Top international jockey Frankie Dettori has announced his intention to spend the winter meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., according to an interview he gave on Nick Luck's Daily Podcast.
“At this stage at in my career, I've done a lot in Dubai,” Dettori told Luck. “I need a fresh challenge and this opportunity came up. With people telling me they want me over there, why not? Better late than never, let's give it a go.”
Dettori will be represented in Southern California by agent Ron Anderson, who also handles the book of John Velazquez.
Among Dettori's hopes for his winter at Santa Anita is the opportunity to score a mount in the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
“I would not think with him being located in California that we will have any problems whatsoever getting him on 3-year-olds,” Anderson told bloodhorse.com. “He will be well sought after. It's exciting for our end and I also think it's exciting for the business, he'll bring a new enthusiasm to the business just because he's present.”
When The Meadowlands resumes with live harness racing on Friday, Nov. 4, there will be a new morning-line oddsmaker and program analyst on staff.
Edison Hatter, 23, a harness racing jack-of-all-trades who has been working at The Big M as the handicapper on TVG telecasts as well as doing occasional winner's circle and back paddock interviews, will now add the morning-line and program comments to his already full to-do list.
“Edison Hatter is one of the brightest young minds in all of harness racing,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “His tremendous passion for the game – not to mention all of the things he has accomplished already at a remarkably young age – I believe make him the perfect choice to take on such a big responsibility.”
In addition to his four-pronged Meadowlands gig, Hatter intends to continue to serve as the track announcer at Freehold Raceway and will keep his position as an aerospace engineer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as well. He also hosts a weekly podcast – called “First Over” – about Woodbine Mohawk Park for the In The Money media network which will also incorporate Meadowlands happenings through the remainder of the year.
“It's obviously never the way you want to come into a job,” said Hatter, referring to the recent passing of longtime lead Big M TV host Dave Brower, who did the line and the comments. “It's an opportunity I look forward to and I will do the absolute best I can, but it'll never be the same at the Meadowlands without Dave Brower. He was the best.”
Maybe Brower said it best in a harnessracingupdate.com September 2021 feature on Hatter: “I know how young he is, but he acts like a polished professional.”
You never forget the name of your first lesson horse – that horse who taught you what you need to know to work with every one that follows.
In this series, participants throughout the Thoroughbred industry share the names and stories of the horses that have taught them the most about life, revealing the limitless ways that horses can impact the people around them. Some came early on in their careers and helped them set a course for the rest of their lives, while others brought valuable lessons to veterans of the business.
Question: Which horse has taught you the most about life?
Kazushi Kimura won the Eclipse Award for Apprentice Jockey of the Year for 2019
Kazushi Kimura, jockey: “I won my first Grade 1 with Gretzky the Great. That moment is not going to be forgotten, and I'm always happy to ride for the Casse barn, Gary Barber, and Eclipse Thoroughbreds.
“I've always loved watching him, and riding him in the morning. Even if I couldn't ride the horse because I had a different one, I still loved watching him.
“He always tried to listen to me. Some horses are just tough to ride, and are never going to listen, but Gretzky was so easy to ride. I really like that type of horse.
“I'm always happy to win stakes races, but a graded stakes, especially a Grade 1, is so much different for my career and my achievements. I hope there are more coming.”
About Gretzky the Great
2018, c., Nyquist x Pearl Turn, by Bernardini
Canada's champion 2-year-old male of 2020 broke his maiden in his second career start at Woodbine, then parlayed that into a hard-fought win in the listed Soaring Free Stakes. The horse and Kimura each earned their first Grade 1 victory in the following start, the G1 Summer Stakes, which they won by 3 1/4 lengths.
Gretzky the Great earned a “Win and You're In” berth to the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland by virtue of his Summer Stakes win, and he went on to finish sixth.
At three, Gretzky the Great spent the spring at Turfway Park, where he finished third in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, then he made a winning return to Woodbine that summer in the Greenwood Stakes.
Trained by Mark Casse for owners Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gretzky the Great retired with four wins in 11 starts for earnings of $379,866. He retired to Ocala Stud in Florida, where he will stand his first season in 2023.
The eighth race on Churchill Downs' opening day card Sunday was ruled no contest after jockey Alex Achard was injured in a one-horse spill in the 1 1/16-mile event for 2-year-olds run over a sloppy and sealed dirt track.
Achard was aboard Paddock Boss, who appeared to clip heels and fall hard amidst bunched horses nearing the first turn. The Twirling Candy colt was racing to the inside of B Minor with Corey Lanerie aboard, and Echo Again and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. Echo Again was just in front of Paddock Boss (No. 8) and B Minor (No. 10) while trying to avoid going wide after breaking from the outside 11 post.
Track announcer Travis Stone alerted jockeys that the race was called off as the field approached the far turn. Achard and Paddock Boss went down between the finish line and first turn where horses would still be going at a high rate of speed had the race continued.
Achard was taken to a local hospital with pain in his right knee, but X-rays showed nothing was broken, Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee said via Twitter. The rider has since been released.
Paddock Boss, trained by Rodolphe Brisset for Storyteller Racing and Schroeck Racing LLC, was euthanized. He was making his fourth start in Sunday's allowance optional claiming race and entered off a maiden-breaking win Sept. 13 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
After beginning his professional career in France, Archard shifted his tack to the U.S. in 2018. This year, he has compiled a 48-41-31 record from 371 mounts who have amassed purse earnings of $1,007,004, according to Equibase statistics. His top U.S. mount to date is Brazilian-bred In Love, who he rode to victory in the 2021 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) before they finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Del Mar.
