Ricardo Santana Jr. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Martin Garcia Preparing To Return From Collarbone Fracture At Oaklawn Meet

Jockey Martin Garcia never really left, but his riding resurgence in 2020 abruptly ended when he fractured his collarbone in an Oct. 18 spill at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. Garcia got on horses for the first time since the accident Dec. 27 at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., where he made a huge splash last year in his debut as a regular, tying for second in the standings with 53 victories.

“I've had 2 ½ months,” Garcia said. “I'm not 100 percent yet, but I will be. The bone doesn't hurt, so I think that's the main thing.”

Garcia, 36, has been working horses for trainers like Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Brad Cox and Steve Hobby in preparation for the 2021 Oaklawn meeting that is scheduled to begin Jan. 22. Once an A-lister in Southern California, breezing or riding many of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's elite runners, Garcia relocated to the Midwest in late 2019 because of dwindling business on the West Coast.

Garcia finished his abbreviated 2020 season with 73 victories and $4,180,401 in purse earnings, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization. The win total was Garcia's highest since 2015. Garcia's purse earnings were his highest since 2016.

“I had a great year,” Garcia said. “I rode a lot of nice horses. Besides riding good horses, I was winning. I was very happy.”

Garcia pushed perennial champion Ricardo Santana Jr. for the Oaklawn riding title, trailing 54-51 entering the final three days of the 57-day season. Garcia finished with 53 victories, after losing two wins via disqualifications, from 285 mounts and purse earnings of $2,472,702.

Joe Talamo, in his first season as an Oaklawn regular after previously being based in Southern California, also rode 53 winners. Santana wound up with 61.

Garcia had opened the 2020 Oaklawn meeting by winning the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds aboard Gold Street for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and added the $125,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older female sprinters about a month later aboard Midnight Fantasy for trainer Joe Sharp.

“I think it would be good if you win the title, but if you're winning the big races like those, that's where it counts,” Garcia said.

Garcia's post-Oaklawn highlight was a three-quarter length victory aboard Harvey's Lil Goil in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) Oct. 10 at Keeneland for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. After running 11^th in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) May 1 at Oaklawn, Harvey's Lil Goil flourished in her return to turf.

In addition to the grassy QE II, Garcia also guided the daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah to a head victory in the $100,000 Regret Stakes (G3) on the turf June 27 at Churchill Downs. Harvey's Lil Goil finished third, beaten a neck, in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

After missing the Breeders' Cup because of injury, Garcia will now try to build on his Oaklawn resume, which features 59 victories, including six stakes, since 2010.

“Just keep riding for, I hope, everybody,” Garcia said. “I hope whoever gives me a chance, I'll take advantage of it.”

A native of Mexico, Garcia has amassed 1,632 victories and $91,615,021 in purse earnings since launching his career in the United Stakes in 2005, according to Equibase. He won the 2010 Preakness aboard the Baffert-trained champion Lookin At Lucky and is a four-time Breeders' Cup winner. All four of Garcia's Breeders' Cup victories (Drefong, Bayern, New Year's Day and Secret Circle) have been for Baffert.

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Another Milestone For Asmussen As Joy’s Rocket Gives Hall Of Famer 100th Stakes Victory At Fair Grounds

A journey that began in November 1995 when Valid Expectations won the Old Hickory reached its zenith on Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., as trainer Steve Asmussen set a remarkable milestone, winning his 100th career stakes at the local oval when Team Hanley and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Joy's Rocket beat Mariah's Princess by 1 ½ lengths in the $75,000 Letellier Memorial for 2-year-old fillies.

Joy's Rocket had shown plenty of speed in her first five starts but settled into an outside stalking position under Ricardo Santana Jr. as longshot Double Whopper set the early pace. Joy's Rocket took the lead entering the far turn and was quickly engaged by 2.90 second-choice Mariah's Princess, who appeared to get on even terms in early stretch but succumbed late, with the winner getting 6 furlongs in 1:10.17 as the .80-1 favorite. Charlie's Penny rallied for third.

For Asmussen, the win was just another milestone in a career full of them, as the Gettysburg, S.D., native has won three Triple Crown races, six Breeders' Cup races and the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 2008-09. He owns over 9,000 wins, and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 2016. The Letellier wasn't his only milestone win at Fair Grounds. Earlier this year he captured the 1,000th stakes of his career when Finite won the Silverbulletday in January, though it was Valid Expectations who came to mind in the winner's circle.

“Our first stakes win was here with Valid Expectations,” Asmussen fondly recalled. “He he was a very special horse to the barn and his win here in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Eve in 1995 put us over a million in earnings for the first time ever. Fair Grounds has been extremely important in the development of the barn.”

Joy's Rocket, a daughter of Anthony's Cross, has proven precocious and versatile from the start, winning on debut at Churchill Downs in June then traveling north to Woodbine to win the My Dear over the Tapeta in August. She next headed to Saratoga, where she was second in the Bolton Landing on turf later in August before running fourth while stretching out to a mile in Belmont Park's Frizette (G1) in October. Asmussen cut Joy's Rocket back in Keeneland's November 6 Songbird and she responded with a game, gate-to-wire. Now 4-for-6 lifetime, she showed a new dimension stalking the early pace in the Letellier, which could bode well going longer in the future.

“To let that filly (Double Whopper) to go about her business, I think it speaks well's for Joy's Rocket going further,” Asmussen said. “She's a very professional filly and Ricardo knows her and has a lot of confidence in her.”

Mariah's Princess was game in defeat and looked like a potential upset candidate off the far turn, as she gave the favorite a big scare. The daughter of Ghostzapper entered off a track and distance MSW win November 28 for trainer Phil Bauer, and while she couldn't see it out late, jockey Miguel Mena was impressed.

“We learned she is a very nice horse and she got beat by a very nice filly,” Mena said. “It was good to get her some black-type and we'll have to see what the future holds for this nice horse. She spotted some experience to the favorite but she can build off this.”

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Finite Proves Best In Chilukki; May Head West Next For La Brea

Favored Finite closed into a swift pace, moved into contention around the turn and ran down Sanenus (CHI) near the top of the stretch to comfortably win Saturday's 35^th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., by 2 1/2 lengths at odds of 6-5.

Finite, ridden by Ricardo Santana and trained by Steve Asmussen, clocked one mile over a fast track in 1:35.53 to beat eight other fillies and mares. It was the 3-year-old filly's fifth stakes win of her career and first against elders.

Risky Mandate led the field in the one-turn mile through swift fractions of :22.75 and :45.59 with Finite tracking in seventh down the backstretch. As she moved into contention circling around the field, Sanenus (CHI), who was sitting just off the pace-setter, grabbed the lead and crossed the six-furlong marker in 1:10.81. But the closing Finite quickly forged an advantage in upper stretch and willingly drew off thereafter.

“We had a great trip rating behind the pace,” Santana said. “I think at this stage of her career she is just getting better. She's only 3-years-old and today was her first time against older horses. We went one-turn today but she's maturing and going to be really nice at longer distances, too.”

Finite banked the $59,520 first prize for owners Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron Winchell),Thomas J. Reiman, William Dickson and Deborah A. Easter. She rewarded her backers with $4.40, $3.40 and $2.40. Sanenus (CHI), ridden by Rafael Bejarano at odds of 10-1, paid $7 and $3.80. Whoa Nellie was another 1 ¼ lengths back in third at 6-1 under Joe Rocco Jr. and returned $4.20.

Gold Standard, Grand Cru Classe, Risky Mandate, New Roo, Crazy Sexy Munny and Unique Factor completed the order of finish.

Prior to the Chilukki, Finite was the narrow runner-up finisher behind Venetian Harbor in last month's $200,000 Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland.

Overall, Finite has won six of 11 starts and $757,869. Her previous stakes scores came in the $122,097 Rags to Riches and $300,000 Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old and the $148,500 Silverbulletday and $294,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2) earlier this year at Fair Grounds.

Following her fourth-place effort in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in March, Finite underwent minor ankle surgery but returned to Asmussen's stable a few months later.

“She's a really quality filly,” said Asmussen, who also won the 2007 Chilukki with Rolling Sea. “We had a really nice win last year at Churchill in the Golden Rod (G2) and going one-turn in the Rags to Riches. I think she had five wins in a row at one point last year. It was a disappointing race in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and after that is when this year was sort of turned upside down. We gave her some time off after that race and she didn't really handle the going in her start at Kentucky Downs. In the Raven Run, she ran really well against some nice fillies that day.”

In an attempt to land a Grade 1 win to her resume, Asmussen plans to send Finite to California's Santa Anita for a start in the $300,000 La Brea (G1) for 3-year-old fillies over seven furlongs on Dec. 26.

Finite is a chestnut daughter of Munnings out of the Tapit mare Remit and was bred in Kentucky by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC.

Known as the Churchill Downs Distaff from 1996-2004, the Chilukki was renamed in 2005 to honor Stonerside Stable's graded stakes-winning filly who was trained by Bob Baffert. The daughter of Cherokee Run made four starts at Churchill Downs, all of which were victories. Chilukki won the 2000 edition of this race in what would be her final start with a final time of 1:33.57 – a track record at the time.

Racing at Churchill Downs resumes Sunday with a nine-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET. The carryover in the Single 6 Jackpot, which covers Races 4-9, is up to $162,270.

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Finite Favored In Chilukki Stakes At Churchill Downs

Winchell Thoroughbreds, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson and Deborah Easter's multiple graded stakes winning filly Finite was made the 8-5 morning line favorite for Saturday's 35th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Run at one-mile, the Chilukki is carded as Race 9 with a post time of 5:06 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post for the 10-race program is 1 p.m.

Finite, a 3-year-old filly by Munnings, was the narrow runner-up finisher behind Venetian Harbor in last month's $200,000 G2 Raven Run at Keeneland. Previously, the Steve Asmussen-trained Finite was on the Kentucky Oaks trail after victories in the $120,000 Rags to Riches, $300,000 G2 Golden Rod, $150,000 Silverbulletday and $300,000 G2 Rachel Alexandra. Following her fourth-place effort in the $400,000 G2 Fair Grounds Oaks, Finite underwent minor ankle surgery but returned to Asmussen's stable a few months later.

The complete field for the Chilukki from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): New Roo (Brian Hernandez Jr., Tommy Drury, 20-1); Finite (Santana, Asmussen, 8-5); Grand Cru Classe (Tyler Gaffalione, Bill Mott, 5-2); Whoa Nellie (Joe Rocco Jr., Larry Jones, 4-1); Gold Standard (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 15-1); Risky Mandate (Miguel Mena, Tom Amoss, 5-1); Crazy Sexy Munny (Crystal Conning, Bill Morey, 50-1); Unique Factor (Corey Lanerie, Peter Miller, 10-1); and Sanenus (Rafael Bejarano, Michael McCarthy, 20-1).

The Chilukki is named after the three-time Churchill Downs stakes-winning filly. Trained by Bob Baffert, Chilukki set two track records beneath the Twin Spires – her 1999 4 1/2-furlong debut performance in :51 and a scorching one-mile clocking in 1:33.57, breaking the 31-year track record in this event in 2000.

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