Hollywood Park

DEL MAR, California--History can be a sprint from one anachronism to the next, but every now and then it hands us spectators something unique across generations. You know, one of those full circle moments where we can witness a learner transforming into a future master. A little over 40 years ago at the inaugural Breeders' Cup World Championships hosted by Hollywood Park, Monsieur Alain de Royer-Dupre saddled Lashkari (GB) (Mill Reef) for His Highness The Aga Khan. The 3-year-old took home the very first Breeders' Cup Turf, which was one...

Let the record show that the very first horse to win a race at Golden Gate Fields was a mare named Skookumchuck, who won the inaugural race on Feb.1, 1941 before a crowd of 30,000. The last horse to win a race there was Adelie (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}), who got to the wire first in Sunday's eighth, the last race ever at a track. In between, there was a lot of history, a lot of memories...Citation, Russell Baze, Lost in the Fog, Noor. That's history that cannot be erased, but...

In this TDN series, we curry lessons and wise counsel from veteran Californian figures who, like gold nuggets panned from the Tuolumne River in the High Sierras, have unearthed career riches on arguably the toughest circuit in the States. The series started with John Shirreffs and Art Sherman, and continues here with Eddie Truman, who announced his retirement last month. The land around Mulvane, Kansas, has been flattened as though by some colossal steamroller, and the vast, leafy battalions of maize and wheat and sorghum stretch outwards on and on...

Santa Anita's popular Paddock Captain, John Shear passed away Tuesday from natural causes at age 102 in a rehabilitation facility in Arcadia, according to a statement from the Shear family that was shared via a racetrack press release. Beloved by the many fans with whom he came in contact, as well as by his fellow employees, jockeys and horsemen, Shear opted to retire at age 100 in 2021. That same year he was honored by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters with the Mr. Fitz Award for typifying the spirit...

Point him at a fork in the road and Matthew Dohman will likely take the one consecrated by Robert Frost. When he founded his mortgage lending company, he did so in the middle of the global financial meltdown when homebuying was as popular as volcano surfing. When he purchased his first horses at the sales, he eschewed sage counsel from agent and trainer and picked 'em largely himself. Didn't do too bad, either. The Cal-bred Guy Code, who he snagged for $63,000, ended up winning nearly a quarter-million. And when...

Kudos, a MGSW gelding, died on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, at Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., announced president and founder Michael Blowen. The 26-year-old bay Thoroughbred (Kris S.--Souq, by Damascus) was found dead in his paddock during late-afternoon feeding. A reason for his death is unknown at this time. Necropsy results are pending to get an accurate cause of death. Bred and owned by longtime Old Friends supporters, Jerry and Ann Moss, Kudos was foaled in Kentucky on Apr. 17, 1997. Trained by Richard Mandella his entire...

Trying to capture the essence of a bygone era champion can be a daunting task. The subtleties can be as elusive as the principal cast of characters--many of whom might no longer with us--who made up the stalwart's inner circle. However, author Mary Perdue has managed to capture not only the nuance of a great champion, Landaluce, but also the framework of an era long since past. A tremendous talent whose rising stardom was snuffed out much too early, Landaluce was surrounded by a team of individuals who would leave...

As one of few institutions of American sport to rival its fastest two minutes, the Super Bowl will reopen some painful old wounds among our community. For while many in the Bluegrass presumably feel some allegiance to their nearest NFL team, they owe a deeper loyalty to the very acres on which the game will be contested—to the memories interred below.

As one of few institutions of American sport to rival its fastest two minutes, the Super Bowl will reopen some painful old wounds among our community. For while many in the Bluegrass presumably feel some allegiance to their nearest NFL team, they owe a deeper loyalty to the very acres on which the game will be contested--to the memories interred below. Nostalgia for Hollywood Park will be especially piquant now that Arlington Park is in the sickening throes of a similar demise. It's no longer just John Henry, winner of...

In Sunday's TDN, we published Bill Finley's ode to shuttered racetracks, and asked others to try to beat his number of 28 at which he had attended live racing. The letters continue to pour in from readers sharing their own memories of their favorites. Here is a sampling. Thanks for the article about all the race tracks that are now gone. I also grew up in Philadelphia and my parents were big horse race fans. I got my first exposure to horse racing at Delaware Park since they let children...

Do you remember Bowie? The Marshfield Fair? Or, how about Liberty Bell? I do. I've been to them all. Someone sent me a link the other day to a list of all the defunct racetracks in the country and it got me thinking how sad it was that I had been to so many that have disappeared into the ether. That and whether or not I hold some sort of unofficial record of having attended more former racetracks than anyone else. I have been to 28 North American tracks that...

R.D. Hubbard, who honed his work ethic in Kansas wheat fields and at his family's ice house and then parlayed a wealth of hands-on experience into a long run as an internationally acclaimed auto glass entrepreneur, visionary racetrack operator, and an enthusiastic owner and breeder of Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds, died Wednesday night at his home in Palm Desert, California. He was 84 years old. Hubbard's death was confirmed by his family. Hubbard leaves a legacy rooted in the power of hard work, optimistic tenacity, and a knack for knowing...