drayden van dyke

Longtime California owner/breeder Nick Alexander will be represented by another daughter of Grazen in addition to favored S Y Sky in Saturday’s $100,000 California Distaff Handicap at 5 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s turf. That would be Just Grazed Me, gray like the five-year-old S Y Sky, and like her stablemate, never out of the […]

Qatar Racing’s True Valour emerged victorious in a five-horse blanket finish at the wire of Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., rallying from off the pace under Drayden Van Dyke to win by a head. The Irish-bred by Kodiac (GB) is trained by Simon Callaghan. The […]

In a thrilling head and head stretch duel, Lady Ninja was up to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 LA Woman Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., by a nose under Drayden Van Dyke. Trained by Richard Baltas, the 5-year-old mare by Majesticperfection got 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.79. With Selcourt breaking from the far […]

Fans and horsemen will once again be treated to an abundance of world class riding talent as Santa Anita’s 23-day Autumn Meet, which will be highlighted by a record 10th Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 1 & 2, opens this Friday, Sept. 27. With Hall of Famer “Big Money” Mike Smith, America’s all-time leading Breeders’ Cup-winning jockey […]

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey John Velazquez has been engaged by Bob Baffert to ride Eight Rings and Bast in the Grade I, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes and the Grade I, $300,000 Chandelier Stakes opening day this Friday as Santa Anita continues to enhance its historic resume that began on Christmas Day 1934 and will culminate […]

In an eventful renewal of the Grade 1 Runhappy $300,000 Del Mar Futurity Monday at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., 35-1 longshot Nucky scored by 2 3/4 lengths and then survived an inquiry after the seven-furlong sprint which was marred by an accident involving heavily favored Eight Rings and Storm the […]

Baoma Corp.’s Bast, a $500,000 yearling purchase who finished second in a maiden race in her career debut, indicated she could be a force to be reckoned with among 2-year-old fillies nationally with an impressive triumph in the Grade 1 $300,000 Del Mar Debutante Saturday at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. […]

Even-money favored Vasilika, seemingly beaten in mid-stretch, unleashed a brilliant burst of speed in the final furlong to get up in the final stride and nose out Eastern invader Juliet Foxtrot in a thrilling renewal of the Grade 2 $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes Saturday at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. […]

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club concludes its 80th summer season of equine action Labor Day Monday in a traditional way, featuring renewal of the Grade I $300,00 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity for two-year-olds as the highlight of a ten-race program. Post time for the first race is 2 p.m. The seven-furlong sprint, which has showcased numerous […]

Miguel Mena missed riding at Kentucky Downs (as well as Keeneland and Churchill’s spring meets and Ellis Park’s summer meet) last year while recovering from injuries incurred in a mid-March spill at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Now he can’t wait to return to the distinctive all-turf track in Franklin, Ky. Mena suffered a […]