santa anita | Horse Racing Free Tips

Tracks to Honor Avery Whisman

Tracks across the country will hold a moment of silence Feb. 18 in memory of the late jockey Avery Whisman. The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, in coordination with racetracks across the country, is leading the initiative in an effort to shed light on mental health awareness and the challenges jockeys face. Jockeys at all participating tracks will wear black armbands in tribute to Whisman, who died suddenly Jan. 11 at the age of 23 following a prolonged struggle with the physical and mental demands placed on riders.

The 1/ST properties: Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita and Golden Gate, will all participate and Laurel Park, where Whisman rode primarily in 2019-2020, will have a race named in his honor on its Feb. 18 Winter Carnival program. Jockeys, family and friends will gather in the Laurel winner's circle following the race and observe the moment of silence.

Whisman's parents, Lyman and Salli, said, “We are so very proud of our son and all he accomplished in his short life. In the future, we hope to raise awareness and empower dialogue within the racing industry around gaps in needed health and mental health support for its jockey athletes.”

Mike Rogers, acting president of the Maryland Jockey Club, said, “Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, no matter your age or profession. It's important for individuals to prioritize and take care of their mental health, and it's important for us to reach out to those who may show signs of needing help.”

Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of Jockeys' Guild said, “The Jockeys' Guild sincerely appreciates 1/ST Racing bringing attention to the important issues of mental health and other health related challenges affecting jockeys. These are struggles that jockeys and the Guild have dealt with on a continual basis.”

Laurel will also distribute hats and T-shirts for a donation to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that provides financial assistance to 60 former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. Since its founding in 2006, the PDJF has disbursed nearly $11 million.

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Twirling Candy’s Ag Bullet Holds On For Lady Of Shamrock Win

After an unsuccessful fifth behind GISW & 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin) on the dirt at Del Mar in November, Ag Bullet made the switch to the grass and immediately found success, posting a 3 1/2-length win Jan. 22 going 6 1/2 furlongs. Stretched out to one mile for the first time in Sunday's Lady of Shamrock S. at Santa Anita, the gray broke as the narrow 2-1 second choice behind eventual runner-up The Wild Grazer and showed good early speed to contest the tempo up front. Jockey Frankie Dettori, riding in place of an injured Joe Bravo, took Ag Bullet in hand to tuck back in second off early pacesetter Broadway Girls (Army Mule). Chasing while two wide around the far turn, she hit the front with a furlong to run and held off a closing The Wild Grazer to secure the narrow win.

Noble Grey has a 2-year-old colt, Innocent Man (Honor Code), and a yearling filly by Classic Empire. She is carrying a Mendelssohn foal for 2023. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

LADY OF SHAMROCK S., $101,000, Santa Anita, 2-12, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.82, fm.
1–AG BULLET, 120, f, 3, by Twirling Candy
                1st Dam: Noble Grey, by Forestry
                2nd Dam: Never Fail, by Holy Bull
                3rd Dam: Peaceful Intention, by Hold Your Peace
($30,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $220,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Calvin Nguyen & Joey C. Tran;
B-H & E Ranch (KY); T-George Papaprodromou; J-Lanfranco
Dettori. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $101,600.
2–The Wild Grazer (Ire), 120, f, 3, Gustav Klimt (Ire)–Texas
Katie (GB), by Clodovil (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Red Baron's
Barn LLC & Rancho Temescal LLC; B-Pat McGree (Ire); T-Jeff
Mullins. $20,000.
3–Princess Bettina, 120, f, 3, Will Take Charge–Aiden's Girl,
by First Dude. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Donald R. Dizney, LLC (FL);
T-Peter Eurton. $12,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.20, 2.00, 4.40.
Also Ran: Tea N Conversation, Nyvan, Broadway Girls, Quickly Park It.

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Teena Ella Becomes Beholder’s First Winner

5th-Santa Anita, $69,000, Msw, 2-12, 3yo, f, 6fT, 1:09.42, fm, 1 1/4 lengths.

TEENA ELLA (f, 3, War Front–Beholder {Ch. 3-year-old Filly, 2x Ch. Older Mare, Ch. 2-year-old Filly, MGISW, $6,156,600}, by Henny Hughes), the third foal out of Beholder, became the champion's first winner while making her turf debut at Santa Anita Sunday. The 2-1 favorite broke alertly and was keen while in tight quarters between rivals battling for the lead in the early strides. She settled back just off the dueling leaders behind fractions of :22.76 and :45.71. Tipped out four wide at the top of the lane, the bay filly closed determinedly to win going away by 1 1/4 lengths. Irish Rose (Irish Surf) was second.

Teena Ella faded to sixth behind subsequent GI Starlet S. and GIII Las Virgenes S. winner Faiza (Girvin) in her six-furlong debut at Del Mar last November. She was most recently third going six furlongs over the main track at Santa Anita Jan. 6. Her victory capped a powerful hour for Spendthrift Farm, which was also represented by Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo), who took his record to a perfect two-for-two with a powerful victory at Tampa Bay Downs.

Beholder, a four-time Eclipse winner, has a 2-year-old filly by Bolt d'Oro and a yearling colt by Curlin. She was bred to Gun Runner, but was barren last year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-1, $48,740.

O/B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella.

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Saturday Insights: Santa Anita Saves The Best For Last

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

10th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3yo, 6fT, 8:09 p.m.

Breaking from the far outside post in the nightcap at the Great Race Place, NUCLEAR (Justify) looks to start earning back some of his $1,550,000 price tag with a turf debut for trainer John Sadler. Out of GIII Schuylerville S. runner-up True Feelings (Latent Heat), the colt is a half-brother to SW Feeling Mischief (Into Mischief) and GSP Royal Act (American Pharoah) while Metro, his 2-year-old half-brother by Quality Road, outshone his brother in sales ring by bringing $2.5m from Talla Racing, Woodford Racing, and West Point at last year's Keeneland September Sale. True Feelings is herself a half-sister to the dam of champion 3-year-old filly Wait A While (Maria's Mon). This is also the extended family of dual Eclipse winner and successful sire Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike).

On the complete opposite side of the gate, Precision Strike (Gun Runner) makes the races after bringing $485,000 out of last year's OBS April Sale. He's out of a half-sister to MGISW Winchester (Theatrical {Ire}) and MGSW Middleburg (Lemon Drop Kid) and starts Saturday out of the Doug O'Neill barn. TJCIS PPS

1st-TAM, $32K, Msw, 3yo, 1m 40yd, 12:25 p.m.

Another son of Gun Runner, St. Elias Stables LLC's ARCH RUNNER, kicks off the day's action in Florida for Todd Pletcher. A $750,000 Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale grad and a half-brother to MGSW & GISP Proctor's Ledge (Ghostzapper), the colt picks up jockey Luis Saez.

One gate to his inside, Champagne Juan (Justify) has put in a trio of bullet drills for trainer Christophe Clement and owner RT Racing Stable. The $500,000 Keeneland September yearling is a half to the dam of GSW & MGISP Will's Secret (Will Take Charge) while his own dam, GSW & MGISP Well Monied (Maria's Mon), is a half to GSW & GISP Economic Model (Flatter) and GSW Happy American (Runhappy). TJCIS PPS

10th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 4:37 p.m.

Rounding out the action in Florida, DREAMLIKE (Gun Runner) was a $975,000 St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable pick up out of Keeneland September in 2021. His dam is a full-sister to champion 3-year-old Untapable as well as a half to GISW Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}). Also under the second dam is 2023 Triple Crown contender Red Route One (Gun Runner). TJCIS PPS

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