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Cedillo, Miller Win Jockey, Trainer Titles For LA County Fair Meet At Los Alamitos

Jockey Abel Cedillo earned his second Los Alamitos riding title while trainer Peter Miller topped the trainer standings as the Los Angeles County Fair meet concluded Sunday.

The nine-day season was highlighted by stakes victories by talented 2-year-old Enbarr, a first off the claim score by Manhattan Up, and a gate-to-wire victory by Livingmybestlife, a $50,000 claim earlier in the year at Oaklawn Park.

The 32-year-old Cedillo finished the LACF meet with 18 victories, eight more than closest pursuer Kyle Frey. Cedillo also led the standings during the 2020 LACF Winter season.

Cedillo became the first jockey to win four races in a day twice at Los Alamitos. He first accomplished the feat Sept. 15, 2019, then matched it with a quadruple Sept. 25.

The other riders who have won four races in a day since daytime thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in 2014 are Drayden Van Dyke (July 6, 2014), Edwin Maldonado (Dec. 13, 2015), Kent Desormeaux (April 23, 2016), Assael Espinoza (Sept. 15, 2018), and Jorge I. Velez (Sept. 22, 2019).

Miller finished the LACF season with seven wins, one more than Steve Miyadi. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was third with five. The title was the sixth Miller has either shared or won outright at Los Alamitos since daytime thoroughbred racing returned in 2014.

A son of Brody's Cause owned by Baoma Corporation, Enbarr rallied past stablemate Montebello in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the $75,000 Capote Sept. 18 under Van Dyke, giving Baffert a 1-2 finish.

Taken for $80,000 by trainer Jonathan Wong for Brent Malmstrom's KAM Racing Stable, Manhattan Up, a 5-year-old Street Boss gelding, responded to the addition of blinkers in capturing the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special Sept. 19. He was ridden by Tiago Pereira.

Livingmybestlife, a 3-year-old daughter of The Big Beast, has now won three of five since being claimed by John Sadler for Hronis Racing out of her April 8 debut, when she finished second. She was never seriously challenged in her local debut, defeating Stella Noir and three others in the $75,000 Lucky Spell Sept. 24.

The meet's other stakes winners were Loud Mouth – via disqualification – in the E.B. Johnston, and Samurai Charm, who earned her fifth consecutive victory leading throughout in the Dark Mirage.

In terms of business, all-sources handle for the LACF season showed a gain of 18% over comparable days in 2019. There was no September meet at Los Alamitos in 2020.

“While participation as the entry box could have been better, we very much appreciate those owners and trainers who did participate,'' said F. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. “The (handle) increase was more than 10% of what we had aggressively estimated and was attributable to an incredible 65% increase in advance deposit wagering in Southern California.

“We're looking forward to our upcoming Winter meet where purses will be substantially higher.''

Daytime thoroughbred racing will return to Los Alamitos for the seven-day Winter season Friday, Dec. 3.

Racing will be conducted through Sunday, Dec. 12. The Winter meet will be highlighted by a pair of graded races for 2-year-olds – the $300,000 Grade 1 Starlet for fillies Saturday, Dec. 4, and the $200,000 Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity Saturday, Dec. 11. Both will be run at 1 1/16 miles.

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Thirsty Always Springs Upset In Royal Owl Stakes At Los Alamitos

Thirsty Always upset heavily-favored stablemate Rock N Rye, leading throughout in the $75,000 Royal Owl Stakes, the closing day feature of the Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

In his first collaboration with jockey Abel Cedillo, the 2-year-old Stay Thirsty colt out of the Not for Love mare Angela's Love, quickly established command against his four opponents and went on to win by 1 ½ lengths in 1:03.28 for the 5 ½ furlongs.

The 5-1 third choice, he paid $13.00, $3.20, and $2.40. The victory was his third in five starts and pushed his earnings to $147,600 for owners Tom Beckerle, Saul Carrillo, and breeder Terry Lovingier, and trainer Walther Solis.

Rock N Rye, also trained by Solis – as was fifth-place finisher Mr. T's Thirsty – and bred by Lovingier, finished four lengths clear of 18-1 shot Drizella as the 2-5 favorite. He returned $2.20 and $2.10 while the show price on Drizella was $3.40. Carmen Miranda checked in fourth as the 3-1 second choice.

“I was telling (Lovingier) before the race I knew (Rock N Rye) was the favorite, but the way this colt had been acting lately I knew he would give (Rock N Rye) a run for his money,'' said Solis. “When he was able to make the lead, I thought he was gone. He gets brave when he's in front.''

Cedillo said his decision on strategy was made at the start.

“He broke so sharp and (Solis) told me that if he can make the lead to go on with him,'' said Cedillo. “I did and he responded.''

The stakes win was the second of the meet for Cedillo – he had taken the E.B. Johnston via disqualification with Loud Mouth Sept. 11. He wound up the meet's leading rider, giving him his second local title. He also led the standings during the 2020 LACF Winter season.

“It's been great,'' he said. “This is not an easy place to ride because the track is so different and the long stretch, but I got to ride a lot of good horses and they made me look good.''

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Cedillo Wins Four Saturday To Clinch Los Alamitos Riding Title

Jockey Abel Cedillo capped a four-victory Saturday with a gate-to-wire score aboard favored Risk and Reward in the $54,116 feature at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

The quadruple by Cedillo, 32, clinched his second local riding title. The Guatemalan-born jockey, who led the 2020 Los Angeles County Fair Winter meet, has 15 victories through the first eight days, six more than closest pursuer Kyle Frey, who has only five scheduled mounts Sunday, the final day of the LACF season.

Making his first start beyond seven furlongs, Risk and Reward, a 3-year-old Frosted colt out of the Indian Charlie mare Shayjolie, took charge early and improved his position from there, eventually prevailing by five lengths over 2-1 second choice Margot's Boy. He completed the mile in 1:35:02 and paid $5.60, $3.20, and $2.40 as the 9-5 choice.

Owned by breeder Speedway Stables LLC and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Risk and Reward is now 2-for-4 with earnings of $75,200. He broke his maiden July 25 at Del Mar, upsetting well-regarded stablemate – and next out graduate – Bobby Bo before showing speed and tiring in his first race vs. winners 27 days later.

Margot's Boy, who was seeking his first win since May 23, 2020, finished 13 lengths clear of 5-2 third choice Willy the Cobbler. The runner-up returned $3.20 and $2.60 while the show price on Willy the Cobbler was $2.40.

Cedillo's other victories Saturday came with Full of Luck in the first, Borkan in the second, and Sauls Call in the sixth.

Sauls Call was one of three wins for trainer Steve Miyadi, doubling his total for the meet and moving him into a tie with Peter Miller for the top spot. Miyadi also tallied with the aforementioned Full of Luck and debuter Tizlightning, who was an impressive winner of the seventh.

Miller is scheduled to run four Sunday – I'm the Boss of Me in the second, Taming the Tigress in the sixth, Gates of Heaven in the ninth, and Sir Flatter in the 10th while Miyadi's representatives are Aristeia in the fifth and first time starters Mary Margaret and Mo Connelly in the eighth.

Racing resumes Sunday. Post time for the start of the 10-race program is 1 p.m.

The main event is the $75,000 Royal Owl Stakes for California bred 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs. Rock N Rye is the even-money favorite on Ed Burgart's morning line. The Royal Owl will go as the seventh race and has a scheduled post time of 4:03 p.m.

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Flavien Prat Heads Jockey Colony For Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet

With Southern California kingpin Flavien Prat heading the charge, a full complement of world class jockeys is set to compete throughout the course of Santa Anita's upcoming 16-day Autumn Meet, which is set to open on Friday, Oct. 1. A total of four stakes, three of them Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, will headline a nine-race program, with first post time at 1 p.m.

Prat, a 29-year-old native of Malun, France, is enjoying yet another tremendous year, having just won the riding title at the recently concluded Del Mar Summer Race Meet. Although based in Southern California, Prat has ridden in major stakes throughout the country in 2021 and he currently ranks fourth among North American jockeys with earnings of more than $16.8 million.

A triumvirate of talented riders, Juan Hernandez, Abel Cedillo and Umberto Rispoli, should again figure prominently in the Autumn Meet standings. Hernandez and Cedillo, former leading riders at Golden Gate Fields, finished two-three at Del Mar, while Italian native Rispoli, regarded as one of the circuit's top turf riders, checked in fourth. (Hernandez and Rispoli rank 12th and 14th nationally, with respective earnings of $7.8 million and $7.5 million).

Legendary Hall of Fame jockeys Mike Smith, Victor Espinoza and Kent Desormeaux are again set to call Santa Anita home beginning next Friday and they'll all be aboard Breeders' Cup hopefuls throughout opening weekend.

“Jersey Joe” Bravo, who relocated to Southern California this past summer, enjoyed a solid summer at Del Mar, finishing fifth in the standings, and he adds considerable depth to a strong jockey colony. Regarded as California's best “gate rider,” Edwin Maldonado is enjoying perhaps the best year of his career and he figures to have plenty of live mounts throughout the 16-day stand.

Brazilian-born Tiago Pereira, who notched his biggest North American win aboard Tripoli in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Aug. 21, along with Mario Gutierrez, Geovanni Franco, Kyle Frey, Tyler Baze, Ricky Gonzalez, Drayden Van Dyke and Jose Valdivia, Jr., all comprise a deep pool of journeyman talent that fans and horsemen can readily embrace.

Jessica Pyfer, a recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University, continues in her quest to be named America's Eclipse Champion Apprentice Jockey for 2021, while fellow “bug” riders Diego Herrera, Emily Ellingwood and Alexis Centeno all form a solid group of apprentice talent.

A great deal of anticipation surrounds next Friday's Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, named in honor of retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, as it marks a return to Santa Anita's Camino Real Hillside Turf Course. For 3-year-olds and up, the Eddie D will be contested at about 6 ½ furlongs and will likely attract a full field of 10 or 12 runners.

Three Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” stakes, the Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah, the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier and the $100,000 Speakeasy will provide their respective winners with fees-paid berths in corresponding stakes over the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar Nov. 5 & 6.

For additional information on Santa Anita's upcoming Autumn Meet, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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