SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES

By Ed Golden —-

• GORMLEY WORKS FOR POSSIBLE START IN SAN FELIPE
• SANTA ANITA JOCKEYS CHARITY GAME THIS THURSDAY
• THE MARDI GRAS COMES TO SANTA ANITA ON SATURDAY
• GRADE I WINNER ILLUMINANT WORKS FOR WISHING WELL

TRAINER ‘HAPPY’ WITH GORMLEY’S WORKOUT

Sham Stakes winner Gormley, one of the West’s leading Triple Crown contenders, worked four furlongs on Santa Anita’s “fast” main track Monday in 47.80 under regular rider and three-time Kentucky Derby winner Victor Espinoza.

Working in company with Shazara, who was clocked in 48.20, Gormley could make his next start here in the Grade II, $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 11, or the Rebel Stakes at OaklawnPark March 18.

John Shirreffs, who trains Gormley and additional Triple Crown contender Robert B. Lewis Stakes winner Royal Mo for Jerry and Ann Moss, could run Gormley in the San Felipe and Royal Mo in the Rebel, or vice versa. He has not rendered an official decision.

“He went good,” Shirreffs said of Gormley. “I’m happy with both horses at this point.”

Added Espinoza, winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2002 (War Emblem), 2014 (California Chrome) and 2015 (with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah): “Gormley felt good. He galloped out nice.
“He does things so easy; you couldn’t ask for anything better.”

SANTA ANITA VS. HOLY ANGELS CHARITY GAME THURSDAY

The 50th annual Santa Anita Jockeys vs. Holy Angels Elementary School charity basketball game will be played this Thursday night at La Salle High School in Pasadena, with proceeds to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), Holy Angels athletic program and the Eye on Jacob Foundation.

Given the historic nature of the game, individual jockey sponsors, representing a wide array of racing industry stakeholders, will lend financial support to this worthy cause. Tip off is scheduled for 7:15 pm., with admission doors opening at 6:15 p.m.

Hall of Fame jockeys Kent Desormeaux, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Mike Smith, Alex Solis and Gary Stevens will be available for an autograph session at 6:30 p.m.

TVG’s Kurt Hoover will be back for his 16th consecutive season as Jockeys’ Coach. Tickets are $5 per person, and for every two tickets purchased, individuals receive one free admission ticket to Santa Anita.

Following are Santa Anita jockeys scheduled to participate with their sponsors in parentheses: Norberto Arroyo, Jr. (Baltas Racing), Tyler Baze (Dennis O’Neill), Rafael Bejarano (Eclipse Racing), Brice Blanc (Ruis Racing), Chad Lindsay (Phil D’Amato), Austin Solis (Solis/Litt Bloodstock), Chantal Sutherland (Bonne Chance Farm), Corey Nakatani (M. Auerbach, LLC), Josh Desormeaux (Desormeaux Racing).

Also, Edwin Maldonado (Dollase Racing), Flavien Prat (LNJ Foxwoods), Jamie Theriot (ERJ Racing), Joe Talamo (KM Racing Enterprise, Inc.), Mario Gutierrez (Cash Call), Martin Garcia (Bayern), Stewart Elliott (Little Red Feather Racing), Tiago Pereira (PH LOBO & Friends), Victor Espinoza (West Point Thoroughbreds), and Hall of Fame Jockeys Laffit Pincay, Jr. (Stud RDI), Gary Stevens (Spendthrift Farm), Mike Smith (Arrogate) and Kent Desormeaux (Desormeaux Racing).

MARDI GRAS COMES TO SANTA ANITA SATURDAY

The bayou comes to Santa Anita Park this Saturday, Feb. 25, for the first-ever Mardi Gras Trackside celebration. Join in on the festivities a few days early and let the good times roll.

The all-inclusive $28 package includes authentic Cajun fare courtesy of “Ragin’ Cajun on Wheels” (your choice of ½ shrimp or ½ catfish Po’ Boy sandwich with choice of side, or a combo plate comprised of red beans and rice with smoked sausage and Gumbolaya, (a Ragin Cajun on Wheels specialty), live music, loads of Mardi Gras-inspired decorations, one 12 oz. craft beer, Club House admission, racing program, tip sheet and trackside seating.

For more info and to purchase your ticket visit: http://www.santaanita.com/events/mardi-gras-at-santa-anita-park/

Upcoming Trackside events at the Winter Meet: Feb. 25, Mardi Gras Celebration; March 18, Big ‘Cap Beer & Cider Festival; March 18, St. Patrick’s Day; April 8, Santa Anita Derby Day Extravaganza; May 6, Kentucky Derby Day Celebration; May 13, Tacos y Cervezas; May 20, Preakness Party; May 27, Gold Cup Beer & Sour Festival; and May 27, Belmont Day.

FINISH LINES: Illuminant, winner of the Grade I Gamely Stakes last May 30, worked five furlongs on Santa Anita’s “fast” main track Monday morning in 1:00.40, “I’m very pleased,” said trainer Michael McCarthy, who plans to run her in the $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf at a date to be determined. Illuminant was scratched from the Buena Vista Stakes Saturday when the race was moved from turf to dirt to due inclement weather . . . There was a single winning Pick 6 Sunday that paid $128,792, purchased for $864 through a Northwest hub . . . Bettys Bambino, prepping for $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes on Saturday, worked four furlongs Monday for Peter Eurton in 49.20. Eurton also supervised a six furlong drill for Kobe’s Back, who was timed in 1:12.40 as he readies for the Grade I Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs March 11. With regular rider Gary Stevens not quite ready to resume riding after having his right hip replaced on Dec. 21, Eurton is in need of a rider and could seek the services of world class reinsman Javier Castellano . . . The top four trainers at Santa Anita this meet are separated by only four wins: Jerry Hollendorfer (17), Peter Miller (16), Richard Baltas (15) and Phil D’Amato (13) . . . With two wins Sunday, Flavien Prat opened a 37-29 lead over runner-up Tyler Baze among jockeys . . . Racing mourns the passing of 1999 Horse of the Year Charismatic, who died suddenly Sunday at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Ky. Owned by Robert B. Lewis and his wife, Beverly, bred in Kentucky by Parrish Hill Farm and William Farish, and trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Charismatic was 21. He won the 1999 Kentucky Derby under the late Chris Antley and was named that year’s Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old colt. He had five wins from 17 starts and earned $2,038,064 . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Live racing will resume Friday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. Admission gates open at 11 a.m. . . . All THOROUGHBREDS members at Santa Anita on Big ’Cap Day, March 11, will receive a free Santa Anita umbrella with paid admission while supplies last. There will be a $1 million guaranteed Late Pick 4 and a $100,000 guaranteed Pick 6. First post time will be 12 noon, with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS

(Current Through Sunday, Feb. 19)
Jockey

Flavien Prat 146 37 20 25 25% 56% $2,375,513
Tyler Baze 155 29 33 17 19% 51% $1,379,456
Kent Desormeaux 93 19 11 10 20% 43% $1,198,541
Rafael Bejarano 99 18 15 17 18% 51% $983,493
Joseph Talamo 94 12 8 16 13% 38% $413,498
Stewart Elliott 98 11 11 16 11% 39% $520,102
Mike Smith 35 11 3 9 31% 66% $1,152,445
Tiago Pereira 69 10 7 7 14% 35% $297,655
Norberto Arroyo, Jr. 68 10 6 4 15% 29% $511,390
Martin Pedroza 76 9 13 14 12% 47% $404,328
Luis Contreras 84 9 10 21 11% 48% $450,157
Santiago Gonzalez 85 8 12 10 9% 35% $413,267
Victor Espinoza 38 8 9 6 21% 61% $555,927

Trainer Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won

Jerry Hollendorfer 86 17 11 17 20% 52% $1,275,774
Peter Miller 65 16 14 6 25% 55% $931,930
Richard Baltas 86 15 15 13 17% 50% $799,364
Philip D’Amato 59 13 7 10 22% 51% $804,760
Doug O’Neill 100 11 21 18 11% 50% $1,004,916
Mark Glatt 50 9 11 5 18% 50% $385,455
Bob Baffert 39 9 5 6 23% 51% $866,086
William Spawr 21 9 2 2 43% 62% $264,271
John Sadler 40 7 8 10 18% 63% $461,824
Vladimir Cerin 30 7 6 5 23% 60% $227,214
Peter Eurton 36 7 3 4 19% 39% $389,959
J. Keith Desormeaux 31 7 2 5 23% 45% $435,270

Cover Photo: Gormley; Benoit

About Us
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.