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Joe Bravo Wins George Woolf Award

Veteran rider Joe Bravo, who moved his tack last year from New Jersey to California, has been named the recipient of Santa Anita's 2022 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. The Woolf Award recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character compliment the sport of Thoroughbred racing. It can only be won once and is voted on by jockeys nationwide. Bravo will be honored in a Runhappy winner's circle ceremony at Santa Anita Sunday, Mar. 27.

“It really is an honor to now be part of this circle of riders, joining all of these guys that I grew up with or grew up underneath, I'll put it like that,” said Bravo. “I was lucky enough to win the East Coast version of the Woolf Award, the Mike Venezia Award in 2018, and now to be honored here on the West Coast, wow, you don't know what an honor this is. My Dad will be coming out and this makes all the hard days, the mornings that we work, it makes it all worthwhile. There's probably only one award above this that I'd like to have, and that's the Hall of Fame.”

A native of New Jersey, Bravo–whose nickname has long been “Jersey Joe”–has been a dominant force in the Mid-Atlantic, particularly at Monmouth Park, dating back to the early 1990s. He announced his move to California last year, stating it was due to a change in riding rules instituted by the New Jersey Racing Commission. Bravo, who has won 13 riding titles at Monmouth and nine at the Meadowlands, has won nearly 5,600 races.

The Woolf Award was named for the late Hall of Fame rider who is probably best known for his win aboard Seabiscuit over War Admiral in the 1938 Pimlico match race. An estimated radio audience of 40 million tuned in. Nicknamed “The Iceman,” Woolf died in 1946 from complications arising from a racing accident at Santa Anita the day prior. The Woolf Award has been presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950. The trophy is a replica of the life-sized statue of Woolf that adorns Santa Anita's Paddock Gardens area.

Deshawn Parker won the Woolf Award last year. Finalists this year included Glenn Corbett, Julien Leparoux, Rodney Prescott, and Tim Thornton.

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Acclimate, Rockemperor Among Seven Entered For Friday’s Hollywood Turf Cup

Phil D'Amato-trained Acclimate, John Shirreff's Astronaut, and Chad Brown-conditioned Rockemperor, last seen at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., in the $4 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, are among seven entered today for Friday's $250,000 G2 Hollywood Turf Cup.

A victory, or high placing, for Acclimate, Astronaut, or Rockemperor, would salve the sting of ill-starred efforts in the Breeders' Cup, in the case of Astronaut and Rockemperor after gaining entry through “Win and You're In” victories.

Astronaut rallied in the stretch for a half-length victory in the Del Mar Handicap at odds of 24-1 on Pacific Classic Day in August. Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza found no clear path in the BC Turf, however, had to check hard before the quarter pole and finished 12th of 14. Rockemperor won the Turf Classic at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., in October but was in tight quarters throughout in the BC Turf and finished eighth.

Acclimate, with one win and three narrow losses in graded events leading up to the BC Turf, was close to the pace early before fading to last.

The post position draw was scheduled this afternoon. The entrants, in alphabetical order: Acclimate (Ricky Gonzalez); Astronaut (Espinoza); Award Winner (Juan Hernandez); Cupid's Claws (Abel Cedillo); Friar's Road (Umberto Rispoli), Rockemperor (Flavien Prat), and Say The Word (Kent Desormeaux).

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Ferraro Earns Laffit Pincay Jr. Award

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, the current chairman of the California Horse Racing Board and an equine surgeon and a medical executive, has been named the 17th recipient of the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award. The 75-year-old will be honored at Del Mar with a ceremony during this Saturday's TVG Pacific Classic Day program. The Pincay Award, named for and presented by the Hall of Fame rider, goes to those who have served the sport “with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction.”

“I can think of few people who fit the requirements for this award better than Dr. Ferraro,” said Pincay. “He has been a champion for horses and horse people throughout his life and his mark on our game will go on and on. He most certainly deserves this award and it will be my honor to salute him with it.”

Ferraro, a native of San Francisco and a graduate of University of California, Davis and UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, was a working veterinarian and surgeon on the tracks of Southern California for 27 years. Subsequently, he accepted the position of Director of the Center for Equine Health at UC Davis where for 17 years he led efforts to promote research and education in equine medicine to the advantage and health of all breeds of horses. Ferraro, who designed and developed the horse ambulances that are used on North American tracks, also was among those who developed a splint that can be applied to stabilize lower leg injuries in horses. Also, he was among the first to adapt human arthroscopic surgical techniques to horses. He also co-founded the Southern California Equine Foundation that helped established equine hospitals on the backstretches of Hollywood Park and Santa Anita Park, the latter of which continues to provide diagnostic, surgical and medical services to injured horses.

Also included among his distinctions, Ferraro lent his expertise to many industry organizations and boards and has held numerous leadership positions including the Racing Board Medication Committee, the Southern California Equine Foundation, the International Animal Welfare Training Institute and the Dolly Green Research Foundation. He is currently a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association.

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Read Contender Award Winner Thriving In Southern California Weather

Relocating to California has proven to be a good move for Award Winner, a 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper bred and owned by John and Jerry Amerman and trained by David Hofmans.

Four starts at Santa Anita since shipping in from the Midwest produced runner-up results in January and February and a victory in March, all at the allowance level, then an upset victory in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham on May 29.

Prior to his recent back-to-back victories, Award Winner was winless in nine starts dating back to May of 2019.

What happened?

“When he got out here, I think he really liked the firm turf,” Hofmans said. “I think that's what really helped him more than anything else. I don't think he likes anything soft.”

Award Winner, with a record of four wins in 17 lifetime starts and earnings of $328,474, will be sent out seeking third straight win and a second straight Grade 2 score in Saturday's $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar. At 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, it's a furlong shorter than the Whittingham but over the firm grass footing that the gelding seems to relish.

“He's coming into this race really well, but it's a tough one,” Hofmans said. “Dropping back in distance is not to our advantage. I would prefer to go farther, but the only longer race here is the Del Mar Handicap, which is another month away.

“I'm kind of hoping he can rate like he did in his last race and then finish. He's a free-running horse who likes to be up close. I'm just a little cautious because a mile and an eighth might be a little short for him.”

Award Winner was campaigned in the East and Midwest by trainer Brian Lynch through September of last year and moved to Hofmans' stables at Santa Anita in January. Hofmans trained Award Winner's dam, Devine Actress, for the Amermans.

“He came in in good condition,” Hofmans said. “But I think that maybe he didn't like the weather back there or something because when he got here he just started gaining weight and getting better and better.”

The field from the rail with riders and morning line odds:

Vintage Print (Adam Beschizza, 20-1)
United (Flavien Prat, 5-2)
Say the Word (Mike Smith, 3-1)
Count Again (Joe Bravo, 5-1)
Award Winner (Juan Hernandez, 8-1)
Smooth Like Strait (Umberto Rispoli, 9-5)
Restrainedvengengence (Tyler Baze, 10-1)

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