Great news from the Great Race Place. Eclipse Awards for Horse Racing, held at Santa Anita Park, honored Jessica Pyfer as Apprentice of the Year, Joel Rosario as Jockey of the Year, and race horses CeCe and Corniche.
A fourth horse dies from training injury at Santa Anita Park. A 5-year-old mare named Big Switch has been euthanized following a sesamoid injury from exercising. Owner and breeder is George Krikorian. Trainer was John Sadler and jockey was Juan Hernandez.
12th horse dies this year from training injury at Santa Anita Park. A 2-year-old bay colt named Captain Maverick, that had yet to run a race, has died.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer defends record despite horse deaths as Santa Anita Park. He is in the first phase of trial in his lawsuits against the owners and operators of Santa Anita Park, who barred him from working there after four equine deaths at Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields.
Bob Baffer, horse trainer, is denied stay of suspension by Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. He has been suspended for 90 days, effective March 8 through June 5, and was fined $7,500. He was trainer of Medina Spirit, a horse that is now deceased but tested positive for the steroid betamethasone following the Kentucky Derby last May 1. Medina Spirit was stripped of the Kentucky Derby crown and collapsed and died on December 6, 2021 of a heart attack after a trianing run at Santa Anita Park.
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit stripped of crown. Medina Spirit is no longer the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The colt died unexpectedly in December 2021 at Santa Anita Park and was unofficially disqualified by Kentucky racing officials yesterday for failing a drug test after winning the race. This ruling is a blow for famed trainer Bob Baffert.
Appeals court in Kentucky rejects Bob Baffert's bid to halt ban. Signage outside Baffert's barn at Santa Anita Park was removed as part of a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) rule that mandates any trainer who is suspended for 60+ days be banned from all CHRB-licensed facilities.
Run of good luck. Superstitious trainer Bob Baffert wins Awesome Again Stakes with fifth-choice Defunded at Santa Anita Park yesterday. Jockey who rode Defunded was Edwain Maldonado.
Two horses die in the span of two days from training injuries at Santa Anita Park racetrack. They were named Cayton Kid and Magnolia. Track officials noted the number of fatalities dropped sharply from 2019, when 42 horses died. According to Santa Anita Park, 17 horses died at the track in 2020 and 12 died last year. The track's safety rate has improved by 43% compared to last year.
No definitive cause of death found by exam of Medina Spirit, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winning horse. The necropsy results were released by California Horse Racing Board yesterday. The colt had collapsed and died after a workout on December 6, 2021 at Santa Anita Park. Necropsy reported that the horse had swollen lungs and foam in his windpipe, enlarged spleen and congestions and mild hemorrhages in other tissues that "are common in horses dying suddenly..." Trainer was Bob Baffert.
Taiba among trainer Bob Baffert's 5 winners on opening day at Santa Anita Park, in front of a crowd of 41,446. The crowd, Santa Anita park's largest on opening day since 46,514 showed up in 2016.
Race horse Cave Rock gives trainer Bob Baffert another Grade I victory at the American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park yesterday. Jockey Juan Hernandez was the rider.
"Stilleto Boy" wins Santa Anita Handicap for first Grade 1 victory. Jockey was Kent Desormeaux. ("Stilleto" is how it's spelled in the article.) Trainer was Ed Moger, Jr.
Second horse dies in two days at Santa Anita Park racetrack. Barraza, a 4 year-old colt is the second horse to die in two days, after a sesamoid injury Saturday morning during a workout, requiring euthanasia. Four year-old filly named Pray for My Owner died the day before. A total of eight horses have died at Santa Anita Park this year.
Two horses die at Santa Anita Park, two at Los Alamitos within one week. The two at Santa Anita were named Kakistocracy (died while training) and Electric Ride (died of non-musculoskeletal sudden death).
Another horse euthanized at Santa Anita Park after training injury. It was a 3-year-old colt named Uncle Boogie, owned by Eric Homme and trained by Andrew Lerner. Eleven horses died from a racing or training injury during the winter/spring meet, which ended June 20.