Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode three winners over the two-day 42nd Breeders’ Cup World Championships, won the 23rd Bill Shoemaker Award as the outstanding jockey for the marquee event at Del Mar. It is the sixth time he has won the award. “It’s a great trophy and it’s a great honor,” Ortiz Jr. said. “You…
In four prior starts in graded stakes, Splendora had been competitive but settled for secondary prizes, finishing as the runner-up three times and fourth once. But none of those outings came over the main track at Del Mar, a surface over which she is unbeaten. Her affinity for the Del Mar strip was on full display Nov. 1 in…
In the spring, Morplay Racing’s Rich Mendez was sitting in the airport with Jose D’Angelo asking what the plans were for their and Qatar Racing’s speedy 3-year-old filly, Shisospicy . D’Angelo confidently said the end-of-the-year goal was the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). The goal was bold, given no 3-year-old filly had ever won the $1…
Globetrotting superstar Forever Young defeated an ultra-competitive field to capture the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The 4-year-old son of Real Steel became the first Japanese-bred and -trained winner of the Classic. Forever Young (JPN), b, 4/c Real Steel (JPN) — Forever Darling, by Congrats Owner: SUSUMU…
In the space of 50 minutes, trainer Jose D’Angelo cemented his place in the history of Breeders’ Cup and Thoroughbred racing. He won back-to-back Breeders’ Cup races, first with Shisospicy in the Turf Sprint (G1T) and then with Bentornato in the Sprint (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar. “I don’t know what’s going on here,”…
Ethical Diamond , a horse whose reputation was built jumping hurdles, rallied down the stretch to victory en route to a course record when taking the Nov. 1 $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar. The son of Awtaad is owned by HOS Syndicate and trained by William Mullins. Ethical Diamond (IRE), dk b/br, 5/g Awtaad…
Scylla avenged her dam Close Hatches ‘ runner-up finish in 2013 with an explosive front-running score in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar. When expected pacesetter and favorite Seismic Beauty bobbled leaving the gate, Scylla and jockey Junior Alvarado seized the advantage and never looked back in the Distaff. She…
Special Wan justified her 8-5 favoritism in the $303,000 Goldikova Stakes (G3T), kicking off Breeders’ Cup Saturday with a dazzling 1 1/4-length victory Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The Goldikova, Special Wan’s third graded stakes win of the year, took the 5-year-old daughter of Belardo ‘s earnings over the million-dollar mark. Special Wan (IRE), b, 5/m …
Tamara , Sweet Azteca , and Mystik Dan are among the notable Breeders’ Cup scratches at Del Mar from racing Nov. 1. The scratches of the Richard Mandella-trained Tamara and the Richard Baltas-trained Sweet Azteca remove the two morning-line favorites from the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). The former had been 7-2 on the morning line,…
It is commonplace for sharp-dressed trainer Todd Pletcher to be wearing a tie on a stakes afternoon. But on Nov. 1, Breeders’ Cup Saturday, the one he was sporting at Del Mar carried some personal significance. It belonged to his friend and mentor, D. Wayne Lukas, who died this summer at the age of 89….
