Cedillo, Miller Win Jockey, Trainer Titles For LA County Fair Meet At Los Alamitos

Jockey Abel Cedillo earned his second Los Alamitos riding title while trainer Peter Miller topped the trainer standings as the Los Angeles County Fair meet concluded Sunday.

The nine-day season was highlighted by stakes victories by talented 2-year-old Enbarr, a first off the claim score by Manhattan Up, and a gate-to-wire victory by Livingmybestlife, a $50,000 claim earlier in the year at Oaklawn Park.

The 32-year-old Cedillo finished the LACF meet with 18 victories, eight more than closest pursuer Kyle Frey. Cedillo also led the standings during the 2020 LACF Winter season.

Cedillo became the first jockey to win four races in a day twice at Los Alamitos. He first accomplished the feat Sept. 15, 2019, then matched it with a quadruple Sept. 25.

The other riders who have won four races in a day since daytime thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in 2014 are Drayden Van Dyke (July 6, 2014), Edwin Maldonado (Dec. 13, 2015), Kent Desormeaux (April 23, 2016), Assael Espinoza (Sept. 15, 2018), and Jorge I. Velez (Sept. 22, 2019).

Miller finished the LACF season with seven wins, one more than Steve Miyadi. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was third with five. The title was the sixth Miller has either shared or won outright at Los Alamitos since daytime thoroughbred racing returned in 2014.

A son of Brody's Cause owned by Baoma Corporation, Enbarr rallied past stablemate Montebello in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the $75,000 Capote Sept. 18 under Van Dyke, giving Baffert a 1-2 finish.

Taken for $80,000 by trainer Jonathan Wong for Brent Malmstrom's KAM Racing Stable, Manhattan Up, a 5-year-old Street Boss gelding, responded to the addition of blinkers in capturing the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special Sept. 19. He was ridden by Tiago Pereira.

Livingmybestlife, a 3-year-old daughter of The Big Beast, has now won three of five since being claimed by John Sadler for Hronis Racing out of her April 8 debut, when she finished second. She was never seriously challenged in her local debut, defeating Stella Noir and three others in the $75,000 Lucky Spell Sept. 24.

The meet's other stakes winners were Loud Mouth – via disqualification – in the E.B. Johnston, and Samurai Charm, who earned her fifth consecutive victory leading throughout in the Dark Mirage.

In terms of business, all-sources handle for the LACF season showed a gain of 18% over comparable days in 2019. There was no September meet at Los Alamitos in 2020.

“While participation as the entry box could have been better, we very much appreciate those owners and trainers who did participate,'' said F. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. “The (handle) increase was more than 10% of what we had aggressively estimated and was attributable to an incredible 65% increase in advance deposit wagering in Southern California.

“We're looking forward to our upcoming Winter meet where purses will be substantially higher.''

Daytime thoroughbred racing will return to Los Alamitos for the seven-day Winter season Friday, Dec. 3.

Racing will be conducted through Sunday, Dec. 12. The Winter meet will be highlighted by a pair of graded races for 2-year-olds – the $300,000 Grade 1 Starlet for fillies Saturday, Dec. 4, and the $200,000 Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity Saturday, Dec. 11. Both will be run at 1 1/16 miles.

The post Cedillo, Miller Win Jockey, Trainer Titles For LA County Fair Meet At Los Alamitos appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Cedillo Wins Four Saturday To Clinch Los Alamitos Riding Title

Jockey Abel Cedillo capped a four-victory Saturday with a gate-to-wire score aboard favored Risk and Reward in the $54,116 feature at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

The quadruple by Cedillo, 32, clinched his second local riding title. The Guatemalan-born jockey, who led the 2020 Los Angeles County Fair Winter meet, has 15 victories through the first eight days, six more than closest pursuer Kyle Frey, who has only five scheduled mounts Sunday, the final day of the LACF season.

Making his first start beyond seven furlongs, Risk and Reward, a 3-year-old Frosted colt out of the Indian Charlie mare Shayjolie, took charge early and improved his position from there, eventually prevailing by five lengths over 2-1 second choice Margot's Boy. He completed the mile in 1:35:02 and paid $5.60, $3.20, and $2.40 as the 9-5 choice.

Owned by breeder Speedway Stables LLC and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Risk and Reward is now 2-for-4 with earnings of $75,200. He broke his maiden July 25 at Del Mar, upsetting well-regarded stablemate – and next out graduate – Bobby Bo before showing speed and tiring in his first race vs. winners 27 days later.

Margot's Boy, who was seeking his first win since May 23, 2020, finished 13 lengths clear of 5-2 third choice Willy the Cobbler. The runner-up returned $3.20 and $2.60 while the show price on Willy the Cobbler was $2.40.

Cedillo's other victories Saturday came with Full of Luck in the first, Borkan in the second, and Sauls Call in the sixth.

Sauls Call was one of three wins for trainer Steve Miyadi, doubling his total for the meet and moving him into a tie with Peter Miller for the top spot. Miyadi also tallied with the aforementioned Full of Luck and debuter Tizlightning, who was an impressive winner of the seventh.

Miller is scheduled to run four Sunday – I'm the Boss of Me in the second, Taming the Tigress in the sixth, Gates of Heaven in the ninth, and Sir Flatter in the 10th while Miyadi's representatives are Aristeia in the fifth and first time starters Mary Margaret and Mo Connelly in the eighth.

Racing resumes Sunday. Post time for the start of the 10-race program is 1 p.m.

The main event is the $75,000 Royal Owl Stakes for California bred 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs. Rock N Rye is the even-money favorite on Ed Burgart's morning line. The Royal Owl will go as the seventh race and has a scheduled post time of 4:03 p.m.

The post Cedillo Wins Four Saturday To Clinch Los Alamitos Riding Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Lieutenant Dan Registers Front-Running Score In Green Flash

Nick Alexander's homebred Lieutenant Dan was just too fast for seven rivals in Sunday's $101,500 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar, running five furlongs on turf in :55.98.

The 5-year-old gelding by Alexander's prime stallion, Grazen, shook off pressure early, then cleared late to finish 2 1/4 lengths best in the dash for 3-year-olds and up. He picked up a check for $60,000 for the win and pushed his bankroll to $543,740.

Geovanni Franco rode the winner for trainer Steve Miyadi.

Finishing second was Hogan or Hogan's Give Me the Lute, a neck in front of Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable and Nentwig's Gregorian Chant.

Lieutenant Dan paid $6.00, $3.40 and $2.60.  Give Me the Lure returned $7.40 and $4.80 and Gregorian Chant paid $3.60 to show.

Post-race quotes:

GEOVANNI FRANCO (Lieutenant Dan, winner) – “No special instructions for me; I know this horse well. Since he's come back from his layoff (was away from June 2020 to July 2021), he's more puffed up. He's acting like a bully. He's doing good now. When I made the lead in the straight, I wasn't worried about the others behind me coming to get us. But I wasn't going to wait for them either.”

STEVE MIYADI (Lieutenant Dan, winner) – “In this day and age you're always worried about the bounce. I didn't train him particularly hard for (a win here July 23), because I was thinking about this race and I was pleasantly surprised at how well he ran. That's when you worry about the bounce. He overcame my training.”

FRACTIONS:  :22.16  :44.52  :55.98

The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Franco and his first in the Green Flash. He now has four stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Miyadi and his first in the Green Flash. He now has four stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owner and breeders is Nick Alexander of Santa Ynez and Del Mar, Calif.

The post Lieutenant Dan Registers Front-Running Score In Green Flash appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mucho Unusual Named Cal-Bred Horse of the Year

George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual (Mucho Macho Man), winner of last year's GI Rodeo Drive S., was named California-bred Horse of the Year for 2020 during Monday's annual awards presentation by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association. The mare was also named the state's champion older female and turf horse.

Other Cal-bred champions announced during Monday's teleconference were: Big Fish (Mr. Big) and Good With People (Curlin to Mischief) (tied for 2yo male); Governor Goteven (Govenor Charlie) (2yo female); El Tigre Terrible (Smiling Tiger) (3yo male); Warren's Showtime (Clubhouse Ride) (3yo female); Galilean (Uncle Mo) (older male); Fashionably Fast (Lucky Pulpit) and Sneaking Out (Indian Evening) (tied for sprinter).

Reddam Racing's now-pensioned Square Eddie was California champion sire by earnings, winners, turf earnings and 2-year-old earnings and Reddam Racing was champion breeder by earnings.

Warren's Veneda (Affirmative), dam of Warren's Showtime, was named broodmare of the year. Steve Miyadi was named trainer of the year.

The post Mucho Unusual Named Cal-Bred Horse of the Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights