John Shirreffs is on this year’s short list for induction into the National Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame this year. But Saturday brought the 76-year-old trainer an early, long-sought honor, one that eluded him for years. A Santa Anita Handicap trip to the winner’s circle. Express Train crossed that off Shirreffs’ […]
Tag: Victor Espinoza
Art Collector Leads the Redemption Brigade into Charles Town Classic
Art Collector is the 5/2 morning-line favorite for Friday’s Grade 2 Charles Town Classic at Hollywood Casino at Charles Races. And yes, it’s strange to read one of 2020’s top 3-year-olds is running in West Virginia and not in Saratoga this weekend. Art Collector’s path to the starting gate for […]
Princess Noor Arrives as the Brightest Light in the Chandelier Stakes
Bob Baffert is sending three of the five starters out for Saturday’s Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita Park, but make no mistake as to which Baffert bears attention: precocious Princess Noor. The Chandelier is one of seven stakes on Santa Anita’s packed Saturday card. It sends the five […]
Del Mar ‘Takes Weekend Off’ After 15 Riders Test Positive for COVID-19
Del Mar abruptly canceled its weekend racing card for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after mass testing revealed 15 jockeys are positive for COVID-19. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club CEO Joe Harper said in a statement that in the wake of numerous Southern California-based jockeys testing positive out of the Los Alamitos […]
Flavien Prat is Fifth Los Alamitos Rider Testing Positive for COVID-19
The COVID-19 outbreak from Los Alamitos’ July 4 card claimed another jockey Sunday when Flavien Prat tested positive for the coronavirus. Prat, the West Coast’s leading rider, just captured the Santa Anita Park riding title. He’s also the fourth jockey from Los Alamitos’ Independence Day card to test positive, joining […]
Breakout Rider Luis Saez Tests Positive for COVID-19
Standout rider Luis Saez became the latest jockey testing positive for COVID-19 Friday, ending his run at Keeneland’s five-day summer meet and sending him into immediate quarantine. The jockey learned of the positive test after riding Fortuna to a second-place finish in a $70,000 maiden special weight race Friday. He […]
Ce Ce Sees a Path to Her Fourth Consecutive Win at Santa Maria Stakes
She is one of the hottest horses in the country and she’s running Sunday in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita Park. But alas, if this is your first time seeing Ce Ce, the value betting bandwagon left you behind. The 4-year-old filly goes for her fourth […]