Golden Gate Fields Recap (April 14-17)

With Santa Anita Park on a 3-week break, I decided to switch gears and cover Golden Gate Fields at Pick 6 blog. Leading rider Russell Baze broke his collarbone in a spill on Saturday, April 16 and is expected miss 3-4 weeks.  

Thursday Golden Gate Fields Recap: April 14

Fast Tapeta surface and off the turf. Four wire-to-wire winners on the all-weather main track (8f, 5.5f, 8f, 5.5f).

Hat trick for Russell Baze. Trainer John Martin saddled three winners and Baze rode two.

Friday Golden Gate Fields Recap: April 15

Fast Tapeta surface and firm turf course. Four wire-to-wire winners on the all-weather main track (2f, 6f, 8f, 8f). The lone turf race (8.5f) was captured by  stalker (rail at 20 feet).

No riding or training doubles on Friday.

Saturday Golden Gate Fields Recap: April 16

Fast Tapeta surface and firm turf course. A pair of six furlong wire-to-wire winners on the all-weather main track. The winning turf styles were a pair of unhurried types at 8.5f, a 5f stalker, and a pace prompter at one mile.

Hat trick for Abel Cedillo.

Sunday Golden Gate Fields Recap: April 17

Fast Tapeta surface and firm turf course. Only one wire-to-wire winner (5.5f) on the all-weather main track. A flat mile wire job, a presser at 8.5f, a 9f wire job, and a closer at 8.5f made up the four turf winners.

Riding doubles for Julien Couton, Alejandro Gomez, and William Antongeorgi (synthetic sprints). Trainer Armando Lage saddled two winners.

If you are interested in full card analysis, I am selling Triple Crown full cards this spring 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 Golden Gate Fields at Pick 6 Blog. You can also read my recaps at Pick 6 Blog.  

Kentucky Derby 2016 prep race video series: G1 Arkansas Derby with CUPID, Suddenbreakingnews, and Whitmore

The final Kentucky Derby 2016 prep race worth 170 points is the Grade I Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The nine furlong event will be run on Saturday, April 16 and attracted a field of twelve.

G2 Rebel Stakes winner Cupid is the morning line favorite for trainer Bob Baffert. Once again, he will be facing 1-2 Southwest finishers Suddenbreakingnews and Whitmore.


 

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. 

Kentucky Derby 2016 prep race video series: Blue Grass, SA Derby, and Wood Memorial

There are four important nine furlong preps left on the road to Kentucky Derby 2016 and three of them will be contested this weekend in California, New York, and Kentucky.

The Santa Anita Derby is a rematch between the top three finishers in the San Felipe – Danzing Candy, Mor Spirit, and Exaggerator. The pace scenario might favor Mor Spirit but if the track comes up wet (a real possibility) all bets are off!

The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct features undefeated Gotham hero Shagaf but he is light on numbers. Watch for fast stakes newcomer Matt King Coal to attempt a wire job.

Finally, the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland features a full field of fourteen with two also-eligibles. Fountain of Youth runner-up Zulu is the 5-2 morning line favorite and Keeneland lover Brody’s Cause tries to bounce back after his non-effort in the Tampa Bay Derby.

Last Week at Santa Anita Park (March 31-April 3)

Leading rider Rafael Bejarano had a double on Friday and a triple on Saturday. Leading trainer Phil D'Amato had a double on Friday and a triple on Sunday. Trainer Peter Miller enjoyed a productive week and recently hot rider Edwin Maldonado finished the week with a riding double. Kent Desormeaux ended the racing week on a high note and let's see if he can keep the ball rolling into SA Derby week. 

Thurs­day Santa Anita Park Recap: March 31

Fast main track and firm turf course. One wire-to-wire winner on dirt (6f). The three turf races were taken by a flat mile stalker, a downhill stalker, and a flat mile wire-to-wire winner (rail at 30 feet).

Trainer Peter Miller saddled two winners.

Fri­day Santa Anita Park Recap: April 1

Fast main track and firm turf course. Three wire-to-wire winners on dirt (6.5f, 6f, 6.5f). The three turf races were taken by a patient downhill runner, a downhill front runner, and a flat mile stalker (rail at 20 feet).

Riding doubles for Rafael Bejarano and Flavien Prat. Phil D’Amato saddled two turf winners.

Satur­day Santa Anita Park Recap: April 2

Fast main track and firm turf course. Four wire-to-wire winners on dirt (5.5f, 8f, 6f, 8.5f).  The four turf races were taken by a patient downhill runner, a flat mile front runner, a downhill pace prompter, and a flat mile closer.

Hat trick for Rafael Bejarano and Tyler Baze booted home a pair. Peter Miller saddled three winners and Jeff Mullins and Doug O’Neill both saddled a pair of winners.

Sun­day Santa Anita Park Recap: April 3 

Fast main track and firm turf course. Only one wire-to-wire winners on dirt (7f).  The four turf races were taken by two patient flat mile runners, a nine furlong front runner, and a downhill front runner (turf rail at 10 feet).

Hat trick for Kent Desormeaux and Edwin Maldonado booted home a pair in dirt sprints. Leading trainer Phil D’Amato saddled three more winners and Neil Drysdale saddled two flat mile turf winners.

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. 

Road to Kentucky Derby 2016: Florida Derby and Spiral Stakes (VIDEO)

The two Kentucky Derby 2016 prep races this week are the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 2 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park.

The Florida Derby is an intriguing match up between a pair of undefeated colts, Mohaymen and Nyquist. The nine furlong Gulfstream showcase is worth a total of 170 Derby qualifying points for the top four finishers (100-40-20-10).

The Spiral Stakes is worth 85 Derby points (50-20-10-5) and Airoforce is the morning line favorite. Last year's G2 Kentucky Jockey Club stakes hero exits a poor showing in the G2 Risen Star and tries to rebound while making his first start on synthetic footing.

Last Week at Santa Anita Park (March 24-27)

Jockey Edwin Maldonado followed up a riding triple last Sunday with three more wins Thursday and a riding double Friday.  

Thurs­­day Santa Anita Park Recap: March 24

Fast main track and firm turf course. Two wire-to-wire winners on dirt (6.5f, 6f). The two turf races were captured by a nine furlong closer and a flat mile stalker (rail at 20 feet).

Hat tricks for Rafael Bejarano and Edwin Maldonado.

Fri­­day Santa Anita Park Recap: March 25

Fast main track and firm turf course. Two wire-to-wire winners on dirt (8.5f, 8f). The two turf races were captured by a flat mile early runner/presser (dead-heat), a patient runner at ten furlongs, and a last-to-first winner in the downhill finale (rail at 30 feet).

Riding doubles for Kent Desormeaux and Edwin Maldonado.

Satur­­day Santa Anita Park Recap: March 26

Fast main track and firm turf course. Five wire-to-wire winners on dirt (5.5f, 6f, 6.5f, 6f, 8.5f). The three turf races were captured by a nine furlong stalker, a flat mile stalker, and a late runner at nine furlongs.

Riding doubles for Joe Talamo and Drayden Van Dyke. Trainer Richard Baltas saddled two winners.

Sun­­day Santa Anita Park Recap: March 27 

Fast main track and firm turf course. Two wire-to-wire winners on dirt (6f, 6f). The three turf races were taken by a nine furlong gate-to-wire winner, a downhill stalker, and a downhill wire-to-wire winner (rail at 10 feet).

Riding doubles for Martin Garcia and Fernando Perez. Trainer Phil D’Amato saddled two winners.

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.