santa anita park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ricardo Gonzalez Wins First Grade 1, Voted Jockey Of The Week

Ricardo “Ricky” Gonzalez's decision to move his tack from Northern California to Southern California was a decision that brought him his first career Grade 1 win and Jockey of the Week honors for the week of Dec. 21 through Dec. 27. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Trainer Eoin Harty gave Gonzalez a leg up on Fair Maiden in the G1 La Brea for 3-year-old fillies on Santa Anita's opening day. Off at odds of 20-1 and seventh of 10 in the early portion of the seven-furlong race, she gained ground on the far turn, kicking clear to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:22.69.

“I've been watching Ricky since he came down here and I think he's the next superstar,” said Harty.

On his first career G1 win Gonzalez remarked, “I was just so happy and excited, just to ride these kinds of horses, it feels great. I am very thankful to Eoin and all the trainers for all the opportunities.”

In the final stakes of opening day, Gonzalez was aboard Nasty for trainer Richard Baltas in the one mile Lady of Shamrock Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Nasty took a commanding lead in the first half of the turf contest and held off a furious rally from East Coast invader Counterparty Risk for the win.

A native of Sinaloa, Mexico, Gonzalez came to the United States in 2013 first to Turf Paradise. He soon moved his tack to Golden Gate Fields where he rode regularly until this summer beginning with the Del Mar meet where he rode 16 winners.

Gonzalez's weekly stats were 10-2-1-3 with purse earnings of $257,160.

Gonzalez out-polled fellow riders Flavien Prat who won two stakes at Santa Anita, Mike Smith who also won two stakes races at Santa Anita, Jevian Toledo with three stakes wins at Laurel and Edgard Zayas who led all jockeys in wins with nine.

The post Ricardo Gonzalez Wins First Grade 1, Voted Jockey Of The Week appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Nate Newby: ‘A Better Day-To-Day Product’ Is Key To Santa Anita’s Success

Santa Anita's new general manager Nate Newby spoke to the Los Angeles Times this week about his vision for the Arcadia, Calif. track. The long-time racing executive has been with Santa Anita for approximately 20 years, and is committed to improving the Southern California racing product.

A regular at handicapping tournaments over the years, Newby plans to use the handle and field size statistics to measure success in this new role. The track's groundbreaking safety initiatives will continue to be a primary focus, as well.

“Southern California and Santa Anita have over the years been the gold standard of racing,” Newby told latimes.com. “We have the quality, we have the best horses in the world and that shows in the premier events — the Triple Crown races and Breeders' Cup. Putting on a better day-to-day product for our horse players is key. My top priorities, 1 and 1a, are continuing our safety initiatives, making sure we're safe for both horses and riders.”

TVG Live On Site For Big Saturday Card At Santa Anita Park

Three Grade 1 stakes, the American Oaks (G1), the La Brea Stakes (G1) and the Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1), jumpstart TVG's live coverage of the Santa Anita Winter/Spring meet this weekend from Arcadia, Calif. TVG, America's horse racing network, will be live on site at Santa Anita on Saturday, Dec. 26 with coverage and analysis by Todd Schrupp, Christina Blacker and Britney Eurton.

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring meet will run through June 20 and feature 95 stakes races including the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 3. Post time on Saturday is 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT.

Saturday's $300,000 American Oaks (G1), which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the turf., has attracted a field of ten sophomore fillies from some of the top barns throughout the country including 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) champion Sharing for trainer Graham Motion. She will have John Velazquez in the irons. In addition, trainer Chad Brown will send out two contenders – Capital Structure with Joel Rosario and Duopoly with Flavien Prat.

The $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) is the featured tenth race on the card and the seven-furlong contest will feature some of the fastest 3-year-olds in training. Steve Asmussen will send out the undefeated Nashville who will be making his graded stakes debut after an impressive victory in the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland in November. Regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. will be aboard the son of Speightstown. The race will also mark the return to action for Charlatan, one of two horses in the race for trainer Bob Baffert.

On Christmas Day, TVG will be airing TVG Classics featuring highlights of major races throughout the years featuring memorable performances from Zenyatta, Gun Runner and Justify as well as some marquee events from 2020 including the TVG Pacific Classic.

In addition to opening weekend from Santa Anita, TVG will be featuring racing from Gulfstream Park, Fair Grounds, Tampa Bay Downs and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

The post TVG Live On Site For Big Saturday Card At Santa Anita Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Rideforthecause Debuts For McCarthy In Sunday’s Robert J. Frankel Stakes

Trainer Michael McCarthy has two new shooters and thus holds what appears to be a solid two-card hand in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Robert J. Frankel as Rideforthecause and Altea bring solid credentials to a field of 10 fillies and mares going a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita turf.

Most recently fourth, beaten 2 ¾ lengths as the 5-2 favorite in the G1 E.P. Taylor Stakes going a mile and one quarter on turf at Woodbine, Rideforthecause, a 4-year-old Ontario-Canadian-bred daughter of Candy Ride, took the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 12 and brings a record of 11-4-0-1, good for earnings of $291,226 to the Frankel. A Sam-Son Farm homebred, she was formerly trained by Gail Cox and will make her first start for McCarthy while ridden by Umberto Rispoli.

Based in New York with Chad Brown through the month of October, Altea, a 5-year-old French-bred mare, is winless in seven starts this year, and has but two wins from 23 starts. However, she has amassed earnings of $290,664 from an overall mark of 23-2-8-4. In what will be her first start for McCarthy, she'll be ridden by Abel Cedillo.

Eastern-based juggernaut Chad Brown also figures prominently as he'll send out Irish-bred Miss Teheran, a lightly raced 4-year-old filly who will be ridden by Joel Rosario. Most recently fifth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in an ungraded turf stakes going a mile and one sixteenth at Aqueduct Nov. 27, Miss Teheran, who was two for four as a juvenile in France, was unraced at three and will be making her third start this year in the Frankel.

Best suited from off the pace, Miss Teheran should handle the distance, as she shows a win going 1 3/16 miles on turf in her final French start on Dec. 5, 2018. With Rosario teaming with Brown, she should attract plenty of pari-mutuel attention.

George Krikorian's California-bred Mucho Unusual, winner of the G1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at a mile and one quarter on turf two starts back on Sept. 26, figures prominently as she tries to rebound from a 12th place finish in the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 7.

Phil D'Amato's consistent Zee Drop, second two starts back in the G2 Goldikova Stakes here on Nov. 28, and Hall of Famer Ron McAnally's homebred She's Our Charm, beaten four lengths in the G1 Matriarch going one mile on turf at Del Mar Nov. 29, also rate solid chances on Sunday.

Named in honor of the late Hall of Fame trainer who passed away at age 68 in 2009, Bobby Frankel was a five-time leading Winter/Spring trainer at Santa Anita and he remains the track's all-time leader by races won with 917 and is third on the all-time stakes won list with 146. Frankel won the race's precursor, the San Gorgonio Stakes, a record seven times.

THE GRADE III ROBERT J. FRANKEL STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Rideforthecause—Umberto Rispoli—125
She's Our Charm—Juan Hernandez—121
Never Be Enough—Tiago Pereira—123
Miss Teheran—Joel Rosario—121
Altea—Abel Cedillo—121
Meal Ticket—Tyler Baze—121
Colonial Creed—Mario Gutierrez—121
Posh Holly—Alexis Centeno—121
Zee Drop—Flavien Prat—121
Mucho Unusual—John Velazquez—125

Special early first post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 11:30 a.m. All of Santa Anita's races are available free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Rideforthecause Debuts For McCarthy In Sunday’s Robert J. Frankel Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post