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Flood Of Northern California Horses Swells Fields, Boosts Wagering During Los Alamitos Meet

Large fields, a record Pick 6 pool and payoff, and a fourth consecutive sweep of the Grade 1 Starlet and Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert were among the highlights of the 11-day Los Angeles County Fair Winter Thoroughbred meet, which concluded Sunday at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif.

Buoyed by an influx of more than 200 horses from Northern California – due to the current suspension of racing at Golden Gate Fields – the average field size for the season was nearly nine runners per race, compared to 6.97 for the 2019 Winter meet. There were 854 participants in 98 races during the season.

This led to a sizable boost in terms of business. The average daily handle on races run at Los Alamitos was up 36% over 2019 and average daily handle increased 20% on a comparable basis to last year's Winter season.

“This meet was an unprecedented one,'' said F. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. “In the midst of a surge in COVID-19 cases in California and elsewhere, racing was conducted safely thanks to the excellent compliance by all participants with the preventative measures in place.

“As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak at Golden Gate Fields, trainers and caregivers were not permitted to accompany their horses to Southern California. Los Alamitos management and the connections of those horses from Northern California are indebted to the local trainers who stepped up and assumed the training and care of those thoroughbreds.

“Without their help, the meet would not have been as successful and the owners of the shippers from Northern California wouldn't have had the opportunity to race.

“The Southern California Off-Site Stabling and Vanning Fund also helped mitigate this situation by covering the costs of transporting horses from Golden Gate to Southern California. The efforts of many contributed to how well things went during these three weeks.''

A five-day Pick 6 carryover led to a record total Pick 6 pool – and payoff – Dec. 18. Chasing a carryover that had swelled to $423,178, bettors wagered $1,809,485 for a total pool of $2,232,663. The previous record of $1,558,329 was set Dec. 17, 2016.

There were six perfect tickets two days ago and each was worth $228,816, bettering the previous best of $110,732 Dec. 12, 2014.

Baffert's latest successes in the Starlet and Los Alamitos Futurity were provided by, respectively, 17-1 shot Varda and 19-10 second choice Spielberg. The nose victory by Spielberg over 33-1 shot The Great One was Baffert's seventh in a row in the Futurity and his 13th overall. He won it six times at Hollywood Park between 1997-2013.

The meet's other graded stakes – the Grade 3, $100,000 Bayakoa – was captured by Proud Emma for trainer Peter Miller and owners Gem Inc. and Tom Kagele.

The two other stakes were for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California. Sensible Cat won the $100,000 Soviet Problem for Irvin Racing Stable and trainer Carla Gaines while 13-1 shot Play Chicken won the $100,000 King Glorious for owner-breeder J. Paul Reddam's Reddam Racing LLC and trainer Doug O'Neill.

Baffert, O'Neill and Jonathan Wong shared the training title with five victories.

Baffert had the most wins (nine) for the year at Los Alamitos, combining the Winter meet with the Summer Thoroughbred Festival (June 27-July 5). O'Neill was second with eight and Steve Miyadi third with seven.

A closing day triple enabled Abel Cedillo to win the jockey title. He finished with 13 victories, one more than Juan Hernandez and two more than apprentice Jessica Pyfer.

For the year at Los Alamitos, Hernandez finished with 16 wins, one more than Cedillo. Edwin Maldonado was third with 13.

Daytime thoroughbred racing will return to Los Alamitos in 2021. The first of three meets is scheduled to begin Thursday, June 24 and continue through Sunday, July 4, followed by the Los Angeles County Fair season (Sept. 10-26) and the Winter meet (Dec. 2-12).

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‘Lovable Loser’ Zippy Chippy Still Winning Over Fans At Old Friends At Cabin Creek

As Zippy Chippy nears his 30thbirthday, fans of the lovable loser will be reassured to know he has not lost a step. Then again, he never had a step to lose.

The oh-so-slow bay gelding has been retired for the last 10 years at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center, N.Y., where the infamy of falling short in all 100 of his starts has given way to fame.

Before the pandemic, scores of visitors wanted to spend time with Zippy Chippy, to get a glimpse of the horse that sometimes stood still while opponents charged from the starting gate. On other occasions, he would attempt to nip at rivals as they sped by. Such antics allowed him to make People magazine's list of the Most Interesting Personalities in 2000.

Foaled in 1991, the son of Compliance endured the ignominy of being acquired by owner and trainer Felix Monserrate in 1995 in exchange for a seven-year-old Ford truck. He performed so poorly that he was banned from numerous tracks that included Finger Lakes, which banished him after he failed to break with the rest of the field for the third consecutive start in racing's version of “three strikes and you're out.”

Monserrate retired Zippy Chippy in December, 2004, approximately three months after the horse hit the century mark in defeats in a race at Northampton Fair in Northampton, Mass. Fittingly, he finished last.

After a stint as a pony for an outrider at, of all places, Finger Lakes, Zippy Chippy ultimately made his way to the division of Old Friends named for Bobby Frankel, the late Hall of Fame trainer, in upstate New York. It is there that he found a soulmate in Red Down South, a chestnut New York-bred gelding. And it is there that he enjoys rock-star status.

Feed time for Zippy Chippy (right) and Red Down South

“He's brought so many people here and made them aware of how long horses live and all of their needs,” said JoAnn Pepper, who oversees the 40-acre retirement facility.

Like racing itself, celebrity did not come easily to Zippy Chippy. As part of its grand opening a decade ago, Old Friends at Cabin Creek set up a winner's circle with the idea that he would parade around the enclosure to the delight of fans who never saw that happen in reality.

This went as badly as many of his races.

As soon as Zippy Chippy and Red Down South were separated from the paddock that only the two of them share, trouble began.

“He was about 20 feet away from Red and they both went crazy not being together for 10 minutes,” Pepper said. “We had to put Zippy back in the paddock. That was after he kicked over the (winner's circle) sign and threw a fit. He hated every minute of it.”

Zippy Chippy celebrating his birthday

Zippy Chippy got loose approximately eight years ago. Not surprisingly, he did not run far. He was breathing heavily at the end.

“Maybe that was part of it, that he couldn't breathe as good as he should have while he was racing,” Pepper suggested.

There is no reason to think Zippy Chippy will run anywhere any time soon. To be sure, he goes at his own sluggish pace. Red Down South, only somewhat faster as a winner of two of 32 starts, has been known to bring his hay to him. When it rains, Red will force his best buddy to seek nearby shelter with him. In other instances, he will put pressure on him to walk, perhaps sensing that his roommate is 10 years older and will benefit from light exercise.

Zippy Chippy will make his way to the paddock fence, but do not come empty handed. “It's all about the candy,” Pepper said. “He eats a lot of candy for his age, but he seems fine with it.”

He will tolerate picture-takers. Well, somewhat. He often sticks out his tongue.

There is something about Zippy Chippy in retirement that makes him as endearing off the track as he was on it. Rosanne Frieri, 68, a professional photographer from Richmond, Mass., cannot get enough of him.

“There is something about an underdog. I migrate toward them,” said Frieri. “When I found out about Zippy Chippy with his record, I fell in love with him.”

She donates $100 per month to aid in his care. She delivered knitted Christmas stockings for Zippy and Red (“I didn't want either one to feel left out.”) She hopes to be able to safely hold a Kentucky Derby party to benefit Old Friends.

“I just love going up there,” Frieri said. “I love petting him and talking to him.”

Zippy Chipp (left) and Red Down South often express displeasure at photographers

Two authors found him equally captivating. Humorist William Thomas wrote “The Legend of Zippy Chippy: Life Lessons from Horse Racing's Most Lovable Loser.” Artie Bennett wrote a children's book illustrated by David Szalay: “The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse That Couldn't.”

Bennett was enthralled by the horse that couldn't as soon as he heard the name. “It's like straight out of a nursery rhyme – Zippy Chippy,” he said.

He views Zippy Chippy's career as an inspiring tale for his impressionable audience.

“Children can learn from that, the importance of trying,” he said. “They can learn to give things their best shot, and not everyone can excel at everything. We mustn't let fear of failure keep us from trying new things.”

As Zippy Chippy relishes the idyllic setting that is home, as he takes comfort in Red's company, perhaps he reminds stressed-out adults of the value of taking life at a gentler pace.

Tom Pedulla wrote for USA Today from 1995-2012 and has been a contributor to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blood-Horse, America's Best Racing and other publications.

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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Fire’s Finale Is Kenwood’s ‘Icing On The Cake’

The goal in horse racing may be to hit the wire in front, but the real nature of the sport can't be found in a single trip over the racetrack. Wins just wouldn't matter as much if they didn't require us to believe in taking chances, to maintain our hope through all the difficult times, and a little bit of luck.

Those are the reasons Robb Levinsky was unable to contain his joy when his Kenwood Racing homebred Fire's Finale won the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes on Dec. 7 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn. The 2-year-old Pennsylvania-bred is the last foal out of Levinsky's favorite racemare, Exchanging Fire, and was ridden by Mychel Sanchez, whose agent, Joe Hampshire, was the mare's regular rider.

“This race was like a gathering of old friends, and it's one I'll remember a long time,” Levinsky said, acknowledging that the win stands out as a rare high moment during the day-to-day struggles of the pandemic. “It's not been an easy year for the world, so racing has been an escape from a tough year for all of us. It's not perfect, it doesn't make up for everything, but it has definitely helped.”

Several of the dozen syndicate owners were on hand to watch as Fire's Finale made an impressive rally from behind the field to win by a length, earning his first stakes score in his seventh lifetime start. Levinsky's emotions ran over as he entered the winner's circle.

“We don't breed a lot of horses, but (his dam Exchanging Fire) was just a member of the family,” he explained. “I've been in this business for 35 years, so I try not to get overly attached, but we really loved her.”

Levinsky claimed Exchanging Fire for $50,000 in 2007 at Gulfstream Park. The next year the daughter of Exchange Rate won three listed stakes races and finished fourth in a Grade 3 race at Monmouth Park that year, and ran out earnings of nearly $250,000 through her 27-race career.

The filly retired at the end of 2008, and Levinsky knew that the stock market crash meant she wouldn't bring what she was worth at auction. He decided to keep the mare and breed her himself.

“We always knew she had talent,” Levinsky said. “I felt eventually she was going to reproduce herself, but it didn't happen right away.”

Exchanging Fire's first foal died at birth when he was strangled on his umbilical cord. After giving her a year off to recover, she was able to produce three more foals over the next several years, though none of those were particularly inspiring on the racetrack.

Her fourth foal, a bay colt by Jump Start born in 2018, seemed to have all the right things going for him. Unfortunately, Exchanging Fire colicked a month after the colt was born, and she died on the operating table at New Bolton when she was 14 years old.

“They couldn't save her,” Levinsky said. “With Fire's Finale, we got him onto a nurse mare and he survived, but he'd certainly had a rough start in life. It never seemed to bother him, but obviously it meant a lot to us for him being her last foal.”

The colt's early training was so promising that Levinsky decided he'd offer a portion to new-to-the-game owner Ralph Pastori, a CPA from New York. This year was Pastori's initial foray into the horse racing game, and he'd first approached Levinsky with the idea to buy shares of horses from the 2-year-old sales.

When the pandemic affected the schedule of those sales, Levinsky didn't find as many horses in his target price range, and he started to consider whether it'd be a good idea to offer up 25 percent of Fire's Finale.

“Everything was going well, and I told Pastori, 'Look, I honestly really, really like the horse,'” Levinsky remembered. “I said, 'You can definitely pass if you want, I just think he has a chance to be something special.'

“I took a chance with my reputation, which is very important to me, and I kind of had to go out on a limb a little. But he had trained so well up to that point, and fortunately that worked out!”

Trained by Kelly Breen, Fire's Finale took a couple starts to figure out the racing game, but the colt never finished worse than fourth in his seven starts this season. Following the stakes score, his record stands at 2-2-1 with earnings of $108,315.

Fire's Finale in the Parx Racing winner's circle

“It was certainly emotional to keep him ourselves, rather than try to sell him at one of the sales or something, and to see him have this kind of success,” said Levinsky. “I think Fire's Finale has a chance to be a really good horse for us next year as a 3-year-old.”

Breen wasn't able to attend the race at Parx that Monday afternoon, so Levinsky's long-time friend and former neighbor Ron Dandy was in the paddock before the Nursery Stakes to saddle Fire's Finale. It was Dandy who told Levinsky about the jockey connection, just before the race started.

“I didn't know the rider who was named on him at all, I just knew he was leading the standings at Parx,” Levinsky explained. “Ron said, 'He's a really nice young man, a good up-and-coming rider. You know who his agent is, don't you? Joe Hampshire!'”

Hampshire rode Exchanging Fire at Parx when she was still running, and his wife met Levinsky in the paddock.

“She remembered Exchanging Fire, and I'm sure Joe has ridden a lot of horses,” Levinsky said. “It was really cool, kind of like a full circle thing.”

Despite struggles brought about by the pandemic altering racing schedules, Levinsky's stable has won 19 of its 90 starts in 2020. The syndicate is three-for-three in December alone, with wins in the opening-day feature at Gulfstream and a filly breaking her maiden at Laurel.

“It's been a very fulfilling year for us,” said Levinsky, adding, “This is not the norm, I'm not trying to say that it is; we recognize that it's special. Fire's Finale winning a stakes to end the year was really the icing on the cake.”

Levinsky knows how hard it is to earn those stakes wins, describing Kenwood Racing as a smaller operation with a matching budget. He earned TOBA's Outstanding Thoroughbred Owner – Breeder award in 1989 and won the prestigious California Derby in the 1990s with a horse named Prime Meridean, but he said the day-to-day wins can often be the most emotionally significant ones.

“We've been tied in with this horse, especially, for so long, it's just that much sweeter,” said Levinsky. “I think Fire's Finale has a chance to be a really good horse for us, and next year I hope he gets to have a big 3-year-old season. First and foremost, though, and not to sound like Pollyanna, but I truly hope that the whole world will be better next year.”

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Spielberg Gives Baffert Seventh Consecutive Victory In Los Alamitos Futurity

Trainer Bob Baffert ran his winning streak to seven in the Los Alamitos Futurity on Saturday, but it wasn't easy.

Spielberg, a $1-million yearling purchase by Union Rags, needed every inch of the 1 1/16 miles of the Grade 2 race at the Cypress, Calif., track to catch the front-running 30-1 long shot The Great One, but jockey Flavien Prat got him up in the final jump. The victory was the 13th in the Futurity for the Hall of Fame trainer since Real Quiet won in 1997, when the race was run at Hollywood Park. The Inglewood, Calif., track ran its last race in 2013 and is now the site of an NFL football stadium.

Spielberg ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.56. The Great One held second, with Petruchio a distant third and 4-5 favorite Red Flag fourth in the field of six 2-year-old colts and geldings.

Spielberg paid $5.80 as the second choice in the wagering.

In addition to the $120,000 earned for the win, Spielberg earns 10 qualifying points for the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The second- through fourth-place finishers get 4, 2, and 1 point, respectively. None of the six starters raced on Lasix, a new requirement set by Churchill Downs for horses to be eligible for Derby points.

Updated Kentucky Derby points leaderboard.

Spielberg is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson. Out of the Smart Strike mare Miss Squeal, Spielberg was bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and purchased at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the consignment of Lane's End, which stands Union Rags.

The Great One, a Nyquist colt who came into the Futurity winless in three starts, went straight to the lead under Abel Cedillo and carved out fractions of :23.01 for the opening quarter mile, :47.76 for the half, and 1:10.66 for six furlongs. Red Flag raced along the rail as Weston chased the front runner from in between horses, and Spielberg was kept clear on the outside.

Into the far turn, Red Flag failed to enter contention as Spielberg began to make his bid and Weston, who was making his first start around two turns, faltered.

The Great One clung to the lead into the long Los Alamitos stretch, passing the mile marker in 1:35.81 and still in front. But Spielberg was eating into the margin as The Great One began to shorten stride and was just up in a desperate finish.

The victory was the second in six starts for Spielberg, who ran second to Dr. Schivel twice at Del Mar in an Aug. 8 maiden race and the Sept. 7 G1 Del Mar Futurity. He was still a maiden when third behind Get Her Number at Santa Anita in the G1 American Pharoah Stakes on Sept. 26, then defeated maidens at Del Mar Nov. 2, edging the highly regarded Parnelli by a neck. He came out of a fourth-place finish Nov. 15 going seven furlongs at Del Mar in the G3 Bob Hope Stakes. Red Flag won by 7 1/4 lengths for trainer John Shirreffs.

“I'd never ridden him before, but (trainer) Bob (Baffert) told me he was doing great,” said Prat. “The outside was a good draw for him. He broke well and was able to relax. I thought we had it all the way down the stretch but it was close.''

“That horse (runner-up The Great One) was tough to get by,” said Baffert. “We needed every bit of that stretch and we were fortunate to get there. I didn't know if I was going to run him here and I didn't decide until after he worked well this week (six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 Dec. 13 at Santa Anita). I knew he was going to run well because he had shipped well over here and he was really on it in the paddock. I'm just happy for everybody in the ownership group.

“Now we can start thinking (Kentucky) Derby,” Baffert continued. “It starts here for us. I thought it was an easy spot last time (fourth as the 3-5 favorite in the Bob Hope) and he didn't ship well. He got nervous when he got in the stall there and was just flat. We ran him back too quick. I asked Prat if there's more there and he said there's a lot more. I think he'll get better with maturity. He's a beautiful horse.''

Of Baffert's 13 winners of the Futurity, only Real Quiet, the 1997 winner, would go on to win the G1 Kentucky Derby.

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