade II race with a $200,000 purse to be decided on Feb. 18 . . . ShowVivor was down to six players entering Saturday’s races . . . Go-Go Golfing For(e) the Winners Foundation will hold a golf outing on Monday, April 9, at the Angeles National Golf Club in Sunland in an effort to raise funds for the Winners Foundation, as well as to celebrate the release of “The Garrett Gomez Story: A Jockey’s Journey Through Addiction & Salvation.” The keynote speaker will be two-time Eclipse Award winner Gomez, who is co-chairman of the event along with Joe Harper, President and General Manager of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club . . . HRTV’s Gary Stevens likes the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI Sunday, set for a 3:30 p.m. start on NBC-TV. “New England has the coaching and Tom Brady,” the retired Hall of Fame rider said. “They’re an old school team.” . . . First post time on Santa Anita’s eight-race card tomorrow, Super Bowl Sunday, is 11 a.m. Gates open at 9 a.m.        ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 3, 2012)—LUCK, the racetrack-themed dramatic series which premiered on HBO this past Sunday, has been picked up for a second season according to HBO officials.  The series, which is centered primarily at Santa Anita and stars such “A” List actors as Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte and Dennis Farina, has garnered a gross audience of 3.1 million viewers to date, according to ratings compiled by Nielson.               “This is good news for horse racing and great news for Santa Anita,” said Greg Avioli, C.E.O. for Santa Anita Park.  “We’re glad the show is off to a fast start and we look forward to working together with everyone at HBO on season two.  By all accounts, Santa Anita appears on film as it is in person—breathtakingly beautiful.  To be able to command a world-wide stage of this magnitude for a second consecutive season is very gratifying and we believe, very good for business.  We can’t wait.”             Season two will consist of 10 episodes and production is scheduled to begin in late February, with a January, 2013 target date for air.             “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the critical response to this beautiful piece of work,” said Michael Lombardo, president of programming for HBO.  “We’re very excited about where David (Milch) and Michael (Mann) plan to take these incredible characters.” Milch, who has owned two Breeders’ Cup winners and is the creator of smash hits such as NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues and Deadwood, has called LUCK his “love letter” to horse racing.  Mann is the widely acclaimed director of Miami Vice and is chiefly responsible for two-time Academy Award winner Hoffman undertaking his first starring role in a television series.             LUCK offers viewers an often edgy, behind the scenes look at the world of horse racing and those that inhabit its many enclaves—owners, trainers, jockeys and gamblers.             In addition to Hoffman, Nolte and Farina, notable cast members include John Ortiz, Richard Kind, Kevin Dunn, Ian Hart, Ritchie Coster, Jason Gedrick, Kerry Condon, (retired Hall of Fame jockey and current HRTV analyst) Gary Stevens, Tom Payne and Jill Hennessy.             In addition to the pilot, which aired on Jan. 29, season one of LUCK will consist of eight more episodes, which will air on HBO on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. LUCK’s origins and its ties to real-life people and Santa Anita-based legend and lore are explained and defined in Santa Anita’s newly constructed LUCK Lounge, on the main floor of the grandstand.             Santa Anita’s current winter/spring meet runs through April 22.  For more information regarding LUCK, fans are encouraged to visit www.santaanitalive.com, or www.hbo.com.            ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2012) – Defending Santa Anita Handicap champion Game On Dude reaches a crossroads Sunday in Santa Anita’s Grade II, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes, his first race since nearly making off with the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.           This much is clear: Game On Dude, who earned over $1.9 million in eight races last year, will be a prohibitive favorite against six opponents in the 75^th running of the mile-and-one-eighth event that often serves as an important steppingstone to the Grade I Big ’Cap. The uncertainty concerns the next step by trainer Bob Baffert and the ownership group that includes Ernie Moody, the Lanni Family Trust, Bernie Schiappa and former Yankee and Dodger manager Joe Torre.           The more lucrative option is to send the 5-year-old Awesome Again gelding to Dubai for the world’s richest race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31. The purse dwarfs that of most any other event in racing including the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap scheduled for March 3. But here’s the rub: The Dubai World Cup will be contested for a third straight year over Meydan Racecourse’s synthetic surface--which is not Game On Dude’s preferred surface.           The bay gelding, in fact, has reveled over Santa Anita’s dirt strip, going three-for-three including a pair of Grade I stakes wins with the Goodwood added to the Big ’Cap. He was beaten in his two races over synthetics as well as a pair over wet dirt tracks. Only six Santa Anita Handicaps had been run faster than when Game On Dude nosed out Setsuko in 1:59.47 for 1 ¼ miles in last year’s 74th running. If Game On Dude were to remain at Santa Anita for this year’s Big ’Cap, he would aim to join John Henry, Milwaukee Brew and Lava Man as the only two-time winners. Moreover, Game On Dude’s ultimate goal is this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be held at Santa Anita. Just how Sunday’s San Antonio might influence the pending decision by Baffert and the ownership group remains to be seen, but Game On Dude has been preparing splendidly for his 2012 debut. “He’s working really well,” said Baffert. Chantal Sutherland, who came within less than a sixteenth of a mile from becoming the first female jockey to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic after she had gained such distinction in the Big ’Cap, will ride Game On Dude for the sixth time on Sunday. At odds of 14-1 at Churchill Downs last November, front-running Game On Dude drew clear in a field of 12 with one-sixteenth to go in the Classic at 1 ¼ miles. Sutherland felt victory within her grasp. Runner-up Game On Dude held on stubbornly even though Drosselmeyer came flying to score by 1 ½ lengths. Second-place money of $900,000 boosted Game On Dude’s career earnings to $2,134,658 from an overall record of 5-6-4 in 14 starts. Off recent form, the sharpest horse in Sunday’s field would appear to be Triple AAA Ranch’s Arizona homebred Uh Oh Bango, upset winner of the Grade II San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 7 for Arizona-based trainer Kory Owens. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will be back in the saddle after Uh Oh Bango pushed his career earnings to $532,712 from a 5-5-2 showing in 17 career starts. He is the field’s co-high weight with Game On Dude at 123 pounds. At entry time, Smith was just 14 wins shy of 5,000 career win photos. Tres Borrachos, second as the 2-1 favorite in the San Pasqual when beaten by 1 ¾ lengths, will try to turn the tables on Sunday. Rafael Bejarano will ride the 7-year-old gelding who has earned $914,257. Second in his last two starts, Tres Borrachos often is competitive, but hasn’t done much winning: four victories in 36 starts. The Ecton Park gelding trained by Marty Jones for George Hicker and Button Stable, shows but a single victory in his last 19 races, the Grade II San Diego Handicap at Del Mar last July. The complete field for the San Antonio Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Tres Borrachos, Rafael Bejarano, 120; Uh Oh Bango, Mike Smith, 123; Game On Dude, Chantal Sutherland, 123; El Gato Malo, Corey Nakatani, 118; Ashtar, Kevin Krigger, 120; Victory Pete, Martin Garcia, 118, and Skipshot, Joseph Talamo, 118. The San Antonio will be run as the seventh race on a program of eight races. There will be an early first post of 11 a.m. in deference to the Super Bowl. EMERALD DOWNS' STAKES WORTH $1,585,000 $200,000 LONGACRES MILE (G3) SUN. AUG. 19 AUBURN, Wash. (Feb. 2, 2012) * A 30-race stakes schedule featuring the 77th running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), four stakes double-headers and Washington Cup X has been announced for 2012 at Emerald Downs. A total of $1,585,000 will be offered in stakes purses, beginning with the $50,000 Hastings Handicap for older fillies and mares May 13 and ending with the $65,000 Gottstein Futurity for 2-year-olds on closing day, Sept. 23. Twenty-seven stakes are scheduled on Sundays including an Aug. 19 double-header of the $200,000 Longacres Mile for 3-year-olds and-up and the $65,000 Emerald Distaff for older fillies and mares at 1-1/8 miles. Although the older horse division is traditionally the most glamorous, the well-balanced stakes schedule includes 10 events apiece for older horses and 3-year-olds, nine stakes for 2-year-olds and one for Quarter horses. "We're pleased to offer the same amount of stakes events and virtually the same total stakes money as last year," said Emerald Downs President Ron Crockett. "The goal is to provide horsemen and owners ample opportunities for their horses." One of the premiere middle-distance events on the West Coast and the centerpiece of the 81-day meeting, the Longacres Mile headlines a star-studded August calendar that features seven stakes worth $545,000 and will decide championships in virtually every division. The weekend of Saturday, Aug. 11 and Sunday, Aug. 12, features the meet's best races for sophomores*the $65,000 Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies and the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby for 3-year-olds*both at 1-1/8 miles. And the 2-year-olds take the spotlight in the $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes for 2-year-old colts & geldings Saturday, Aug. 18, and the $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Sunday, Aug. 26. The latter two races have been shortened from one mile to 6-½ furlongs. Washington Cup X, six races for Washington-breds worth $215,000 in purses, is Sunday, Sept. 9, culminating with the $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for 3-year-olds and-up at 1-1/16-mile. The June 24 race for older handicap runners has been renamed the $50,000 Coca-Cola Handicap at one mile and is the second stop for 3-year-olds and-up en route to the Longacres Mile. The Mile series begins Sunday, May 20 with the $50,000 Governor's Handicap at 6-½ furlongs and includes the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1-1/16 miles on July 22. Also renamed are the meet's first two events for 2-year-olds*$25,000 Son of Briartic Stakes for fillies and $25,000 Slewdledo Stakes for colts and geldings*in honor of two of the finest sires in state history. The Son of Briartic and Slewdledo at five furlongs will be run Sunday, July 1 and begin the seven-race Northwest Race Series for 2-year-olds that includes $135,000 in additional purse money. The 81-day season, the 17th at Emerald Downs, begins Friday, April 13, with racing offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thursday racing is added July 12 to Aug. 23 and Monday holiday racing will be held May 28 and Sept. 3. There also will be special Tuesday racing on July 3 followed by the popular fireworks extravaganza. 2012 EMERALD DOWNS STAKES SCHEDULE 30 Stakes Total Gross: $1,585,000 Sun May 13 $50,000 Hastings Handicap (3&UP F&M) 6F Sun May 20 $50,000 Governor's Handicap (3&UP) 6-½ F Sun May 27 $50,000 Seattle Handicap (3YO F) 6-½ F Sun June 3 $50,000 Auburn Handicap (3YO C&G) 6-½ F Sun Jun 10 $50,000 WA State Legislators Stakes (3&UP F&M) 6-½ F Sun Jun 17 $50,000 Budweiser Handicap (3&UP) 1M Sun Jun 24 $50,000 Irish Day Handicap (3YO F) 1M Sun Jun 24 $50,000 Coca-Cola Handicap (3YO C&G) 1M Sun Jul 1 $25,000 NWSS Son of Briartic Stakes* (2YO F) 5F Sun Jul 1 $25,000 NWSS Slewdledo Stakes* (2YO C&G) 5F Sun Jul 8 $50,000 Boeing Handicap (3&UP F&M) 1M Sun Jul 15 $50,000 Kent Handicap (3YO F) 1-1/16M Sun Jul 15 $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap (3YO C&G) 1-1/16M Sun July 22 $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap (3&UP) 1-1/16M Sun July 29 $50,000 Premio Esmeralda* (2YO C&G) 6F Sun Aug 5 $50,000 Angie C Stakes* (2YO F) 6F Sat Aug 11 $65,000 Washington Oaks (3YO F) 1-1/8M Sun Aug 12 $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby (3YO) 1-1/8M Sat Aug 18 $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes* (2YO C&G) 6-½ F Sun Aug 19 $65,000 Emerald Distaff (3&UP F&M) 1-1/8M Sun Aug 19 $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) (3&UP) 1M Sun Aug 26 $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes* (2YO F) 6-½ F Mon Sep 2 $60,000 Bank of America Chmp Challenge** (3&UP) 440 Y WASHINGTON CUP X Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Diane Kem Stakes (2YO F WA) 6F Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Dennis Dodge Stakes (2YO C&G WA) 6F Sun Sep 9 $35,000 John & Kitty Fletcher Stakes (3YO F WA) 1M Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Chinook Pass Stakes (3YO C&G WA) 1M Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Belle Roberts (3&UP F&M WA) 1-1/16M Sun Sep 9 $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic (3&UP WA) 1-1/16M Sun Sep 23 $65,000 Gottstein Futurity* (2YO) 1-1/16M *NORTHWEST RACE SERIES ($135,500) **QUARTER HORSE THE HORSES ARE BACK AT EMERALD DOWNS! TRAINING BEGINS FOR 17th SEASON AUBURN, Wash. (Feb. 1, 2012) - The horses were on the track Wednesday as training began for the 81-day meeting that begins Friday, April 13. Snow On the River, with trainer Monique Snow up, was the first horse on the track shortly after 8:30 a.m. The 6-year-old Washington-bred gelding had his chestnut coat slicked by rainfall that yielded to intermittent sun breaks throughout the morning. In other words, typical February weather at Emerald Downs. Director of Racing Bret Anderson said 153 horses were on the grounds for the first day back at the track, and added horses will be arriving daily from nearby farms and training centers, and from racetracks in California and Arizona. Hopefully, the grand total will be around 1,000 horses in time for the track's 17th opening night in April Doris Harwood, the track's all-time leading stakes-winning trainer, was back at work, ponying several runners to the track for what she calls extended trotting. "For horses that have been away from the track, it helps build up their bone density," she said. Two-time Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting Noosa Beach made an early appearance for Harwood and, as usual, was all business. "He's excited and happy to be back to work," Harwood said. Noosa Beach, the track's all-time leader with 11 stakes wins including the 2010 Longacres Mile, is fully recovered from the bruised foot that curtailed his campaign last September, and will begin his 6-year-old season with a 14-for-21 lifetime mark and earnings of $520,722. Music for my Soul, a 2-year-old full brother to Noosa Beach (By Harbor the Gold-Julia Rose), also was on the track Wednesday for Harwood. Other familiar faces for the beginning of training were jockeys Gallyn Mitchell and Jennifer Whitaker, and trainers Howard Belvoir, Sharon Ross, Margo Lloyd, Terry Gillihan, Tom Wenzel, Chris Stenslie and Richard and Blaine Wright. Training hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. BAFFERT UNLEASHES PRIME DERBY PROSPECT LIAISON IN LEWIS STAKES; TAPIZAR HEADS STRUB; MR. COMMONS TOPS ARCADIA AS SANTA ANITA PRESENTS GRADE II STAKES TRIPLEHEADER ON SATURDAY           ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 1, 2012) – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert amps up his assault on the April 7 Santa Anita Derby (Grade I) and Triple Crown events beyond on Saturday when sending out his most accomplished Kentucky Derby prospect, Liaison, in Santa Anita’s Grade II, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.           The Lewis is one of three Grade II stakes to be contested on Saturday’s Strub Stakes Day, a reference to the track’s historic $200,000 Strub Stakes at 1 1/8 miles for 4-year-olds which is headed by trainer Steve Asmussen’s Tapizar, already deemed a leading candidate for the March 3 Santa Anita Handicap. The $150,000 Arcadia, at one mile on turf, completes the afternoon’s graded stakes tripleheader.           But as is the norm when spring is approaching, the general attention of the racing public turns to the 3-year-olds, and Baffert is almost certain to be center stage as his  accomplishments include nine Triple Crown victories and wins in 6 of the last 16 Santa Anita Derbies.           Liaison – sired by 1998 Santa Anita Derby winner Indian Charlie and owned by Arnold Zetcher, whose Midnight Interlude won the event last year – returns to action following a seven-week respite after his triumph in Hollywood Park’s Grade I, $750,000 CashCall Futurity. He will face seven of his contemporaries on Saturday.           The neck victory over Lewis entrant Rousing Sermon was the third win in four starts for Liaison and followed a half-length score over Rousing Sermon in Hollywood Park’s $100,000 Real Quiet Stakes. Both races were contested at the Lewis distance of 1 1/16 miles, and both were raced over Hollywood Park’s artificial Cushion Track surface. Liaison, however, demonstrated his affinity for Santa Anita’s dirt strip when breaking his maiden by 2 ½ lengths at seven furlongs last Oct. 14 in his only previous exposure to a surface he must handle in the major challenges that lie ahead.           Liaison worked six furlongs in a snappy 1:11.80 at Santa Anita last week in preparation for Saturday’s assignment. “He just keeps moving forward,” Baffert noted of the bay colt who earned $469,560 as a 2-year-old.           Rafael Bejarano, aboard for all four of Liaison’s races, will rejoin the $290,000 yearling sales purchase in the Lewis, formerly run as the Santa Catalina. It was renamed in 2007 to memorialize the popular owner and philanthropist who had been one of Baffert’s major clients prior to his passing in 2006.           A winner of four Santa Anita riding titles but yet to win his first Santa Anita Derby, Bejarano seems confident about his future with Liaison. “He’s just going to improve off of this race,” Bejarano said following the CashCall.  “I’m really happy with this horse. (Baffert) has done an awesome job with him.”           Liaison nonetheless has twice been stretched to get the better of Rousing Sermon, who flew home from 11^th to miss by a neck in the Futurity. His rally fell one-half length short when second to Liaison in the Real Quiet. Rousing Sermon, like Liaison, has won his only previous start on dirt in Santa Anita’s $100,000 California Cup Juvenile Stakes on Oct. 29.           Trained by recent Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Hollendorfer for Mr. & Mrs. Larry D. Williams, the homebred son of Lucky Pulpit retains the riding services of Joe Talamo. Rousing Sermon raced six times as a 2-year-old while posting a 2-2-2 record for earnings of $274,000. “We’re all ready to go,” Hollendorfer said following a recent drill at Santa Anita.           Liaison will be joined in the Lewis lineup by stablemate Sky Kingdom, fourth in the Futurity and the winner of a Santa Anita allowance race by 4 ½ lengths on Jan. 12. “I hate to run them against each other,” commented Baffert, who said his options were few. Martin Garcia will ride the son of Empire Maker who has won 2 of 5 starts for Westrock Stables.           The complete field for the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Isn’t He Clever, Corey Nakatani, 118; Liaison, Rafael Bejarano, 123; Groovin’ Solo, Victor Espinoza, 118; I’ll Have Another, Mario Gutierrez, 118; Sky Kingdom, Martin Garcia, 118; Rousing Sermon, Joseph Talamo, 118; Empire Way, Joel Rosario, 118, and Chips All In, Alonso Quinonez, 118.           The ease of his 3 ½-length victory in the Grade II, $150,000 San Fernando Stakes on Jan. 14 is bound to make Tapizar a prohibitive favorite among eight entrants in the 65^th Strub, a race that has been won by such historic notables as Spectacular Bid, Affirmed, Round Table, Alysheba and Silver Charm.           A leading Triple Crown candidate last year before being sidelined by a knee chip in February, the strapping son of Tapit returned in October. Tapizar’s third race back in the San Fernando at  1 1/16 miles in 1:41.94 demonstrated that he was ready to meet the elite among older horses.           Said jockey Corey Nakatani following the wire-to-wire win, “He ran a tremendous race today. With his athletic ability, he’s such an amazing horse. He’s a really big and muscular horse. He’s huge. And when you get him in that high cruising speed, he just seems to do it so easy.”           “He was unfortunate to get hurt,” Asmussen said. “We were very pleased with his race in the San Fernando. Hopefully we won’t get off track with him this year.” Owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Tapizar comes into the Strub with earnings of $263,032 from 4 wins in 9 starts.           He will have to contend with Ultimate Eagle, a son of Mizzen Mast who will be making his first start on dirt after posting upset victories on grass last year in the Grade II Oak Tree Derby at odds of 34-1 and in the Grade I Hollywood Derby at 14-1. Trained by Michael Pender for B. J. Wright, Ultimate Eagle is ridden by Martin Pedroza. The bay colt has won 4 of 8 starts while earning $347,800. Baffert entered a pair of 4-year-olds for Zayat Stables, millionaire Prayer for Relief and comebacking Jaycito. Prayer for Relief, who last year captured the Grade III Iowa Derby, Grade II West Virginia Derby and Grade II Super Derby, finished third, 3 ½ lengths behind Tapizar in the San Fernando. Regular pilot Bejarano rides Prayer for Relief, whose 5-1-2 record in 11 starts has netted $1,033,225. Jaycito has been on the shelf with reported foot and throat ailments since August of last year. An erratic son of Victory Gallop, Jaycito had shown signs of brilliance during his 2-year-old season. He won the Grade I Norfolk Stakes at Hollywood Park after rallying for second during a troubled run in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity. Sent off at 5-1 odds in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in 2010, Jaycito experienced a nightmare trip when steadying early before swerving out past the middle of the track entering the backstretch. After falling 15 lengths behind the ninth horse in a field of 10, he wound up seventh behind victorious Uncle Mo.           With Martin Garcia set to ride, Jaycito will be faced with a difficult assignment upon returning in an event like the Strub. With a single victory and three second-place finishes in his six-race career, the $110,000 sales purchase has earned $261,300.           The complete field for the Strub Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Jaycito, Garcia, 118; Prayer for Relief, Bejarano, 123; Beer Meister, Glenn Corbett, 118; Ultimate Eagle, Martin Pedroza, 123; Clubhouse Ride, Espinoza, 118; Indian Winter, Rosario, 118; Tapizar, Nakatani, 123, and Balladry, Talamo, 118.           Mr. Commons, a 4-year-old Artie Schiller colt trained by John Shirreffs for St. George Farm Racing, will be challenged by seven rivals in the 25^th Arcadia Stakes. Mr. Commons connected at the same distance over the same course on Dec. 16 when taking the Grade II Sir Beaufort Stakes by 3 ½ lengths over Irish Art with Ultimate Eagle finishing third. He was the 11-10 favorite that day and could well be odds-on this time around even though he drew the trying outside post.           Mike Smith rides the bay colt who, prior to the Sir Beaufort, gave a good account of himself in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs when a troubled fifth behind Court Vision. He steadied going into the first turn, became rank, got carried out, but was only beaten 4 ½ lengths in the Grade I, $2 million event. His 4-2-1 record in 10 career starts has borne earnings of $473,660.           His most compelling opponent in the Arcadia appears to be newcomer Pathfork, who makes his first U.S. start for trainer John Sadler. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Distorted Humor was unbeaten in three starts as a 2-year-old in Ireland. After winning the Group II EBF Futurity Stakes, Pathfork returned to capture the Group I Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. He raced only once last year when chasing the incomparable Frankel in the Group I 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket in England. The colt, owned by Silverton Hills Farm, has been training sharply for his local debut with a steady string of works at six or seven furlongs, often on turf. Joel Rosario has taken the riding assignment. The complete field for the Arcadia Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Dewey’s Special, Jose Valdivia Jr., 118; Pathfork, Rosario, 118; M One Rifle, Talamo, 118; Calimonco, Espinoza, 118; El Gato Malo, Garcia, 118; Willyconker, Bejarano, 118; Massone, Nakatani, 118, and Mr. Commons, Mike Smith, 123. On a 10-race program that gets underway at 12:30 p.m., the Strub will go as the eighth race with the Lewis slotted as the sixth. The Arcadia will be contested as the third race.