Kyle Frey Reaches 1,000-Win Mark With Front-Running Score At Del Mar

Jockey Kyle Frey registered a head victory Friday in the third race at Del Mar aboard the 2-year-old gelding Tizlightning and in the process won the 1,000th race of his career.

Frey put Tizlightning on the lead out of the gate and stayed there throughout. He had to nurse the tiring horse through the last sixteenth of a mile but got it done. The bay son of Stanford is owned and was bred by Lori Gallegos and is trained by Steve Miyadi, a primarily Northern California-based trainer who had used Frey hundreds of times previously in the Bay Area. The winner paid $4.80 as the favorite in the starter optional claiming sprint after running six furlongs in 1:11.40.

The 29-year-old Frey, a Northern California native who has ridden at tracks from coast to coast, appears to have found a riding home in Southern California this past year and his recent marriage and the birth of his daughter have given him even more reason to stay in one spot.

Frey was the Eclipse Award winner as the nation's top apprentice in 2011. His career has started and stopped several times due to injuries, but he's riding in fine form now and has become one of the steady members of the Southern California colony.

Frey has followed in the footsteps of his late grandfather, Paul Frey, who was a talented jockey who rode in both California and Washington State.

“I feel great joy in this win,” Frey said afterwards in the winner's circle. “I was asked about the fuss of the pressure of reaching a milestone, but I really didn't feel that. I'm just real happy I got it done.”

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Jockey Kyle Frey Nearing 1,000-Win Milestone At Del Mar

Jockey Kyle Frey enters Friday's program at Del Mar with 998 wins from 5,903 career starts according to Equibase statistics. He's scheduled aboard three mounts in the eight-race program and is booked for three more on Saturday and six on Sunday.

The 29-year-old from Tracy, Calif., said he has been aware of his proximity to the milestone 1,000th victory for “a week or two,” but is approaching it philosophically.

“I embrace it, but I'm not thinking about it or paying attention to it that much,” Frey said. “I've noticed that sometimes when guys near a milestone they slow down – I don't if it's because they're too aware or nervous or what. I'm not nervous, I'm just trying to go out and do my best to win every race.”

Frey has 157 wins from 759 mounts with purse earnings of $4.1 million and ranks 50th among jockeys nationally for money won this year. He came to the summer meeting with plans to ride a few days at Del Mar and then return to Golden Gate Fields in San Francisco, where he was among the top riders.

He won two races the second day of the local meeting, then the Fleet Treat Stakes on I'm So Anna for trainer Steve Sherman on the second weekend and tabled the notion of returning to Northern California. He notched 14 wins from 145 mounts with purse earnings of nearly $1 million and finished eighth in the rider standings for the 31-day session, a breakthrough time in what has become the best season of his career, topping $4 million in purse earnings for the first time since 2011.

“That (summer meeting) meant everything,” Frey said. “I owe it to the trainers who gave me a chance on good horses. I was able to execute to their plans early and things worked out well.”

With 12 mounts over the next three days, Frey estimated chances are “pretty good” he'll be able to put 1,000 wins in the rearview mirror.

“Anytime you're in a race, you've got a chance,” Frey said.

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TVG’s Weaver Wins Inaugural Folds Of Honor Poker Tournament At Santa Anita

Santa Anita Park's inaugural “Folds of Honor” Charity Poker Tournament, held Saturday night following the races in the Arcadia, Calif., track's Player's Lounge, located above Clockers' Corner, was deemed a rousing success as more than $50,000 was raised to help provide scholarships to spouses and children of disabled or fallen American military veterans.

A large contingent of Santa Anita fans, jockeys, agents, owners, trainers, employees, and other racing industry personalities helped to make the event a success.

“We were very gratified with the turn-out and the support we were able to provide to Folds of Honor,” said Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager Nate Newby. “One hundred percent of the money won went to the Folds of Honor Foundation. This is a tremendous cause and I think everyone senses we have an obligation to help the families of those who have given so much in the defense of our freedom. We look forward to expanding this event and hosting it again next year.”

Among those Santa Anita-based jockeys that participated last night were Joe Bravo, Abel Cedillo, Kyle Frey, Ricky Gonzalez, Juan Hernandez, Edwin Maldonado, Tiago Pereira, and Jessica Pyfer. Trainers included Vladimir Cerin, Ryan Hanson, Doug O'Neill, and Jonathan Wong.

Frank Mirahmadi, the Voice of Santa Anita, and TVG's Dave Weaver, who credited “beginner's luck” in making a winning “all-in” bet with Queen-Nine, off-suit, headed an enthusiastic group of Santa Anita employees and Thoroughbred owners.

The Folds of Honor Foundation, which has awarded more than 35,000 educational scholarships, was represented by retired United States Marine Corps Sergeant and P.O.W. Rocky Stickmann, who was one of 65 Americans taken hostage by Iranian extremists at the U.S. embassy in Teheran on Nov. 4, 1979. Stickman and his fellow Americans were held captive for 444 days until their release on the first day of Ronald Reagan's presidency on Jan. 20, 1981.

Santa Anita's current Autumn Meet will draw to a close next Sunday, Oct. 31, with first post time on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-7223.

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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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