American Pharoah's Triumphant Homecoming

After becoming the first horse in 37 years to win Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, American Pharoah receives a hero's welcome home to Santa Anita.

California Dreamin’ About the Kentucky Derby

Derby hype is reaching a fever pitch in California – the home of this year’s early favorite for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, a flashy chestnut colt by the name of California Chrome. He is currently listed at 11/5 odds as seen here at Kentucky-Derby-Online-Betting.com.

Santa Anita Racetrack, which for the first time will conduct a live race meet during the Triple Crown races, is touting the “biggest Derby party west of Kentucky.” It will include a hat contest, California Chrome T-shirts, a craft beer garden, food trucks, and a gourmet BBQ in an exclusive VIP area.

The excitement is understandable. If California Chrome lives up to expectations with a victory in Saturday’s Run for the Roses, he will be only the fourth California-bred Derby winner and the first one in more than 50 years, joining the ranks of Morvich (1922), Swaps (1955) and Decidedly (1962).

California Chrome was an impressive 5-length winner of the Grade I, $1 million Santa Anita Derby April 5.  In 78 runnings of the Santa Anita Derby, only three horses have run the historic race faster than California Chrome. He put in his final work before the Kentucky Derby on Saturday morning, going four furlongs at his Los Alamitos headquarters in 48 1/5 under regular rider Victor Espinoza. He shipped to Churchill Downs Monday, apparently taking everything in stride.

 “He’s my Swaps,” said Trainer Art Sherman, who is making his first trip to the Kentucky Derby as a trainer. “I’m very humbled to have a horse like this.” Things have come full circle for Sherman, who at the age of 18 accompanied Swaps to Louisville as his regular exercise rider.

Owned by his breeders, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, California Chrome is a chestnut colt by Lucky Pulpit out of the mare Love the Chase. He has won six races from 10 starts and has been second once while earning $1,134,850. Now the hopes and dreams of the entire state rest with him as he seeks to become the first California-bred since 1962 to win the Kentucky Derby.

“He’s a Cal-Bred, but he doesn’t know that!” said co-owner Steve Coburn.

California pride will certainly be on display at Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, and all of the California off-track wagering locations on Saturday.

The west coast post time for the 140th Derby is at 3:24 p.m. The first live race post time at Santa Anita on Saturday is at 11:30 a.m.

Victor Espinoza donates $10,000 for racetrack grooms

Angela Valverde of CTHF, groom Steve Kenny, Kevin Bolling and Mary Forney of CTHF, and jockey Victor Espinoza.

In a winner’s circle ceremony following Wednesday’s second race at Del Mar, Jockey Victor Espinoza presented a check in the amount of $10,000 to the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation (CTHF), to be used exclusively to assist southern California racetrack grooms. The check represented Espinoza’s total earnings at Del Mar Racetrack for Aug. 10-14, a week during which he had 3 wins, 5 seconds, and 4 third-place finishes from 25 starts.

Espinoza, a 39-year-old native of Mexico City, is one of the nation’s leading riders with more than 2,800 career victories and over $143,600,000 in earnings. He holds 11 southern California meet titles including three at Del Mar, where he had a record-setting seven victories on Labor Day, Sept. 4, 2006. Through Sunday, Aug. 13, he was ranked 7th in the jockey standings with 10 wins from 88 starts for the meet.

Espinoza said he came up with the idea of riding for a week on behalf of the grooms because they are so often overlooked even though they are such a vital part of horse racing.

“The grooms are important for everybody in horse racing” said Espinoza. “They take care of the horses more than anybody, sometimes 24 hours a day.”

CTHF chairman, Ken Smole, said, "Victor’s generous gift will be of enormous benefit to the racetrack grooms in Southern California. It is a thoughtful and admirable act. His gift is also very timely,” Smole added, “as the economic challenges in the racing industry over the past few years have led to decreases in CTHF's sources of funding."

CTHF is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in the community of stable workers occupied with the care of Thoroughbred racehorses at California’s major racetracks, fair circuit tracks and state recognized off-track training centers. CTHF administers medical and dental services through its on-track clinics, making health care accessible and affordable for more than 5,000 backstretch workers and their families.

Queen of the Catsle Back at Hollywood Park in Friday's Lawndale Handicap

Queen of the Catsle hamming it up.

Queen of the Catsle, a brilliant turf sprinting mare and one of my favorites, makes her 2009 debut in the 5-furlong Lawndale Handicap, the 7th race on Hollywood Park's Friday night card.

Her last start, she was an impressive winner in the Dance in the Mood Stakes -- the opening day feature of the Hollywood Park Fall Meet on Oct. 29. It was her fourth victory in a winning streak that included the Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap at Santa Anita and the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar.

Trained by Howard Zucker, Queen of the Catsle will be ridden by Victor Espinoza. Here's hoping for five in a row!

Mythical Power Wins LONE STAR Derby Convincingly

Congratulations to trainer Bob Baffert for his third Lone Star Derby win with Mythical Power!

Mythical Power and jockey Victor Espinoza crushed the field, winning by 7 1/2-lengths over Red Lead. It was the fifth career start for the 3-year-old bay son of Congaree, seen here schooling for the Sunland Derby on March 29 -- a race won by Kelly Leak and in which Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird ran 4th.

Baffert's other Lone Star Derby winners have been Anet in 1997 and Wanna Runner in 2006.

High Heel Sneakers Captures Hermosa Beach; Pick Six Pays $154,253 at Hollywood Park

(edited Hollywood Park report)
Favorite High Heel Sneakers, under Victor Espinoza, easily outran Brushed Gold through the stretch en route to a 2-3/4 length victory in Sunday's $65,000 Hermosa Beach Handicap at Hollywood Park.

The 5-year-old bay mare, meeting easier competition after a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Yellow Ribbon S. at Santa Anita, covered the one and one-half miles on the Lakeside Turf Course in 2:28.58 while paying $5.60, $3.40 and $2.60. Brushed Gold, ridden by Garrett Gomez, paid $5.40 and $3.40, while the show payoff on Maryland shipper Caprice paid $2.60.

High Heel Sneakers, a Great Britain-bred owned by Christopher Wright and trained by Ben Cecil, won for the third time in 20 starts. The winner's share of $42,925 raised her earnings to $212,137. The win was her first in four U.S. starts.

With a Pick Six carryover of $112,486 entering Sunday, an additional $630,918 was wagered. The payoff to three perfect tickets was $154,253.20.