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BAFFERT,
GARCIA STRIKE AGAIN WITH SANGAREE IN HERNANDEZ ARCADIA, Calif. (March 7, 2010) – One day after Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert provided 25-year-old jockey Martin Garcia with the biggest win of his career while riding Misremembered to a one-half length victory in the Gr. I Santa Anita Handicap, the pair struck again Sunday with Sangaree in Santa Anita’s $60,350 Joe Hernandez Stakes. Garcia rallied 4-1 shot Sangaree between horses in the stretch to defeat Gallant Son by one-half length in a driving finish to the 6 ½ furlong event that had been transferred from the turf to Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface following overnight rain.
The final time was 1:15.28 and the outcome reflected the patience of the
up-and-coming rider from Gallant Son, closing swiftly on the extreme outside, gained the place by 1 ¼ lengths over Stoneside and jockey Martin Pedroza. Machismo and 5-2 favorite Dance With Gable paid the price after dueling for the early lead. Early leader Machismo wound up fifth in the field of seven with Dance With Gable fading to last. “Today, Bob told me to put him in contention and make one run,” Garcia said. “When I saw that there were three horses going for the lead, that made the race for me. I decided to get him outside, and he just took off.” If the race named after Santa Anita’s original race caller had remained on the grass as scheduled, according to Baffert, Sangaree would not have competed. “I’m glad it came off the turf,” said Baffert, “because I would have scratched him if it would have been on the turf. He’s real heavy, and he would sink right in.” As the third choice in the wagering, Sangaree paid $10.20, $4.40 and $2.80. Gallant Son, the field’s longest price at 9-1, returned $7.20 and $4.60. Stoneside paid $4.20 to show. Baffert has been largely responsible this meeting for supplying the boost that has lifted the talented Garcia to the upper tier of local riders. The Hernandez was their third stakes win together at the meet. While riding for Baffert, Garcia has won with 15 of his 54 mounts. He has 27 victories overall.
A 5-year-old chestnut horse owned by Darley Stable, Sangaree earned $35,730
with his Hernandez victory. The Kentucky-bred son of Awesome Again’s
total earnings reached $98,080 from a record of
Santa Anita will be dark on Monday and Tuesday before racing resumes on
Wednesday with an eight-race card that gets underway at JOE HERNANDEZ STAKES QUOTES JOCKEY QUOTES MARTIN
GARCIA, SANGAREE, WINNER: “The
last time (Dec. 31) he needed the race going five and a half (furlongs).
Today, Bob told me to put him in contention and make one run. When I saw that
there were three horses going for the lead, that
made the race for me. I decided to get him outside and he just took
off.” TRAINER QUOTES
BOB BAFFERT, SANGAREE, WINNER:
“I’ve been trying to get this horse in (a race). He’s been
here; it’s Congaree’s brother.
He’s been working right along every week, a race doesn’t fill or
whatever. I’m glad it came off the turf, because I would have scratched
him if it would have been on the turf. He’s real heavy, and he would
sink right in.” HRTV TO AIR 2010 DEBUTS OF RACHEL
ALEXANDRA, ZENYATTA SATURDAY HRTV will
present a special one-hour live show Saturday featuring the 2010 debuts of
2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and unbeaten Breeders’ Cup
Classic winner Zenyatta. Entitled
“The Champions Return,” the show will be hosted by Scott Hazelton
and Gary Stevens, who will be live at the Fair Grounds for Rachel
Alexandra’s race, the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies’ Stakes at 1
1/16 miles. It will go as the 10th race at approximately Team
Zenyatta plans to use the Santa Margarita as a steppingstone to the
“Race of the Ages” against Rachel Alexandra in the $5 million Apple
Blossom Handicap at “She
worked very well Friday morning,” trainer John Shirreffs said of her
six furlong move in 1:11.80, breezing at Shirreffs
said that Zenyatta would “probably van over (to Santa Anita) Thursday
afternoon.” He also said that he was anxious to find out what
Zenyatta’s weight assignment would be for the Santa Margarita. Weights
were due out Sunday afternoon. “She worked unbelievable the other day,” said
her regular rider, Mike Smith. “I know it sounds funny, but I
really think she’s getting better. She seems more and more focused
and she couldn’t be doing any better.”
Bob Baffert left the door slightly ajar for 2009 male 2-year-old champion
Lookin At Lucky to make his 3-year-old debut in next Saturday’s Grade
II, $150,000 San Felipe Stakes. If not, it would come in the Grade II,
$300,000 Rebel Stakes at
“I’ll look at the weather at Oaklawn and if it looks like snow,
I’ll just keep him here,” Baffert said Sunday morning. “But
right now, the Rebel looks pretty firm. We have a lot of questions that have
to be answered, wearing blinkers for the first time in a race and running on
dirt for the first time. The closer you get to the Kentucky Derby (May 1),
the better off you are knowing the answers.”
Meanwhile, Baffert, wife Jill and boxer
Mike Machowsky, meanwhile, said Sunday that unbeaten Caracortado “is
like a wild man” as he awaits the San Felipe. Eoin Harty reports that
Eclipse Award-winning jockey Julien Leparoux will ride American Lion in the
San Felipe. BOREL LATEST CAJUN TO WIN SANTA ANITA’S
GEORGE WOOLF AWARD
Maybe it’s the water, maybe it’s in the genes, but whatever it
is,
Among the Cajun Country natives who have won the award are Eddie Delahoussaye
(1981), Kent Desormeaux (1993), Craig Perret (1998), Robby Albarado (2004),
Ray Sibille (2005) and Mark Guidry (2006). A two-time
Kentucky Derby winner, Borel is the 61st Woolf winner selected by
a vote of his peers. The 43-year-old rider from St. Martin Parish,
“I think so many good riders come out of
“I know Calvin, but I was always out here when he was riding back
east,” Delahoussaye said. “I don’t remember if I ever rode
with him.” But they might be linked closer than he thinks. “Eddie’s
momma and Calvin’s, on Eddie’s side of the family, are third or
fourth cousins,” said Delahoussaye’s wife, Juanita. Bloodlines
aside, Delahoussaye has an eye for talent in the saddle. “By
watching him ride, I can see he’s a good rider,” Delahoussaye
said, “and he’s a good guy. He deserves the award, that’s
the bottom line right there.” FINISH
LINES: Trainer Alexis Barba
said Sunday morning that Saturday’s Pasadena Stakes winner Make
Music for Me likely would make his next start in the Grade I,
$750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 3, while “no plans have been
made” for Sham Stakes winner Alphie’s Bet. Barba will be HRTV’s
guest on Wednesday’s “Across The Board” show at
The Oaks, carded as race eight, which was the third leg in Saturday’s Pick Six, was taken by the John Sadler conditioned Crisp, who paid $13.60 to win. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Crisp is a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by El Corredor, who is owned by Michael Talla. The Pick Six began with race six, the $60,000 added Pasadena Stakes. It was won by Make Music for Me, who paid $15.40 to win under Mike Smith. A 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Bernstein, Make Music for Me is trained by Alexis Barba and owned by Ellen and Peter O. Johnson, Sr. Saturday’s seventh, the Gr. I, $150,000 Sham Stakes, went to the California-bred Alphie’s Bet, providing Barba with back-to-back stakes wins. Ridden by Alex Solis, Alphie’s Bet paid $19.00 to win. A 3-year-old colt by Tribal Rule, he’s owned by Johnson, Sr. and McWilliams. He was bred by his co owner, Teresa McWilliams. The ninth, the Gr. I, $250,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, was taken by Proviso, who prevailed by a nose under Mike Smith. A 5-year-old English-bred mare, she paid $11.40 to win. Trained by Bill Mott, she is owned by her breeder, Juddmonte Farms. The 73rd running of the Gr. I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap, presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino, was taken by Misremembered, who paid $10.80 with Martin Garcia up. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred ridgling by Candy Ride is trained by his breeder, Bob Baffert and is owned by Baffert and George Jacobs. Saturday’s 11th race went to Crash Landing, who paid $10.00 under Joe Talamo. A 6-year-old California-bred gelding by Flying Continental, Crash Landing is owned by his breeder, Harris Farms, Inc and is trained by Marty Jones.
First post time on Sunday at Santa Anita is SANTA ANITA HANDICAP QUOTES JOCKEY QUOTES
MARTIN GARCIA,
MISREMEMBERED, WINNER: “I feel
amazing, man! This is the first time I rode in the Big ‘Cap and I had
the opportunity to make it to the winner’s circle. I’ve been
working the horse, and Bob (Baffert) told me to give him a clear break and
just not fight him. He wanted me to make one run, and that’s what I
did. When my horse got to the lead I knew I still had a lot of horse. When
the other horses started to come on, he never pulled up. My horse was able to
keep going when the other horse ( MIKE
SMITH NEKO BAY, SECOND: “He
gave it a great run. I had to wait just a little. I got to the other horse
(Misremembered), but he dug in. If you give me a few more jumps, I get him.
But the winner dug in tough. I have to take my hat off to him.”
VICTOR ESPINOZA, DAKOTA PHONE, THIRD:
“He ran good. He got tired a little bit, but
he really ran great.”
JOEL ROSARIO, ST TRINIANS, SIXTH:
“She had a tough time, but I give her credit. The other horses were
coming in on her. She was never comfortable in there. She was between horses
much of the time and we got too far back. She moved a little bit after that,
but it was just too much to make up.”
GARRETT GOMEZ, LOUP BRETON, 11TH: “The filly (St Trinians) kept
bumping me around the first turn. We made a little run going into the far
turn and I was done. He was wanting to get out. It
might have been an indication that he didn’t like the surface or
whatever it might have been. Anyway, I was in trouble from the three-quarter
pole. I could feel that he wasn’t traveling the way he normally
travels. By the time we started to make a run, he was like Jell-O under
me.”
TRAINER
QUOTES
BOB BAFFERT, MISREMEMBERED, WINNER: “(Retired
jockey) Joe (Steiner) has been working the horse. I’ve got a great
staff. When I was gone to the Olympics, they worked him here, and Martin
(Garcia) has been part of the camp. He’s had a lot to do with it. He
worked him for me the other day. Victor’s (Espinoza, who had ridden
Misremembered in his last nine races) done a great job. I’ve been
winning with this kid . . . Our numbers are really huge (14 for 51, 27.4
percent). He just got him out there, and I think we just need to let him run.
Last time I was so disappointed (second at 7-10 in the Strub), and I told
Victor, ‘You just got to let him roll. He’s got one speed.
He’s a long-striding horse.’ So we let him do it. When he was out
there, he didn’t chase after that speed horse . . . He really dug in
and a mile and a quarter was not a problem for him.” JOHN
SHIRREFFS, NEKO BAY, SECOND: “I
thought
MIKE MITCHELL, ST TRINIANS, 3-1 FAVORITE, SIXTH: “She got
outrun.”
NOTES: The winning owners are
Natalie Baffert (Bob’s wife) of No one is more surprised to find herself on the Triple Crown trail than Alexis Barba. The veteran trainer is there courtesy of Alphie's Bet, who won the $150,000 Sham Stakes by 2¼ lengths Saturday, helping him establish his credentials for the Kentucky Derby. "Isn't that amazing?" Barba asked, clutching a bouquet of red-and-white flowers in the winner's circle. Ridden by Alex Solis, Alphie's Bet ran 1 1-8 miles in 1:48.72 on Santa Anita's synthetic Pro-Ride surface. Setsuko was second as the 5-2 wagering favorite and The Program, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, was another head back in third in the field of 10 colts. "My horse made good move, but he doesn't have a quick turn of foot in the stretch," said Rafael Bejarano, who rode Setsuko. "That's why that other horse beat me." Alphie's Bet was sixth in the early going, moved up to fifth, then third before gaining the lead past the eighth pole while running in the middle of the track. "He was a little bit closer than I'd thought he'd be and I was pleased to see it," Barba said. "He got into the race a little earlier than his last race, in which he was kind of pinched back a little bit." Alphie's Bet is nominated to the Triple Crown races, but he needs to increase his graded stakes earnings in the coming weeks to have a shot at making the Kentucky Derby field, capped at 20 starters. The Sham victory, worth $90,000, increased his career earnings to $141,320. Barba isn't sure of Alphie's Bet's next start, noting he's nominated to the Blue Grass and Lane's End stakes, both at Keeneland. Barba, a former assistant to the late Eddie Gregson, has had only one other promising 3-year-old in her career. But Victory Pete, third in the Sham in 2008, got hurt the day before the Arkansas Derby that year, knocking him off the Triple Crown trail. Alphie's Bet was coming off the turf in his last start, which he won in January at Santa Anita. He now has two wins and a second in five starts. "He can run all day long," Solis said. "He's such a big horse." Alphie's Bet paid $19, $8.40 and $4.80 at 8-1 odds. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Setsuko returned $4.40 and $3.20, while The Program paid $4 to show. A year ago, Solis won the Sham aboard The Pamplemousse, who then became the early favorite for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby. But the colt was scratched the morning of the race because of an ailing leg, dashing the Kentucky Derby hopes of Solis and his son, Alex II, who co-owned the horse. Solis, who turns 46 later this month, doesn't yet dare to dream about the first Saturday in May. "This game is so fragile," he said. "This horse has the talent to go a long ways. You just have to pray to God he stays healthy." The Sham was postponed a week because of continued drainage problems with the track's surface. The race finished minutes after it began raining, chasing infield fans under the nearest overhang. FRANK
E. KILROE MILE STAKES QUOTES JOCKEY
QUOTES MIKE
SMITH, PROVISO, WINNER: “Billy (Mott) told me, ‘You’ve got
to get her to relax if you can. Anything you do could set her
off…’ She beat a great bunch of boys here today. I thought I won
it and I pumped my fist just to sell it (to the placing judges).” TRAINER QUOTES
LEANA WILLIFORD, ASSISTANT TO BILL MOTT, PROVISO, WINNER:
“I thought he got the bob. I just told Mike (Smith) to be very still
(patient).”
NOTES: Proviso is the first female to win the Kilroe in this, its 51st
running. SANTA ANITA OAKS STAKES QUOTES JOCKEY QUOTES JOEL
ROSARIO, CRISP, WINNER: “The blinkers made a big difference. She was
more focused today and she was into the bridle. She finished great, but she
tried to lay on that filly inside of her (All Due
Respect), but she always does that. She ran great, she never looked back
today.” RAFAEL
BEJARANO, BLIND LUCK, SECOND: “I
was in a good position, but when we came into the stretch, those two fillies
in front of me (Crisp and All Due Respect), tightened up and my hole closed.
We just ran out of time—she was really running.” TRAINER QUOTES
JOHN
SADLER, CRISP, WINNER: “We
were hoping to lay a little closer today because it look like there was a lot
of speed in here so the tactics were drawn up and worked today for her.
She’s fourth beaten three the other day in the last stake, she ran very
well. There was no pace that day and she put in a good run and couldn’t
get there so we thought we would have her lay up closer today. I hope we’ll
go to the Kentucky Oaks with her. I mean that’s the plan. She’s
got good stamina and can run a big distance.” JERRY
HOLLENDORFER, BLIND LUCK, 1-2 FAVORITE, THIRD: “We got beat the whole way.”
NOTES: Winning owner Michael Talla is from SHAM STAKES QUOTES JOCKEY QUOTES
ALEX SOLIS, ALPHIE’S BET, WINNER: “Today,
he was very light on his feet. He was a much sharper horse, but he’s so
big, he’s so heavy, when he comes out of the gate, it takes him a while
to get into stride. The way he ran today didn’t surprise me at
all. The first time I rode him (Dec. 26), I came back and told Alexis I think
he can run all day. Alexis used to work for (the late) Eddie Gregson and they
had a horse back then named Candi’s Gold. I told her this horse reminds
me a lot of him; he’s big, strong and he’ll run any
distance. To be honest, I try not to think too far ahead. I just pray
to God he stays healthy.” RAFAEL
BEJARANO, SETSUKO, SECOND: “I
had no excuse. My horse was very comfortable in good position, but when I saw
No. 10 (winner Alphie’s Bet) move from the three-eighths, I saw that he
had a lot of horse. So I tucked in behind him. My horse made a good move, but
he doesn’t have a quick turn of foot in the stretch. That’s why
that other horse beat me. He can come on running quickly.”
MIKE SMITH, NEXTDOORNEIGHBOR, SEVENTH AT 4-1: “He was a little fresh. He was a little too
sharp with the race not having been able to be run last week. But he acted
like he really needed it. So hopefully he’ll improve off of it.”
BRICE BLANC, TRAINER QUOTES ALEXIS
BARBA, ALPHIE’S BET, WINNER: “He was a little bit closer than I thought
he’d be. I was pleased to see it, actually. I was pleased to see that
he got into the race a little earlier than his last race, in which he was
kind of pinched back a little bit. So it was nice to see him closer, instead
of that horrifying last place at the quarter pole. I wasn’t concerned
at all (going from grass to Pro-Ride). He’d already run on this dirt
(synthetic) course in that Cal-bred stakes (second on Dec. 26), so we already
knew that he liked it. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with
this horse yet (for his next race). We’re going to discuss it and then
we’re going to let you know after we figure it out.” NOTES: The winning owners are Peter Johnson Sr. and Theresa
McWilliams of ‘VOICE OF SANTA ANITA’
JOE HERNANDEZ HONORED THIS WEEKEND
Today and Sunday, author Rudi Alvarado will autograph his book, “The
Untold Story of Joe Hernandez, the Voice of Santa Anita,” from Joe Hernandez was the voice of
Santa Anita from the time the track opened on Christmas Day 1934 until he
fainted at the microphone on Jan. 27, 1972. During that time he called an
incredible 15,587 races in a row. Over the course of his career his cry of
“There they go!” echoed over a number of memorable races
including Seabiscuit’s win in the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap and Johnny
Longden’s last ride in 1966. His cry of “And here comes
Malicious!” and “Silky Sullivan trails …” are
remembered to this day. Hernandez broke into the
business of race calling in 1932, when he became the first race caller at
Tanforan. In the coming years, he became the premiere race caller on the West
Coast, at a time when most Mexicans and Mexican Americans were being
repatriated to Mexico due to America’s Great Depression. In the late
1930s, Alfred Vanderbilt Jr. hired Hernandez to call the races at Pimlico
Race Course and Belmont Park. In 1950, Hernandez called the Kentucky Derby at
Churchill Downs. A recording of his call was later distributed to over 60,000
racing fans. Hernandez was not only a race
caller; he was a highly respected sportswriters, handicapper, jockey agent,
bloodstock agent, radio and television producer, music composer, actor,
athlete and philanthropist. He also owned a number of businesses related to
horse racing. For example, he owned his own film patrol company (a company
that recorded races in order to determine if a foul was committed during a
race). Hernandez also imported, owned and raced Thoroughbreds under his own
silks. The most noted race horse to run under Joe’s colors was Cougar
II, the Chilean import who was inaugurated into Thoroughbred racing’s
Hall of Fame in 2006. A bronze bust of Hernandez was
unveiled at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, 1974. The piece rests in front of the
track’s main grandstand entrance. Santa Anita track officials decided
to place the piece there so Joe could be close to his fans, and they to him.
As Alvarado notes in his biography on Hernandez, “From here the bust
would also serve to introduce Joe, and what he meant to Santa Anita’s
future racing fans. Most importantly, placed here, Joe’s gaze would
always fall on his beloved Santa Anita.” DR. MICK PETERSON HEADS MARCH 14
SEMINAR ON RACING
SURFACES Dr.Michael
“Mick” Peterson, executive director of the Racing Surfaces
Testing Laboratory, will be the featured speaker at the annual Modern
Veterinary Medicine & Your Racehorse seminar on Sunday, March 14. His
topic is “Assessing Track Surfaces.”
Dr. Peterson, Ph.D., is the Libra
Foundation Professor for the
The program is presented by the
California Thoroughbred Foundation, Southern California Equine Foundation,
and Thoroughbred Owners of California and starts at
Over the past six years, Dr. Peterson has developed a passion for
understanding racing surfaces, including tracks for thoroughbreds, quarter
horses and standardbreds. He has developed test protocols that have been used
at more than 30 thoroughbred racing venues.
The Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory is a non-profit organization supported
by the industry. It provides research, testing and materials characterization
services for the horse racing industry FINISH
LINES: The two winning tickets on
Friday’s Pick Six that paid $552,544 each were purchased on an $810
ticket at Barona Casino and a $432 ticket at a Nevada hub . . . Dave
in Dixie and Sidney’s Candy, candidates for Saturday’s
San Felipe Stakes, worked six furlongs at Hollywood Park Saturday in 1:12.80
and 1:13.80, respectively, for John Sadler . . . ShowVivor II
was down to nine contestants going into Saturday. FINISH
LINES: Caracortado worked
five furlongs in company on Pro-Ride Friday under regular rider Paul
Atkinson in :58.60 for next Saturday’s
Grade II San Felipe Stakes. “Actually, he went six furlongs in EMERALD DOWNS RELEASES 2010 STAKES
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