Santa Anita’s Closing Weekend Features Competitive Jockey and Trainer Races

As the fall meet at Santa Anita concludes, jockey Juan Hernandez leads the standings with 23 wins, followed closely by Umberto Rispoli with 16 wins. With only three days remaining, the competition among jockeys and trainers intensifies. Notably, trainer Phil D’Amato holds a slim lead over Bob Baffert, having secured 11 wins compared to Baffert’s 9.

This weekend’s stakes races add to the excitement. On Saturday, the track features the $200,000 Grade II Twilight Derby for three-year-olds, running at 11/8 miles on turf, alongside the $85,000 Tokyo City Cup for horses aged three and up, running a mile. Sunday brings the $100,000 Grade III Autumn Miss Stakes for three-year-old fillies, also at a mile on turf.

Upcoming Stakes and Jockey Highlights

Hernandez, the morning-line favorite, will ride Test Score at 4-5 odds for trainer Graham Motion in the Twilight Derby. Rispoli is set to ride Pony Express for trainer John Sadler, currently listed at 6-5 odds, and also has Privman at 7-5 for Baffert in the Tokyo City Cup. The Autumn Miss Stakes features Rispoli on Slick at 2-1 for D’Amato, while Hernandez takes the reins on Warming at 3-1 for Motion.

In an innovative move, Santa Anita introduces a new class of race called a “ratings handicap,” which aims to group horses based on their performance ratings. This weekend’s races 6 and 7 will be the first to utilize this system, showcasing its potential to create competitive fields by bringing together horses that have not raced against each other before.

Breeders’ Cup Controversy and Notable Retirements

The upcoming Breeders’ Cup, scheduled for October 31-November 1, has sparked controversy among horseplayers. The organization announced it would not limit computer-assisted wagering, contradicting Del Mar’s policy to restrict substantial computer bets two minutes before post time. This decision has raised concerns about potential late odds shifts, although the large parimutuel pools at the Breeders’ Cup are expected to mitigate drastic changes.

In a bittersweet moment for fans, Express Train, an eight-year-old horse known for his performances in major races, has announced his retirement. Having won the Santa Anita Handicap in 2022 and competed in several Grade I races, he will transition to a new career in Kentucky as a hunter-jumper, as confirmed by trainer John Shirreffs.

At Los Alamitos, the stakes are equally high. The $1 million Grade I Golden State Million Futurity for two-year-olds will take place on Sunday, along with the $30,000 Ah Sigh Stakes. OJD Jess a Bug, a three-year-old with an impressive record of 11 wins in various states, showcased his prowess by winning the Azure Three Stakes, defeating several graded stakes winners.

On the same day, Doodah Cartel, trained by Paul Jones, comes into the Golden State Million Futurity with the fastest qualifying time, looking for his first futurity final victory. Other strong competitors include Jess Im Worth It and Beuteeful, who have also made their mark in previous competitions.

Tragedy struck recently with the fatalities of two horses: the allowance-level filly Mirinda and the Grade II stakes-placed mare Starry Heavens. These incidents bring the total number of racing and training-related deaths to 27 at Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, and Del Mar over the current racing year, matching last year’s figures.

As the curtain draws near on Santa Anita’s fall meet, the stakes remain high for both jockeys and trainers. With the Breeders’ Cup approaching, the spotlight will soon shift to the nation’s best horses and their performances on this prestigious stage.