Jockey, Trainer Watch

[PJMIII]

Espinoza off to nice start at Santa Anita

Victor Espinoza, who's won six Southern California riding titles but none since the 2006-07 Santa Anita meet when he tied Garrett Gomez for the crown, is out of the gate quickly after the first three days of Santa Anita's 75th anniversary season.

http://www.insidesocal.com/horseraci...-start-at.html

[second_glance]

Apprentice jockey Ben Creed, 26, became the first graduate of the North American Racing Academy to win a riding title when he finished the Turfway Park holiday meet with 25 wins, seven ahead of Tom Pompell. Four of Creed?s wins came Dec. 31, the meet?s closing day.

More here: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...y-riding-title

[PJMIII]

Gomez wins earnings title in final ride

With an unexpected last chance, jockey Garrett Gomez won Thursday's final race at Santa Anita aboard the maiden claimer Cenizo to claim his fourth consecutive national earnings title.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/109839.html

[PJMIII]

Merrill Scherer, Steve Margolis off to hot starts at Fair Grounds

Standing along the fence near the six-furlong pole one morning this week, trainers Merrill Scherer and Steve Margolis were watching horses gallop.

Backstretch neighbors, Scherer and Margolis oversee stables in adjacent barns. Lots of winners have been coming from those barns.

http://www.nola.com/horseracing/inde...herer_ste.html

[PJMIII]

Trainer Steve Miyadi Scores 1,000th Win

Steve Miyadi recorded his 1,000th training victory Jan. 2 when his 3-year-old filly Shesgoinghollywood won the first race at Golden Gate Fields.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...res-1000th-win

[dr john h]

Tampa Bay Downs | Posted 1/3/2010, 5:27 pm
Jockey Centeno hospitalized in Florida
By Doug McCoy

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Jockey Daniel Centeno, three-time leading rider at Tampa Bay Downs and currently second in the standings, was taken to a local hospital after being reportedly kicked in the chest in the paddock prior to the seventh race.

Centeno, who came into the day with 15 wins to rank second, one win behind Rosemary Homeister Jr., was taken to Town and Country Hospital, where he was reported to be conscious, alert, and in stable condition.

[second_glance]

[quote author=dr john h link=topic=35153.msg871704#msg871704 date=1262629365]

Tampa Bay Downs | Posted 1/3/2010, 5:27 pm
Jockey Centeno hospitalized in Florida
By Doug McCoy

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Jockey Daniel Centeno, three-time leading rider at Tampa Bay Downs and currently second in the standings, was taken to a local hospital after being reportedly kicked in the chest in the paddock prior to the seventh race.

Centeno, who came into the day with 15 wins to rank second, one win behind Rosemary Homeister Jr., was taken to Town and Country Hospital, where he was reported to be conscious, alert, and in stable condition.


[/quote]

Centeno is still in intensive care: http://www.drf.com/news/article/109906.html

[second_glance]

Veteran trainer Cotton Tinsley was found dead early Monday morning, more than three days after he had gone missing from near his home in Arcadia, Calif., near Santa Anita. He was 81.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/109910.html

[Rick1323]

I can't find anything new on Centeno. I hope he is doing better.

[second_glance]

Kentucky panel doubles Borel suspension
By Matt Hegarty

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission here on Tuesday voted unanimously to double a three-day suspension handed down to jockey Calvin Borel for careless riding in November.

The vote to double the suspension reflected the commission's desire to discourage jockeys and trainers from filing appeals to avoid serving days at certain times of the year, according to Lisa Underwood, the commision's executive director.

"We're trying to put a stop to these frivolous appeals," Underwood said.

Borel was issued a three-day suspension on Nov. 21 by the Churchill stewards after his mount, Pulpit's Secret, was disqualified from first to second in the 10th race on Nov. 20. Three days later, Borel appealed the suspension, which resulted in an automatic stay of the penalty. The stay allowed Borel to ride during the final weekend of racing at Churchill's fall meet and secure the meet's riding title.

According to the commission, Borel dropped his appeal on Dec. 12, indicating that the appeal was filed only to avoid serving the days because of where they landed on the calendar. The new suspension will run from Jan. 15-17 and Jan. 22-24, both three-day stretches from a Friday to a Sunday.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/109924.html

[PJMIII]

Apprentice Watch: 32YO Amanda Tamburello shifts from event riding to racetrack

Instinctive. Accomplished. Seasoned. These are not words typically used when speaking about an apprentice jockey. They are accurate, however, when describing Amanda Tamburello, who despite spending her first year as a professional jockey in 2009 has been an experienced rider most of her life.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...ving-the-dream

[PJMIII]

Kentucky Trainer Bobby LaRue Dies

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...bby-larue-dies

[Rick1323]

I knew that reckless Derby ride would catch up with Borel.

[Viva Pataca]

[quote author=second_glance link=topic=35153.msg842672#msg842672 date=1257881157]
Aaron Gryder moving tack to Hong Kong:

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/rac...Hong-Kong.aspx
[/quote]

Gryder finally had his first win in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
http://racing.scmp.com/freeservice/n...ws20100107.asp

[size=10pt]... American jockey Aaron Gryder opened his Hong Kong account for Tsui Yu-sak aboard Record High and hopes the win will "open some eyes" and the door to more chances.

Gryder began his stint in mid-November, but missed several December meetings after his wife was hurt in a car crash in the United States; he went back to pick up his two young daughters to spend Christmas with him here.

"I've only had 16 rides before tonight and six of them were last Sunday so I haven't really had much opportunity to ride a winner," he said after Record High's win at odds of 20-1 plus. "I didn't come to just ride one though - hopefully I'll get better opportunities now and I'm hoping to extend my contract."[/size]

[PJMIII]

Nakatani moving to Midwest base

http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs...west-base.html

[PJMIII]

From bloodhorse.com

Trainer O'Connell Wins Four at Tampa Bay

Kathleen O?Connell, the leading trainer at Tampa Bay Downs, won four races at the track Jan. 10, tying the record for most wins in a day there by a trainer set by O?Connell and Jamie Ness.

O?Connell won the first race with Levy Light ($5), a 6-year-old Colony Lightmare ridden by Rosemary Homeister Jr.; the third race with Curious Tiger ($11.80), a 6-year-old by Tiger Ridge ridden by Wilmer Galviz; the sixth race with Awesome Vow (14), a 3-year-old Awesome Again filly ridden by Anthony Stephen; and the ninth race with Dazzlin Dr Cologne ($3.20), a Cutlass Fax gelding ridden by Homeister.

[second_glance]

More on Corey . . . .

Nakatani shifts tack, with eye on Derby
By Mary Rampellini

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Jockey Corey Nakatani has come to Oaklawn Park with two objectives: to win the riding title and secure a mount for the Kentucky Derby. Nakatani, who since 1989 has been based in Southern California, said he is setting up shop in the Midwest.

"I've bought a house in Kentucky," he said. "I'm going to ride Oaklawn, then go back to Keeneland and ride the Keeneland meet, ride at Churchill and go to Saratoga in the summer.

"I just wanted to get back on top, and I think the opportunities are back East."

More at:
http://www.drf.com/news/article/110062.html

[PJMIII]

Pompell Gets Victory No. 2,000 at Turfway

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...000-at-turfway

[PJMIII]

[quote author=PJMIII link=topic=35153.msg868906#msg868906 date=1262264313]
From brisnet.com

Flavien Prat, a 17-year-old apprentice from France, is scheduled to make his Santa Anita debut on Friday. "He was the leading apprentice in France with 62 wins this year," agent Derek Lawson said. "He was invited here by (trainer) Leonard Powell, but he has now caught the attention of Patrick Biancone. Prat has his 'bug' until March. He came here to learn and gain more experience, because riders in France have seen how successful their countryman Julien Leparoux has been as a young rider in the United States, and they all recognize that Southern California is a nice place to spend the winter, instead of going skiing and vacationing, and they absolutely love to ski in France.".


[/quote]
First Winner for Jockey Flavien Prat

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...y-flavien-prat

[PJMIII]

From brisnet.com

Aqueduct jockeys contributing to Haitian relief

Jockeys riding at Aqueduct are joining the relief effort to help those affected by the recent earthquake that struck Haiti.

"We were all overwhelmed by the enormity of this terrible event," said Ramon Dominguez, New York's leading jockey. "We wanted to act and contribute to the recovery effort for those affected by this tragedy."

Riders at Aqueduct will have the option to donate losing mount fees and/or a percentage of their earnings from races during the week span of January 15-22 to the American Red Cross toward the Haitian Relief effort.

"It's important that we band together to help people in such desperate need," said Maylan Studart, a 20-year-old jockey. "It's often in the times of greatest need that some of the best aspects of humanity emerge, and hopefully our donations, and the ones all across the world, are a reflection of that."

On Saturday, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced that it will contribute $5,000 to the American Red Cross toward the Haitian Relief effort.

"NYRA is proud to support the Haitian Relief effort and offer its assistance during this time of crisis," NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward said. "We encourage people to join us in sending donations to help those affected by this catastrophe."

NYRA has set up a direct link to the American Red Cross on the main page of nyra.com for donations. In addition, individuals can make donations directly at the American Red Cross website, www.redcross.org.