Additionally, Rick Hammerle will join 1/ST Racing as a consultant. After stops in California, New Jersey and Florida, he was most recently the Racing Coordinator at Oaklawn Park and Director of Racing Operations at Kentucky Downs.

Like Hammerle, Egan is a graduate of the University of Arizona's Racetrack Industry Program. While there, Egan interned with trainer Michael Dickinson and went on to work for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

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“There's no denying that expenses are up, across the board, in all facets of our economy,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Chris Merz. “Along with the TOC [Thoroughbred Owners of California], without whose assistance these changes wouldn't be possible, we're hopeful these purse increases will assist owners and trainers who are paying the bills on the athletes that put on the show. Additionally, we want horsemen to know that all allowance races will now include a 'state-bred' provision which means any horse that has won a state-bred race anywhere in the country is still eligible for a $72,000 first-condition allowance here at Santa Anita.”

Santa Anita's downhill Camino Real, turf chute, and turf oval are all ready for the meet. “Our turf is in tremendous condition,” said Merz. “With our downhill and turf chute components, we are pleased to offer the betting public and fans alike a cornucopia of turf racing options.”

Six graded races are carded for opening day, including the GI Runhappy Malibu S., the GI La Brea S., and the GI American Oaks. GI Breeders' Cup Classic third Taiba (Gun Runner) will seek his third Grade I win of the year in the Malibu.

“We feel he has a lot of improvement left in him,” said Gary Young, racing manager for owner Amr Zedan. “We have a lot of confidence in this horse. The Malibu provides a good bridge between the Breeders' Cup and next year's Saudi Cup.”

Entries for opening day will be taken Dec. 21. First post is at 11 a.m.

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“Simply put, the Ship & Win program is a winner,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Chris Merz. “Santa Anita is a great place to train and race in the winter and with these bonuses in place for out-of-state horses, it's made us even more attractive to many owners and trainers around the country.

“Field size is always a top priority and with Ship & Win bolstering our inventory, we're in a better position to present an attractive product for our players to bet on. We're optimistic for the new year and we encourage anyone with questions to please give us a call.”

Eligible Ship & Win horses will receive a $5,000 bonus, as well as purse money at 35% above their allotted purse percentage for one start. Horses which became eligible at the 2022 Del Mar Crosby Season Meet will also be eligible for Ship & Win bonuses in their first start at Santa Anita's upcoming Classic Meeting.

The $5,000 bonus will also apply to any stakes horse that meets Ship & Win eligibility guidelines, but those horses will not be eligible for the 35% purse increase.

Santa Anita's Classic Meet condition book is available online at santaanita.com and in print form in the Santa Anita Racing Office.

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“We're pleased to be able to announce our Winter/Spring stakes schedule at this time and to once again let everyone know that our 'Ship & Win' program will be available to those out of state horses that qualify throughout the meet,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing, and Racing Secretary, Chris Merz. “We feel there is something for everyone in this stakes schedule and we are excited to offer it.  We worked diligently with trainers and other industry stakeholders to create a program that suits our horse population and caters to the needs of our owners and horsemen.”

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The program offers a $5,000 bonus for eligible horses making his or her first start, and a 35% bonus, excluding stakes races, is also available. The 'Ship & Win' program is a joint venture with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

“Ship and Win has proven to be a very effective catalyst in attracting new equine talent and we're very hopeful that many horsemen will opt to stay in Southern California following Del Mar and to participate in this lucrative program here at our Autumn Meet,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary.

Horses that are qualified for the Del Mar 'Ship & Win' incentive will retain eligibility for one start at Santa Anita this fall, provided they do not make a start elsewhere following the conclusion of the Del Mar meet Sept. 11. To be eligible for both programs, horses must have made their most recent start outside of California and must not have started in the state within the past 12 months.

For additional information, contact Chris Merz or Jason Egan in the Santa Anita racing office at (626) 574-6352.

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Horses that are eligible will receive a $5,000 bonus and a 35% premium on purse money for one start. Horses that became eligible at the recently concluded Del Mar fall meet will also be eligible for 'Ship & Win' bonuses for their first start at Santa Anita this winter. The $5,000 bonus will also apply to any horse that meets Ship & Win guidelines, but those horses will not be eligible for the 35% purse increase.

“All of us have been gratified at the success of the Ship & Win program this year, at both Del Mar and here at Santa Anita,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We're certainly hoping to continue to attract more out-of-state horses this winter and spring and given the significant amount of money available, this has certainly incentivized our horsemen to go out and procure additional racing prospects.”

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Eligible horses will receive a $5,000 bonus as well as purse money 35 percent above their allotted purse percentage for one start. Horses who become eligible at the 2021 Del Mar Fall Meet will also be eligible for Ship & Win bonuses for their first start at Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet.

The $5,000 bonus will also apply to any stakes horse that meets Ship & Win eligibility guidelines, but those horses will not be eligible for the 35 percent purse increase.

“All of us have been gratified at the success of the Ship & Win program this year, at both Del Mar and here at Santa Anita,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We're certainly hoping to continue to attract more out of state horses this winter and spring and given the significant amount of money available, this has certainly incentivized our horsemen to go out and procure additional racing prospects.”

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet Condition Book One is available online at santaanita.com. For additional information regarding Santa Anita's 2021-22 Ship & Win Program, please visit our website or call the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-RACE.

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“I'm a filmmaker,” Barochio explained in the winner's circle afterward.  “I make a film, I'm away for a year or two and then I come back. Last time I took three years off and came back in June. I've been working with Kevin Hart and Jamie Foxx on some things.”

Barocio, a 1987 graduate of the UCLA film school, got his racetrack education working with/for the late trainer Julio Canani and Canani's assistant Miguel Delgado. He's trained thoroughbreds, when not fully engaged in the business of his Culver City-based New Latin Cinema Productions, off and on since 1999.

He currently has seven horses in his stable. Principe Carlo ($39.00) nosed out favored Positivity in a photo to provide Barocio with his first stakes victory anywhere. “I prayed so hard,” Barocio said of the moments when the result hung in the balance. “But I felt good about it.”

Principe Carlo had been claimed for $20,000 in October of 2020, went unraced for more than a year, and came back with a creditable runner-up at Santa Anita before the Cary Grant.

The owning Mi Familia Racing Stable, which translates from Spanish to “My Family,” is indeed the family of Barocio, his wife two daughters and a son. Barocio has had runners at Del Mar over the years, he said, but not last summer

“I didn't come to Del Mar this (summer) because I was finishing up a film I was doing in Los Angeles,” Barocio said. “The guys (racing secretaries) Chris Merz at Santa Anita and David Jerkens here have been good to me. They gave me a chance and that's all I needed. David said I could come here any time.”

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Patterned after last season's successful Tin Man Starter Allowance Series, fillies and mares which have started for a claiming tag of $25,000 or less beginning in 2020 through entry time, are eligible. In addition to regular purse money, points will be awarded on a graduated scale to the first four finishers in each race, with 10 to the winner, six for second, three for third and one point to the fourth place runner.

At the end of the eight-race series, separate monetary awards will be given to owners of horses in both the sprint and route components of the series. Owners with the most points in each division will be awarded $5,000, with second place earning $3,000 and the third place finishers will each receive $2,000.

Those opting to run in sprints will compete at graduated distances of five furlongs, 5 ½ furlongs, six furlongs and 6 ½ furlongs.

Route races will start at one mile, then go to a mile and one eighth, a mile and one quarter and culminate at 1 ½ miles.

With leg one on Jan. 17 being contested at one mile, leg two, the beginning of the sprint series, will be run on Jan. 28 at five furlongs. Dates and distances for all subsequent races will be announced later.

“What we've done is package both a sprint series and route series as one,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Chris Merz. “Although we anticipate that those horses running in sprints will aim for the four short races and that our routers will try to do the same going long, horsemen may opt to mix and match in terms of distances at some point and they're welcome to do so.

“The Tin Man Starter Series, which we'll again be offering this winter and spring, was well received last season and we're hopeful this new series for fillies and mares will also generate a good deal of interest. It gives owners and trainers more options and obviously, it's a way to stay on the turf and run for good purse money against comparable horses without risking them for a claiming tag.”

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring opening day is Sunday, Dec. 26. For additional information regarding the Santa Anita Turf Starter Series for fillies and mares, please contact the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-6352.

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“With a number of out-of-state horses still here in Southern California following last week's Breeders' Cup World Championships, we want to be sure these horsemen know they've got some great options to train and race here at Santa Anita this winter and spring,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “The fact that we are now able to once again card sprints down our hillside turf course gives our horsemen a number of opportunities that are not available anywhere else in the country.

“Along with our turf chute, we're now able to accommodate a wide variety of needs, from maiden claiming to upper level allowance and stakes competition. When you factor in the likely prospect of good weather for training on our main track and inner training track, I think many owners and trainers can see we've got a lot to offer especially when compared to training and racing in very cold, wet conditions.”

With a 10 percent increase over last year announced this past October, Santa Anita will be offering the biggest overnight purse structure in its 87-year history.

For additional information, please visit www.santaanita.com or call the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-6352.

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