Breeders' Cup: racing's elite at the annual world championships this weekend at Santa Anita Park. See also commentary by Mark Whicker, p. B1, B7 and other Breeders' Cup coverage on p. B6.
Opening Day of horse racing at Santa Anita Park for the Autumn meet. Photos and captions only showing jockey Giovanni Franco riding horse Iron Alex, jockey Diego Sanchez, jockey Rafael Bejarano riding I Am the Danger, jockey Stewart Elliott, jockey Heriberto Figueroa riding Empress of Lov.
Pat Diroll recaps opening day of Santa Anita Park's 74th season as a social event. In attendance (and photographed) were actress Bo Derek, jockey Rafael Bejarano, Gary and Barbara Kovacic, Robert and Patsy Harbicht, trainer Bob Baffert, Joe Harper, Adrienne Haines, Roger Chandler, Don and Debbie Penman, Andrea Van de Kamp, and Sandra Chillingworth.
Peruvian jockey Rafael Bejarano joined horse racing royalty when he became the first rider since Laffit Pincay (in 1979-1981) to win three consecutive Santa Anita Park riding titles. He is 28 years old. He credits the late Bobby Frankel for opening doors for him in California. Bejarano is known to be loving, kind and never abusive to his horses. (Photos).
Race horse Bourbon Bay became the first horse in 17 years to sweep Santa Anita Park's trio of marathon graded turf stakes races with a half-length victory in the $150,000 Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap on closing day of the track's 75th anniversary meeting. The jockey was Rafael Bejarano, the first jockey since Laffit Pincay, Jr. in 1978-1981 to win three consecutive Santa Anita Park riding titles.
Santa Anita Park hosts Breeders' Cup World Championships. Coverage by Art Wilson (p. B1) and Kevin Modesti (p. B6). Goldencents, Beholder, and Fort Larned are some of the race horses mentioned. See also Pasadena Star News, p. B6, November 1, 2013.
Santa Anita Park opens 2012-2013 winter/spring meet on Wednesday, December 26, 2012. World class jockeys like Joe Talamo, Rafael Bejarano, Garrett Gomez, Mike Smith, among others, will be competing.