SANTA ANITA LEADERS
(Final Classic Meet standings)
Jockeys / Wins
Juan Hernandez / 53
Flavien Prat / 42
Umberto Rispoli / 38
Hector Berrios / 37
Antonio Fresu / 29
Tiago Pereira / 28
Kyle Frey / 28
Armando Ayuso / 25
Edwin Maldonado / 19
Assael Espinoza / 16
Trainers / Wins
Mark Glatt / 31
Bob Baffert / 26
Michael McCarthy / 24
Jeff Mullins / 23
Doug O’Neill / 20
Bob Hess Jr. / 15
Richard Baltas / 15
Phil D’Amato / 14
Mike Puype / 13
John Sadler / 13
UPCOMING STAKES
LOS ALAMITOS
Saturday
• $40,000 Virginia Hyland Stakes, quarter-horse fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 350 yards
DOWN THE STRETCH
• With Kentucky Derby qualifying effectively complete, Journalism leads a California contingent of at least three horses – and as many as five – heading to Churchill Downs for the May 3 race. Journalism, winner of Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby, Citizen Bull, fourth in that prep, and Rodriguez, sent to New York to win the Wood Memorial, also have the points to be in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby. Madaket Road, fourth in the Florida Derby, would need three horses to drop out to get into the field, and Santa Anita runner-up Baeza would need seven to withdraw, according to the latest standings.
• Santa Anita is off this week before opening its Hollywood Meet on Friday, April 18. Juan Hernandez led jockeys in wins for the eighth time at Santa Anita in the Classic Meet that ended Sunday, and Mark Glatt led trainers for the second time at the Arcadia track.
• Santa Anita said wagering, attendance and average field size increased in comparison to the 2023-24 Classic Meet. Safety also improved, the California Horse Racing Board reporting four horse deaths in racing and training from injuries and other causes between Dec. 26 and April 6, down from seven in that span a year earlier.
• Los Alamitos will race as usual Saturday and Sunday nights. The Brazilian quarter-horse mare Miss Isao Jqm (Eduardo Nicasio riding) seeks her second Los Al stakes victory of the year in Saturday’s Virginia Hyland Stakes.
• National focus building up to the Derby is likely to focus on favorite Journalism, Bob Baffert-trained Citizen Bull, Rodriguez and Madaket Road as the Hall of Famer returns from his Churchill Downs suspension; D. Wayne Lukas-trained Virginia Derby winner American Promise; and other final-prep winners Sandman (Arkansas Derby), Tappan Street (Florida Derby), Burnham Square (Blue Grass Stakes) and Tiztastic (Louisiana Derby).
• Journalism’s Santa Anita Derby time of 1:49.56 for 1⅛ miles earned a Beyer speed figure of 102. With his 108 in last month’s San Felipe Stakes, the colt ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Michael McCarthy has the top two Beyer figures by Kentucky Derby contenders.
• Why is he called Journalism? Part-owner Aron Wellman said an “ism” name was chosen because the horse’s dam is Mopotism, and Wellman is a former Beverly Hills High newspaper sports editor and “big fan of journalism.” “Now more than ever, in the climate we’re living in, journalists and responsible journalism (are) so important,” Wellman said. “I think it’s so poignant that a horse named Journalism is going to have all eyes on him heading to Kentucky.”
• Baeza’s plight is bringing calls for change in the new rule this year that reduced Kentucky Derby qualifying points by one-quarter in the Santa Anita Derby because only five horses ran. The John Shirreffs-trained horse gave Journalism his stiffest challenge yet but is unlikely to get into the Derby because he received 37½ points instead of 50. The rule is worst for California, where small fields are more likely because of factors largely beyond horsemen’s control.
• Britain’s Grand National, the world’s most famous jumps race, produced familiar highs and lows Saturday. Legendary Irish trainer Willie Mullins went 1-2-3, winner Nick Rockett ($71.40) ridden by Mullins’ son Patrick. Thirteen-year-old Celebre D’Allen died three days after collapsing late in the more than 4-mile race, and jockey Micheal Nolan was suspended for 10 days for pushing the exhausted 125-1 shot. A post-mortem exam found Celebre D’Allen had recovered from his collapse but developed a respiratory infection. Front-runner Broadway Boy went down head-first at the 25th fence and jockey Tom Bellamy broke a wrist. The horse was reported recovering. In 2024, safety measures had coincided with a rare fall-free Grand National.
— Kevin Modesti