GETTING BACK ON TRACK SCANDALS ASIDE, SANTA ANITA SET TO USHER IN NEW SEASON.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer ARCADIA - Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, USA. It is known for offering some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the autumn and in winter. Racing at Santa Anita began in 1934. will hold its traditional opening-day calendar giveaway this afternoon, not a moment too soon for horse-racing fans eager to turn the page to 2003 after a season of scandal. Though the racing year can seem to have no beginning or ending, Santa Anita's opening does herald a new championship cycle for the sport, the buildup to the Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. on May 3, and the search for the stars of the next Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I thoroughbred horse races operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982 by a consortium of North American racing organizations, led by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. - at Santa Anita this time - on October 25. It's likely that 2002 will be remembered for the Breeders' Cup pick-six fix, the failure of the Triple Crown's latest would-be hero, and more worrisome turnstile counts. But the first of Santa Anita's 85 days of racing offers some cheer. --Ghostzapper (in the third race) and D's Bertrando (fifth, the California Breeders' Champion Stakes California Breeders' Champion Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1935 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Run during the last week of December, the seven Furlong race is open to two-year-old horses bred in the State of California. ) can build on their dominant maiden victories and join unbeaten Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. winner Vindication and gutsy Hollywood Futurity winner Toccet among the leaders of the Derby class that officially turns 3 years old Jan. 1. --The return of Belmont Stakes third-place finisher Sunday Break (eighth race, the Malibu Stakes) marks the start of the Strub Series for soon-to-be 4-year-olds and the hunt for a marquee horse for the March1 Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the late winter at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses three years old and up, and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during . --Julie Krone, scheduled to ride in seven of today's nine races, livens a jockey colony that has been missing three of her fellow Hall of Famers: Gary Stevens, due back Jan. 8 after weeks of acting work on the ``Seabiscuit'' movie; Eddie Delahoussaye, hoping to return in February from his Del Mar injuries; and Chris McCarron, who retired in June. Opening day features a strong card headed by three stakes. Bobby Frankel, Ghostzapper's trainer, is represented in three races as he chases D. Wayne Lukas' season earnings record of $17,842,358, still more than $200,000 away. Frankel's barn includes 2002 Santa Anita Handicap winner Milwaukee Brew, Woodward Stakes winner Lido Palace and Travers Stakes winner Medaglia d'Oro. Jerry Bailey is scheduled to ride Frankel's Decarchy in Sunday's San Gabriel Handicap The San Gabriel Handicap is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California each year. The race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt and offers a purse of $150,000. as Bailey tries to break Mike Smith's season stakes-victories record of 68, still four away. Bailey is set for five stakes mounts Saturday at Calder. Bob Baffert entered two horses each in three races today, including Sailinwithcaptain and Martinblestme in the Cal Breeders' Champion, as he sets out for his seventh consecutive Santa Anita training title, which would be one better than Red McDaniel's 1950-55 streak. The opening-day focus should be on the $200,000 Malibu, the 7-furlong race for 3-year-olds that typically brings together returning stars of the spring with hot sprinters of the moment. Sunday Break, the Japanese-bred rested since the Belmont in June, and Mayakovsky, off since surgery for a breathing problem in August, have the class, sprinting ability and strong record when fresh to be the colts to beat in the field of 11. Among those going into the starting gate shortly before 4 p.m. will be USS Tinosa, the San Francisco Bay Area “Bay Area” redirects here. For other uses, see Bay Area (disambiguation). The San Francisco Bay Area, colloquially known as the Bay Area or The Bay colt racing for the first time since finishing sixth behind War Emblem in the Preakness; Castle Gandolfo, 12th in the Kentucky Derby for Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien but recently moved to Craig Dollase; My Cousin Matt, coming off a swift sprint victory at Sam Houston Park Sam Houston Park is a park located in downtown Houston, Texas, and is dedicated to the buildings and culture of Houston's historic past. The park, which was the first to be established in the city, was developed on land purchased by former Mayor Sam Brashier in 1900. ; Debonair deb·o·nair also deb·o·naire adj. 1. Suave; urbane. 2. Affable; genial. 3. Carefree and gay; jaunty. Joe, Krone's 52-1 winner of the Underwood Handicap at Hollywood Park; Timely Action and Golden Hare, both trained by Richard Mandella, and Total Limit, trained by Richard's son Gary. Trainer Patrick Biancone said the Malibu was uncertain for Mayakovsky before a fast workout Saturday, and the race is meant as a prep for the Jan. 25 Sunshine Millions Classic The Sunshine Millions Classic is a race for thoroughbred horses held in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California or at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Half the eight races of the Sunshine Millions are run at one track and half at the other. at Gulfstream Park. The new Sunshine Millions is a showdown of California- and Florida-bred horses, with four races each to be run at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park near Miami on one afternoon. Both tracks are owned by Frank Stronach's Magna Entertainment Corp. Santa Anita's holiday-season schedule is busier than usual, with Monday the only dark day through Jan. 5. SANTA ANITA AT A GLANCE --85-day season runs today to April 20, with racing Wednesday to Sunday, except for the following: Racing Mondays Jan. 20 and Feb. 17; racing Tuesday, Dec. 31; no racing Wednesdays Jan. 22 and Feb. 19. --First post noon today, 1 p.m. most weekdays, 12:30 p.m. most weekends and holidays. --Major races include $1 million Santa Anita Handicap, March 1, and $750,000 Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. , April 5.(el- 2001-02 meet leaders: jockey Alex Solis (76 victories), trainer Bob Baffert (43). --Scratches and results: (626) 446-8501, www.santaanita.com --From San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. : Foothill Freeway (210) east to Arcadia, exit Baldwin Avenue south. CAPTION(S): box Box: SANTA ANITA AT A GLANCE (see text) |
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