Juan Hernandez

With four of the six who went to post in the GII Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was guaranteed a placing or two in the 'Win and You're In' race for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1. He did better than that, saddling the first three home. Even-money favorite and maiden winner Non Compliant (2, f, Tiz the Law--Sensitively, by Street Sense), the most modest auction purchase of the Baffert quartet, bested GIII Sorrento Stakes winner Nooni (Win Win Win) and...

Del Mar concluded its 85th summer racing season Sunday as the seaside track once again recorded strong field sizes and average daily handle as well as the highest daily purses in the state of California. Del Mar averaged 8.6 starters per race and $831,000 per day in total purse distribution. Total wagering for the meet was $502,985,000, a slight decrease from last summer after Del Mar implemented new restrictions on computer-assisted wagering (CAW) players in 2024. Average daily handle was $16,225,000. Track officials indicated that the handle figures were in...

It's the final day of the meet where the 'turf meets the surf' where trainer Bob Baffert will likely finish the afternoon with an unprecedented 18th winner of the GI Del Mar Futurity, the final major contest of the season before the track gets all decked out in purple for the arrival of the Breeders' Cup in early November. The Hall of Famer saddles three of Sunday's seven intended runners, each capable of walking away with the victory on their best. 'TDN Rising Star' Getaway Car (Curlin) is the most...

She did it again. Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor (m, 5, Uncle Mo--Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo), who was coming off wins in the GI Apple Blossom Handicap and GII Santa Margarita Stakes, made it three straight in winning the GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar for the second year in a row. She earned a 'Win and You're In' fees-paid berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, which will be contested over this same surface in three months. Adare Manor broke nicely in the Clement Hirsch, content to...

Sometimes a prohibitive 3-5 favorite doesn't run his or her race, but sometimes one runs just as hoped and adds a cherry on top. Last-out GI Beholder Mile Stakes winner and Pamela C. Ziebarth homebred Sweet Azteca (f, 4, Sharp Azteca--So Sweetitiz, by Grand Slam) not only made it three in a row with a facile win in Saturday's GII Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos, but also set a new track record at Los Al for the distance, getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.33. At the Great...

Jockey Juan Hernandez, trainer Phil D'Amato and owner Paul and Zilla Reddam's Reddam Racing emerged victorious in their respective divisions during the 29-day Hollywood Meet at Santa Anita, which closed Sunday, June 16. Hernandez, a native of Veracruz, Mexico, was celebrating a sixth riding title at Santa Anita, having ridden 36 winners from 176 mounts (20.5%), one clear of Antonio Fresu, who joined the local riding colony just over 14 months ago. The Italian had one last chance to dead-heat with Hernandez, but fell just short in Sunday's 12th and...

The third 'Rising Star' to come out of the freshman sire class in just 24 hours, Midland Money (Shancelot--Magnolias In Bloom, by Flatter) became his sire's (by Shanghai Bobby) second overall winner Friday with a gate to wire win at Santa Anita. A $650,000 OBS March buy for CSLR Racing Partners LLC, the colt worked a quick furlong in :9.4 in Ocala to become the most expensive 2-year-old buy from his sire's first crop. He'd already shown his propensity to be quick in the mornings, putting up back to back...

Zedan Racing Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic) has been withdrawn from Saturday's GI Preakness S. after spiking a temperature following his arrival into Pimlico late Tuesday. "We are sick about this. The horse had been doing really well," trainer Bob Baffert told the Pimlico media office. "But we have to do what's right by the horse." Runner-up to fellow 'Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the $190,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $2-million OBS March topper came off the bench to win...

Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor (m, 5, Uncle Mo--Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo), who so often shows her best on the front end, took her California tactics on the road with a 5 1/2-length score in Oaklawn's $1.25-million GI Apple Blossom S. Saturday while conceding between one and six pounds to her rivals. Flying Connection (Nyquist), who shipped in from Sunland Park after three straight stakes wins in New Mexico for the red-hot Todd Fincher barn, closed late to nab second over Mar. 24 Shantel Lanerie S. winner Free Like a...

Juan Hernandez topped the riding standings and Doug O'Neill was the top trainer at Santa Anita's 46-day Classic Meet which concluded Sunday. For Hernandez, a 32-year-old native of Veracruz, Mexico, this was his fifth riding title at Santa Anita. He finished with 53 wins from 245 mounts and also led all jockeys in earnings with $3,683,348. "I just want to say thank you to everybody for all the support," Hernandez said. "All the owners, trainers and all the people on the backside. The grooms, the gallop boys, because they do...

In a battle of Cal-bred fillies, it was Jethorse, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber's Daddysruby (Frac Daddy) who just got the bob over the late-closing Big Pond (Mr. Big) in a thrilling finish to the GI La Brea S. at Santa Anita Tuesday. Though not the quickest into stride from her inside post, Daddysruby rushed up along the rail to take the early lead. She was pressed by favored Howl (Practical Joke) through a quarter in :22.21, but opened a clear lead as the favorite--unbeaten in a pair of lifetime...

Santa Anita concluded its 19-day Autumn Meet Sunday with Juan Hernandez on top of the jockey standings by both wins (24) and stakes victories (7). Trainer Mark Glatt edged out Phil D'Amato 12-11 to win his first Santa Anita training title, while Hall of Famer Richard Mandella led trainers by stakes wins with five. Leading owner went to Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable, who finished with four trips to the winner's circle. Known at The Great Race Place, Santa Anita hosted the Breeders' Cup Nov. 3-4. Racing...