Press Releases

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2010)—Daily Racing Form Chairman and Publisher Steven Crist will be at Santa Anita on Saturday, Jan. 16 to sign his new book and DVD, “Exotic Tickets,” from noon to 1 p.m. The signing will take place at Champions!

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 9, 2010) – Seven-year-old Neko Bay, unable to keep up with 21-1 upsetter Furthest Land in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile two months ago, dramatically turned the tables on Saturday when gaining his first stakes victory in Santa Anita’s 73rd running of the Grade II, $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap.

Neko Bay, better fancied than Furthest Land in the Breeders’ Cup event when 13-1, made short work of the champion at 3-5 odds on Saturday when finishing strongly under Mike Smith to defeat Spurrier by 1 ¼ lengths. He traversed the 1 1/16 miles over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface in 1:42.95.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 7, 2010) – Dotsy Jean, claimed by trainer Marty Jones one year ago on behalf of AJM Racing for $16,000, boosted her earnings since the claim to $151,108 with a 5-1 upset victory Thursday in Santa Anita’s $59,102 optional claiming feature for fillies and mares at six furlongs.

The 5-year-old California-bred daughter of Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Lit de Justice defeated Sleep Tight by 1 ½ lengths with Joel Rosario at the controls and covered the distance in 1:09.20.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan.3, 2010) – Sitting just off the early pace, Rafael Bejarano drove 3-2 favorite Tuscan Evening between competitors Sunday in midstretch of Santa Anita’s Grade III, $100,000 Monrovia Handicap and likely right into the Grade I Santa Monica Handicap on Jan. 31.

Shortening up in distance after two stellar efforts at one mile on turf, Irish-bred Tuscan Evening savored the 6 ½-furlong distance of Santa Anita’s downhill turf course with a comfortable one-length win over 47-1 longshot Czechers in the field of 11.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 2, 2010) – With Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic champion Life Is Sweet a late scratch after she “tied up” with muscle cramps in the morning, third-choice Cat by the Tale stepped up to register her first stakes win with a decisive, 2 ½-length triumph in Santa Anita’s 41st running of the Grade II, $150,000 San Gorgonio Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, the 5-year-old mare tracked the tepid early pace of Century Park, took the lead turning into the stretch and came home strongly for a final clocking of 1:48.17 before an on-track of 11,068.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 1, 2010)—Due in large part to a 58-1 stunner in race seven, the New Year got off to a raucous start at Santa Anita, as the popular Pick Six eluded 11,695 on-track attendees and as a result, $115,261 will be carried over into Saturday’s Pick Six, which will be offered on races four through nine.

With veteran jockey Paul Atkinson at the controls, longshot Bonita Sonador prevailed by a head in race seven, returning $119.80 to win and thus assured the carryover into Saturday. Conditioned by Robert J. Lucas and owned by Willard D.