Press Releases

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 15, 2009) – A neck separated a pair of European imports making their United States debuts Wednesday when 11-1 longshot Cat by the Tale edged 9-2 Meydan Princess in Santa Anita’s featured $58,208 Linda Eder Purse, a second-condition allowance for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 10, 2009)—The City of Arcadia has proclaimed Sunday, April 19 as “Eddie Logan Day” in honor of Santa Anita’s iconic shoeshine attendant who passed away on Jan. 31 at the age of 98. Logan, a self-proclaimed “Footman,” ran his Santa Anita shoeshine stand from opening day, Dec. 25, 1934, until the morning of Jan. 3, when he suffered a seizure and stroke from which he never recovered. Born in 1910, he would have been 99 on May 20.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 12, 2009) – Garrett Gomez’s bid to tie Santa Anita’s record of 19 stakes races during a single season was denied on Sunday when 7-10 favorite Tuscan Evening faded to third behind victorious Gotta Have Her in the Grade III, $100,000 Las Cienegas Handicap for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs over the track’s hillside turf course.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 10, 2009) – After traversing the seldom run marathon distance of 1 ½ miles on turf, it took a photo Friday to separate the first three finishers in Santa Anita’s $55,520 optional claiming feature with the nod going to favored Isipingo.

Winless the last two years but able to call on past graded stakes experience, the 6-year-old gelding nosed out second-choice Unusual Smoke with fastest-finishing Romp another head back in third.

Isipingo, with Alex Solis in the saddle, rallied from fourth in the field of six while covering the distance in 2:25.80.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 9, 2009) – Rafael Bejarano, who last year became the third jockey in history to sweep the riding titles at Southern California’s five major race meetings, on Thursday moved closer to securing a sixth consecutive title and his second in succession at Santa Anita.

Bejarano rode a pair of winners to tie Garrett Gomez at 86 victories apiece in the season’s jockeys’ standings while moving 12 wins ahead of third-place Joel Rosario with eight racing days remaining in the season.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 8, 2009)—Favored Malibu Artiste led from start to finish for her third straight victory in Wednesday’s featured $52,000 Reluctant Guest Purse at Santa Anita Park, covering 1 1/8 miles over a firm turf course in 1:48.43.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani under 119 pounds for trainer George Papaprodromou, Malibu Artiste won by 1 ½ lengths over Always Auditioning, who had three-quarters of a length on third-place Vikkilee.