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With Limited Fans Back On Track, Santa Anita Records Best Derby Day Handle Since 2007

With fans returning on a restricted basis this weekend for the first time in over a year, 8,246 on-track attendees at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., witnessed a tremendous day of racing on Saturday, as the 84th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby highlighted a 12-race program that produced all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $24,282,400 — the largest Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Day handle since 2007.

The Runhappy Derby, which was carded as Saturday's eighth race, was taken by Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's Rock Your World, who was making only his third start and his first on dirt. Trained by John Sadler and ridden in gate to wire fashion by Umberto Rispoli, the 3-year-old colt by Candy Ride powered to a 4 ¼-length victory over Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit and paid $12.40 to win.

Bred in Kentucky by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Debbie, Rock Your World picked up 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and will thus try to become the 19th horse to exit the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and go on to win the Run for the Roses on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

The Grade 2, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks, carded as race six, went to the Richard Mandella-trained Soothsay, who made a bold move heading into the far turn under Flavien Prat and prevailed by a half length over Baffert's Beautiful Gift. Owned by Claiborne Farm, Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass and Adele Dilschneider, Soothsay paid $10.40 to win and she collected 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, which puts her in the gate for the “Filly Derby” on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

While Sadler collected his second Runhappy Santa Anita Derby victory, Mandella won the Santa Anita Oaks for the fourth time in his Hall of Fame career.

With three wins, two of them in stakes, Phil D'Amato moved to the top of the trainer standings as he leads Baffert by a 29-28 margin.

Riding sensation Flavien Prat bagged four wins on the afternoon, all of them in stakes, and he opened up an incredible 30-win advantage over Juan Hernandez in the jockey standings, 80-50, through 45 racing days.

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. With no walk-up admission, fans are encouraged to visit santaanita.com/open, to purchase reserved seating. Santa Anita continues to offer all of its races free of charge at santaanita.com/live.

For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Maryland Racing Set To Resume Thursday When Laurel Launches Spring Meet

A pair of allowance events help spice up a nine-race program as live racing returns to Laurel Park Thursday, April 8 to kick off its 16-day spring meet.

First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

A total of 83 horses were entered on the program, an average of 9.22 starters per race. The feature comes in Race 6, a second-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up going around two turns at about 1 1/16 miles.

Among the overflow field of 11 are 2019 Remsen (G2) winner Shotski, most recently third in a similar spot Feb. 25 at Laurel; Silent Malice, riding a two-race win streak; Oxide, a winner of three of his last five races; Mischief Afoot and Awesome DJ, both exiting Laurel's Harrison E. Johnson Memorial March 13; 2020 A Huevo Stakes winner V.I.P. Ticket; and stakes-placed Dinar.

Race 8 is an entry-level allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting seven furlongs that drew a field of nine including 2020 Malvern Rose runner-up Remain Anonymous, second in each of her three 2021 starts; Tweet Away Robin, who had a two-race win streak snapped last out March 20 at Laurel; and Queen of Tomorrow for leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez, whose last starter at Laurel came March 7.

Laurel's spring meet runs Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through May 2. Saturday, April 24 is the Spring Stakes Spectacular featuring seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses led by the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds and $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies.

The 1 1/8-mile Tesio is a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico Race Course. The Weber City Miss, at about 1 1/16 miles, is a 'Win and In' event for the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Preakness eve, May 14, at Pimlico.

There will be special post times of 12:15 p.m. for both the Spring Stakes Spectacular and Kentucky Derby (G1) day, Saturday, May 1.

Maythehorsebwithu Breezes for Tesio on Busy Saturday at Laurel
Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu, easy winner of the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20, returned to the work tab with an easy half-mile breeze in 50.40 seconds over Laurel Park's main track Saturday.

It was the first work for the sophomore son of 2009 Whitney (G1) winner Bullsbay since running second in the March 13 Private Terms at Laurel, his two-turn debut, beaten a half-length by 21-1 long shot Shackled Love.

Maythehorsebwithu, nominated to the Triple Crown by the final March 29 deadline, is being pointed to the $125,000 Federico Tesio April 24 at Laurel, a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico Race Course.

Joel Politi's Littlestitious, who snapped favored Street Lute's five-stakes win streak in the one-mile Beyond the Wire March 13 at Laurel, went a half-mile in 50.20 seconds Saturday. The 3-year-old filly, possible for the $125,000 Weber City Miss April 24, also breezed the same distance in an identical time March 27.

The Weber City Miss is a 'Win and In' qualifier for the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 14 at Pimlico.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, a six-time career stakes winner including the 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3), breezed four furlongs in 49.20 seconds. It was his first timed work since running third in the General George (G3) Feb. 20 at Laurel.

The post Maryland Racing Set To Resume Thursday When Laurel Launches Spring Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Los Alamitos Summer Thoroughbred Meet To Include Two Graded Stakes

Three stakes – including a pair of graded events – worth $450,000 highlight the Summer Thoroughbred Festival at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif.

The seven-day meet is scheduled to begin Friday, June 25, and continue through Monday, July 5. Racing will be conducted Friday-Sunday (June 25-27) the first week and Friday-Monday (July 2-5) the second. Post time will be 1 p.m. PT.

The richest event on the calendar is the Grade 2, $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies & mares at 6 ½ furlongs. Captured by 7-1 shot Sneaking Out in 2020, the Great Lady M. will be offered Monday, July 5.

Besides Sneaking Out, the five other winners of the Great Lady M. at Los Alamitos are Doinghardtimeagain (2014), Fantastic Style (2015), Eclipse Award winner Finest City (2016), Skye Diamonds (2017) and Marley's Freedom (2018-2019).

The other graded race is the Grade 3, $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby, which was won a year ago by the Bob Baffert-trained Uncle Chuck. Baffert has won the nine-furlong contest for 3-year-olds, which will be run Saturday, July 3, five times since daytime thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in 2014, including the last four renewals.

Before Uncle Chuck, the Derby was won by Shared Belief (2014), Gimme Da Lute (2015), Accelerate (2016), eventual 3-year-old champion West Coast (2017), Once On Whiskey (2018) and Game Winner (2019).

The other stakes on the schedule is the $100,000 Bertrando for 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California. The one-mile race – which returns to its original name (2014-2019) honoring the multiple graded stakes winner and champion older male of 1993 after being contested as the Soi Phet in 2020 – will be run Saturday, June 26.

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Live Horse Racing Shut Down In Ontario; Mohawk Park Suspended, Woodbine Opening In Question

Woodbine Entertainment has announced that live Standardbred racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park will be temporarily suspended following this Friday's (April 2) card due to the Government of Ontario imposing a province-wide “emergency brake” of COVID-19 restrictions, effective Saturday, April 3 at 12:01 a.m.

Live horse racing, without spectators, is not currently permitted during the Government of Ontario's 'emergency brake' shutdown, which will be in place in for a minimum of four weeks.

Woodbine Entertainment continues to engage in discussions with the Provincial Government and Halton Region regarding the request to continue safely operating live racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park during this shutdown or a lockdown situation.

As part of these discussions, Woodbine continues to demonstrate its commitment to safety through its industry-leading COVID-19 Prevention Protocols and a safety record that includes not a single case of on-site transmission of the virus at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In a statement issued on Thursday afternoon Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson indicated that while horse racing will pause on Saturday per provincial guidelines, local health authorities can give the green light for horse racing to resume in their region.

Live racing is schedule to be conducted Friday (April 2) prior to the shutdown. Post time is 7 p.m.

At Woodbine Racecourse, opening day is scheduled for April 17, 2021. The Woodbine backstretch is open and horses are able to train; it is afternoon racing which is currently restricted by the provincial government.

“We have made the argument all along that this is an outdoor activity and we wouldn't be allowing spectators,” Lawson said earlier this month. “Our risk profile in the afternoon is the same as our risk profile in the morning. We should be able to run.”

The Thoroughbred opener could go ahead as scheduled with approval from Toronto Public Health, according to The Battlefords News-Optimist.

“In the coming days, we will continue to discuss our request with Toronto Public Health,” Lawson wrote in a statement to horsemen. “As we head into the long weekend, I am cautiously optimistic about the situation.

“I do fully appreciate the need for a definitive answer so you can plan and prepare accordingly. Rest assured that we are doing everything we can do be able to start our season on time.”

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