SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019

By Ed Golden —-

• MANDELLA IS SMITTEN WITH DERBY FEVER
• A FIRST FOR DESORMEAUX IN SAN LUIS REY
• AGENT OSBORNE IS UPBEAT DESPITE LOSS
• RETIRED HORSES FLOURISH AT CARMA SHOW

MANDELLA POINTS EXTRA HOPE TO SANTA ANITA DERBY

Richard Mandella, not known for unabashed enthusiasm when it comes to championing his own horses, admittedly has a touch of Derby Fever these days, a month and a week before the 145th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Reason number one: Omaha Beach, a striking three-year-old son of War Front who handed champion Game Winner his first defeat in the second division of the Rebel Stakes on March 16. Reason number two: Extra Hope, a three-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby, who was fourth in the first division of the Rebel, beaten only 3 ½ lengths.

“Omaha Beach will go in the Arkansas Derby (April 13), mainly because I think he needs that extra week,” said Mandella, who although he has enjoyed a laudatory Hall of Fame career, has never won the Kentucky Derby with six previous starters.

“Extra Hope is being pointed to the Santa Anita Derby (a week from Saturday, April 6). Drayden Van Dyke will ride him and Mike Smith will ride Omaha Beach.

“I’m very proud of Omaha Beach. He got me pretty excited. At this point, you could say both horses have given me Derby Fever.”

Fans will be treated to a stakes overload on April 6, with seven added money events worth $2,750,000 on the calendar, topped by the $1 million Santa Anita Derby and the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manuel Casino.

In addition to the 1 ¼-mile Big ‘Cap and the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, each holding Grade I status, Santa Anita will showcase the Grade I, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks for fillies at 1 1/16 miles; the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for three-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs; the $200,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for three-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs; the Grade II, $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes for older fillies and mares at one mile on turf; and the Grade III, $150,000 Providencia Stakes for three-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

First post time on Big ’Cap/Derby Day will be 12 noon.

DESORMEAUX, ASHLEY MEET IN SAN LUIS REY

Kent Desormeaux will add another notch to his Hall of Fame holster Friday albeit it a relatively minor one when he pilots Ashleyluvssugar in the Grade II San Luis Rey Stakes at a mile and a half on grass.

In his 33rd year as a jockey, it will mark the first time ever on the classy and consistent eight-year-old California-bred gelding. Desormeaux has never even worked the horse.

Not to worry, says trainer Peter Eurton, who in Ashleyluvssugar’s last 17 starts has given a leg up on the bay son of Game Plan to Tyler Baze, Gary Stevens, Joel Rosario and Flavien Prat.

But with Baze now riding at Oaklawn Park, Stevens retired, and Prat and Rosario fulfilling commitments in Dubai along with fellow Santa Anita-based riders Mike Smith and Joe Talamo, Eurton was contacted by Desormeaux’s agent Mike Ciani and gave him the call.

On paper, it seems the Louisiana native, who still holds the world record for most wins in one year, an incredible 598 in 1989, could be on the lead in the marathon race, although Ashleyluvssugar has won from a stalking position.

“I don’t think he has to be on the lead, but you just have to see how it unfolds,” said Eurton, himself a former rider until weight issues evolved. “That’s the good thing about having the outside post (six of six) . . . Kent knows how to ride, so I’m not going to tell him a whole lot.

“It’s a mile and a half. He knows it’s not a gate-to-wire race, but if they hand him the lead, and he has to take it, he has to take it. What are you going to do?

“The other jocks who have ridden him are not available, but we’re still left with a pretty good rider in Kent Desormeaux and I’m happy with that.”

In addition to winning the Kentucky Derby three times, Desormeaux’s 6003 career wins in North America from 31,668 mounts (19 percent) rank him 19th all-time and fifth among active riders. His mounts have earned $283,672,492.

While Eurton plays musical riders with Asheyluvssugar, who captured the San Luis Rey in 2015, the old boy has more than earned his keep winning 10 of 31 career starts.

His career earnings of $1,431,039 are more than his five San Luis Rey rivals combined
by $373,205.

The San Luis Rey, race seven of eight with a 1 p.m. first post time: Epical,
Tyler Baze, 2-1; Risky Proposition, Drayden Van Dyke, 5-1; Unapologetic, Geovanni Franco, 8-1; Beach View, Rafael Bejarano, 5-2; Marckie’s Water, Mario Gutierrez, 8-1; and Ashleyluvssugar, Kent Desormeaux, 5-2.

AMPUTATION DOESN’T SLOW DOWN AGENT OSBORNE

Popular jockey agent Dudley Osborne is back in action following a lengthy respite due to the amputation of his left foot in June of last year.

He is representing veteran Frenchman Brice Blanc.

“Brice has a good head on his shoulders, doesn’t have to fight weight, is professional and understands the game,” said Osborne, who wears a prosthetic that masks any hint of his loss until he lifts his pant leg to reveal it.

“We’re getting good feedback from horsemen,” Osborne said. “Everybody knows Brice has a very light pair of hands and he’s a great judge of pace. Plus, he’s a first class guy and handles himself well with everyone John Shirreffs says Brice is fearless and doesn’t mind riding in tight spots.”

Osborne had no signs of any problems with his foot until he discovered a wound on the top of it, which ultimately led to the amputation.

He may not make the rounds on the backstretch as readily as before, but his positive attitude doesn’t prevent him from still walking and talking at the same time.

HORSES FLOURISH AT CARMA’S CLASSIC EVENT

Much like the wild flowers of spring, retired racehorses were in a super bloom at the Thoroughbred Classic Horse Show (TCHS) on March 23 and 24 at Galway Downs in Temecula.

The equestrian sporting event hosted by CARMA ( California Retirement Management Account) as an awareness campaign to promote the adoption of off-track Thoroughbreds, drew 96 entries.

“We’ve been putting on these shows for seven years now, and we’re really starting to see resurgence of the breed in the show ring,” said Lucinda Mandella, executive director of CARMA. “Multiple exhibitors and spectators asked us how they can adopt very recently retired racehorses. The interest in the Thoroughbred as a sport horse and companion is growing.”

To showcase the versatility of the breed, the TCHS offers hunters, jumpers, cross country, dressage, barrel racing, pole bending, lead line and showmanship. The purpose of the TCHS has always been one of inclusiveness and variety, encouraging its exhibitors to bring their horse to an environment both welcoming and accommodating.

The connections to racing were strong at this show. For the third straight year, TCHS Youth Ambassador Amanda Gomez, 15-year-old daughter of Hall of Fame jockey Garrett Gomez, won the 1.00M $1,500 Jumper Stakes aboard her six-year-old gelding Amadeus (Jockey Club: Quick Louder) out of 10 riders.

The $1,500 Hunter Derby, sponsored by the Stronach Group, Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, was captured by Madison Dunham, daughter of San Luis Rey Downs-based trainer Daniel Dunham, and her horse Cognoscente, an eight-year-old gelding previously trained by her father. Notably, Madison and Cognoscente also were second in the Jumper Stakes.

The winner of the $1,000 Dressage Challenge was Katherine Rich-Elzig and her mount, Count On Me. The $1,500 Eventing Challenge held exclusively at the March show which combines scores from stadium jumping, dressage and cross country, was won by Chavez Ravine and his rider Lisa Gonzalez.

The next TCHS event will be on Dec. 7-8, 2019 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank where year-end awards will be given to high point exhibitors who participated at the Galway Show and sponsored TCHS classes offered at the Camelot Show Series.

For more information about the TCHS and CARMA, go to ThoroughbredClassic.org or CARMA4horses.org. Results for all the divisions and disciplines from the weekend’s Galway Show can be found at Horseshowtime.com.

LATEST CONTENT FROM XBTV:

Improbable galloping (Baffert) -3-27-19

Pricing works 4 furlongs (Proctor) -3-27-19

Rye works 5 furlongs (Morey) -3-27-19

Big Cap Memories: Gary Stevens reminisces on his 1990 Santa Anita Handicap victory aboard Ruhlmann

Big Cap Memories: Frank Mirahmadi describes Farma Way’s win in the 1991 Santa Anita Handicap

Big Cap Memories: Tim Yakteen describes Sir Beaufort’s thrilling victory in the 1993 Santa Anita Handicap
Game Winner (Inside) in company with Dr.Dorr work 4 furlongs (Baffert) -3-26-19

Roadster works 6 furlongs (Baffert) -3-26-19

Dream Tree works 5 furlongs (Baffert) -3-26-19

Bellafina works 5 furlongs (Callaghan) -3-24-19
Nolo Contesto (Outside) in company with Foxtail work 6 furlongs (Sadler) -3-23-19
Ashleyluvssugar works 4 furlongs (Eurton) -3-23-19

Marley’s Freedom (Outside) in company with Just A Smidge work 5 furlongs (Baffert) -3-23-19
Gift Box works 6 furlongs (Sadler) -3-23-19

FINISH LINES: Ron Anderson, agent for Joel Rosario, reports his jockey returns from Dubai at 11:30 this Sunday morning, will ride at Santa Anita that day “and on April 6 and 7, and after that be riding in Kentucky and New York.” . . . Jockey Martin Garcia, recovered from a recent injury, resumes his career in Friday’s eighth race on Mr Classical. Garcia is represented by agent Tom Knust, who also will handle business for Bay Area mainstay Abel Cedillo at Del Mar this summer.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS
(Current Through Sunday, March 3)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won

Joel Rosario 207 51 36 34 25% 58% $2,545,756
Flavien Prat 176 46 34 26 26% 60% $2,751,718
Geovanni Franco 175 23 20 28 13% 41% $1,053,077
Heriberto Figueroa 168 23 18 26 14% 40% $873,075
Mike Smith 69 23 12 11 33% 67% $1,390,487
Tiago Pereira 146 22 18 18 15% 40% $890,481
Tyler Baze 186 20 31 25 11% 41% $1,318,904
Rafael Bejarano 133 19 23 26 14% 51% $1,103,457
Drayden Van Dyke 131 17 20 16 13% 40% $1,056,800
Joseph Talamo 126 13 23 16 10% 41% $974,970
Assael Espinoza 113 13 12 13 12% 34% $467,489
Ruben Fuentes 84 11 11 16 13% 45% $370,998
Edwin Maldonado 65 11 8 2 17% 32% $329,972
Mario Gutierrez 98 10 19 12 10% 42% $694,744
Kent Desormeaux 90 10 10 13 11% 37% $807,044
Agapito Delgadillo 56 8 7 6 14% 38% $246,081
Aaron Gryder 54 8 7 4 15% 35% $243,390

Trainer
Sts
1st
2nd
3rd
Win%
In$%
Money Won

Doug O’Neill 161 28 25 27 17% 50% $1,424,512
Peter Miller 103 21 17 12 20% 49% $1,125,588
John Sadler 72 20 16 9 28% 63% $1,071,024
Richard Baltas 104 18 20 21 17% 57% $1,086,386
Jerry Hollendorfer 85 14 12 16 16% 49% $1,103,833
Bob Baffert 62 13 10 9 21% 52% $1,118,428
Philip D’Amato 88 11 15 11 13% 42% $784,428
Mark Glatt 64 11 11 7 17% 45% $481,127
William E. Morey 56 10 13 10 18% 59% $482,030
J. Keith Desormeaux 54 10 8 7 19% 46% $495,277
Jeff Mullins 47 9 9 8 19% 55% $587,067
Simon Callaghan 31 9 3 5 29% 55% $493,848
Richard Mandella 38 9 3 2 24% 37% $307,251
Peter Eurton 44 8 9 6 18% 52% $395,527
Vladimir Cerin 49 8 4 9 16% 43% $296,979
Steve Knapp 49 8 4 8 16% 41% $202,634
Hector O. Palma 45 7 8 7 16% 49% $272,018
William Spawr 22 7 2 2 32% 50% $195,526

ABOUT SANTA ANITA PARK
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.