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‘Hope To Provide Some Opportunities’: George Bradvica Taking On New Role As Agent For Brice Blanc

George Bradvica, a fixture at management level positions and in racing offices at Santa Anita, Pomona and Del Mar for over 30 years, is tackling a racetrack job that's new to him with characteristic enthusiasm.

On Wednesday, Bradvica agreed to become the agent for jockey Brice Blanc, beginning at Del Mar.

“I contacted 47 trainers by phone today and I start making the rounds in the backstretch tomorrow,” Bradvica said. “I think Brice is a hell of a rider. He's got a reputation for being better on the turf than dirt which I think is unfounded and I don't believe.

“I think he's very good on either surface and I'm going to promote him, and that idea, and give him representation like he hasn't had before. I know I'm not going to change people's minds on the spot, but I hope to provide some opportunities and then the proof will be in the winning.”

Bradvica said he has been around horses since the age of five. His father and uncle owned ranches in Riverside County and he has early memories of a training center there that was home to trainer Rex Ellsworth where he was allowed to do stable work.

Veterinary school at UC Davis didn't work out, but he earned a degree in economics and was hired by Alan Balch to work at Santa Anita in the early 1980s. As an assistant to Balch he was instrumental in innovations like a nightly TV replay show, park and ride arrangements for fans when the track drew upwards of 80,000 on Big 'Cap Days and assisting in operations as the track served as the main equestrian venue -along with Fairbanks Ranch Country Club near Del Mar – for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

England's Prince Phillip, husband to Queen Elizabeth, was the president of the Federation Equestrian Internationale at the time.

“I met him three times,” Bradvica said. “He said it (1984 Olympics) was the best Equestrian event ever. And I'm pretty sure it was the only one ever to make money.”

Bradvica was the general manager for the race meetings at Pomona, which followed the Del Mar summer session, for 20 years and for the last 13 has been in a similar position for the Surfside Race Place satellite facility on the Del Mar Fairgrounds. During the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club meetings he has worked in the racing office and as a placing judge.

“I've never been a jockey agent, but I've gotten to know a lot of them, as well as trainers from working in the racing office,” Bradvica said. “I think this is a natural fit for me and I'm looking forward to it.”

The post ‘Hope To Provide Some Opportunities’: George Bradvica Taking On New Role As Agent For Brice Blanc appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Japan primed to wreck Enable’s bid to secure record third King George victory at Ascot

Aidan O'Brien says Enable will have to overcome a Japan in peak condition if she is to land an historic third King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes victory at Ascot on Saturday.

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United Tabbed As Morning Line Favorite For Sunday’s Eddie Read Stakes

LNJ Foxwoods' United, trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, was named the 8-5 favorite on John Lies' morning line for Sunday's $200,000, Grade II Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar.

A 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway, United will break from the outside post in a field of seven for the 1 1/8-mile run over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course which often determines the top grass horse of the meeting.

United was last seen at Del Mar running second as the even-money favorite, beaten a neck by Oscar Dominguez, in the Hollywood Turf Cup on December 1 of last year. United is 2-for-2 in Grade II stakes starts in 2020 – the San Marcos and Charlie Whittingham at Santa Anita – to boost his career earnings to $1,133,549.

The field from the rail: Bowie's Hero (Tiago Pereira. 4-1); Originaire (Umberto Rispoli, 9-2); Sharp Samurai (Juan Hernandez, 5-1); Combatant (Jorge Velez, 12-1); Cleopatra's Strike (Abel Cedillo, 8-1); Neptune's Storm (Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1), and United (Flavien Prat).

Sunday's other stakes offering, the $125,000 California Dreamin' at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, drew a field of 11 California bred or sired older males. Paradise Road Ranch's Camino Del Paraiso, trained by O.J. Jauregui, drew the rail and was tabbed the 5-2 morning line choice.

Defending summer meeting training champion Doug O'Neill will have a pair of representatives in Whooping Jay and Irish Heatwave. “They're both in good form and even though they both drew way outside the rail is at zero so that helps,” O'Neill said this morning. “It's a bigger field than I expected but regardless they're both doing well and we're optimistic they'll run well.”

The field from the rail: Camino Del Paraiso (Drayden Van Dyke); Galilean (Flavien Prat, 3-1); Brandothebartender (Umberto Rispoli, 15-1); Desmond Doss (Tiago Pereira, 15-1); Grinning Tiger (Heriberto Figueroa, 12-1); Loud Mouth (Juan Hernandez, 20-1); Ultimate Bango (Ruben Fuentes, 8-1); Three Ay Em (Mike Smith, 12-1); Whooping Jay (Mario Gutierrez, 15-1); Take the One O One (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 10-1), and Irish Heatwave (Abel Cedillo, 6-1).

The post United Tabbed As Morning Line Favorite For Sunday’s Eddie Read Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘You’ve Got To Run When You’re Ready’: Higher Power Takes On Maximum Security In San Diego

Trainer John Sadler has saddled the winner of the last three runnings of the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. A fourth would appear to be a tough task considering the intimidating record and presence of rival Maximum Security.

But Sadler, and his major client Hronis Racing, are hardly ones to be intimidated. And there's recent history on their side.

“Maximum Security is one of the best horses in the world,” Sadler said. “But you've got to run when you're ready, and we're ready right now.”

Sadler has entered TVG Pacific Classic defending champion Higher Power for the Grade II $150,000 San Diego, a 1 1/16-mile main track event that is the primary stepping stone to the Classic. His 5 ¼-length convincing Pacific Classic victory was the highlight of a 2019 campaign as a 4-year-old in which the son of Medaglia d'Oro won three times and compiled earnings of more than $1.2 million for Hronis.

Higher Power opened 2020 with a last-place finish of 10 as the favorite in the Pegasus World Cup in January at Gulfstream Park, then went unraced until a runner-up finish, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Improbable, in the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 6 at Santa Anita.

“We were very happy with it,” Sadler said. “It was a very good second, coming as it did off a really extended layoff because of travel and COVID. We brought him down here where he's run well before and plan to run him twice – the San Diego and the Pacific Classic.”

Sadler and Hronis also have Combatant, a 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy who is also entered in Sunday's Grade II, $200,000 Eddie Read Stakes on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Combatant won the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on March 7 in his second start for Sadler after previously being based in the Midwest with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. A venture to Hot Springs, Ark., in May for the Oaklawn Handicap produced only an 11th place finish in a field of 13. Combatant, generally a come-from-behind type, has four wins from 25 lifetime starts and earnings of $1,033,998. One victory, and $294,740 in earnings, came from turf races.

“He got cut off and generally had a bad trip at Oaklawn, so we've given him time off,” Sadler said. “Even if I go with him on the grass instead of the San Diego he's still a candidate for the Pacific Classic.”

Catalina Cruiser secured victories in the San Diego Handicap for Sadler, carrying Hronis colors, in 2018-19. In 2017 eventual champion Accelerate did the honors. Accelerate's victory was over the Bob Baffert-trained Arrogate, then the No. 1 ranked horse in the world. Arrogate finished fourth, beaten 15 lengths. Baffert will saddle Maximum Security on Saturday.

The San Diego Handicap, planned for July 18, was rescheduled a week later due to COVID-19 and post positions were re-drawn. It made no difference for Higher Power.

“They drew the race twice and I got the rail both times,” Sadler said. “The post is not my favorite, but we'll live with it.”

The field from the rail: Higher Power (Flavien Prat); Ax Man (Mike Smith); Sharp Samurai (Jorge Velez); Combatant (Drayden Van Dyke); Maximum Security (Abel Cedillo), and Midcourt (Victor Espinoza).

Prat's agent, Derek Lawson, was asked how he felt about going up against Maximum Security with Higher Power. “The same as I felt going up against Maximum Security with Country House in the Kentucky Derby,” Prat said.

Racing fans know how that turned out.

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