Categories
English Events Horse Happenings

Santa Anita Derby, Saturday April 4th Highlights

JOCKEY QUOTES

MARTIN GARCIA, DORTMUND, WINNER: “This is my first win in the Santa Anita Derby. There are a lot of ‘firsts’ with him for me. He was really comfortable. The main thing for me today was to break well and put him in a good position.

          “Even though he’s won all his races, he’s still learning. He can play around a bit but when someone comes to him, or I ask him to go, he becomes push-button and he just takes off.

          “I never had the chance to ride American Pharoah except in his first time out. But American Pharoah just drags me in the morning; wherever you want to go, however far you want to go, he drags you there. Dortmund, just gallops along, but he isn’t aggressive about it. They’re different in that way but they’re both very good horses.”

RAFAEL BEJARANO, ONE LUCKY DANE, SECOND: “I had a good trip. No excuse. I put him right behind with the speed, but the winner was just the best. He was much the best. My horse was still running to the end. My horse ran really good, really good. He surprised me today. He made a good move at the end.

          (The best thing about his performance?): “This will help a lot in the (Kentucky) Derby. I think this horse can run all day. He’s still learning. He’s a big horse, good-sized for two turns. I think this race will be a lot of help.”

Categories
English Events Horse Happenings

PURE TACTICS UP TO WIN $75,000 CLOCKERS’ CORNER STAKES BY HALF LENGTH WITH SMITH ABOARD

RCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 25, 2015)—Texas-bred Pure Tactics rallied from off the pace to take Sunday’s $75,000 Clockers’ Corner Stakes by a half length under Mike Smith, negotiating 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in 1:12.28. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Pure Tactics shortened up out of a sixth place run in the Grade II, 1 1/16 miles turf Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 28 and notched his second win from five tries down the hill.

Categories
English Events Horse Happenings

BAFFERT’S FED BIZ TOPS LINEUP FOR SATURDAY’S GRADE II STRUB STAKES AT SANTA ANITA, ASMUSSEN, O’NEILL & MOTION ALL TO BE REPRESENTED BY TOP 4-YEAR-OLDS

ARCADIA , Calif. (Jan. 30. 2013)—Regarded by many as Bob Baffert’s top Derby prospect, Fed Biz validated his early notices in his 4-year-old debut at Santa Anita on Jan. 12, winning the Grade II San Fernando Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, thus setting the stage for his role as favorite in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Strub Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

Categories
English Events Horse Happenings

MILLIONAIRE MIZDIRECTION TAKES GRADE II MONROVIA STAKES IN JUNGLE-LIKE SETTING,PUYPE TRAINEE STAYS UNBEATEN ON HILL, EYES ONE-MILE BUENA VISTAFEB. 18

            ARCADIA , Calif. (Jan. 6, 2013)—Mizdirection and Mike Smith burst through a rainbow that touched down near the top of the hillside turf course and picked up where they left off on Sunday at Santa Anita, winning the Grade II, $150,000 Monrovia Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs, besting front-running Kindle and Edwin Maldonado by a desperate nose as the 5-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast returned to the scene of her biggest career score, the Grade I, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 3.