Press Releases

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 9, 2011) – If excellence in this year’s Triple Crown events is to emanate from the April 9 Santa Anita Derby, a West Coast 3-year-old likely needs to take a large step forward in Saturday’s Grade II, $250,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita.

Grade I winners Jaycito and Comma to the Top are among 10 entrants in the 74th running of the mile-and-one-sixteenth competition that serves as the last major stepping-stone to the Grade I, $1 million Santa Anita Derby, a race whose starters have accounted for 36 Triple Crown victories including 15 in the Kentucky Derby.

During the past 10 years, four San Felipe winners have gone on to capture the Santa Anita Derby including Pioneerof the Nile (2009) and Sidney’s Candy (2010) to underscore the connection, but just who might make that leap this year remains highly problematical.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 6, 2011) – One year to the day of his victory in the 2010 Santa Anita Handicap, Misremembered appeared to pick up where he had left off with a dazzling victory in Sunday’s $75,000 Santana Mile at Santa Anita.

The purse may have been one-tenth of what he had earned in the Big ’Cap, and the competition may have been less than superior, but little matter. It was the manner in which the 5-year-old ridgling scored his comeback win that suggested he had never left.

With Martin Garcia in the saddle for trainer Bob Baffert, the 11-10 favorite circled the leaders turning into the stretch and quickly took command with his ears pricked before being geared down at the wire.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 5, 2011) – Twirling Candy’s expected coronation as the 1-2 favorite in Saturday’s 74th running of the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino was turned topsy-turvy by a virtual sigalert in midstretch.

The outcome was perhaps the most controversial, along with Stardust Mel’s victory over Out of the East in 1975, non-disqualification in the 74-year history of the storied Big ’Cap. It finally provided the race with a winning female jockey, Chantal Sutherland. And it lent justification for trainer Bob Baffert’s assault by numbers. Victorious Game On Dude was one of four horses saddled by the Hall of Fame trainer who had won the previous year with Misremembered.