Filmed at Santa Anita Park and locations around Los Angeles, HBO’s new series “Luck” tells the story of track rats hoping for a rocket ride to glory on the backs of their magnificent Thoroughbreds. The series’ premiere season kicked-off Jan. 29 and runs through April 22. [Editor’s note: HBO on March 14 announced the cancellation [...]
Santa Anita Park’s 2011 Autumn Meeting begins Sept. 30, with 13 graded stakes, including six Grade I events to be run as part of Santa Anita’s Breeders’ Cup prep program that encompasses the first two weekends of the 24-day race meeting. The 2011 Breeders’ Cup will for the first time take place at Churchill Downs [...]
It was a moment right out of a Hollywood movie: 90-year-old man throws himself in front of a stampeding Thoroughbred to push a six-year-old girl to safety. But it happened for real, March 12 at Santa Anita Park, when paddock guard John Shear acted in the call of duty to maintain safety in the walking [...]
It was a wire-to-wire victory for Acclamation at the 21st running of Del Mar’s $1 Million Pacific Classic on Aug. 28. The five-year-old California-bred horse was ridden by Patrick Valenzuela. “He’s a great horse. And it doesn’t matter – grass or dirt of Poly. He’s just a runner,” Valenzuela said. Overall, Acclamation’s stellar performance at [...]
Jockey Chantal Sutherland veered from tradition when she decided to work the Del Mar meet this summer, rather than heading back to her native Canada to ride at Woodbine. But Sutherland isn’t one for following formulas. The only thing she likes to be predictable at is winning. “When you pick a meet, you kind of [...]
For the management team behind Acclamation, the choice was between the July 17 Grade III, $100,000 Sunset Handicap on closing day of the Hollywood Park meeting, or the July 23 Grade I, $300,000 Eddie Read Handicap on the opening weekend at Del Mar. The decision: scratch from the Sunset and gear up for the Read, [...]
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s J. Terrence Lanni has died at age 68. Lanni, who had been a member of the DMTC’s board of directors since 2001, passed away July 14 at his home in Pasadena, Calif., after a long battle with cancer. Lanni was also the former chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage, having [...]
Starting Wednesday, July 20, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will begin its 72nd racing season, led by a veteran team of racing officials. At the helm will be DMTC’s executive vice president, racing and industry relations, Tom Robbins, who also serves as the track’s director of racing and racing secretary. This will be his 31st [...]
Torrential rain and severe winds damaged at least nine barns at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, KY, last night displacing about 150 horses and 100 backstretch workers housed on the premises, according to Associated Press. As a result, the track will be closed for live racing at least through today, though training will take place [...]
The 2011 Triple Crown season was all about the underdogs, with yet another longshot, Ruler On Ice, winning the 143rd Belmont Stakes June 11. The 24-to-1 shot broke the wire three-quarters of a length ahead of Stay Thirsty. Shackleford, who three weeks earlier won the Preakness Stakes as a 12-to-1 shot, finished fifth. Animal Kingdom, [...]
