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Jeff Blea Named CHRB’s Next Equine Medical Director

Dr. Jeff Blea will become the veterinary voice of the California Horse Racing Board upon the long-planned retirement of Dr. Rick Arthur from the position of Equine Medical Director (EMD).

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, chairman of CHRB and a former equine veterinarian himself on the southern circuit, described Dr. Blea as “a nationally known and widely respected equine veterinarian” and said Blea “is recognized for his clear thinking and fairness in his decision making.”

Under contract arrangements between the CHRB and the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) at the University of California, Davis, the EMD serves as a member of its faculty. CHRB Executive Director Scott Chaney said the CHRB worked closely with UC Davis during the process, which was prolonged by the pandemic. A joint panel from UC Davis and the CHRB interviewed candidates and selected Dr. Blea.

“We value this partnership,” Chaney said. “We were fortunate to consider several well-qualified candidates. I am very pleased with the process and the choice. I look forward to working closely with Dr. Blea to make racing safer at this critical time.”

Dr. Blea brings 28 years of veterinary experience with him, and before that breifly rode as a jockey. He has served in leadership roles nationally with the American Association of Equine Practitioners and regionally with the Southern California Equine Foundation and was a director of the Dolly Green Research Foundation from 1999 to 2015.

“As Equine Medical Director, I look forward to working with industry stakeholders in further advancing the progressive transformation of horse racing in California with the emphasis on horse safety, welfare, and integrity,” Blea said.

“Dr. Blea is an excellent choice to become EMD. He has a broad background in horse racing and is well respected by his colleagues here in California and nationally,” added Arthur.

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Breeders’ Cup Delaying 2021 Ticket Sales

Ticket sales for the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships, to be held at Del Mar Friday and Saturday, Nov. 5 and 6, are being delayed “until we have clarity on the ever-changing landscape,” Drew Fleming, the chief executive officer of Breeders' Cup Limited, said in an email distributed Monday afternoon.

“With the COVID-19 vaccine now being rolled out across the country and internationally, we at the Breeders' Cup remain optimistic for the year ahead, and specifically for the 2021 World Championships,” the email read, in part. “We are working closely with Del Mar, local officials, and public health experts to safely plan the 2021 World Championships. To ensure we have the most up-to-date safety protocols in place in compliance with CDC guidelines, including the permitted levels of attendance, we are delaying ticket sales for the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships.”

Last September, it was announced by Breeders' Cup that the 2020 renewal at Keeneland would be held without fans, a result of the ongoing pandemic. The Breeders' Cup returns to the iconic Lexington oval in 2022.

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Seven-Figure Bonus For California Big-Race Sweep

The 'Wild West Bonus,' offering a $1-million payday to the connections of any horse that is able to win the $400,000 GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 6, the $300,000 GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita May 31 and the $750,000 GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 21, was unveiled Monday morning by officials at Santa Anita Park and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Any horse that manages a sweep would take home a total of $1,870,000.

Each of the three events is contested over the Classic distance of a mile and a quarter. The Big 'Cap is open to 4-year-olds and up, while the Gold Cup and Pacific Classic are open to horses three year olds and upward.

Santa Anita officials also announced that the purse for the China Doll S., a one-mile turf event restricted to 3-year-old fillies, will be raised by 33% to $100,000. The China Doll S. is one of five stakes on Big 'Cap day, four of which are graded.

Overnight races on the Mar. 6 undercard will see their purses increased by $15,000 each, an effort to ensure large fields and to reward owners and trainers that continue to support the local racing product on its biggest days.

For additional information on the 'Wild West Bonus,' contact the Santa Anita racing office at (626) 574-6352.

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Twirling Candy Colt Rallies to Rising Stardom as Bezos Fails to Deliver

Exline-Border Racing LLC, SAF Racing & Richard Hausman's Dream Shake (Twirling Candy), completely ignored at 20-1 while facing an extremely tough-looking group of Santa Anita sophomores led by Bob Baffert hype horse Bezos (Empire Maker), whipped around the turn and ran up the score to snag 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The dark bay, who was a $32,000 KEESEP yearling turned $75,000 OBSAPR buy off a :10.1 breeze, sported an unassuming worktab on paper capped by a 1:01 flat (11/64) spin a week earlier (XBTV video) for a typically patient barn.

Away well from his outside draw, Dream Shake was outsprinted by almost all of them early as Baffert's other runner Tivoli Twirl (Twirling Candy) showed the way with Bezos not far behind. He began to inch closer while four deep around the turn, and had caught up to the leaders as a :46.19 half was posted. The early pacesetters came up empty in the lane, but Dream Shake continued to kick on powerfully, scampering away 4 3/4 lengths to the good of second timer Harbored Memories (Harbor the Gold). Bezos checked in seventh, two spots ahead of Tivoli Twirl in last.

“The things that he did in his first half miles were quite impressive, but we never really tested him, we've always worked him against mediocrity most of the time and he's done that pretty easily, so we were all optimistic about him, but you really don't know until you put 'em in the gate against the quality [competition] that we had today,” said winning trainer Peter Eurton. “Against a field of this stature today, I would've been happy with anything fourth and above. Now that he's done this, it's just a question of how he comes back. I think anything further, seven furlongs to a mile, would be very good. We'll just try to enjoy this for now, but trust me, we'll probably be looking for a race before the evening has ended.”

Dream Shake is a grandson of GSW Brownie Points (Forest Wildcat), who also produced MGSW near millionaire Synchrony (Tapit) and GSW Chocolate Kisses (Candy Ride {Arg}).Dam Even Song (Street Cry {Ire}) has a 2-year-old filly by Astern (Aus).

5th-Santa Anita, $63,000, Msw, 2-7, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.34, ft, 4 3/4 lengths.
DREAM SHAKE, c, 3, Twirling Candy
                1st Dam: Even Song, by Street Cry (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Brownie Points, by Forest Wildcat
                3rd Dam: Stylish Society, by Forty Niner
Sales history: $32,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Exline-Border Racing LLC, SAF Racing & Richard Hausman; B-Dunwoody Farm (KY); T-Peter Eurton.

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