- SATURDAY’S CAL CUP NUMBERS ENCOURAGING
- CHAOS THEORY IS ‘LIVE’ IN CLOCKERS’ CORNER
- HOT ROD CHARLIE HEADS FOR RICH WORLD CUP
- SANTA ANITA HONORS SHEAR’S 101ST BIRTHDAY
- CHRB MEETING IS SCHEDULED THIS THURSDAY
SATURDAY’S CAL CUP NUMBERS ENCOURAGING
With all-sources pari-mutuel handle topping $17.2 million, Saturday’s California Cup Day at Santa Anita was a rousing success both in terms of money bet and an outstanding 10-race card of statebred racing.
“We were very pleased with field size and the tremendous response from our fans, nationwide,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager. “We averaged 8.1 horses per race and it was great to see so many familiar faces, older horses, geldings and fillies and mares.
“I think that underscores the tremendous horsemanship we continue to see here in California and our fans love it, because they get familiar with these horses and they truly look forward to watching them run and betting on them. On the business side, our overall handle of $17.2 million was the best Cal Cup Day we’ve had since 2007, so that’s very encouraging. We want to sincerely thank all of our owners and trainers for helping to make this happen and hopefully, it provides encouragement as well to our breeders, statewide.”
In terms of performance, several horses stand out, including Brickyard Ride’s gate to wire victory in the $150,000 Don Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint. The defending champion in the race, the 5-year-old so of Clubhouse Ride, who was ridden by Juan Hernandez, trained by Craig Lewis and owned by his breeder, Albert Pais, stopped the clock for six furlongs in 1:09.54 and earned a lofty 101 Beyer Speed Figure.
Trainer Phil D’Amato’s comebacking Leggs Galore, idle since Aug. 15, successfully defended her title in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Presented by John Deere, as she motored along with Ricky Gonzalez to win gate to wire by 2 ¼ lengths, getting about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf in 1:12.00. A 5-year-old daughter of 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern, Leggs Galore, who earned a 95 Beyer, was bred and is owned by William Sims.
Trainer Mark Glatt’s lightly raced Aligato was another impressive Cal Cup Day winner, as he rallied powerfully to take the $200,000 Unusual Heat Classic Presented by City National Bank by 1 ¾ lengths, getting a mile and one eighth on turf in 1:48.29. Owned by Double L Racing and ridden by Flavien Prat, who tripled on the day, Aligato, a 5-year-old gelding by Kitten’s Joy, got his first stakes win in his fifth career start and earned an 87 Beyer.
Mike Willman
CHAOS THEORY WELL SPOTTED IN CLOCKERS’ CORNER
Even though he went off at 46-1, Chaos Theory didn’t rate a longshot’s chance in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar last Nov. 6.
The seven-year-old Curlin gelding should be a considerably shorter price when he runs in a much more realistic spot, this Saturday’s $70,000 Clockers’ Corner Stakes for four-year-olds and up at six furlongs on turf.
“It was a tough spot, for sure, obviously,” admitted Bob Hess Jr., who trains the Kentucky-bred chestnut for a partnership that claimed him for $62,500 almost a year ago, on Feb. 13, 2021.
“But he should be live in this race.”
As to why minor stakes with relatively small purses seem to draw more nominations (the Clockers’ Corner had 21) than some of the more prestigious stakes offering graded status, Hess had a quick and sensible response:
“I guess we all figure they’re probably easier, and I’m sure they are,” he said.
“I was hoping to run Chaos Theory in the (Grade II, $250,000) Joe Hernandez (on Jan. 1), but he lost a shoe in his last work before the race and came down with a tender foot.
“He’s worked really well for this one, though.”
‘GOOD SHIPPER’ HOT ROD CHARLIE FLIES TO DUBAI
Hot Rod Charlie was en route to Dubai Monday for the $12 Million Dubai World Cup on March 26. The son of Oxbow is scheduled to have a prep race there on Feb. 4 for the World Cup.
The popular four-year-old colt had his final workout at Santa Anita Saturday for the mile and a quarter World Cup at Meydan Race Course, going five furlongs in 1:01.20.
Hot Rod Charlie won the 2021 Secretariat Vox Populi Award created by Secretariat’s owner Penny Chenery, annually recognizing the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the general public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing.
Flight time from LA to Dubai is approximately 16 hours, covering some 8,300 miles.
“He’s a good shipper,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “He absolutely loves it. He loves traveling.
“He went fantastic in his breeze here and we’re super-optimistic. We’re going one day at a time, but as we speak, he’s doing really well.
“He’ll be surrounded by all his normal people from our staff, and Dubai’s racing department has been great with us in the past.
“We’re really looking forward to getting over there and experiencing it again.”
JOHN SHEAR HONORED ON 101ST BIRTHDAY
Santa Anita honors retired former Paddock Captain John Shear today by naming the third race on the occasion of his 101st birthday.
A native of England who was raised from age four to 14 in an orphanage, Shear, at four feet, 11 inches, aspired to be a jockey and following World War II, emigrated to Vancouver, B.C. from where he came to Santa Anita as an exercise boy in 1954.
Shear gained national attention at Santa Anita 10 years ago when at the age of 91 he heroically threw himself between an onrushing loose horse and a five-year-old girl who was standing with her father outside of Santa Anita’s Seabiscuit Walking Ring.
Shear, who was employed by the track since 1961 before his retirement, also will be honored on April 10 with the inaugural running of the $75,000 John Shear Mile.
CHRB MEETING ON THURSDAY, JAN. 20
The California Horse Racing Board will conduct a teleconference meeting 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 20.
Consistent with Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20, this meeting will be teleconference only. No physical location will be provided.
The public may participate in either of two ways. The webcast audio link on the CHRB website will continue to provide a way for the public to listen to this meeting. Note: The teleconferencing log-in information has changed from previous meetings.
Beginning with this meeting, those wishing to speak during the meeting may dial 800-343-1703 and enter 98443# to join the teleconference. To speak on any item, press star (*) 1 to enter the speakers’ queue. Those providing unsolicited public comment on individual agenda items will be limited to two minutes. Comments must relate specifically to the agenda items.
For agenda item #6, Public Comment, no further comments will be permitted after 30 minutes. The agenda and package of materials for the meeting are available on the CHRB website.
FINISH LINES: There were 134 recorded workouts this morning, including a four-furlong drill in 47.20 by Bob Baffert trainee As Time Goes By, 13 ½-length winner of the Grade III La Canada Stakes on Jan. 1 . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Tuesday through Thursday. Live racing resumes 12:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21…Due to rainfall late this morning, Monday’s first race has been shifted off the hillside turf and will be run at 6 ½ furlongs out of the turf chute. Additionally, the Grade III, $125,000 Astra, carded as race seven and to be contested at a mile and one half on turf, has been moved off of the hillside and will now feature a backside start on the turf oval.
LATEST CONTENT FROM XBTV:
FEATURES:
Preview of the Astra Stakes
WORKOUTS:
Hit The Road (Blacker) 1-16-22
Always Thirsty (Solis) 1-16-22
Mackinnon (O’Neill) 1-16-22
Merneith (Baffert) 1-16-22
Beef Winslow (O’Neil) 1-16-22
American Theorem (Papaprodromou) 1-15-22
Express Train (Shirreffs) 1-15-22
Hot Rod Charlie (O’Neill) 1-15-22
Besame Mucho (Outside) and Walk the Talk (Glatt) 1-15-22
Echosmith (Wong) 1-14-22
Bob and Jackie (Baltas) 1-14-22
Triple Tap (Outside) and Vetoed (Baffert) 1-14-22
Bombard (Mandella) 1-13-22
Going to Vegas (Baltas) 1-13-22
Upbeat (Outside) and Q B One (Mandella) 1-13-22
Becca Taylor (Miyadi) 1-10-22
Best Actor (Outside) and Beautiful Gift (Baffert) 1-9-22
