By Bloodhorse.com MEXICO CITY, Mexico (Mar. 24, 2015) — Enrique Cantarell Diaz’s Amanecer Serrano was a convincing 2 1/4-length victor March 21 at Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico and became the first winner for California-based freshman sire Sierra Sunset. The Mexico-bred chestnut colt was guided by William Antongeorgi III and was timed in :27.80 for the 2 1/2-furlong contest that drew seven contenders. His dam is Big Daddy’s Lady, by The Daddy. Sierra Sunset, a 10-year-old son of Bertrando out of Toot Sweet, by Pirate’s Bounty, stands for a 2015 fee of $2,500 at Paradise Road Ranch in near Tracy, Calif. He has 30 2-year-olds in his first crop. Winner of the 2008 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park among four stakes winners overall, including the 2007 California Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park, Sierra Sunset compiled a 5-3-1 career line from 14 starts and bankrolled lifetime earnings of $459,696. Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/90866/colt-first-winner-for-ca-based-sierra-sunset#ixzz3VMaaZ5v6 ...

From Santa Anita Publicity ARCADIA, Calif. (March 22, 2015)–Odds-on favorite Wild in the Saddle made short work of three California-bred or sired fillies and mares in taking Sunday’s $100,000 Dream of Summer Stakes for Golden State Series eligible by 6 ¼ lengths under Rafael Bejarano. Trained by Richard Baltas, the 6-year-old mare by Silic was attentive to a fast pace and took charge midway around the far turn en route to getting a flat mile in 1:36.73. Ridden by Elvis Trujillo, Sudden Sunday, who broke from the inside, was hustled to a narrow advantage over the winner into and around the Club House turn, but Wild in the Saddle opened up leaving the quarter pole and the Dream of Summer was over. “The trainer told me to go to the lead, but when I saw Sudden Sunday rushing too much into the first turn, I just decided to let her go,” said Bejarano. “My horse doesn’t have to be on the lead and the way she was going I didn’t... ...

From Santa Anita Publicity ARCADIA, Calif. (March 21, 2015)–In his first-ever graded stakes assignment, California-bred Ashleyluvssugar out-dueled heavily favored Finnegans Wake to win Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths under Gary Stevens. Trained by Peter Eurton, Ashleyluvssugar bested seven other older horses in negotiating 1 ½ miles on turf in 2:25.78. Well back in fifth position into the Club House turn, Ashleyluvssugar, who came off of an allowance win going 1 1/8 miles on turf Feb. 5, raced as a team with the favorite three-wide around the far turn and when Stevens went to his left handed stick at the furlong pole, the 4-year-old gelding by Game Plan seemingly found another gear and spurted clear. “I watched his last race, when Mike (Smith, who was away today to ride at Turfway Park) was on him and he battled back then too,” said Stevens. “Those were different kinds of horses but he really came back for Mike when he went left handed with the whip.... ...

LAUREL, Md. (Mar. 21, 2015) – Eddy Gourmet, a Maryland-bred daughter of California stallion Eddington, won Saturday’s $83,500 Conniver Stakes for fillies and mares at Laurel Park. Eddy Gourmet has six wins in 25 starts, earnings of $289,110 and was coming off a Feb. 8 optional claiming win. This was her stakes debut. She ran the seven furlongs in 1:23.50 and won by 7 ¾ lengths at odds of 7-2. ...

By DRF.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Mar. 20, 2015) — A good horse can come from anywhere, and have any kind of pedigree. But good horses occur far more rarely from unfashionable pedigrees than from those replete with the heavy black type of graded stakes winners. That is why the California Chromes of our small, insular world make such wonderful, populist stories. It also is why we must celebrate the Grade 1 success of horses such as Warren’s Veneda, winner of the Santa Margarita Handicap on March 14 at Santa Anita. Warren’s Veneda is the best horse bred by California businessman Benjamin C. Warren, who was once the largest Thoroughbred breeder in California. He bred more than 100 foals per year in the first decade of the 21st century but got out of the breeding business in 2012. Warren’s Veneda comes from the penultimate crop of horses bred by Warren, and her pedigree is typical of the cheaply bred horses his operation generally produced. Her sire, Affirmative, was once believed to be... ...

Ag Day photo gallery: SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Mar. 18, 2015) – Ag Day at the California Capitol was held Wednesday and California Thoroughbred Breeders Association was there, representing breeders and offering legislators information on the vital role the Thoroughbred industry plays in the state’s agricultural economy. CTBA past Presidents Sue Greene and Leigh Ann Howard, along with event coordinator Christy Chapman promoted the sport and educated visitors to the CTBA booth on general horse facts and Thoroughbred racing and breeding in California. Among the legislators that visited the booth were Assemblymembers Jim Frazier, Matt Harper, Brian Maienschein, Chad Mayes, Brian Jones, Marc Levine and Rudy Salas; Senators Tom Berryhill, Mike Morrell, Ted Gaines, Frank Bigelow, Jim Nielson; Speaker of the House Toni Atkins; Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross and CTBA lobbyist Robyn Black. Legislators were able to visit with an 18-day-old orphan by Eddington, out of the mare Mistical Bel, being nursed by 20-year-old surrogate mare Rollete.   ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Mar. 19 2015) — John McGary is returning as the track announcer for the California Authority of Racing Fairs in 2015. McGary, who called races on the fair circuit from 2000-05, will be in the booth for the Alameda County Fair (Pleasanton), California State Fair (Sacramento), Humboldt County Fair (Ferndale),  San Joaquin County Fair (Stockton), and Big Fresno Fair (Fresno). He will also prepare the morning lines for each meet and host handicapping seminars. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the fairs and consider myself very fortunate to be able to return,” McGary said. “I’m excited to be back.” McGary currently serves as track announcer at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Ohio and has more than 20 years experience as a racetrack announcer, publicity professional, odds maker, and paddock race analyst at several tracks including Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino, where he worked from 2005-14. “We are pleased to introduce John as the voice of the Northern California racing fair circuit,” said Christopher Korby, executive... ...

By Jay Hovdey, DRF.com CYPRESS, Calif. (Mar. 18, 2015) — With the mixed feelings of a man about to plunge into the dark unknown, Art Sherman bade a temporary farewell to California Chrome on Tuesday morning at Los Alamitos while keeping clear of the crew loading the 2014 Horse of the Year onto a van parked in a remote corner of the stables. “I get too nervous with all that kind of stuff,” Sherman said. “It’s for the best if I just stay out of their way. Otherwise, it might be contagious.” Sherman was dealing with what was merely the first leg of a long journey to Dubai, where California Chrome will compete in the 20th running of the $10 million Dubai World Cup on the evening of March 28, Dubai time (11 hours later than Pacific time). California Chrome will be running a counterclockwise 2,000 meters over a recently installed sand-based main track. The money needs no conversion, although the 2,000 meters was a different story. “Just a shade... ...

By Bloodhorse.com DEL MAR, Calif. (Mar. 12, 2015) — An incentive program to attract out-of-state horses to race in California that has had success over the past four seasons at Del Mar will expand to the entire Southern California racing circuit April 2. The “Ship and Win” program will apply to horses that have not raced in the past 12 months in California. At Santa Anita Park, Los Alamitos Race Course, and Del Mar, the program will guarantee a $1,000 appearance fee and a 30% enhancement to all purse money earned in the horse’s initial start in the state. Funding for the program will come from the three Southern California racetracks, the Thoroughbred Owners of California, and the California Marketing Committee, which is tasked with promoting racing in the state. “Horse recruitment and increasing field size are top priorities for TOC,” TOC president Joe Morris said. “We supported the ‘Ship and Win’ program at Del Mar for the last four years and believe it will be equally successful as a... ...

From Santa Anita Publicity ARCADIA, Calif. (March 8, 2015)–Underrated Harlington’s Rose rallied from off the pace to win Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes by three quarters of a length while covering six furlongs in 1:09.64 under Joe Talamo. Trained by Steve Knapp and bred in California by Y-Lo Racing Stables, the Harlington filly broke from the rail and lacked room while full of run into the far turn. Next to last, about three lengths off the lead at the quarter pole, she wheeled three-wide turning into the stretch to gradually inch away from runner-up Meinertzhageni inside the sixteenth pole. “I didn’t really want the rail,” said Knapp. “As you could see, she got pinched at the three eighths pole and Joe had to stand on her. He had enough horse that he could go in between and go around, but it is what it is. “She has developed. When she was two and three, she wanted to run off. Now, she’s learned how to relax behind horses and this has made... ...

By Sacramento Bee SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Mar. 8, 2015) — On a thoroughbred ranch in Vacaville, a 3-week-old foal gallops close to its mother. Their bond seems natural, but it didn’t start out that way. When the foal was born, it completely ignored its mother and refused to nurse. University of California, Davis veterinary specialist John Madigan intervened moments after the birth with a novel treatment he calls “the squeeze.” It’s attracting attention from researchers studying autism in children, who see a possible parallel between Madigan’s work with horses and a similar technique — called kangaroo care — that’s often used on pre-term infants. “The phenomenon that Madigan has observed in foals is interesting and dramatic,” said David Stevenson, professor of pediatrics at Stanford University. Over the past five years, a dozen foals at Victory Rose Thoroughbreds in Vacaville have been born with neonatal maladjustment syndrome, or NMS, in which they are emotionally detached from their mothers. In each case, horse farm owner Ellen Jackson called Madigan, a UCD veterinary professor and... ...

By DRF.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Mar. 7, 2015) – Singing Kitty, claimed for $32,000 at Los Alamitos in December, won her second consecutive stakes in Saturday’s $91,650 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf at Santa Anita. Singing Kitty ($41.60) closed from fourth in a field of eight to win the one-mile turf race by 1 1/2 lengths over Curlin’s Fox, the even-money favorite. She’s a Big Winner, who set the pace, finished third, a nose behind Curlin’s Fox. Singing Kitty, bred by Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, was timed in 1:35.09. She’s a Big Winner set fractions of 23.07 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.34 for a half-mile. She was challenged in early stretch by Singing Kitty, who is trained by Matt Chew. Singing Kitty races for Chris Aulds and Peter Jeong. A California-bred by Ministers Wild Cat, Singing Kitty won a $32,000 claimer at Los Alamitos on Dec. 11, when she was claimed. She finished seventh in the Blue Norther Stakes on turf Jan. 1 but rebounded to win the California... ...

By Bloodhorse.com OZONE PARK, N.Y. (Mar. 7, 2015) — Salutos Amigos, a Kentucky-bred son of California stallion Salute the Sarge, continued to show he’s the top sprinter in New York with a powerful victory in the $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack March 7 (VIDEO). Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Salutos Amigos rallied from third, easily going by second-choice Dads Caps in the stretch to post his fourth straight stakes victory. The 5-year-old by Salute the Sarge is now a perfect 3-for-3 over Aqueduct’s inner dirt track. Owned by David Jacobson and Southern Equine Stable, Salutos Amigos rated kindly in third under Cornelio Velasquez, as Dads Caps and 24-1 longshot Green Gratto battled from the start through a half-mile in :46.24 over the muddy track. As they turned for home, Velasquez began to ask on Salutos Amigos and the bay gelding responded, taking command from Dads Caps just inside the eighth-pole before posting the four-length score. The final time for the six furlongs was1:09.61. “Very impressive,”... ...

From Harris Farms COALINGA, Calif. (Mar. 5, 2015) – Clubhouse Ride, the son of Candy Ride, has been retired and will enter stud for 2015 at Harris Farms for an introductory fee of $2,500. Campaigned by Six-S Racing Stable and Bonnie and Nikolas Petralia, and trained throughout his career by Craig Lewis, the chestnut earned $1,341,132 in 43 starts including victories in 2013 and 2014 Californian Stakes. A graded-stakes performer from ages 2 through 5, Clubhouse Rideplaced in nine additional graded stakes, including the Santa Anita Handicap, Santa Anita Gold Cup, Cash Call Futurity, Charles Town Classic, San Antonio Stakes and the Daytona Stakes. He ran eight triple-digit Beyers numbers in 2013-14. Clubhouse Ride co-owner Rick Seidner commented, “He was a great horse with a huge heart that ran on all surfaces. I was thrilled to witness every race. We’re looking forward to his second career.” Lewis said, “Clubhouse Ride was a top athlete, with a great mind. He was all racehorse.” John Harris of Harris Farms said, “I thought... ...

By Bloodhorse.com SARATOGA, N.Y. (Mar. 2, 2015) — The 10 finalists on this year’s National Museum of Racing’s 2015 Hall of Fame ballot are jockeys Chris Antley, Victor Espinoza, Corey Nakatani, and Craig Perret; Thoroughbreds Black Tie Affair, Kona Gold, California-bred Lava Man, and Xtra Heat; and trainers King Leatherbury and David Whiteley. Four jockeys, four Thoroughbreds, and two trainers comprise the 10 finalists on the ballot, as selected by the Museum’s Hall of Fame nominating committee. Espinoza, Nakatani, Black Tie Affair, Lava Man, Leatherbury, and Whiteley are first-time finalists. Hall of Fame voters may select as many candidates as they believe are worthy of induction to the Hall of Fame. The four candidates with the highest vote totals will be elected. The voting results on contemporary candidates will be announced Monday, April 20. The induction ceremony will be at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Friday, Aug. 7, at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony is free and open to the public. The finalists were selected by the... ...

By DRF.com SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (Feb. 25, 2015) — Jerry Lambert, best known for riding Hall of Famer Native Diver in the 1960s and for winning a celebrated match race aboard Convenience against Typecast in 1972, was found dead Monday at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, Calif., where he had been working, according to a release put out Tuesday by Santa Anita. Lambert was 74. Lambert, nicknamed “Clyde” after the city in Kansas where he was born, rode Native Diver to consecutive victories in the Hollywood Gold Cup from 1965-67. In 1972, he won a match race at Hollywood Park aboard Convenience, who just held off the late charge of Typecast and Bill Shoemaker. “He was a great rider,” Don Pierce, the Hall of Fame rider who retired in 1984, told the Santa Anita publicity department. “I rode with him from the time he came to California in 1961 until I retired. Any time he was in a race, you had to deal with him because he didn’t make mistakes.... ...

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 24, 2015) – Four California-breds brought six-figure prices at Monday’s Barretts’ 2-Year-Old in Training Sale. A Heatseeker filly out of the Capote mare Cinema Paradisa, was consigned by Brocklebank Training & Sales, agent for Dimple Dell Farms & D Legacy Farms, was purchased by Legacy Ranch for $185,000. A Lucky Pulpit filly out of the Rock Hard Ten mare Fantasy Rocks, consigned by Havens Bloodstock, agent, was purchased by Three Amigos for $180,000. A Gio Ponti colt, out of the Is It True mare Ring True, consigned by Havens Bloodstock, agent, was purchased  by Point Richmond Bloodstock for $140,000. An Aragorn colt, out of the Indian Charlie mare Tavern on Rush, was consigned by Havens Bloodstock, agent, was purchased by Ryan or Liedel or Auerbach for $100,000. Falling just shy of six figures was a Slew’s Tiznow colt, out of the Unusual Heat mare Presidential Heat, consigned by Checkmate Thoroughbreds, agent, and purchased by Barnabus Molle for $92,000. ...

From Santa Anita Publicity ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2015)  – Highly respected longtime Southern California trainer Leonard Dorfman passed away peacefully early Sunday evening at his daughter’s home in Round Rock Texas. The affable Dorfman, a decorated World War II combat veteran who lied about his eyesight to enlist in the Army at age 19, would have been 93 on June 22. Best known as the conditioner of multiple stakes winners Biggs, Travel Orb, Minnesota Chief, Joni U. Bar and McCann’s Mojave, Dorfman gravitated to the track at an early age and one of his first jobs was grooming horses at movie mogul Louis B. Mayer’s farm in Hemet, Calif., circa, 1939 at age 15. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Dorfman emigrated to Los Angeles with his mother at the age of 7 and soon thereafter cultivated a lifetime love affair with horses. “He was such a kind and gentle man,” said retired Hall of Fame jockey Donald Pierce, from his home in Encinitas. “He was without a doubt... ...

From Golden Gate Publicity ALBANY, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2015) — A front-running victory aboard 3-2 California-bred favorite Marino’s Wild Cat in the $60,460 Lost in the Fog Stakes highlighted a four-victory afternoon for jockey Silvio Amador at Golden Gate Fields Monday.      Marino’s Wild Cat sped to the lead soon after the start of the six-furlong sprint for older horses and set fractions of 22.78 and 45.17 while being tracked by come-backing Exit Stage Left, who entered the race undefeated in three starts – all stakes victories.      Marino’s Wild Cat held Exit Stage Left at bay through the length of the stretch and scored by 1 3/4 lengths in an impressive 1:08.92.  Exit Stage Left, making his first start since winning the California Derby on Jan. 18, 2014, took second by a length over 15-1 outsider Giant Sandman.     “I was very happy the race went the way I thought it would,” said Amador.  “It was good that nobody came out to fight me on the... ...

From DMTC Publicity DEL MAR, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2015) — After clearing away all of the synthetic Polytrack material that made up the main track surface for the past eight years, crews have almost completed removing the stone sub-base of the main track. Those two-inch blue granite stones, approximately 15,000 tons worth, are earmarked for recycled uses on the 350-acre fairground.   A large rock crusher has been assembled to grind or break the stones into three products – rock dust, pea gravel and three-quarter-inch rock. The rock dust will make up a portion of the new track’s sub-base; the pea gravel will be used to line the track’s inside drainage channel, and the three-quarter-inch rock will be employed on several additional maintenance projects on the fairgrounds. Digging for the inside drainage channel – which measures approximately a foot wide and 18 inches deep — began this past Monday. Water that drains down through the main track will use the existing perforated drainage pipes hooked into a new main pipe... ...

From Santa Anita Publicity  ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 14, 2015)–Although she was caught wide around both turns, Warren’s Veneda rallied from off the pace to an emphatic 2 ¾ length win in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita, as the California-bred daughter of Affirmative covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.18. Trained by Craig Lewis and owned by her breeder, Benjamin C. Warren, Warren’s Veneda, who notched her second win in a row and got her first graded stakes victory, was the second choice in a field of eight older fillies and mares at 9-5 and paid $5.60, $3.40 and $2.60. “I was on her when she broke her maiden a couple of years ago and I knew she was a nice filly then,” said Baze. “Going into the first turn I thought about taking her back and dropping her in, but I told myself to just have confidence and I knew she was the best in the field. I lost a little ground, which I really don’t... ...

By Art Wilson, Pasadena Star News ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2015) — Got about an hour? Maybe two? That’s how long it will take for Bruce Headley to tell you about all the standout California-bred horses he’s trained during his 56-year career. The old-school Headley, who believes hay, oats and water are the only ingredients a horse needs to be successful, received the highest honor a local horseman can receive Monday night at the Pasadena Westin when he was inducted into the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Hall of Fame. According to his daughter, Karen, his acceptance speech brought down the house. Not surprising, since Headley can be as delightful off the track as he is lethal on it. “There are a lot of great men in there, in that Hall of Fame, that I learned from, so to be in there with the guys I learned from is quite an honor,” said Headley, who discovered at a young age that if you’re good to the horses, they’ll be good to... ...

To view the presentation of 2014 Horse of the Year at the CTBA Annual Awards Dinner, click http://bit.ly/1KQ9kLr ...

By Bloodhorse.com OCEANPORT, N.J. (Feb. 10, 2015) — Monmouth Park Racetrack has announced that Frank Mirahmadi will become its new track announcer when the 2015 racing season kicks off on Saturday, May 9. “Frank is an exceptional talent and we’re delighted that he will be joining the Monmouth Park team,” Bob Kulina, president of Darby Development LLC, operators of the racetrack, said in a release. “His style and accuracy will be a perfect fit for Monmouth and I’m sure everyone on-track and those listening worldwide will be equally delighted with his race calls.” A veteran of the announcer’s booth for nearly 20 years, Mirahmadi got his start at Hialeah Park in 1996. Since then he’s called the races at Louisiana Downs, Turf Paradise and for the last nine years the Northern California fair circuit. He’s currently the announcer for Oaklawn Park and Los Alamitos Racecourse and works for TVG as a racing analyst and with their sales department. In addition, Mirahmadi has voiced race calls for the movie “Seabiscuit” as... ...

By Bloodhorse.com OZONE PARK, N.Y. (Feb. 7, 2015) – Salutos Amigos, a Kentucky-bred son of California stallion Salute the Sarge, wouldn’t be denied Feb. 7, rallying through the stretch to take the $147,000 Toboggan Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack by 1 3/4 lengths over Dads Caps. Sent off as the 3-4 favorite in the field of five competing over a fast inner track, Salutos Amigos overcame a four-length deficit in the stretch to reel in 9-5 second-choice Dads Caps. With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, Salutos Amigos won his third straight stakes race and fourth stakes in the past five starts. “He’s just getting better and better,” said Jacobson, who also trains the 5-year-old Salute the Sarge gelding. “(Dads Caps) is a tough horse to run down and beat.” Dads Caps, wearing blinkers, went right to the front and set the pace under Jose Ortiz, covering the half mile in fractions of :23.08 and :45.30 while Salutos Amigos raced fourth, over six lengths behind the speedy front-runner. Turning for home,... ...

By Bloodhorse.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 6, 2015) — Promising California-bred 3-year-old Acceptance, who suffered his first defeat in four starts when fourth as the 1-2 favorite in the California Cup Derby Jan. 24 at Santa Anita Park, has been turned out at Old English Rancho in Sanger. “He left today (Feb. 6),” said Kenny Black, assistant to trainer Don Warren. “He’ll be freshened to deal with some shin issues.” Warren conditions the homebred son of Vronsky for Bud and Judy Johnston, who own the dark bay colt in partnership with Robert Riggio. Acceptance won the first three starts of his career, including stakes victories last year in Santa Anita’s Golden State Juvenile and the King Glorious at Los Alamitos Racecourse. Heavily favored in the Cal Cup Derby, his 2015 debut, Acceptance set the pace while under pressure from eventual winner Mischief Clem before dropping back in the homestretch to lose by 12 1/4 lengths. Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/90008/acceptance-turned-out-with-shin-issues#ixzz3R0TDK2J8 ...