Mike Willman
Santa Anita Park

ARCADIA, Calif. — By a vote of his peers nationwide, jockey Garrett Gomez, a two-time Eclipse Award winner, and who was North America’s leading rider by money-won in 2006, ’07,’08 and ’09, will become the 62nd recipient of the prestigious Santa Anita George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in a winner’s circle ceremony at Santa Anita on Sunday, March 20.

Gomez outpolled fellow jockeys Joe Bravo, Javier Castellano, Corey Lanerie and Gallyn Mitchell.

Nicknamed “Go-Go”…

Jennifer Hoyt
Oaklawn Park

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn has made the decision to cancel Thursday’s card because of a fast approaching winter storm that brought rain and freezing rain to Hot Springs this morning, but was scheduled to turn to snow by post time. In addion, the Arkansas State police were reporting bad weather and poor roads conditions north of Little Rock, which also played a factor in the track’s decision to cancel because the weather was moving south. Oaklawn…

Ed Golden
Santa Anita Park

ARCADIA, Calif. – Despite time lost because of an injury, Joe Talamo enjoyed a successful 2010. He is looking forward to even better things this year, and not just because he’ll celebrate his 21st birthday on Jan. 12. The affable Louisiana native has a front-runner’s chance aboard Aggie Engineer for trainer Paddy Gallagher in Saturday’s Grade II, $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, a major prep for the Grade I, $750,000 Santa…

Check back Tuesday, Nov. 23, to find out the picks for Wednesday’s selected races.

A fund for jockey Michael Martinez, paralyzed from the waist down following a spill Sunday (Sept. 12) at Golden Gate Fields, has been established for those who wish to provide financial aid to the 24-year-old rider and his family.

Checks should be made out to “Michael Martinez Fund” and sent to Golden Gate Fields, 1100 Eastshore Highway, Berkeley, Calif. 94710.

“No sport has better fans than horse racing, and we have received inquiries from fans across the country wanting to…

Thoroughbreds 52 Days Starting April 14; Quarter Horses 26 Days Beginning Sept. 16

Dan Leary
Director of Communications
Lone Star Park

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie was granted 78 live racing dates for 2011 at Tuesday’s Texas Racing Commission meeting in Austin, Texas, including a 52-date Spring Thoroughbred Season that will be run from April 14 through July 10 and a 26-night Fall Meeting of Champions for American Quarter Horses from Sept. 16…

(Edited Saratoga Race Course report)

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will offer three lucky fans the chance to place a $1,000 win wager on the horse of their choice in one of three races run on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 1. 

Entry forms for the promotion will be issued to the first 10,000 patrons admitted to the racetrack on Wednesday and must be completed and deposited by 2 p.m. at the Information Booth…

HOLLYWOOD PARK APPARENTLY WILL BE VENUE FOR RACING TO BEGIN SEPT. 29

Larry Stewart

DEL MAR, Calif. – The Oak Tree Racing meet at Santa Anita Park, an Arcadia fixture since 1969, is apparently going to be held at Hollywood Park this year after all.

The California Horse Racing Board voted Thursday to deny the Oak Tree Racing Association’s application to run its fall meet at Santa Anita, meaning in all likelihood the Oak Tree meet scheduled to begin Sept.…

Bob Hill
Staff writer
Tracksideview.com

DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar race track justifiably lays claim to being situated in as beautiful a setting as any such venue anywhere.  The famous Mediterranean climate of San Diego County is normally a second ingredient to making a trip to Del Mar spectacular during August.  The setting is quite unchangeable, but on my annual visit to Del Mar this past weekend I discovered that the coastline can be smothered in layers…

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview.com

The 53^rd running of the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Sunday (Aug. 15) at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Southern California brings together a very talented field of eight fillies and mares.

The mile-and-an-eighth race over the Jimmy Durante turf course will provide the winner with an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Churchill Downs in early November as part of the “Win and You’re In” program.

There…