Racing! Say goodbye to a Santa Anita meet you’ll never forget

Hello, my name is John Cherwa, and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we offer up some thoughts on what to expect next.

Well, it’s over. Sort of.

I can’t imagine a race meet in the history of the sport, at least in the modern era, being more beset with turmoil, angst and trepidation. But it may also turn out to be the most important race meet in the modern history of the sport.

People ask me all the time what happened at Santa Anita. Can’t say that I or anyone else really knows. I offered up my best analysis of things in a lengthy story in Sunday’s L.A Times. You can read it here.

The other question I get asked a lot is if this is all a ploy by the Stronach Group to sell the land to developers and walk away with a big paycheck.

And here’s where I’ll lose some of you: I don’t think selling Santa Anita is what Belinda Stronach really wants to do. I think she is committed to fixing the problems. And I think she’s willing to throw a lot of money at the problems.

But, and this is a big but, at some point in the future, if she determines that the problems at Santa Anita can’t be fixed, I think the place could go up for sale. If that happens, maybe a group of well-heeled horse owners would form a coalition and buy the facility. (Boy, it would be fun to be in some of those board meetings.)

They would probably find the same unfixable problems and, after a five-year-or-so period, the place could go up for sale again.

One thing is certain: If Santa Anita goes away, so goes California racing. Wonderful as Del Mar is, it could not support year-around racing. Or could it just run summer racing as an island?

These next few weeks and months will be just as crucial as the previous ones. Our attention will be diverted when Los Alamitos runs its short meet, but when opening day at Del Mar comes, the heat will be back on.

I mentioned that this could be the most important meet in the modern history of the sport. Stronach has put herself out there and offered up startling reforms.

The crazy thing is that the reforms most talked about are the ones that really will do nothing to stop breakdowns. There is no science that says Lasix and breakdowns are connected. There is no science that says use of the whip and breakdowns are connected. But these are the measures most talked about. They are important to the public perception of the sport, though. And right now everything, especially what the public thinks, is important.

The reforms, I think, that are most significant are those of pre-race oversight, keeping unfit horses from running. Santa Anita has been trying to turn the narrative on this story away from itself and on to the trainers. And with the Jerry Hollendorfer banishment, it was pretty successful this weekend.

But the Santa Anita racing office, what’s left of it, has to assume some of the blame. It is the first line of defense and, from what I can tell, could have done a better job.

There’s an idea floating out there that there should be one racing office for the state, a group of individuals who know all the horses and can follow them from track to track and provide significant oversight. The obvious choices to run it would be Tom Robbins and David Jerkens from Del Mar. (Sorry, guys, for volunteering you.) They know how to write books and get the most, but not too much, out of a too-small racing population.

But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s see what happens in the next few weeks. The California Horse Racing Board will come out with the results of its investigation soon. I suspect it will be a collection of necropsy reports that says most of the horses had preexisting conditions, but that will also not point to rampant use or abuse of prohibitive drugs. But I’m just guessing; I have no knowledge of anything in those reports.

Those results will be turned over to the L.A. County district attorney’s office and we’ll wait months for its report, and any possible indictments. At the end of the month, we’ll learn if the Breeders’ Cup will stay at Santa Anita. No predictions here.

This story is not going away and I’ll do my best to keep you informed, on the web, in our print edition and in this newsletter. A lot of the heavy lifting at Del Mar will be done by our sister paper, the San Diego Union-Tribune. Jay Posner, a former turf writer who knows about 100 times more than I do about this sport, is the sports editor there and he will probably assign Tod Leonard to be at Del Mar quite a bit. I hope to spend more of my time on some of the bigger-issue stories.

I know these closing-day thoughts have wandered a bit, and that won’t surprise you. I did a story for the web and print edition with some quotes from folks about the Santa Anita meet, and you’ll find them interesting. You can read the story here.

OK, enough about all that. On to the final day’s results. But first, a programming note. We won’t be back on Thursday but instead on Saturday. The Los Alamitos meet is starting its first week on the weekend before doing two weeks of Thursday-through-Sunday racing.

Santa Anita review

There were four stakes races on Sunday, so we’ll look at them in capsule form.

$75,000 Siren Lure Stakes: Eddie Haskell won the five-furlong turf race, but it was more difficult than expected. It wasn’t because the 6-year-old gelding didn’t have the talent — just didn’t have the racing room. Eddie Haskell paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10 for his three-quarter length win over What’sontheagenda, Brandothebartender, Tina’s Exchange and Oiseau de Guerre.

Mark Glatt (winning trainer): “I was a little bit worried about the one hole and you can see Kent [Desormeaux] had his hands full there heading into the turn. When he got clear and got him to running again, I thought he’d have the other horse measured.”

Kent Desormeaux (winning jockey): “There were some anxious moments from the quarter pole to about the eighth pole where the leader [What’sontheagenda] was going as fast as me and I asked Eddie to go. He sustained his kick and that made the difference. … He responds so well to my hand gestures, and when I encourage him to go, he just explodes. He literally can fly.”

Grade 3 $100,000 American Stakes: In a near-blanket finish, Majestic Eagle came out on top by a neck to win the one-mile turf race. He entered the stretch in fifth but then a lot of horses started to get in gear making the finish exciting. Majestic Eagle paid $20.00, $7.40 and $3.40. Law Abidin Citizen was second, followed by Sharp Samurai, Tartini, Snazzy Dresser and Bombard.

Neil Drysdale (winning trainer): “Being back on the grass helped him. He got the trip, but there wasn’t as much pace as I thought there would be. We were thinking about gelding him [Monday] but maybe we will change our minds. I told Rafael [Bejarano] he likes to be on the outside and he’s got a short run.”

Rafael Bejarano (winning jockey): “I feel so happy. This is my last mount of the meet and we had a dream trip. My horse broke good and I knew Sharp Samurai was the horse to beat. I tried to put a little pressure on him early and then I took hold of my horse. I followed Sharp Samurai around the [far] turn and when we got clear, he was really running.”

$200,000 Melair Stakes: Ruby Bradley won race for 1 1/16 mile Cal-bred 3-year-old fillies by a head. But let’s let winning owner Nick Alexander tell us who Ruby Bradley was in real life. “Ruby Bradley was the most decorated woman soldier in World War II. She was a flight nurse in the Philippines. Her job was taking wounded soldiers from the battlefields to the field hospitals in an old plane. The plane didn’t have Red Cross markings or anything, so she got shot at, was in a prison camp in the Philippines for three years.” Ruby Bradley, the horse, paid $9.80, $4.00 and $2.80. Tiz a Master was second, followed by Violette Szabo, Don’t Sell and Sedamar.

Phil D’Amato (winning trainer): “She’s kind of been unlucky not to break her maiden by now. She didn’t get the greatest of rides up at Golden Gate but I was intent on running her anyway. I felt the longer [the distance] the better and Aaron [Gryder] gave her a superb ride.”

Aaron Gryder (winning jockey): “She runs hard every time. She’s a filly you really have to work with and convince her to really pick it up. She’s not overly aggressive. [Sunday] I told the pony girl, ‘Turn me loose, I want her to pull on me.’ So I warmed her up alone and she got a little sharp in the first turn, but it was exactly what I wanted.”

Grade 3 $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes: “It’s not often you get to see a 1 3/4-mile turf race in the U.S. And, it’s even less frequent that you will see a horse wire the field. But that’s what happened when Acclimate broke on top and held on in the stretch to win by half a length. Acclimate paid $21.00, $8.60 and $4.40. Oscar Doniguez was second followed by Red King, Ya Gotta Wanna, Causeforcommotion, Mongolian Groom and Ground Attack.

Phil D’Amato (winning trainer): “When this horse gets comfortable, he keeps clipping those steady fractions. Even though he was going fast, he was kind of doing it the right way and didn’t look like he was all out. I knew when they were coming to him at the half-mile pole and Martin [Garcia] kind of turned him loose and he opened up again, we had a shot. Hats off to Martin. He rode a brilliant race.”

Martin Garcia (winning jockey): “It was all in the easy instructions Phil gave me. He said, ‘Just break, take the lead and don’t look back, he has natural speed and he is going to handle [the distance] no problem.’ And, that’s what he did. … When I asked him, he just responded and they never caught me.”

Big races review

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

Belmont (5): $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes (Cupecoy’s Joy Division), fillies 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs on turf. Winner: Kid Is Frosty ($14.80)

Belmont (8): $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes (Spectacular Bid Division), 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs on turf. Winner: Rinaldi ($23.20)

Santa Anita (5): Grade 3 $100,000 American Stakes, 3 and up, 1 mile on turf. Winner: Majestic Eagle ($20.00)

Santa Anita (6): $200,000 Melair Stakes, Cal-bred fillies 3-years-old, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Ruby Bradley ($9.80)

Santa Anita (8): Grade 3 $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes, 3 and up, 1 ¾ miles on turf. Winner: Acclimate ($21.00)

Final thought

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Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa.

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

ANONYMOUSLY prompted the pace four wide then three deep leaving the turn, drifted in and re-bid alongside the runner-up past the eighth pole, gained the advantage under urging in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. MISS LADY ANN had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away in midstretch, fought back in deep stretch and was outfinished late. MISS FLAWLESS (FR) chased outside a rival then a bit off the rail, came three deep into the stretch and gained the show. HOT ON THE TRAIL a step slow to begin, chased outside a rival then split horses into the turn, came three wide into the stretch and was outfinished for third. QUEEN OF THE TRACK dueled between horses on the backstretch and turn, drifted in past midstretch and weakened. PORTAL CREEK chased outside then four wide into the turn, continued three deep on the bend and four wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. INTERESTING TIMES stalked outside a rival then between foes into the turn, angled in on the turn, continued inside in the stretch and did not rally. NAUGHTY TIGER had good early speed and dueled three deep between horses, stalked off the rail on the turn, angled in alongside a rival into the stretch and weakened. MISS BENNET was in a good position stalking the pace inside, steadied in tight into the turn and again early on the turn to drop back, continued inside, came out in late stretch and also weakened.

PAS DE PANIQUE dueled inside then a bit off the rail, battled back just off the fence while bumping with a rival past the eighth pole, drifted in a bit in deep stretch and gamely prevailed under urging while bumping with a foe at the wire. WE'RE STILL HERE stalked early then bid three deep into the turn to duel for command, briefly put a head in front three wide in midstretch, fought back through the final furlong, brushed with a rival in deep stretch and continued gamely. THANKS MR. EIDSON dueled between horses, fought back on the turn and in the stretch, exchanged bumps with the winner past the eighth pole and at the wire, brushed with the runner-up in deep stretch and also went gamely to the end. SURVEILLANCE between horses early, chased a bit off the rail then inside on the turn and into the stretch, rallied along the rail then clipped heels in very tight along the rail a jump from the wire. RAILSPLITTER stalked off the rail on the backstretch and turn, angled in alongside a rival into the stretch and found his best stride late. HIT THE ROAD dropped back and saved ground off the pace, cut the corner into the stretch and was not a threat. HANDSOME CAT settled outside then alongside a rival, continued just off the rail into the stretch and lacked a further response. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the run nearing the wire before ruling SURVEILLANCE was the cause of his own trouble. Claims of foul by the rider of THANKS MR. EIDSON against the winner and the runner-up for alleged interference in the stretch were not allowed by the stewards, who ruled the contact among those runners was mutual.

EDDIE HASKELL tugged his way along inside and was in a bit tight nearing the turn, stalked inside, came out into the stretch and rallied under a vigorous hand ride to wear down the runner-up in deep stretch to prove best. WHAT'SONTHEAGENDA had speed between horses then inched away and set the pace a bit off the rail, angled in entering the turn, kicked clear, came a bit off the rail into the stretch, drifted back to the inside in midstretch, fought back in deep stretch but could not quite match the winner late. BRANDOTHEBARTENDER stalked outside then three deep into and on the turn and into the stretch and bested the others. TINA'S EXCHANGE stalked outside a bit off the rail then between horses leaving the backstretch and outside the winner on the turn, came out some into the stretch, drifted inward in the drive and weakened. OISEAU DE GUERRE chased off the rail then angled in on the turn, continued inside in the stretch and also weakened.

AMALFI SUNRISE stalked three deep, angled in entering the turn, bid outside the runner-up on the turn to take the lead into the stretch, inched away while mildly hand ridden for a few strides in midstretch and drew off under a hold. SAVE THE STORY sped to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside, fought back on the turn and into the stretch then was no match for the winner but clearly best of the rest. PRINCESS MO sent along off the rail to chase the pace, angled in leaving the turn, continued outside a rival into the stretch, split horses in midstretch and picked up the show. FRENCH ROSE stalked between horses, steadied in tight into the turn, continued between foes, came three wide into the stretch and weakened. GO BIG BLUE NATION broke in a bit but on top, saved ground stalking the pace, steadied in tight along the rail into the turn, came out into the stretch and also weakened. A THOUSAND DREAMS hopped some in a bit of a slow start, was sent along just off the rail, went up three deep on the turn and four wide into the stretch and lacked a further response. LADY SUNSET also hopped slightly in a bit of a slow start, chased off the rail then a bit off the fence into the turn, found the inside on the turn, continued along the rail in the stretch and weakened.

MAJESTIC EAGLE stalked outside a rival then three deep on the backstretch, continued outside a foe on the second turn and four wide into the stretch, rallied under left handed urging to bid four wide in deep stretch and got up three deep late under steady handling. LAW ABIDIN CITIZEN tugged between horses then angled in and saved ground stalking the pace, got through along the rail with a bid past midstretch to gain a short advantage and just failed to hold off the winner. SHARP SAMURAI came a bit off the rail on the first turn, stalked between foes on the backstretch and alongside a rival on the second turn, came three wide into the stretch, bid between horses in deep stretch and continued willingly. TARTINI broke in a bit and dropped back inside, saved ground off the pace, came out into the stretch and again in upper stretch and finished with some interest three deep on the line. SNAZZY DRESSER took the early lead and angled in, set the pace inside, came a bit off the rail into the stretch, fought back between foes in deep stretch and was outfinished. BOMBARD three deep early, stalked outside a rival then a bit off the rail on the backstretch and second turn, continued between horses through much of the stretch and lacked the needed late kick.

RUBY BRADLEY broke out a bit, angled in and stalked outside a rival then off the rail on the second turn, came out and was in a bit close off heels into the stretch, bid three deep between foes under left handed urging in midstretch to gain the lead in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. TIZ A MASTER three deep early, was close up stalking the pace outside a rival then just off the rail on the second turn, came three wide into the stretch, bid four wide in midstretch then outside the winner in the final sixteenth and continued willingly. VIOLETTE SZABO bobbled some at the start, had speed between foes then dueled outside a rival, fought back on the second turn and into the stretch and between horses in midstretch and held third. DON'T SELL bobbled at the start, had speed inside to duel for the lead, put a head in front on the second turn, fought back inside until past midstretch, then weakened. SEDAMAR pulled between horses then angled in and stalked inside, dropped back on the second turn and gave way.

MORNING SNOW had good early speed and angled in, set a pressured pace inside then inched away on the turn, drew off under a strong, vigorous hand ride in the stretch and steady handling through the final sixteenth. STILL IN THE GAME stalked outside a rival or off the rail, came three deep into the stretch and was clearly second best. CARIBBEAN (AUS) saved ground chasing the pace, came out in upper stretch and gained the show. GATE SPEED pressed the pace outside the winner then stalked off the rail on the turn, drifted to the inside in the stretch and weakened. GHOST STREET broke a bit slowly, chased just off the rail, split horses leaving the turn and lacked the needed rally. BOYSON also broke a bit slowly, dropped back inside then came off the rail on the backstretch, angled out into the stretch and was not a threat. RAYRAY stumbled badly at the start, chased outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch, angled to the inside in upper stretch and weakened.

ACCLIMATE took the early lead and angled in on the hill, went the first quarter mile in 22.26 seconds, set all the pace along the inside, opened up in the stretch under urging and held on gamely. OSCAR DOMINGUEZ (IRE) chased three deep early then outside a rival, continued three wide leaving the backstretch, moved up a bit off the rail on the final turn, came three wide into the stretch and closed willingly late to just miss. RED KING angled in on the hill, went around a rival in the stretch the first time then saved ground to the lane, came out in midstretch and bested the others. YA GOTTA WANNA chased outside a rival then between foes nearing and into the final turn, continued alongside a rival to the stretch and lacked a rally. CAUSEFORCOMMOTION stalked off the rail then a bit off the fence to the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. MONGOLIAN GROOM chased inside then outside a rival, went three deep leaving the backstretch, continued outside on the last turn and three wide into the stretch and had little left for the drive. GROUND ATTACK pulled some and stalked inside, dropped back along the rail in the stretch the first time, fell farther back on the backstretch and was through early. Rail on hill at zero.

TIME FOR EBBY had speed outside then dueled three deep, took a short lead in the stretch, inched away under urging past midstretch and won clear. BOWL OF SOUL a bit slow to begin, stalked inside then just off the rail on the turn and into the stretch, came out in the drive and edged a rival late for the place. SHES ALL WOMAN had speed off the rail then dueled between horses, put a head in front into the stretch, fought back in midstretch and was edged for second. DER LU stalked outside then three deep, continued outside a rival on the turn and four wide into the stretch and weakened. KAYDETRE pulled between horses then stalked between foes, dropped back off the rail on the turn, came out into the stretch and also weakened. HANG A STAR went up inside to duel for the lead, gained a slim advantage into the turn, fought back into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong.

HOLLYWOOD GIRL saved ground off the pace, came out and split horses in midstretch, bid outside the leader under urging to gain the advantage in deep stretch and proved best. MISS BIGLY settled inside, awaited room leaving the second turn, got through inside, came out in midstretch and got up for the place between foes. ZEST pulled early, chased just off the rail, went between horses leaving the backstretch and outside a rival on the second turn, bid alongside a foe into the stretch, took the lead and inched away in midstretch, fought back in deep stretch and just held third inside. DESERT OASIS (GB) chased three deep then outside a rival, came four wide into the stretch, drifted in some in midstretch and was edged for a minor award between foes on the line. CATCH THE EYE chased outside then alongside a rival, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch and was edged for a minor share four wide on the wire. SURFACE chased between foes then outside a rival or a bit off the rail, came out three wide off heels into the stretch, angled inward in the drive and was outfinished. PRETTY POINT settled three deep then outside a rival, swung six wide into the stretch for room and finished with some interest. ZUCCHERA broke a bit slowly, angled in and settled just off the rail, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. BARBADOLLA saved ground chasing the pace, came out leaving the second turn and three wide into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. MAGICAL GRAY angled in and stalked on the first turn, came out and took the lead outside a rival on the backstretch, opened up along the inside on the second turn, dueled into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. CAIRO KISS stalked outside a rival, dropped back on the second turn, drifted four wide into the stretch and weakened. PINK SCATILLAC had speed outside then alongside a rival, inched away into the first turn, angled in, dueled leaving the backstretch, stalked on the second turn, drifted out leaving that turn, steadied in traffic nearing midstretch and also had little left in the final furlong.