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April 17, 2011

GAME ON DUDE HORSE OF MEET IN MEDIA POLL, BAFFERT, ROSARIO EARN HONORS AS TOP TRAINER AND JOCKEY

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 17, 2011) – Game on Dude, who withstood a 12-minute stewards’ inquiry before being named official winner of the Santa Anita Handicap, endured an even longer delay before ballots were counted and he was named Horse of the Meet over several other challengers deemed worthy by voters in Santa Anita’s annual Media Poll.

April 16, 2011

REVOLVING JOCKEYS LANDS BLANC ATOP MALIBU PIER IN GRADE II SANTA BARBARA HANDICAP UPSET; FAVORED REGALLY READY TAKES GRADE III SAN SIMEON

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 16, 2011) –Brice Blanc benefited from fellow jockey Rafael Bejarano’s judgment call Saturday when riding 7-2 shot Malibu Pier to a one-half length victory over 7-5 favored Cozi Rosie in Santa Anita’s 63rd running of the Grade II, $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

Taking over for Bejarano aboard Malibu Pier, Blanc rallied the 4-year-old Malibu Moon filly from four lengths behind to assume command in deep stretch and withstand the determined closing rally by Cozi Rosie while covering the distance in 2:00.22.

April 15, 2011

BRITISH IMPORT FIFTH AVE SCORES STUNNER IN AMERICAN GIRL PURSE, PICK SIX CARRYOVER OF $63,809

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 15, 2011) – Dismissed at odds of 13-1 in her United States debut, British-bred Fifth Ave overwhelmed 3-5 favorite Rumor by 1 ¼ lengths to capture Friday’s $56,000 American Girl Purse for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs over Santa Anita’s downhill turf course and keyed a Pick Six carryover into Saturday of $63,809.

LONG-TIME TRAINER LOU CARNO PASSES AT AGE 90, “SILVER FOX” TRAINED VICTORY BEAUTY, CATERMAN

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 15, 2011)—Veteran trainer Lou Carno passed away at 5 a.m. Friday at the age of 90, according to his wife of 23 years, Kathy. Known on the backstretches of Chicago and California as “The Silver Fox,” Carno was seldom without his trademark cigar and biting wit.

Carno was best known as the trainer of Victory Beauty, a hard hitting gelding who won 30 races, including eight stakes for Carno.

April 14, 2011

PREAMBLE GAINS THIRD STRAIGHT WIN IN $62,540 KARMA IS KING PURSE

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 14, 2011) – Indiana-bred Preamble stormed to his third straight victory at Santa Anita this year on Thursday when the 4-year-old Spendthrift Farm colt defeated Lucky Primo by two lengths in the $62,540 Karma Is King Purse at 1 1/16 miles.

After tracking pace-setter Lucky Primo into the stretch, the chestnut son of Mr. Greeley took a narrow lead while straightening away and burst clear in the closing stages under jockey Martin Garcia.

TEN TO TANGLE IN CONTENTIOUS SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, HISTORIC GRADE II TURF MARATHON THAT CLIMAXES SANTA ANITA’S SEASON ON SUNDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 14, 2011) – A puzzlingly contentious 72nd running of the historic San Juan Capistrano Handicap, the Grade II, $150,000 marathon at 1 ¾ miles that is renowned as the longest turf stakes race in North America, closes Santa Anita’s 76th racing season on Sunday.

Haimish Hy, victorious in the Grade I Hollywood Derby last fall, is the 119-pound highweight among 10 entrants in the event whose past winners include such racing luminaries as Seabiscuit, Cougar II and John Henry.

There is no clear standout this year, however.

SANTA ANITA FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL SET FOR MAY 14, GRILLED CHEESE TRUCK, LOBSTA TRUCK HEAD LONG LIST

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 14, 2011)—Santa Anita Park will host its third Gourmet Food Truck Festival, featuring approximately 65 vendors, on Saturday, May 14, it was announced today. Santa Anita’s winter/spring meeting concludes this Sunday, and on the heels of two resoundingly successful events in January and April, the May 14 Festival will mark the first time Santa Anita has hosted such an event without live racing.

“The Food Trucks have found a home here at Santa Anita,” said George Haines, Santa Anita President. “Both of the Food Truck Festivals, on Jan.

PADDOCK GUARD JOHN SHEAR RECOVERING, 90-YEAR-OLD HERO TO BE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 14, 2011)—John Shear, Santa Anita’s 90-year-old Paddock Guard who was gravely injured while protecting a 6-year-old girl from a runaway horse on March 12, will be released from Huntington Memorial Hospital on Saturday, according to his son, Michael.

In a fortuitous twist of fate, Saturday is also Shear's wife Diane's 68th birthday.

“My dad wishes to thank you all for your prayers, generosity, and well wishes,” said Shear. “It has been a tremendous strength to him over these past difficult weeks. He’ll be released from the hospital this Saturday and will be going home, where he will continue with physical therapy.

“His doctors are amazed at the progress he’s made. He was badly injured and he was in very, very bad shape the first few days following the accident. He lost quite a bit of blood internally and his blood pressure got very low. My dad has always prided himself on eating well and staying physically fit and there’s no doubt this has helped him immensely.”

April 13, 2011

COZI ROSIE HEADS FIELD OF SIX IN SATURDAY’S GRADE II SANTA BARBARA AS SANTA ANITA BEGINS FINAL WEEKEND OF SEASON; REGALLY READY TOPS GRADE III SAN SIMEON

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 13, 2011) – Cozi Rosie, who came back running from a nine-month layoff to win the Grade II Buena Vista Handicap on Feb. 21, is the 121-pound high weight and likely favorite Saturday among six entrants in Santa Anita’s Grade II, $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

The 63rd running of the Santa Barbara, coupled with the Grade III, $100,000 San Simeon Handicap at 6 ½ furlongs on turf, head a 10-race program that opens the final weekend of the Santa Anita meet that began on Dec. 26. The season closes on Sunday with the historic Grade II, $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at 1 ¾ miles on turf.

April 10, 2011

TALAMO CUTS CORNER IN GUIDING SURREY STAR TO LA PUENTE STAKES VICTORY, BOLSTERS STANDING AS MEET’S TOP TURF RIDER

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 10, 2011) – Jockey Joe Talamo cut the corner turning for home with 5-2 third choice Surrey Star Sunday to propel the Irish-bred bay colt to victory in Santa Anita’s 31st running of the $100,000 La Puente Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, the track’s grass counterpart to the previous day’s Santa Anita Derby.

When the field floated out rounding the far turn, Talamo slipped Surrey Star though along the rail to gain the advantage and he gamely withstood the closing surge of 9-5 choice Major Art to win by one-half length.
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