Race horse White Abarrio wins the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park. The jockey aboard was Irad Ortiz Jr. (photo). The trainer was Rick Dutrow.
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.
Judge rejects Bob Baffert's stay, delays suspension to April 4. Kentucky Horse Racing Commission suspended trainer Bob Baffert for questions surrounding dead race horse Medina Spirit having the corticosteroid betamethasone in his system when he won the Kentucky Derby last year. Medina Spirit has been stripped of that title.
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.
Tim Yakteen, a trainer who was an apprentice under Bob Baffert earlier in his career, brings two top horses to the Kentucky Derby. He is the trainer in charge at Churchill Downs. Includes biographical information.
Sounds of silence. Santa Anita Park like an old west ghost town as horses race without fans. No fans in attendance at the races yesterday due to the coronavirus COVID-19. Only media, owners, trainers, and essential personnel were in attendance. By Art Wilson.
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.
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.
Back on track. Santa Anita Park resumes racing today, still minus spectators and with several precautions. The last time there was racing was March 27, when the track was shut down by Los Angeles County Health Department to slow the spread of coronavirus. Some of the most important protocols include: restricted zone that will house jockeys, valets and essential personnel, all trainers, employees and essential racing personnel must wear face cloths covering their nose and mouth and practice social distancing, all trainers, employees and essential racing personnel must wear a race-day wristband signifying they passed the daily health screening.
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.
Third horse in three days dies at Santa Anita Park, while animal rights activists continue to push for a nationwide ban on racing. The race horses were named Tikkun Olam, Uncontainable, and Harliss. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) was given authority, in legislation backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, to suspend racing. Officials at Santa Anita Park released a statement reaffirming their commitment to horse safety. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, January 23, 2020.
"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.
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.
Horse racing regulations lead to fewer equine deaths. Fatalities in California have been cut in half in 2 years and plummeted to the lowest levels since 1990 as a result of reforms implemented after dozens of death at Santa Anita Park in 2019. The reforms in the last two years include strict limitations on use of whips by jockey, a prohibition on most medications before races, installation of new imaging technologies to catch injuries sooner, more opportunities for veterinarians and stewards to sideline horses and a mandatory requirement for trainers to participate in the postmortem.
Fall racing begins with empty stands at Santa Anita Park. No in-person cheering as smoke-delayed, 16-day meet begins. Poor air quality from Bobcat Fire forced the delay of the fall meet by one week.