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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Santa Anita meet opens: no fans but record betting. Santa Anita park began its 84th winter-spring meet yesterday with no audience, but had a record-breaking opening day in betting handle, as $23,003,159 was wagered on the 11-race card. The old record of $20,491,016 was set in 2018. First-year General Manager Nate Newby hopes fans will be allowed back soon. Until such time only essential personnel and horses' owners are allowed to attend races.
Winner of the Kentucky Derby dies in training at Santa Anita Park yesterday. The horse was named Medina Spirit and died of an apparent heart attack after morning workout. See also related article Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 5. December 9, 2021.
Practical Move is favorite horse. Facts about today's 86th running of the Santa Anita Derby.
-Bob Baffert has won the race a record 9 times.
-The race has produced 19 Kentucky Derby winners.
-Practical Move (race horse) is the 8-5 favorite, followed by Geaux Rocket Ride and National Treasure.
Santa Anita Park to be a Los Angeles County polling place (Vote Center) for the first time in the racetrack's 86 year history. It'll be on the first floor of its Clubhouse, open 9 AM - 8 PM from October 30 through November 2 and 6 AM - 9 PM on November 3.
Thoroughbred horse owner George Sharp has filed a lawsuit against Santa Anita Park saying his horse League of Shadows would have won race if veterinarin had not removed it. Sharp wants at least $90,000 in damages--the winner's share of the $150,000 purse because he believes his horse was likely to win. Sharp alleges the racetrack's owner Stronach Group has created a "culture of hysteria in the horse community by implementing ad-hoc and ever changing rules" in response to more than 40 equine deaths since December 2018.
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.
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.
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.
Santa Anita Park is approved by Los Angeles County Health Department to resume tomorrow. Live racing to come back without fans, ith strict safety protocols to prevent spread of COVID-19.
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.
Santa Anita Park looking for a brighter future. When Aidan Butler, Executive Director of California Racing Operations for The Stronach Group took over at Santa Anita about a year ago, he couldn't have envisioned the road blocks his first year--heavy rains that postponed opening day, the COVID-19 pandemic, recent brush fires that forced the fall meet to be postponed. He discusses the difficulties this year, the new turf chute and the future.