Santa Anita to Honor 'Chrome' on Saturday
Santa Anita will proudly honor California Chrome as the fifth annual recipient of the Secretariat “Vox Populi” Award (the People’s Choice Award) on Saturday.
The California Chrome team will be available for an autograph session at 11 a.m. in Santa Anita’s East Paddock Gardens. The first 2,000 fans who arrive at the autograph tent will receive a free California Chrome poster, which will be available only at the autograph tent, one per fan, while supplies last.
Scheduled to attend the autograph session will be Chrome’s regular rider, Victor Espinoza; his trainer, Art Sherman; and owners/breeders Steve Coburn and Perry Martin.
California Chrome, who basked in the national spotlight throughout the year after winning the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, was the clear favorite among the record number of voters in the Vox Populi online poll.
He was one of a select group of nominees submitted by the Vox Populi committee and Mrs. Penny Chenery, owner of beloved Triple Crown champion Secretariat, in whose name she established the award in 2010.
MANDELLAS SQUARE OFF IN SUNDAY’S PASEANA
The apple won’t fall far from the tree when Valiant Emilia and Zilber run in Sunday’s $75,000 Paseana Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.
Gary Mandella saddles Valiant Emilia who breaks from post position two, while his Hall of Fame father, Richard, sends out Zilber, who breaks from post position three.
It’s not the first time the two have raced horses against one another.
“You can’t be any better than your horses are, but he does a great job,” papa Mandella said of his son. “I’m very proud of him.”
The Paseana, named for the champion older filly or mare of 1992 and 1993 trained by Ron McAnally, goes as race seven on a nine-race program.
The field: Legacy, Edwin Maldonado, 12-1; Valiant Emilia, Rafael Bejarano, 10-1; Zilber, Tiago Pereira, 20-1; Tiz Midnight, Victor Espinoza, 8-5; Warren’s Veneda, Tyler Baze, 3-1; My Sweet Addiction, Mike Smith, 3-1; Eblouissante, Gary Stevens, 10-1; and Taste Like Candy, Kent Desormeaux, 9-2.
FINISH LINES: Bob Baffert on how he thinks the Eclipse Awards will shake out now that the voters have named the finalists: “It’s the only time in our sport where it becomes figure skating.” . . . Chitu worked in company Friday morning with American Pride for Baffert, going five furlongs under Martin Garcia. Each horse was clocked in 1:01.40 . . . Stakes winners Tamarando and Wild Dude worked in company for Jerry Hollendorfer, each timed in 1:12.60 for six furlongs. Corey Nakatani was aboard Tamarando . . . California Chrome is scheduled to work at 8 a.m. Saturday at Los Alamitos in preparation for the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 7, and a possible Breeders’ Cup Classic rematch with Bayern and Shared Belief. The latter breezed four furlongs at his Golden Gate base Tuesday in 50.60 . . . Jockey Joe Steiner is two wins away from career victory No. 1,000 . . . Jockey Alonso Quinonez has been suspended three days (Jan. 15, 16 and 17) for causing interference on Persuasive Paul in Thursday’s second race . . . Richard Mandella reports two-time champion Beholder doing well at Julie Adair-Stack’s Chino facility as she prepares for her return to the races. “She’s jogging there and getting legged up a bit,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “She’ll be in here before long.” . . . Santa Anita offers Dollar Day next Monday, Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which completes a three-day weekend at The Great Race Place. Fans can enjoy draft beers, hot dogs and sodas for just a buck. First post time is 12:30 p.m. . . . High fives: Show Stealer makes her fifth start in today’s fifth race. She has finished fifth each time.
Source: Ed Golden, Santa Anita Stable Notes