santa anita | Horse Racing Free Tips

Velazquez To Winter In California

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez won a pair of races on the opening day of the Bing Crosby meet at Del Mar and his presence is something that Southern California is about to get more used to. The 50-year-old is using his time at Del Mar as a steppingstone to the winter stand at Santa Anita Park, where he plans to ride full time.

“I wanted to get it started here so the trainers and owners know I'm going to be here for the winter,” Velazquez told the Del Mar press office. “Hopefully I'll get the opportunities to ride some real nice horses here and keep me going for the winter.”

Velazquez has ridden with success on the West Coast previously and just last winter, partnered with Bob Baffert to win the GII Sham S. with Newgrange (Violence), the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. with Messier (Empire Maker) and the GIII Las Virgenes S. with Adare Manor (Uncle Mo).

“It's like everything, you have to adjust to wherever you go,” Velazquez says. “Every racetrack has different turns and where the poles are. You have to get used to it and do your homework and hopefully you get some nice horses and they respond to what you like to do. I got lucky [on opening day]; the horses ran really well.”

Velazquez will be aboard Newgate for Baffert in Sunday's GIII Bob Hope S.

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Vazquez, Miller Take Santa Anita Autumn Meet Titles

Jockey Ramon Vazquez, a 38-year-old native of Puerto Rico, finished with 25 victories through the 18-day stand Santa Anita Autumn meet to capture the riding title, finishing five wins ahead of runner-up Juan Hernandez. Vazquez, who started riding in California in March after stints at Prairie Meadows and Oaklawn, took his first-ever Santa Anita title on the meet's closing day Sunday.

“I'm grateful to be here and to the owners and trainers who have supported me,” said Vazquez. “I'm blessed, this is big for me because not everybody who comes to ride at Santa Anita has made it [leading jockey] in such a short time. I'm so blessed and I thank everybody who has supported me.”

Miller, a 56-year-old native Angelino who bases primarily out of San Luis Rey Downs Training Center, collected his fourth Autumn Meet title and his sixth overall Santa Anita training crown.

“We're very excited to win another title at Santa Anita,” said Miller. “It's always a great accomplishment to win there. It's a team effort. The people in the barn did a great job all meet and really special thanks to my owners for being just the best, the most loyal group of owners a guy could ask for. Looking ahead, we'll have a small string at Oaklawn but our main focus will be at Santa Anita.”

Live racing will return to The Great Race Place with opening day for the 2022-23 Winter Spring Meet on Monday, Dec. 26.

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Dettori To Winter, Possibly More, at Santa Anita

Superstar European rider Frankie Dettori has announced that he will ride at the Santa Anita meet, starting with opening day, Dec. 26. Dettori made the announcement on the Nick Luck Daily podcast.

“I think I will possibly spend the winter in California at Santa Anita where I started many years ago as a young boy,” Dettori said. “I did four lovely winters there in the late eighties. I've been doing my winters in Dubai the last few years, but I'm getting a lot of requests from trainers to come over. So I thought `why not?' I want to give it a go. It's a place that I am a big fan of and am very fond of Santa Anita. I am looking forward to the challenge. This is the plan for the winter.”

Dettori had ridden frequently in the U.S., but usually comes in just for major races. He said he has no such plans for Santa Anita and said that he is committed to riding there regularly.
“If you're going to do it, you have to do it properly,” he said. “That's why I am starting on opening day.”

Dettori said he was planning to return to Europe when the flat season gets underway, but said he could extend his stay in the U.S. if he picks up a contender for the GI Kentucky Derby.

“Who knows, I might find a nice 3-year-old that heads to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May,” he told Luck. “I am keeping all my options open. I am going there with a clean slate and am looking forward to the challenge. I don't want to look too far ahead. My main concern is to get there for Boxing Day and start from there. You never know what will happen. I might land on a nice 3-year-old and things can take a different path. At the moment, my focus is to do well and take it from there.”

Dettori has had one Derby mount, finishing sixth aboard China Visit (Red Ransom) in 2000.

Dettori has hired veteran agent Ron Anderson, who also books mounts for Joel Rosario and John Velazquez.

“Ron Anderson is a top class agent and also a good friend for so many years,” Dettori said. “I had a chat with him and he will take me under his umbrella of jockeys and help me out. He's a good person to have on your side.”

Dettori had been riding in Dubai during the winters. He told Luck that riding at Santa Anita will be a new challenge for him, something he relishes at this stage in his career.

“Dubai been easy for us,” he said. “It's only down the road. But at this stage at in my career, I've done a lot in Dubai. 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 has had 70 mounts over his career at Santa Anita with four winners.

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Curlin Colt Fights For ‘TDN Rising Star’ Honors

Fort Warren (c, 2, Curlin–La Appassionata, by Bernardini), a $550,000 Keeneland September yearling acquisition, took race-long pressure through fast internal fractions and clung on gamely late to graduate at first asking Sunday at Santa Anita en route to the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction. He is the 22nd 'Rising Star' for his leading Hill 'n' Dale-based stallion.

Away only fairly from the inside gate, Fort Warren had to be used some by go-to rider Juan Hernandez, but speared through to take up the running and covered the opening couple of furlongs in a slick :21.75, with second-time starter Johannes (Nyquist) glued to his flank. Ridden along on the turn while maintaining a narrow advantage, Fort Warren always appeared to be going slightly better than Johannes after a half in a testing :44.65, but that duo soon had company in the form of the well-meant firster Spun Intended (Hard Spun), who sat a wide trip near the tail early on before coming into the race nicely, having covered significant ground on the turn. Fort Warren turned back the Johannes challenge once and for all in upper stretch, but Spun Intended refused to go down without a fight, as he battled bravely for every yard, only to drop a long-neck decision.

“This horse, being by Curlin, they're not supposed to have that kind of speed, but he's a beautiful horse and we're excited about him,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “That was a tough field…Having the one-hole and having to go that fast early and then he would let that horse get past him. He showed a lot of grit.”

The Feb. 11 foal is the lone listed produce for his SW/GSP dam, a full-sister to GSW Wilburn and a half to Grade II-winning juvenile Beethoven (Sky Mesa) and to the dam of GSW Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), who sadly passed away after foaling Fort Warren in 2020. Moonlight Sonata, who won the GIII Arlington-Washington Lassie S. at odds of 60-1 in 2002 for trainer Bill Helmbrecht, is also the dam of $1.1-million KEESEP yearling A.P. Sonata (A.P. Indy), whose son Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) won this year's GIII Kitten's Joy S. for Whisper Hill Farm and was a latest third in the GII Hill Prince S. at Aqueduct. Stonestreet purchased Moonlight Sonata for $750,000 carrying the filly that would become La Appassionata at Keeneland November in 2012. This is also the family of champion Abel Tasman (Quality Road).

The cross of Curlin over A.P. Indy-line mares has resulted in countless winners at the graded level and, when bred specifically to Bernardini dams, Curlin is responsible for MGISW and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff hopeful Clairiere, GISW Paris Lights and other graded winners Cezanne and 'Rising Star' Spice Is Nice.

6th-Santa Anita, $62,500, Msw, 10-30, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:15.92, ft, 1/2 length.
FORT WARREN, c, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: La Appassionata (SW & GSP, $162,920), by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Moonlight Sonata, by Carson City
3rd Dam: Wheatly Way, by Wheatly Hall
Sales history: $550,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC & Catherine Donovan; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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