santa anita | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings: Jan. 11-17

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public and where.

California

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 01/14/2022
Licensee: Kent Desormeaux, jockey
Penalty: $500
Violation: Excessive use of the riding crop
Explainer: Jockey Kent Desormeaux is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8) (Use of Riding Crop–more than six times–first offense within the past 60 days) during the eighth race at Santa Anita Park on January 9, 2022.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 01/15/2022
Licensee: Peter Eurton, trainer
Penalty: $400
Violation: Late registration of Lasix
Explainer: Trainer Peter Eurton is fined $400.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1845 (Authorized Bleeder Medication–late registration) of Memes in the eighth race on January 14, 2022, at Santa Anita Park.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 01/15/2022
Licensee: John Velazquez, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Jockey John Velazquez, who rode Con on the Run in the first race at Santa Anita Park on January 14, 2022, is suspended for three (3) racing days (January 22, 23 and 28, 2022) for failure to make the proper effort to maintain a straight course in the stretch, causing interference which resulted in the disqualification of his mount from first to second. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules–Careless Riding).

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 01/16/2022
Licensee: Drayden Van Dyke, jockey
Penalty: $500
Violation: Excessive use of the riding crop
Explainer: Jockey Drayden Van Dyke is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8) (Use of Riding Crop–more than six times–first offense within the past sixty days) during the third race at Santa Anita Park on January 15, 2022.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 01/16/2022
Licensee: Reid France, trainer
Penalty: $200
Violation: Failure to saddle
Explainer: Trainer Reid France, who failed to saddle Big Papa Steve in the first race at Santa Anita Park on January 15, 2022, is fined $200.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1894 (Duties of Trainer–failure to appear to saddle–second offense).

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 01/17/2022
Licensee: Daisuke Fukumoto, jockey
Penalty: $500
Violation: Excessive use of the riding crop
Explainer: Jockey Daisuke Fukumoto is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8) (Use of Riding Crop–more than six times–first offense within the past sixty days) during the sixth race at Santa Anita Park on January 16, 2022.

New York

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 01/16/2022
Licensee: Steven Fret, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Horse Charlotte Webley # (4) ridden by Steven Fret was disqualified from second position and placed last this for careless riding during the running of the fourth race at Aqueduct racetrack on January 9, 2022. For having waived his right to appeal jockey Steven Fret is hereby suspended three NYRA racing days January 21-23 2022, inclusive.

Kentucky

Track: Turfway Park
Date: 01/14/2022
Licensee: Joe Sharp, trainer
Penalty: Vacation of penalties
Violation: N/A
Explainer: Due to the de-classification of levamisole in August 2015 by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, all penalties previously assessed to Owner/Trainer Joe Sharp in Stewards' Rulings #21-0006, #21-0008, #21-0010, #21-0011 and #21-0012 are hereby vacated. Read more from the TDN on the ruling here.

The post Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings: Jan. 11-17 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Neige Blanche Rallies For Astra Stakes Win As Trainer Powell Mourns Loss Of His Father

Bottled up at the rail as the 1-5 favorite, French-bred Neige Blanche and jockey Juan Hernandez had but one option – wait out the storm. And wait they did, as the 5-year-old mare was able to finally split horses two from the rail turning for home and then overcome a 2 ½-length deficit a furlong out to run down Flavien Prat and Disappearing Act by one length in Monday's Grade 3, $125,000 Astra Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Trained by French native Leonard Powell, Neige Blanche (White Snow) got a marathon mile and one half on firm turf in 2:32.27.

With the Astra start transferred earlier in the day because of rain from the hillside course to a flat start on the backstretch, Frose bounded out to an early lead with Disappearing Act and Neige Blanche in close attendance. With nowhere to go with five sixteenths of a mile remaining, Neige Blanche had to bide her time while the back markers, Reiwa and Scherzo actually passed her approaching the quarter pole.

“The trip worked out pretty good for her because she likes to run like that,” said Hernandez, who has now ridden Neige Blanche in her last seven races, winning four of them. “Just put her behind horses and she was happy the whole race. I was just waiting for some space to come through and make her run, because as soon as she finds (room), you just put her in there and she just comes right through like she did today.

“I put a lot of trust in her and in Leonard to have her ready. I felt like I had a lot of horse. We were just waiting for something to open up. She's a nice filly, she was ready today.”

A winner of the G3 Red Carpet Handicap going 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar Nov. 25, Neige Blanche, heavily favored in a field of five older mares, paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10.

Owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Laura De Seroux, Marsha Naify and Mathilde Powell, Neige Blanche registered her third graded stakes win and fourth overall added money win, running her overall mark to 16-7-0-3. With the winner's share of $75,000, she increased her earnings to $390,280.

“I was cursing my country and (fellow Frenchman) Flavien a little bit to open the hole, but she was there when Juan asked her and she's a very game filly, she's all-out,” said Powell, who suffered the recent loss of his father, a prominent bloodstock agent in France. “In the first of the spring, we have races here (at Santa Anita) that are spaced apart four or five weeks, so we will do that and if she does well, maybe we will try to look at a Grade 1 somewhere down the road.

When asked by TVG's Joaquin Jaime about the death of his father, Powell responded, “My father has done a lot for racing in France, and me being here is part of him. And my daughter (Mathilde) being here, that's another part of him. My brothers and stepbrother back in France, we all live on with all that he told us. He was a great man to all and I hope we make him proud.”

The second choice with Prat at 3-1, Disappearing Act nearly pulled off the upset, finishing six lengths clear of English-bred Scherzo and paid $2.80 and $2.10.

Last early, Scherzo, who shipped in from Golden Gate Fields for trainer Manny Badilla, was off at 22-1 with Kyle Frey up and paid $3.60 to show while finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of early pacesetter Frose.

Fractions on the race were 25.99, 51.35, 1:16.99, 1:42.70 and 2:08.06.

Live racing resumes with first post time for an eight-race card on Friday at 12:30 p.m.

The post Neige Blanche Rallies For Astra Stakes Win As Trainer Powell Mourns Loss Of His Father appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

$17.1 Million Wagered On Santa Anita’s Cal Cup Day Highest Since 2007 Renewal

With all-sources pari-mutuel handle topping $17.2 million, Saturday's California Cup Day at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., was a rousing success both in terms of money bet and an outstanding 10-race card of state-bred racing.

“We were very pleased with field size and the tremendous response from our fans, nationwide,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita senior vice president and general manager. “We averaged 8.1 horses per race and it was great to see so many familiar faces, older horses, geldings and fillies and mares.

“I think that underscores the tremendous horsemanship we continue to see here in California and our fans love it, because they get familiar with these horses and they truly look forward to watching them run and betting on them. On the business side, our overall handle of $17.2 million was the best Cal Cup Day we've had since 2007, so that's very encouraging. We want to sincerely thank all of our owners and trainers for helping to make this happen and hopefully, it provides encouragement as well to our breeders, statewide.”

In terms of performance, several horses stand out, including Brickyard Ride's gate to wire victory in the $150,000 Don Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint. The defending champion in the race, the 5-year-old so of Clubhouse Ride, who was ridden by Juan is Hernandez, trained by Craig Lewis and owned by his breeder, Albert Pais, stopped the clock for six furlongs in 1:09.54 and earned a lofty 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Phil D'Amato's comebacking Leggs Galore, idle since Aug. 15, successfully defended her title in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Presented by John Deere, as she motored along with Ricky Gonzalez to win gate to wire by 2 ¼ lengths, getting about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf in 1:12.00. A 5-year-old daughter of 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern, Leggs Galore, who earned a 95 Beyer, was bred and is owned by William Sims.

Trainer Mark Glatt's lightly raced Aligato was another impressive Cal Cup Day winner, as he rallied powerfully to take the $200,000 Unusual Heat Classic Presented by City National Bank by 1 ¾ lengths, getting a mile and one eighth on turf in 1:48.29. Owned by Double L Racing and ridden by Flavien Prat, who tripled on the day, Aligato, a 5-year-old gelding by Kitten's Joy, got his first stakes win in his fifth career start and earned an 87 Beyer.

The post $17.1 Million Wagered On Santa Anita’s Cal Cup Day Highest Since 2007 Renewal appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Racing A Longtime Outlet For Owner Nick Alexander’s Competitive Spirit

A book could be written about Nick Alexander's life; two, maybe three. A movie too, and a sequel.

But one account either written or on film wouldn't do justice to a life of both realistic and fairytale fulfillment, the latest episode of which occurred Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Alexander, still an institution in California racing as an owner and breeder going on half a century, owns and bred the winner of the Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks, Rose Dawson, and bred the winner of race seven, Crash Corrigan.

Born in Santa Monica, Alexander said his “roots” are in Nebraska, “but my mom and grandmother and aunt moved out here in the 1930s, so I'm a native Californian.”

He is partial to naming is horses after baseball stars of yesteryear, like Clem Labine and Pee Wee Reese, or war heroes like Desmond Doss, and film characters both real and imagined like Crash Corrigan and Marla Hooch.

“I was a baseball nut from the time I was a little kid,” Alexander said. “I was a Dodger fan before they moved from Brooklyn. We had the PCL (Pacific Coast League) out here where the Angels played in a copy of (Chicago's) Wrigley Field at Santa Barbara and Avalon Street.

“In the mornings after church, my Granny would drive to the ball games for a Sunday doubleheader. The second game was seven innings and I think the tickets were a buck and a half or $2.

“She would take me to watch the Angels. They were my team and the Hollywood Stars were the dreaded rival that played at Gilmore Field. Wrigley Field was beautifully built, and Gilmore was kind of a wooden tinderbox waiting to catch on fire. They were fun times.”

Alexander has a passion for both the past and the present, although he keeps things in perspective. An example would be his “celebration” after Saturday's successes.

“We came home (in Pasadena), took the dog for a walk and ordered barbecued chicken pizza from Blaze,” said Alexander, still taut and trim approaching octogenarian status. “I picked it up and then we watched a Netflix movie.”

Alexander attributes a prudent philosophy in large part to his success, both with Thoroughbreds and automobiles, where he has a dealership in South Los Angeles. He graduated from Pasadena High School and attended USC for two years.

“I've always been a competitive person going back to Little League baseball when I was a kid,” he said. “I was in fifth grade when the Little League was first formed in our area of Pasadena, and I knew most of the kids who played since they were from my own school. The pressure was on to beat the kids you knew so you could brag about it all week long at school.

“I've always been competitive. The car business has monthly goals, always striving to meet or exceed what the factory expects. I've always enjoyed competition.

“I wasn't good enough to be a professional baseball player, so horses were the next best thing.

“I retired several years ago from the car business, and my kids (Nick Jr. and Elizabeth) have taken over the BMW and Mini Cooper dealership in South Los Angeles. It's kind of an industrial neighborhood. I think we're the biggest Mini Cooper dealer in the western states, for sure.”

Alexander has retired as chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California but remains a board member, although his term expires in June. He has mixed emotions about the future.

“My personal opinion is the internet set the country and people in general in the wrong direction” he said. “I've always thought that social media is the devil.

“People act on social media like they wouldn't act to your face, so I'm not optimistic about that, and there are a couple of generations that I'm not fond of, but this is still the greatest place in the world and I wouldn't trade it for anywhere else.”

Alexander, who turns 80 in September, has fulfilled almost all his dreams, yet he remains committed to the future.

He still has a lot of living to do.

The post Racing A Longtime Outlet For Owner Nick Alexander’s Competitive Spirit appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post