Los Alamitos

The six-day winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos will begin Friday, Dec. 9. Racing will be conducted Friday-Sunday both weeks with a 12:30 p.m. post time. The meet will be highlighted by the GI Starlet S. Dec. 10, offering 10 points towards the GI Kentucky Oaks, and GII Los Alamitos Futurity S. Dec. 17, with 10 points towards the GI Kentucky Derby. Completing the stakes program are a pair of one-mile races for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California, the $100,000 Soviet Problem S. for fillies Dec. 11 and the...

Faiza (Girvin), named a 'TDN Rising Star' off an impressive debut score Nov. 12 at Del Mar, will be supplemented for $10,000 to the $300,000 GI Starlet Saturday at Los Alamitos. The Starlet, which is for fillies at 1 1/16 miles, is the first of four stakes events for 2-year-olds to be run during Los Al's six-day Winter Thoroughbred meet that opens Friday. Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, who won the 2015 GI Los Alamitos Futurity with Mor Spirit (Eskendereya), and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Faiza cruised...

Thoroughbred owner Jerry Jamgotchian, who has a decades-long history as both a plaintiff and defendant in lawsuits involving horse racing entities, went after the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) in federal court on Monday, claiming that his constitutional and civil rights were violated when the stewards at Los Alamitos Race Course denied entry to one of his horses this past summer over its purportedly controversial name. Although the Oct. 17 United States District Court (Central District, Southern Division) civil complaint puts forth a legal argument based on whether the horse...

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 July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week. California Track: Los Alamitos Date: 09/22/2022 Licensee: Francisco Orduna-Rojas, jockey Penalty: One-day...

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) on Thursday approved a 2023 schedule for the Southern California circuit that largely mirrors this year's version. A final vote on the Northern California schedule was put off until the CHRB's October meeting. But one new idea floated for the NorCal circuit during the Sep. 15 meeting could involve the Cal Expo state fair meet running either twilight or night programs next year. Concerns over dangerously high temperatures during July, when Cal Expo is expected to receive its three-week block of dates, were cited...

Thoroughbred racing returns to Los Alamitos Sept. 16 with a seven-day season which will include four stakes races. The first of the stakes races is the $75,000 E.B. Johnston for 3-year-olds and up who are bred or sired in California. The race at one mile will be run Sept. 17. The following day fillies and mares will face off in the $75,000 Dark Mirage S. at 1 1/16 miles. Completing the schedule are the $75,000 Los Alamitos Special for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 24 and...

Claiming that the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) has "destroyed" his reputation as a trainer by issuing a 47-count complaint pertaining to the alleged race-day administration of substances to his horses and then purportedly violating his rights to due process when he tried to resolve the charges, Richard Baltas is suing the CHRB, its commissioners, and executive director for at least $12 million in damages. According to a lawsuit filed Aug. 17 in Superior Court for the State of California (Los Angeles County), the lawsuit also stated that the CHRB...

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who returned to training recently after a 90-day suspension issued by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, had an unraced juvenile colt suffer an accident while leaving the track at Los Alamitos July 26. Named Rapacious (Into Mischief--Princess La Quinta, by Quality Road), the bay was euthanized. Bred by Aaron and Marie Jones LLC in Kentucky, Rapacious was sold for $400,0000 to SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stable at the 2021 Keeneland September sale. Los Alamitos issued a statement late Tuesday evening regarding the incident....

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. This week's appear below. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. California Track: Los Alamitos Date: 07/04/2022 Licensee: Diego Herrera, jockey Penalty: One-day suspension, $250 fine Violation: Excessive use of the whip Explainer: Having violated the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2280 (Use of Riding Crop) and pursuant to...

Just like riding a bicycle. Starting his first horses since serving a 90-day suspension issued by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, trainer Bob Baffert won the two races in which he had entered horses on the Saturday card at Los Alamitos. Baffert's victories included a win by High Connection (Connect) in the Los Alamitos Derby. It was Baffert's sixth straight win in the race that used to be known as the Swaps S. and his 12th overall in the mile-and-an-eighth contest. Baffert had last started horses on Apr. 2. Afterward,...

Last month, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) issued a complaint against trainer Richard Baltas alleging that between Apr. 15 and May 8 this year, 23 horses in his care had been administered on race-day a substance containing the plant extracts higenamine and paenol in violation of the board's rules. A hearing on the complaint, originally scheduled for early and then possibly late July, is now set for Aug. 3 with the Del Mar stewards beginning at 9 a.m., according to CHRB spokesperson, Mike Marten, in an email Friday afternoon....

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. CALIFORNIA Track: Los Alamitos Date: 07/01/2022 Licensee: Diego Herrera, jockey Penalty: $1,000 fine Violation: Excessive use of the whip Explainer: Jockey Diego Herrera is fined $1,000.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop - more than...