Brother Derek doing A-OK after comebacker     Uploaded: 04/22/2008
By BRAD FREE
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A slow start and a wide trip contributed to the runner-up comeback by odds-on Brother Derek on Sunday at Santa Anita. He finished second in an allowance race that was his first start in more than 14 months. Still, trainer Dan Hendricks considers it a mission accomplished.

All-sources handle drops; account betting up     Uploaded: 04/21/2008
By STEVE ANDERSEN
ARCADIA, Calif. - The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, plagued by the cancellation of 11 racing days in January and early February because of main-track drainage problems, ended Sunday with declines in average daily attendance and ontrack handle, a slight decline in all-sources handle, and an increase in account-wagering handle. The meet began on Dec. 26, 2007.

Support grows for synthetic surface     Uploaded: 04/21/2008
By JAY PRIVMAN
ARCADIA, Calif. - After a series of meetings with trainers and owners at Santa Anita on Sunday, Frank Stronach, whose Magna Entertainment owns the track, said he was leaning toward going with a synthetic surface at the track rather than replacing it with a dirt surface, according to several people at the meetings.

Frankel Seeks Elusive Seventh Jim Murray Victory     Uploaded: 05/08/2008
Provided by Hollywood Park
Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel has won the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap a record six times at Hollywood Park but he has found number seven to be elusive.
Since last winning the distance turf test with Skipping in 2002, Frankel has settled for a second-place finish with Denon in 2003, third with Gassan Royal in 2004, second and third with Vangelis and Exterior respectively in 2005, and third with Notable Guest last year.

On The Acorn Seeks Jim Murray Repeat     Uploaded: 05/07/2008
Provided by Hollywood Park
On the Acorn seeks to become the first repeat winner of the $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park Saturday, but it won't be easy.
"On the Acorn is doing super, better than last year," said trainer Mike Mitchell Wednesday of the 7-year-old gelding's training for the Grade II race at 1˝ miles on turf. "But I have a lot of respect for Bobby Frankel's horse (Champs Elysees). He's a good horse, a very good horse."

Frankel, Juddmonte Seek To Pad Jim Murray Figures     Uploaded: 05/04/2008
Provided by Hollywood Park
Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, who has won the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap a record six times, and Juddmonte Farms, for which he has won the race a record four times, will be favored to add to those numbers with Champs Elysees when the $250,000, Grade II stake is run for the 19th time Saturday at 1 ˝ miles on the Hollywood Park turf.

COLONEL JOHN NAMED HORSE OF MEET IN MEDIA POLL     Uploaded: 04/21/2008
MITCHELLE, BEJARANO EARN HONORS AS TOP TRAINER AND JOCKEY
Colonel John, who won the Grade I Santa Anita Derby after winning the Grade III Sham Stakes to establish himself as a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby on May 3, was named Horse of the Meet in Santa Anita’s annual Media Poll. Colonel John, owned and bred by the WinStar Farm and trained by Eoin Harty, joins his sire, Tiznow, among Horse of the Meet winners. Tiznow won in the 2000-01 poll and went on to be named 2000 Horse of the Year. In a unanimous vote, Colonel John also was named the meet’s Outstanding Three-Year-Old. “It’s a wonderful honor and I’m thrilled on behalf of everyone involved with Colonel John,” Harty said. The Santa Anita Derby, in which Colonel John rallied from last near the quarter pole to win by a half-length over Bob Black Jack, was named Race of the Meet.

SANTA ANITA WEATHERS STORM TO FINISH STRONGLY     Uploaded: 04/21/2008
RECORD ADW GAINS POSTED FOR WINTER/SPRING MEET
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 20, 2008)—Santa Anita Park, beset with a dysfunctional synthetic main track which created daily uncertainty as to whether racing would be conducted during periods of wet weather early in its winter/spring meeting, concluded its 2007/08 race meet with total handle down seven percent from last year. On an average daily basis, all source wagering on Santa Anita races was up two percent.

SANTA ANITA RACING TO CONTINUE WITH REFORMULATED SYNTHETIC SURFACE     Uploaded: 01/15/2008
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 15, 2008)—Santa Anita Park officials announced today that soil tests conducted both in Australia and at the Civil Engineering Lab at the University of Southern California have revealed a solution to the track’s hardening and inability to drain. As a result, Santa Anita Park will reformulate its troubled synthetic main track under the auspices of the Australian company Pro-Ride, which is one of the southern hemisphere’s leading providers of synthetic surfaces.
“The test results are dramatic and extremely encouraging,” said Santa Anita President Ron Charles. “We have only a short window of opportunity to get this done and we believe we have finally solved our Cushion Track drainage problem. After exhaustive research, we feel strongly that this is the way to go.