Santa Anita's 43-day Classic Meet, which began on Dec. 26, drew to a close on Sunday, with Juan Hernandez atop the jockey's division, Phil D'Amato bagging yet another training title and Tim and Mark Cohen's Rancho Temescal and Red Baron's Barn leading all owners.
For Hernandez, a 31-year-old native of Veracruz, Mexico, it was a dominant gate to wire performance, as he won four races on opening day and never slowed down, winning two on Sunday to give him 63 victories for the meet, more than double that of runner-up Flavien Prat's 31.
In the all-important stakes-won category, it was Hernandez leading Prat 13 to 11, helping him to top all riders by purse money-won with $4,672,374.
Hernandez won three stakes on opening day, the Grade 2 San Gabriel aboard the Leonard Powell-trained Dicey Mo Chara, the G1 La Brea with Bob Baffert's Fun To Dream, and the G1 American Oaks aboard D'Amato's Irish-bred Rhea Moon.
Other stakes highlights for Hernandez came on Jan. 7 aboard Peter Miller's Thirsty John in the California Cup Derby; the G3 Sham Stakes for Baffert on Jan. 8; the G2 San Pasqual for D'Amato Jan. 28 with Newgrange; the G2 San Vicente for Baffert with Havnameltdown Jan. 29; the G2 Santa Monica with Fun to Dream on Feb. 4; the G3 Palos Verdes for Baffert on Feb. 5; the G3 Desert Stormer aboard Mark Glatt's Dance to the Music March 25; the G3 American on April 2 with Peter Eurton's Exaulted and the Evening Jewel Stakes (by 15 ½ lengths) on Saturday aboard Doug O'Neill's Ceiling Crusher.
Among apprentice jockeys, Armando Aguilar did very well, winning 18 races, good for eighth in the overall standings.
D'Amato, who has become a dominant force on turf, in large-part with Irish-breds, enjoyed another tremendous meeting, winning 32 races, five better than Bob Baffert. D'Amato finished with 11 stakes wins, second to Baffert's 12.
A 57-year-old native of San Pedro, Calif., D'Amato earned his third consecutive Classic Meet (formerly Winter/Spring) title and his fourth overall at Santa Anita.
He too, got off to a fast start, winning the opening day American Oaks in combination with Hernandez with Rhea Moon. He came back on day two Dec. 30 to take the Eddie Logan with Classical Cat; the G3 Las Cienegas on Jan. 2 with English-bred Amy C; the G2 San Pasqual with Newgrange on Jan. 28; the G3 Thunder Road on Feb. 4 with Irish-bred Earls Rock; the G3 San Marcos Feb. 5 with Irish-bred Prince Abama; the Spring Fever Stakes with Alice Marble on Feb. 19; the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile with Irish-bred Gold Phoenix on March 4; the G3 San Simeon with English-bred Motorious on March 5; the Irish O'Brien with Alice Marble and the G3 Monrovia with Elm Drive on Saturday.
The Cohen family's Rancho Temescal and Red Baron's Barn won 13 races, five of them stakes, beginning with the opening day G2 San Gabriel with English-bred Dicey Mo Chara; the G3 Megahertz on Feb. 4 with Irish-bred Quattroelle; the G2 Buena Vista March 4 with Quattroelle; the G3 Desert Stormer with Dance to the Music on March 25 and finishing up on Sunday by winning the John Shear Stakes with First Peace.
Santa Anita's first-ever Hollywood Meet will open on Friday, April 21 and run through closing day, Sunday, June 18. Santa Anita will be open for simulcast wagering beginning at 10 a.m. this Thursday through Sunday with free parking and admission.
For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
The post Juan Hernandez, Phil D’Amato Finish Atop Santa Anita’s Classic Meet Standings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
