Racing! Los Alamitos stewards’ ruling are in the house

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we congratulate Bellafina on a great performance.

At long last we can close the book on the Los Alamitos thoroughbred meeting with all the stewards’ rulings at once. Santa Anita is on deck for this week.

--Groom Arturo Aguilar was fined $50 for presenting false identification. No other details were provided.

--Apprentice jockey Luis Fuentes was suspended three days (Dec. 15, 16 and 26) for careless riding. On Dec. 7, he was riding Clear the Mine in the fourth race when his mount drifted out twice, once turning for home and then again near the half-pole. Clear the Mine was disqualified from second to third. The stewards unanimously levied their penalty for the second drift, which resulted in interference.

--Apprentice jockey Heriberto Figueroa was fined $100 for being late to the paddock walking ring before the first race on Dec. 7. In most jockeys’ rooms there is a bell that tells the riders when to go to the walking ring. Figueroa said he didn’t hear the bell. His mount, Here’slookinatya finished second in the race.

--Owner Michael Martin was restored to good standing after satisfying a debt of $2,016.60 to the Equine Medical Surgical Group. The original ruling came on Nov. 16.

--Jockey Mario Gutierrez was fined $100 for using his riding crop more than three times without giving his horse a chance to respond during the third race on Dec. 14. Gutierrez admitted to the violation on Smile Awhile, who finished second.

--Exercise rider Juan (Oscar) Ruiz was fined $100 for galloping a horse while the emergency lights were on at the track. No date was given. The stewards said Ruiz offered no valid excuse.

--Trainer Edin Walther Solis was fined $500 for trying to choke jockey John Jude in the barn area at San Luis Rey Downs. No date was given. Solis explained that the pair had a “history” and that while there was some physical contact, he downplayed the choke. Jude confirmed the pair had a “history” and said the choke was serious lasting for a few seconds. Solis apologized and said he just “lost his cool.” Solis must be evaluated by the Winners Foundation for anger management issues.

--Jockey Matt Garcia was suspended seven days (Dec. 26-Jan. 1) for twice weighing in more than one pound under his assigned weight on Sept. 14 and 15 at Los Alamitos. One day he weighed out (before) at 122 pounds and weighed in (after) at 120. The next day, he weighed out at 123.8 and weighed in at 121.6. When jockeys weigh out they do not have safety equipment but when they weigh in they do have that equipment, which accounts for about 2-2.5 pounds, which would make the discrepancy even greater. Garcia says he weighed out with a wet chamois and heavy girth channel but they were gone when he weighed back in. Matt Nichols, clerk of scales, said those items are not permitted at weigh out and that he did not recollect Garcia having those items anyway. A jockey can get away with being underweight by less than a pound.

(Cherwa note: Don’t know about you, but I certainly learned something.)

Where’s Rosario?

For the second day in a row, Joel Rosario was off all his mounts at Santa Anita. But, no fears, he’s coming back. “He’s got the flu,” Ron Anderson, Rosario’s agent, told Ed Golden of Santa Anita. “But he’s expected to resume riding on Thursday.”

Santa Anita review

Sunday’s feature, and the only stakes race in the country worth more than $100,000, was little more than a paid workout for talented 3-year-old filly Bellafina. She won the Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes, a seven-furlong race, by 8 ½ lengths. And, she wasn’t really asked.

It was a tiny field of five, but she beat a pretty sturdy filly in Mother Mother, who finished second, and a surprise shipper from Northern California, Tomin, who was third. Reflect and Sold It completed the field.

Bellafina paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10.

There’s a pretty long story on the race both online and in print. You can read it here.

There was a tiny bit of trepidation on how she would run, after a flat fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Trainer Simon Callaghan attributed it to her being in a breeding cycle.

“After the Breeders’ Cup, we jogged her for two weeks,” Callaghan said “And then she was showing such good energy, we got her back galloping and got her on a regular pattern.” And [owner] Kaleem [Shah] told me to run her when I thought she was ready. I said to Kaleem a couple of weeks before the race that we have to run, and he said that was fine.

“After a disappointment, and to see this kind of performance, it’s nice to see. I think she would have won the race if it was five, six, seven [furlongs], a mile or a mile-and-a-eighth.”

Flavien Prat, who has ridden her all six races, four of them wins, saw positive signs.

“She had trained well for Simon coming into this and I expected her to run well and she did,” Prat said. “She’s definitely improving. She was a little immature before, but [Sunday] she improved a lot.”

Big races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth more $100,000 or more on Sunday.

Santa Anita (8): Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes, fillies 3-years-old, 7 furlongs. Winner: Bellafina ($2.80)

Final thought

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Now, here are the star of the show, Sunday’s results. See you on Thursday.

SPICY VIBRATION had speed outside a rival then inched away and angled in, set the pace inside then dueled along the rail, responded when headed in the stretch, fought back to a short advantage under left handed urging a sixteenth out and gamely prevailed. SIR EDDIE came a bit off the rail to stalk the early pace then bid outside the winner to duel for the lead, put a head in front in the stretch, battled outside that one to the wire and was outgamed. MIDNIGHT BANDIT chased off the rail then inside on the turn and in the stretch and edged a rival for the show. DESERT MOVIE chased outside foes on the backstretch and three deep on the turn and into the stretch, drifted in despite left handed urging past midstretch and was edged for third. LEVI'S SAINT JAMES was in a good position chasing the leaders between horses to the stretch, came out past midstretch and weakened.

STARR OF QUALITY had speed between horses then stalked a bit off the rail leaving the first turn, bid between foes to duel for the lead, took a short advantage into the stretch, inched away under left handed urging past midstretch and held on gamely. WITHHOLDING INFO four wide into the first turn, stalked outside a rival, came out four wide into the stretch, bid outside the winner past midstretch and continued willingly but could not get by. QUEEN BEE TO YOU a bit slow to begin, angled in and chased outside a rival then a bit off the rail, split horses on the second turn and into the stretch, waited off heels behind and between foes in midstretch, came out for room and finished with interest. SWEET TREAT sent inside to the early lead, dueled along the rail on the backstretch and second turn, fought back into the stretch and weakened a bit off the rail in the final furlong. MONGOLIAN HUMOR five wide into the first turn, chased off the rail, came four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. SAUCE ON SIDE broke out a bit and a step slowly, angled in and saved ground off the pace, came out into the stretch and could not summon the necessary late kick. CONVINCE angled in on the first turn and saved ground stalking the pace thereafter and lacked the needed response in the drive. ARCTIC ROLL (GB) stalked early then bid three deep to press the pace, came three wide into the stretch, was in a bit tight in upper stretch and weakened. STARR OF QUALITY wore calks.

MISS FIA had speed between horses then inched away, set the pace a bit off the rail and won clear under urging and steady handling late. EQUAL MEASURE stalked outside then off the rail, came out a bit in the stretch and bested the others. TICK TOCK chased three deep then outside a rival on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and was along for the show. DISCRETE STEVIE B between horses early, settled a bit off the rail, came three deep into the stretch and did not rally. POINT RECEIVED saved ground stalking the pace, came a bit off the rail in midstretch and weakened. ACADIA FLEET stalked a bit off the rail then inside into and on the turn, continued along the fence in the stretch and also weakened. SO GUCCI stalked off the rail then inside on the turn, came out into the stretch, drifted inward in the final furlong and gave way.

BLUEBERRY PRINCESS stalked off the rail, bid outside the runner-up in midstretch, gained the advantage under left handed urging a sixteenth out and gamely prevailed. THANKS sped between horses to the early lead then angled in, set the pace inside, fought back along the rail in the final furlong and continued willingly to the wire. HAD ENOUGH K P saved ground chasing the pace, came out leaving the second turn and three wide into the stretch and picked up the show. REDS SACRED APPEAL fanned four wide into the first turn, chased outside then a bit off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and did not rally. DEPENDE DE TI came a bit off the rail on the first turn, stalked outside a rival or just off the inside, angled to the fence entering the stretch and weakened. AWEPOLLONIA angled in and saved ground stalking the pace, dropped back into the stretch and gave way. WEST WAY DREAMS a bit slow to begin, drifted out into the first turn, chased outside a rival then just off the inside, was between horses into the stretch and had little left for the drive.

PLATINUM EQUITY five wide into the first turn, stalked four wide on the backstretch and second turn, bid outside the pacesetter to gain the lead a quarter mile out, battled outside that one through a stiff drive and gamely prevailed under left handed urging. BUILDER sped to the early lead, inched and set the pace a bit off the rail then inside, fought back along the rail leaving the second turn and through a long drive and went gamely to the end. GRYFFINDOR angled in and settled a bit off the rail, came out for room leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch and picked up the show. SPEND IT angled in on the first turn and chased a bit off the rail, came out leaving the second turn and five wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. ORIGINAL INTENT settled just off the inside, also came out on the second turn, swung six wide into the stretch and improved position. ROYAL SEEKER between horses early, chased a bit off the rail, went up four wide on the second turn and into the stretch and weakened. TYPHOON HARRY four wide into the first turn, stalked three deep between foes on the backstretch and second turn and also weakened. SPIRIT MISSION saved ground stalking the pace, cut the corner into the stretch and also weakened. FRANKIE MACHINE had speed three deep then stalked between horses to the stretch and had little left for the drive.

BASHFUL settled off the rail then went outside a rival on the turn, came out four wide into the stretch, took the lead outside a pair of foes nearing midstretch and won clear under a moderate hand ride. LOVING LYNDA stalked off the rail then three deep leaving the backstretch, angled in off the fence on the turn, came out in upper stretch, bid between foes, was no match for the winner in the final furlong but clearly best of the others. TYFOSHA was in a good position stalking the pace between foes or outside a rival, split horses into the turn, continued outside a foe, came three deep into the stretch, steadied when crowded in upper stretch and edged the pacesetter for the show. NO WINE UNTASTED sped to the early lead outside, set the pace off the rail then a bit off the fence, fought back in upper stretch and was outfinished for third. COPY BEGONE chased four wide then three deep, continued off the rail on the turn and a bit wide into the stretch and weakened. NICE ICE saved ground stalking then chasing the pace, continued inside in the stretch and also weakened. TRUSTINI settled inside chasing the pace, dropped back along the rail on the turn and into the stretch and gave way. Following a stewards' inquiry and a claim of foul by the rider of TYFOSHA against the runner-up for alleged interference in upper stretch, no change was made when the stewards ruled the incident did not alter the original order of finish.

ALL OUT BLITZ five wide early, dueled four wide on the first turn then outside the runner-up the rest of the way, put a head in front in the stretch and gamely prevailed under urging. AIR VICE MARSHAL four wide early, dueled three deep between horses then a bit off the rail leaving the first turn and inside on the backstretch and second turn, fought back along the fence through the stretch and went on gamely to the end. KERSHAW had speed between foes then stalked between horses, came three deep into the stretch and held third. PEPE TONO angled in and chased outside a rival then a bit off the rail on the second turn and into the stretch and was edged for the show. SUPER SOL had speed inside to duel for the lead then saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch and weakened. EL HUERFANO angled in and stalked a bit off the rail then came out into the backstretch, continued three wide then four wide into the stretch and also weakened. CLEAR THE MINE settled inside then outside a rival, went three deep into and on the second turn and lacked a response in the stretch. MAGIC MUSKETIER angled in and chased inside, saved ground throughout and had little left for the drive.

BELLAFINA pressed the pace between horses then dueled outside the runner-up, took a short lead on the turn, inched away leaving the turn, kicked clear, was shaken up once with the reins to widen in midstretch and drew off without further encouragement. MOTHER MOTHER had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back on the turn, came out into the stretch and held second. TOMLIN broke on top and bumped with a rival, had speed off the rail then between foes, fell back and angled in, stalked inside, continued along the rail in the stretch and bested the others. REFLECT had speed outside foes then stalked off the rail or outside rivals, went four wide into and out of the turn and weakened. SOLD IT bumped at the start, pressed the pace three deep then stalked off the rail into the turn, continued alongside a rival on the turn, came out into the stretch and also weakened.

BABY ICE stalked three deep, bid four wide leaving the turn, took a short lead outside the runner-up in upper stretch, drifted in and battled outside that one through the final furlong under urging and inched away late. CHRISTY JACKSON had speed between horses then inched away, set the pace a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, came out into the stretch, fought back inside the winner through the lane but could not quite match that one late. JUST BE HELD hopped some at the start, chased off the rail then split rivals on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and edged a foe for third. PIED N TRUE settled a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, split horses into the stretch, angled in past midstretch and was edged for the show. RIZZI'S HONORS stalked between horses then bid between foes leaving the turn, came out into the stretch and weakened. MISS UNUSUAL chased outside then alongside a rival on the turn, came t here deep into the stretch and lacked a further response. CREATIVE SPARK saved ground stalking the pace, fell back leaving the turn and weakened.