SANTA ANITA: `IT WAS MEANT TO BE' FRANKEL STAYS AHEAD OF FIELD.Byline: Fred J. Robledo Staff Writer ARCADIA - After 7-1 shot Mizzen Mast won Wednesday's $200,000 Malibu Stakes The Malibu Stakes is a race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses of either gender held each December at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The race is at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt and is the first leg of Santa Anita Park's Strub Series. on the opening day of Santa Anita's winter/spring meeting, trainer Bobby Frankel was asked about his amazing run in 2001. This year he has won 49 stakes races, 36 graded stakes races and 18 Grade I races. ``I guess it was meant to be,'' said the 60-year-old trainer. ``It's been unbelievable.'' Frankel is expected to win his second consecutive Eclipse Award as top trainer. He has won 99 of 377 starts (26 percent) with earnings surpassing $14 million. ``It's just having good horses and taking care of them,'' said Frankel. ``It's a mushroom effect. If you do good, then people send you more good horses. I've been around long enough that I should know how to take care of them.'' A crowd of 27,713, smallest on opening day since 1970, also witnessed the return of jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who had three mounts in his first day of racing after nearly a two-year suspension for substance abuse. In his return aboard Fall for Me in the fourth race, it was clear that Valenzuela remains one of Southern California's more popular riders. Valenzuela responded by nearly winning aboard the 18-1 long shot, finishing second behind the Bob Baffert-trained Chaos N Confusion, returning $12.20 to show. It was Valenzuela's best finish of the day. ``It's good to be back and good to be back working,'' Valenzuela said. ``My family is all here for Christmas, and it feels real good. The fans have supported me throughout my career, and that gave me a huge lift walking out of the paddock and onto the track. ``The horsemen have been very good to me and are helping me get back into the swing of things. Now all I've got to do is take care of Pat, and the rest will take care of itself.'' Valenzuela, an El Monte El Monte (ĕl mŏn`tē), city (1990 pop. 106,209), Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1912. A residential, industrial, and commercial city in the San Gabriel Valley, El Monte manufactures furniture, electronic equipment, semiconductors, resident, has won more than 3,000 races, including the 1989 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. and Preakness Stakes Preakness Stakes One of the three classic U.S. horse races making up the Triple Crown. It is held annually in mid-May at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. The course distance is 1³⁄₁₆ mi (1.9 km). The field is limited to 3-year-old Thoroughbreds. aboard Sunday Silence Sunday Silence (1986-2002) was an American thoroughbred race horse. He was foaled in 1986 Sired by Halo out of Wishing Well. Though he was registered as a dark bay/brown, he was in fact a true black. , but he has been suspended nearly a dozen times during his 21-year career for a variety of infractions. Valenzuela resumed his riding career in September 1999 when a conditional license was issued. But he suffered a relapse in February 2000, when he tested positive for amphetamines Amphetamines Sympathomimetic amines; sometimes called speed; synthetic chemicals that stimulate the central nervous system. Mentioned in: Weight Loss Drugs amphetamines . Two weeks ago, Valenzuela was issued a one-year license by the CHRB CHRB California Horse Racing Board CHRB Community Housing Resource Board (Montana) CHRB Commonwealth Health Research Board which includes a number of conditions - including a provision he ``abstain entirely from the consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages
In the feature race, Mizzen Mast stumbled before regaining his composure under jockey Kent Desormeaux Kent J. Desormeaux (born February 27, 1970, in Maurice, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year. , finishing ahead of Giant Gentleman and favorite I Love Silver - second and third, respectively. Mizzen Mast, which won by 3 lengths on Hollywood Park's turf course on Nov. 7, ran on dirt for the first time after nine previous starts on grass. He returned $16, $9.60 and $6.20. ``Leaving the gate, I was cursing because he stumbled so badly,'' Frankel said. ``I thought I had no chance, then I saw him moving up and Kent got him out in the clear and he ran unbelievable.'' Frankel said he expected a smooth transition to the dirt. ``It's nothing you can teach them (to run from grass to dirt). They have to do it or not do it. I thought he'd lay up closer to the pace, but like I said, he stumbled and he ran a great race. We'll probably try the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. (Jan. 12) next if these races aren't too close together.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Mizzen Mast, with Kent Desormeaux aboard, wins the $200,000 Malibu Stakes during opening day at Santa Anita. Associated Press |
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