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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.”

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English Events Horse Happenings

BIO PRO TAKES ADVANTAGE OF FAST PACE, TAKES $70,000 LURE STAKES BY 3 ¼ LENGTHS UNDER GUTIERREZ, ZUCKER TRAINEE GETS MILE ON TURF IN 1:33.48

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2013)—Longshot Bio Pro, with Mario Gutierrez aboard, took advantage of a fast pace set by favored El Commodore and Gary Stevens to win Sunday’s $70,000 Lure Stakes at Santa Anita by 3 ¼ lengths, as the Howard Zucker trainee motored a mile on the turf in 1:33.48.

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English Events Horse Happenings

I DAZZLE TACKLES ODDS-ON FAVORITE AROUND FAR TURN AND POWERS TO NECK VICTORY IN $75,000 AMERICAN BEAUTY STAKES AS SADLER RUNS 1-2-3

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 7, 2013)—In her first start for trainer John Sadler, Louisiana-bred I Dazzle, with Rafael Bejarano up, tackled 1-2 favorite In the Stars approaching the five-sixteenth pole and held on to win Sunday’s $75,000 American Beauty Stakes by a neck, getting one mile on turf in 1:33.42, as Sadler’s runners finished one-two-three in a five-horse field.

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English Events Horse Happenings

BOOK REVIEW HEADS SHORT FIELD IN GRADE II SANTA MARIA , BAFFERT & BEJARANO AGAIN JOIN FORCES; HOLLENDORFER REPRESENTED BY THREESOME

ARCADIA , Calif. (Feb. 13, 2013)—A winner of the Grade I La Brea Stakes going seven furlongs on Dec. 26, Book Review was then a sharp second in the Grade II La Canada Stakes going a mile and a sixteenth on Jan. 20, and she’ll try that distance again on Saturday as she heads a six-horse field in Santa Anita’s featured Grade II, $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes for older fillies and mares.

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English Events Horse Happenings

TIZ FLIRTATIOUS DOMINANT IN VALENTINE DANCER, JONES TRAINEE POWERS HOME TO WIN BY 1 ¾ LENGTHS

           ARCADIA , Calif. (Jan. 26, 2013)—Under confident handling from Rafael Bejarano, 4-5 favorite Tiz Flirtatious had her competition measured at the top of the stretch and she powered home to win the $100,000 Valentine Dancer for California-bred fillies and mares, dispatching a field of six rivals by 1 ¾ lengths while getting one mile over a turf course listed as “good” in 1:35.17.

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English Events Horse Happenings

JERANIMO!! PENDER TRAINEE ROARS HOME TO WIN GRADE II SAN GABRIELBY 2 ¾ LENGTHS GOING 1 1/8 MILES ON TURF AT 2-1; CONNECTIONS EYE LONGER DISTANCES

            ARCADIA , Calif. (Jan. 13, 2013)—With surprising ease, seven-year-old Jeranimo steamed home under a hand ride from Rafael Bejarano to win Sunday’s Grade II, $150,000 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita by 2 ¾ lengths, getting a mile and one eighth on turf in a rapid 1:46.50, leaving his connections optimistic about trying longer distances throughout the year.

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English Events Horse Happenings

BEJARANO BUOYED BY OPENING WEEK STAKES BLITZ

Jockey Rafael Bejarano is not No. 1 in the rider standings after the first week of the Del Mar Thorougbred Club meeting. Garrett Gomez was the hot jock of the first five days, notching 10 wins, three more than Bejarano.