Nate NEwby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Beholder Mile To Be Renamed To Honor Hughes

The GI Beholder Mile is being renamed the B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile in honor of the multiple champion's late owner, who passed away in August 2021.

Hughes, the founder of the Public Storage company and whose silks carried the same purple-and-orange color scheme, owned horses for five decades and was the proprietor of Spendthrift Farm from 2004.

Beholder, a daughter of Henny Hughes, was purchased for $180,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September sale and won a record 13 stakes races at Santa Anita, including the 2012 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and Breeders' Cup Distaffs in Arcadia in 2013 and 2016. A four-time Eclipse Award winner, she registered 12 Grade I victories and retired with earnings of $6,156,600. She was inducted into Racing's Hall of Fame in 2022.

“Santa Anita is proud to honor someone who gave so much to the sport,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager. “Mr. Hughes was a true sportsman who made contributions in every aspect of the game. It only seems appropriate that his name stands alongside his greatest racemare in Santa Anita's most prestigious race for fillies and mares.”

Added current Spendthrift owner Eric Gustavson: “The team at Spendthrift, including Wayne's daughter Tammy and me, would like to sincerely thank Santa Anita for renaming the Beholder Mile. To have B. Wayne Hughes's name attached to such a prestigious race, named after his best race mare at his favorite place is an amazing way to honor him.”

The post Beholder Mile To Be Renamed To Honor Hughes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

New Synthetic Tapeta Training Track Opens At Santa Anita

Edited Press Release

Santa Anita Park has opened its all-new synthetic Tapeta inner training track manufactured by Maryland-based Tapeta Footings, Inc., effective Saturday morning.

Following the Breeders' Cup, the 'Great Race Place' embarked upon an $8 million project to provide horsemen with a state-of-the-art all-weather surface that will complement its one-mile natural dirt main track and serve as a safe and viable component in the conditioning of Thoroughbreds on a year 'round basis.

“At Tapeta, our aim is to maintain the surface so that we have a soft cushion below and a slightly firmer finish on top,” said Joan Wakefield, of Tapeta Footings. “This helps to reduce kickback and provide stability without as much impact on the horse. For the training track at Santa Anita, we have used a high temperature wax specially blended to suit the California climate.”

Santa Anita's original training track, “Anita Chiquita,” was eliminated in the early 1970s when construction began on what is now The Shops at Santa Anita Mall which adjoins the racetrack off of Baldwin Ave. Subsequently, Santa Anita's current inner training track was constructed at that time. At 4,200 feet, it is just shy of 6 1/2 furlongs in circumference.

“We are delighted to have finished construction on this very important project and I know our horsemen are anxious to begin utilizing it,” said Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager Nate Newby. “It's been a major undertaking and we are so fortunate to have the project headed up by Dennis and Rob Moore along with Jesse Martinez.”

The post New Synthetic Tapeta Training Track Opens At Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Santa Anita, Cal Poly Pomona Partner on Internships

Students who are currently enrolled in the Cal Poly Pomona Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Equine Studies Minor program will have the opportunity to intern at Santa Anita in a partnership announced Sunday.

“We are truly excited about this new partnership with Cal Poly Pomona,” said Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager Nate Newby. “This is a tremendous way for us to introduce up-and-coming young professionals, as well a large group of highly motivated Cal Poly students, to our industry and best veterinary practices in Thoroughbred racing. We look forward to welcoming our new interns and we hope to make fans out of them as well.”

Fourth-year students Tina Kabbouche and Vanessa Cardenas have been selected as “debut” interns at Santa Anita from Feb. 18 through May 12.

Kabbouche, an Animal Science major with a Pre-Veterinary/ Graduate School option, plans to begin attending veterinary school next year. Her interests include the sports medicine aspects of the equine world.

Cardenas, an Animal Health Science major, intends to become a registered veterinary technician. Her goals include working within the equine industry, with an emphasis on the Thoroughbred racetrack industry.

The post Santa Anita, Cal Poly Pomona Partner on Internships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Santa Anita’s Friday Program Canceled

With training suspended since Sunday due to historic rainfall from a series of storms, Santa Anita Park, in consultation with its horsemen, postponed Friday's nine-race card to give time for horses to return to a normal routine before this weekend's races. The Friday races will be offered back next Thursday. Per CHRB rules, they will be re-drawn when entries are taken this Saturday.

“With training suspended for the last four days, per the CHRB protocols only joggers will be allowed on Thursday and we return to regular training Friday morning,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager. “Many of our trainers and horse owners have conveyed they would prefer an extra day for their horses to resume training before we race this weekend.

“Dennis Moore and his maintenance team have done a terrific job taking care of the track. We got over 10 inches of rain since Sunday afternoon, but the forecast looking forward is very good. We're confident that the main track and the turf course, especially with the improved drainage that was installed last year, will be in excellent condition ready when racing resumes on Saturday.”

With a favorable weather forecast, Saturday's races, which are being drawn Wednesday morning, will include a trio of Grade III stakes: the $100,000 Las Virgenes S., the $100,000 San Marcos S. and the $100,000 Palos Verdes S.

The post Santa Anita’s Friday Program Canceled appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post