john shirreffs

Hustled to the front shortly after the start and then beautifully rated by Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza, Midcourt scored his fourth consecutive victory with an impressive performance in the featured Grade III $100,000 Native Diver Stakes Saturday at Del Mar. Midcourt, owned by the C R K Stable of Lee and Susan Searing […]

Sporting Zenyatta’s Breeders’ Cup saddle towel during morning training hours at Santa Anita several weeks ago, the champion mare’s 2-year-old daughter Zellda drew a lot of attention from her fans. The Medaglia d’Oro filly has left a positive impression on John Shirreffs with her early training, and the trainer told Thoroughbred Daily News that she […]

In our latest edition of the Breeders’ Cup News Minute, Scott Jagow and Ray Paulick report from Santa Anita Park on a couple of unfortunate scratches from the World Championships, including one of the key Juvenile contenders. Also, a look at how the post position draw might affect the running of the Classic and the […]

There were winners and losers in Monday’s draw for post positions for the 14 Breeders’ Cup championship races to be run at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Friday and Saturday. Following is a sample of comments from trainers and owners of many of the contenders. Trainer Bob Baffert (McKinzie, Classic, Post 8) – […]

HS Stable and Martin and Pam Wygod’s Paradise Woods gave jockey Abel Cedillo another big win on the weekend in Sunday’s Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old daughter of Union Rags, trained by John Shirreffs, ran 1 1/16 miles over the fast main tracks in 1:44.31, winning the race for the second […]

Jerry Moss’ Nolde, given a stirring ride by Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza, rallied between horses in deep stretch to take the lead and then barely withstood the onrushing Originaire to win the Grade 2 $250,000 Del Mar Derby Sunday at Del Mar, Calif. Nolde, beaten a nose by Jasikan in the opening day […]

The Clement L. Hirsch Stakes isn’t the only race that, when it comes up on the calendar, gets trainer John Sherriffs thinking about Zenyatta. The Hirsch, a Grade I $300,000 event that will be run for the 49th time on Sunday at Del Mar, was one of four stakes won multiple times by the great […]

Poised to top the $1-million mark in earnings, Paradise Woods tops a field of seven entered at Del Mar for Sunday’s Grade I $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff. A 5-year-old daughter of Union Rags owned by HS Stable and Pam and Marty […]

Trainer John Shirreffs’ Paradise Woods, fresh off a dominating 10 ½ length win, looms a complete standout in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita. For fillies and mares three and up, the Santa Maria has attracted a field of five at a mile and one sixteenth. Second, beaten 10 ½ lengths […]

Sent off as the 1-2 favorite in Saturday’s G2 Santa Margarita Stakes, Steven Sarkowsky and Martin and Pam Wygod’s Paradise Woods delivered on that potential with an open-lengths victory over La Force. The 5-year-old daughter of Union Rags, ridden by Mike Smith on behalf of trainer John Shirreffs, covered 1 1/8 miles over the fast […]