Last Week at Santa Anita Park (April 7-10)

It was a wet closing weekend at Santa Anita Park and Exaggerator threw his hat into the Kentucky Derby ring with a dominating victory in the Santa Anita Derby.

Thursday Santa Anita Park Recap: April 7

Fast main track and firm turf course. The fourth race was originally scheduled for the downhill turf course and moved to the main track. Three wire-to-wire winners on dirt (8f, 6f, 5.5f).  The two turf races were taken by a flat mile front runner and a flat mile stalker (turf rail at 30 feet).

Riding doubles for Martin Pedroza and Flavien Prat. Leading trainer Phil D’Amato saddled two more winners.

Friday Santa Anita Park Recap: April 8

Main track started out fast by was sloppy by the sixth race. The third race was taken off the downhill turf course but the seventh race stayed on the grass at one mile. The turf course was listed as good and the rail was at 20 feet. Two wire-to-wire winners on dirt (8.5f, 8f).  The flat mile turf feature was nabbed by a prominent throughout runner.

Riding double for Flavien Prat.

Saturday Santa Anita Park Recap: April 9

Sloppy (sealed) main track and yielding turf course. The opening race was originally scheduled for nine furlongs on turf and moved to wet dirt. Three wire-to-wire winners on dirt (5.5f, 8.5f, 6.5f). The G3 Providencia at nine furlongs on turf was nabbed by a late runner (rail at 20 feet) and the G3 Thunder Road at one mile on turf was captured by a midpack stalker (turf rail down).

Kent Desormeaux was the riding star of the day with a graded stakes hat trick. Riding doubles for Rafael Bejarano and Flavien Prat. Keith Desormeaux saddled two graded winners and his brother Kent rode both. Peter Miller saddled two maiden sprint winners. Leading trainer Phil D’Amato saddled two winners.

Sunday Santa Anita Park Closing Day Recap: April 10

Drying out (wet fast) main track was upgraded to fast by the fourth race. All turf races were moved to dirt except the San Juan Capistrano, which was changed in distance to fifteen furlongs. Eight of the ten main track winners went wire-to-wire or were all over the pace. The grassy featured was nabbed by a patient type (course yielding).

Hat trick for Tyler Baze. Leading trainer Phil D’Amato saddled two winners and Baze rode both.

If you are interested in full card analysis, I am selling Santa Anita full cards each weekend at The Runaway Horse. You can check out full card recaps with highlights on our What You Missed page.

I also post free daily tickets from Santa Anita Park at Pick 6 Blog. You can also read my recaps at Pick 6 Blog.  

Santa Anita Park photos by Stacy Edwards.