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Santa Anita Releases Winter/Spring Meet Stakes Schedule Highlighted By 10 Grade 1 Races

A comprehensive stakes schedule spanning six months will be keynoted by six graded stakes, three of them Grade 1 events, when Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet opens on Sunday, Dec. 26.

Three Grade 1, $300,000 stakes, the Runhappy Malibu, the La Brea and American Oaks, along with three Grade 2, $200,000 Stakes, the Mathis Brothers Mile, the San Antonio and the San Gabriel, will highlight a blockbuster opening day program that will begin at 12 noon PT.

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet will run through June 19 and will include a total of 94 stakes, 59 of them graded, with 10 Grade 1 offerings including the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 9.

“We have added a significant amount of money to our stakes program along with some minor changes that I think trainers and owners, not only in California, but around the country, will appreciate,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We have a lot of positive momentum going in California right now and these enhancements to the stakes schedule add to it. We would like to thank our partners at the TOC for getting behind this to help make California racing all that it can and should be.”

America's longest continually run “hundred grander,” the Grade 1, $650,000 Santa Anita Handicap, which will be contested for the 85th time, along with the Grade 1, $500,000 Beholder Mile and the Grade 1, $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, will headline another tremendous card on March 5.

Along with those three Grade 1 stakes, one of the nation's most important Derby preps, the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe, the Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista and the Grade 2, $200,000 San Carlos Stakes will all be run on March 5 as well.

The Santa Anita Derby, which has now produced 20 winners of the Kentucky Derby, will be complemented by the Grade 2, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks and a pair of $150,000 California-bred stakes, the Echo Eddie and the Evening Jewel, on April 9.

Three Grade 1 stakes, the $400,000 Gamely, the $400,000 Hollywood Gold Cup and the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile, will highlight a festive Memorial Day card on May 30 as the Winter/Spring meet “turns for home,” with three racing weeks remaining.

Closing weekend, June 18 and 19, will offer a wide variety of six stakes, with a pair of $100,000 sprints for 2-year-olds, the Fasig-Tipton Futurity and Fasig Tipton Debutante being run on June 18 along with the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Maria for fillies and mares.

On closing day, June 19, the iconic Grade 3, $125,000 San Juan Capistrano, for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and three quarters on turf, along with the Grade 3, $100,000 American at one mile on grass and the $100,000 Possibly Perfect, at a mile and one half on turf, figure to bring a dynamic ending to the meet.

For additional information, including Santa Anita's complete 2021-22 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Possession Of Electrical Device After Monmouth Race Lands Tomas Mejia 10-Year Ban

The board of stewards at Monmouth Park have suspended jockey Tomas Mejia for 10 years and recommended to the New Jersey Racing Commission permanent revocation of his jockey's license. He also received a $5,000 fine.

Mejia was taken off all upcoming mounts last Friday, Sept. 10, when stewards became aware of a photograph from Monmouth's track's official photographer, posted on the Oceanport, N.J., track's Facebook page, showing a suspicious object with what appeared to have two prongs sticking out in the rider's left hand after winning the seventh race aboard Colts Neck Stables LLC's Strongerthanuknow for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. on Sept. 3. The picture had been posted to commemorate Mejia's return from injury.

An initial stewards hearing with Mejia began on Sept. 11 and was continued on Sept. 15.

The Sept. 15 ruling, which referred to photographic evidence, states, “Upon entering the winner's circle and prior to dismounting from the horse Strongerthanuknown on Sept. 3, 2021, Tomas Mejia was in possession of a prohibited electrical device,”

Possession of a prohibited electrical device on the grounds of Monmouth Park is a violation of New Jersey Racing Commission rules NJAC 13:70-14.5 (a) (d) (e) and NJAC 13:70-1.15.

The suspension runs from Sept. 10, 2021, through and including Sept. 9, 2031. Mejia is denied access to all grounds under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Racing Commission “for any and all purposes.” Suspensions of this nature are enforced in other racing jurisdictions.

The ruling concludes: “In addition to the penalty issued herein, the Board of Stewards refers this matter to the New Jersey Racing Commission and recommends the permanent revocation of Mr. Mejia's New Jersey Racing Commission license.”

Mejia, who turned 26 years old on Thursday, Sept. 16, is a native of Panama who was a leading apprentice in his native country after graduation from the Laffit Pincay Jr. riding academy there. He began riding in the U.S. in 2018 and compiled 110 victories from 1,101 mounts.

The ruling does not address whether Strongerthanuknow may be disqualified from his narrow win in the $57,500 allowance race, conducted over five furlongs on turf.

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New Mexico Horsemen Frustrated As Zia Park Fails To Open For Training As Scheduled

According to a contract with the New Mexico Horsemen's Association, Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M. was to have opened for training on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Instead, horsemen were turned away from the racetrack due to the lack of a staffed ambulance on-site.

NMHA President Roy Manfredi told the Paulick Report that the horsemen's attorney contacted Zia Park's attorney, who relayed that the county's only EMT had been pulled away by a family emergency, thus the track was unable to provide an EMT for morning training.

Racing at Zia Park is scheduled to begin on Sept. 26, but video posted on social media showing the track's backstretch appears to demonstrate a lack of preparedness for the meet. Manure is still piled up, and large weeds have taken over much of the backstretch area.

“When you see the condition of the backside, it doesn't appear they planned on running,” Manfredi said.

The contract between Zia and the NMHA dictates that trainers be allowed onto the backstretch on Sept. 9 to begin preparing their stalls, and that horses be allowed to ship in on Sept. 12 while training was to begin on Sept. 15. Now, the latest information indicates that it may not be until Saturday that the track is open for training.

In addition to the lack of an EMT, no outriders have arrived at the track to oversee safety during training hours. Both deficits are in direct violation of New Mexico Racing Commission rules.

However, the racing commission and the horsemen's association are engaged in an ongoing legal battle, with the horsemen charging the regulatory body with depriving racehorse owners and trainers of their civil rights and other violations, and thus no direct contact between the parties is allowed.

“It's my contention that this is a racing commission problem, because they're in violation of racing commission rules,” said Manfredi. “We have had our attorney send a letter to the racing commission's attorney, asking them to step in, and we're waiting to hear back.”

Another issue brought forward by Zia Park, according to Manfredi, is the rise of COVID-19 cases in New Mexico. Governor Michelle Grisham is expected to announce new mandates on Thursday, Sept. 16, and Manfredi said the NMHA will issue directives to its members to follow those mandates.

If Zia Park continues to fail to meet the directives stipulated in its contract with the horsemen, the NMHA has the option to pull the simulcast signal from the track.

“We're not there yet,” Manfredi said.

Images showing the backstretch of Zia Park on Wednesday, Sept. 15

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Santa Anita’s Clockers’ Corner Reopens To The Public Ahead Of Autumn Meet

With horsemen now preparing for Santa Anita's 2021 Autumn Meet opener on Friday, Oct. 1, Clockers' Corner, the track's popular breakfast destination located at the top of the stretch, has reopened to the public seven days a week.

Replete with a revised breakfast menu that offers something for everyone, Clockers' Corner is open each day from 5 to 10 a.m. An iconic gathering point for horsemen and fans for many decades, Clockers' Corner provides attendees with an up-close look at morning training both on the main track and inner training track with the majestic San Gabriel Mountains serving as a backdrop.

Accessible via Gate 8 off of Baldwin Ave., admission is free to Clockers' Corner and ample seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

Families are welcome as attendees have an opportunity to interact with some of the top jockeys and trainers in America, many of whom make Clockers' Corner a part of their daily routine.

In addition to a complete breakfast menu that includes coffee, tea and juices, track programs and Daily Racing Form are also offered for sale each racing day.

Santa Anita's 16-day Autumn Meet, which concludes on Oct. 31, will feature a number of Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers over the first two weekends, including the Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah and three other stakes on what figures to be an outstanding opening day program.

A prep for horses considering the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6, the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, which honors retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, marks a return to Santa Anita's iconic Camino Real Turf Course on opening day as 3-year-olds and up will sprint about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf.

First post time throughout the 16-day run, with the exception of Oct. 2, will be at 1 p.m. (First post time for a 10-race card that will include five stakes on Oct. 2 is at 12:30 p.m.)

For additional information regarding Clockers' Corner and Santa Anita's upcoming Autumn Meet, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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