Jeff Mullins

Baffert, D'Amato Breeders' Cup Runners Highlight Santa Anita Worktab

A bevy of horses pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar worked Saturday at Santa Anita. Out in force were horses trained by Bob Baffert and Phil D'Amato, who combined pre-entered 18 horses to the 41st Breeders' Cup. D'Amato worked all eight of his Breeders' Cup pre-entrants. One Magic Philly (Good Magic) (Filly & Mare Sprint), winner of the GIII Chillingworth Stakes last out, and Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) (Juvenile Fillies), second in the GI Del Mar Debutante, worked in company. One Magic Philly was clocked...

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Sugar Fish Keeps Swimming To Capture Zenyatta Stakes At Santa Anita

In the race named after America's sweetheart, it was Sugar Fish (Accelerate--Madiera Park, by Langfuhr) who saved her best stride for the stretch and took home her second piece of graded Arcadian hardware in the GII Zenyatta Stakes. A modest auction buy with modest beginnings, the former $40,000 maiden claimer has risen through the ranks on a noticeably sharp incline, having sailed through her conditions since breaking her maiden Mar. 29 by 10 lengths, and finally finding herself the 9 3/4-length GII Summertime Oaks victress by June 8. Stepping up...

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Bucchero Filly Queen Maxima Wows In Del Mar Finale

10th-Del Mar, $77,500, Msw, 8-10, 3yo/up, f/m, 5fT, :57.42, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. QUEEN MAXIMA (f, 3, Bucchero--Corfu Lady, by Corfu), off at a firming 5.70-1 while making a belated first trip to the races, overcame a couple of spots of adversity to post an extremely impressive victory in the Saturday finale at Del Mar. Drawn the fence, the $40,000 OBS June graduate bombed the start and was clearly last early before making some ground to be about midfield into the turn. Traveling strongly and full of run passing the...

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From Stumble to Surge, Sugar Fish Sews Up Summertime Oaks

Sugar Fish (f, 3, Accelerate--Madeira Park, by Langfuhr), the longest shot at 5-1 in a short field of four, looked to lose all chance when she tumbled out of the gate as the sophomore fillies were sent on their way Saturday in the GII Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita. She immediately lost at least three lengths on the field in the first few seconds and trailed as early fractions were clocked in :23.80 and :47.41. Previously unbeaten Jane Austen (Tapit), like Sugar Fish trying stakes company for the first time,...

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Making Waves: Kodiac Filly Stands Out In New York

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Pipsy during the Belmont at the Big A meeting in New York. Pipsy Soars In New York  Pipsy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who races for Woodford Throughbreds, LLC, earned the first graded win of her career in the GIII Soaring Softly S. during Belmont's spring meeting at Aqueduct on Sunday (video). Trained by Will Walden, the filly is now three-for-four. The Noel Finegan-bred was a...

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Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, June 13-19

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. The TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA)-related rulings from the same week. These will include decisions from around the country. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 06/16/2023 Licensee: Ian Kruljac, trainer Penalty: $1,000 fine...

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Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Jan. 3-9

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.   California Track: Santa Anita Date: 01/07/2023 Licensee: Jeff Mullins, trainer...

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Trainer Mullins Suspended, Fined for Clenbuterol Positive in Del Mar Winner

Trainer Jeff Mullins has been suspended 30 days and fined $1,500 as the result of a "settlement agreement and mutual release" with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to adjudicate a clenbuterol positive triggered by one of his winning trainees at Del Mar last summer. The conditions of the agreement call for Mullins to serve 15 days of the suspension, with the remaining 15 days conditionally stayed. The stewards' ruling, dated Jan. 7, stated that Mullins is "placed on probation for ONE YEAR from the date of this ruling and...

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Creative Cause Colt 'Wahlop'-s Rivals in DMR Juvenile Turf

Sent off right at his morning line of 8-1, Packs a Wahlop (Creative Cause) worked out a nice trip beneath Hall of Famer Mike Smith and exploded away from his rivals in the final eighth of a mile to capture Sunday's GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf at the seaside oval and become a leading U.S. candidate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile the first weekend of November. Away alertly from the nine hole, the $27,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $270,000 OBS April (:10 flat) acquisition showed good speed and rolled...

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Action Heats Up at OBS Wednesday

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis OCALA, FL - With a pair of seven-figure colts leading the way, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds produced a day of strong bidding Wednesday in Florida. During the session, 177 juveniles grossed $25,829,000 for an average of $145,927 and a median of $80,000. Through two sessions, 347 horses have sold for $48,388,000. The two-day average of $139,447 jumped 36% from last year's corresponding figure, while the median of $75,000 soared up 50%. The cumulative buy-back rate is 19.5%. With the...

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Uncle Mo Filly Graduates in Del Mar Unveiling

7th-Del Mar, $57,000, Msw, 8-2, 2yo, f, 5f, :59.98, ft. ROLL UP MO MONEY (f, 2, Uncle Mo--Twixy Roll {MSW, $277,172}, by Roll Hennessy Roll) came from off the pace to graduate in her career unveiling at Del Mar Sunday. Overlooked at 15-1, the Jeff Mullins trainee was hustled out from her wide berth and settled in a stalking position as first Hi Con (Nyquist) and then Bonus Fever (Runhappy) set early fractions of :22.48 and :46.83 while favorite Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) lingered near the back. At the throat...

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River Boyne Over Got Stormy by a Head in Kilroe Mile

River Boyne continued to rack up wins over the Santa Anita turf course, scoring for the eighth time in Arcadia after sneaking inside of favorite Got Stormy late. Hugging the fence from fourth under a snug hold, River Boyne inched slightly closer and into the pocked after a :46.49 half prompted by Got Stormy. Forced to wait for clear sailing as pacesetter Kingly (Tapit) faded in front of him, he worked his way off the rail to avoid that foe before diving back inside to snatch victory from the public's...

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