Tag: Santa Anita Park

Flavien Prat's surprise at winning last year's Kentucky Derby via disqualification yielded to amazement at winning six races in one day Sunday. (Image: AP Photo/Greg Payan)

Prat Rides Off With a Six-Pack of Santa Anita Victories on Sunday

Sunday at Santa Anita Park saw Flavien Prat experience what few jockeys ever get to savor in their riding careers — the joy of six trips to the winner’s circle. Prat won six of Santa Anita’s first nine races on Sunday’s card, a rare feat that vaulted him into rarefied […]

Santa Anita Park officials want a return to finishes like this in the 2019 Monrovia Stakes. The track's proposed Friday reopening is in limbo pending approval from the health department. (Image: Mark Ralston/AFP-Getty)

Order Sends Santa Anita’s Planned Reopening Into Limbo

The tug-of-war between Santa Anita Park and Los Angeles County Health Department officials continued Tuesday when county officials extended their “safer at home” order that was due to expire Friday. That extension slams into Santa Anita’s planned resumption of live racing, but track officials say they intend to proceed as […]

After six weeks on COVID-19 enforced hiatus, Golden Gate Fields opens its gate to horses again May 14. (Image: Billy Poon Photos)

Golden Gate Fields Gets Approval to Reopen Next Week

The beleaguered California racing industry received a booster shot Wednesday when Golden Gate Fields announced it will resume live racing on May 14. The announcement came after the Northern California track received provisional approval from Alameda County Health officials. The west Berkeley track closed for live racing on April 2 […]

Santa Anita Park's revamped spring stakes schedule could use a Zenyatta-like performance to help the beleaguered track. (Image: Jae C. Hong/AP)

Santa Anita Park Releases Full Stakes Schedule, Pending Resumption

With its plan to safely resume racing on May 15 officially in the hands of local legislators, Santa Anita Park laid out its revamped spring stakes schedule – a schedule featuring the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks on June 6. That day sets up as the revamped meet’s […]

Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert and his wife, Jill, took part in a pro-racing demonstration in front of the LA County Board of Supervisors building. (Image: I Am Horse Racing)

Baffert, O’Neill Lead Protest for California Racing at LA County Board

Bob Baffert and Doug O’Neill built a rivalry among the Santa Anita Park training colony, fueled by the fact that they’ve trained a combined four Kentucky Derby winners since 2012. But the two training mainstays put aside their rivalry on Tuesday to lead a demonstration outside the Los Angeles County […]

Santa Anita won't spring horses for the Santa Anita Derby Saturday. Despite fervent lobbying by track officials, Santa Anita remains closed by order of the Los Angeles County Health Department. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

Santa Anita Derby Pushed Back As Track Officials Lobby For Reopening

As track officials continue lobbying to resume racing, Santa Anita Park remains closed for another weekend. That pushes back Saturday’s planned Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks to dates yet to be determined. On Friday, Los Angeles County health officials abruptly shut the track down, […]

The starting gate at iconic Santa Anita Park will stay empty for the foreseeable future after county health officials closed the track Friday morning. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

County Health Officials Abruptly Close Santa Anita Park

With 30 minutes to go before first post, officials from the Los Angeles County Health Department shut down racing at California’s Santa Anita Park Friday morning. The move came in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Track officials at Santa Anita, who worked hard to keep the track open for racing […]

Horses won't be coming down the stretch at New York's Aqueduct Park in the foreseeable future. The track closed Thursday after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus. (Image: NYRA)

Aqueduct Park Closes After Backstretch Worker Tests Positive for Coronavirus

In the latest COVID-19-related news to hit the horse racing community, officials closed Aqueduct Racetrack in New York until further notice after a backstretch worker tested positive Thursday morning for the coronavirus. The unidentified worker, who lives and works in nearby Belmont Park, has been quarantined. He developed symptoms on […]

Jockey Club Reports Horse Fatalities at Lowest Point in a Decade

Jockey Club Reports Horse Fatalities at Lowest Point in a Decade

The incidences of horse fatalities at American thoroughbred racetracks are now at their lowest point in a decade, according to statistics compiled by the Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database (EID). The 2019 rate of fatal injuries to horses is at its lowest number since the EID began collecting data in […]

Until further notice, fans won't be able to enjoy this spectacular view of the San Gabriel Mountains behind the Santa Anita finish line. The track is closed to spectators. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

Last Sport Standing? Horse Racing and Betting Continues, Just Not In Person

From a betting standpoint, the coronavirus outbreak that has canceled or suspended events across the sporting spectrum means America’s horse racing tracks are some of the few venues with action available to punters. Provided you have a remote betting account or betting app. Due to the threat of coronavirus and […]

Dennis' Moment went off as the 6/5 favorite in the Fountain of  Youth. But a disappointing last-place finish has his camp puzzled. (Image: Holly M. Smith Photography)

Fountain of Youth Favorite Dennis’ Moment Disappoints on Derby Trail

Dale Romans was puzzled. Nothing he trained Dennis’ Moment for at Saturday’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park was supposed to play out like this. And unlike past mishaps, Dennis’ Moment’s start was good, his tactics were fine, and jockey Flavien Prat was turning in his usual solid, intelligent ride. […]

Brazilian import Jolie Olimpica is unbeaten in four races. Can her Olympian form hold in Saturday's Buena Vista Stakes? (Image: Ernie Belmonte)

Racing Notes: Jolie Olimpica Raising the Stakes at Santa Anita

The Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita is arguably the best Grade 2 race for fillies and mares in the United States. There’s buzz in horse racing circles that these stakes could eventually rise from Grade 2 to Grade 1 – and if that ever happens it will be because […]