Pico Perdomo Winning Races in Uruguay
Former Southern California-based trainer Pico Perdomo, who returned to his native Uraguay in 2012, is once again winning races.
Perdomo, 72, won Uraguay’s biggest race for the second year in a row Tuesday night, the Group I Gran Premio Jose Pedro Ramirez, with a Brazilian-bred colt named Hielo.
Perdomo’s second entry in the race, All Saints, finished fourth in a field of 15 in the mile and one half dirt race run at Montevideo’s Maronas racetrack.
Perdomo, who trained 2001 Eclipse Award-winning older mare Gourmet Girl, and was also associated with stakes winners Blue Eyed Davey and Stalwart Charger, suffered a heart attack five years ago while training in Saudi Arabia. After coming back to California to recuperate, he decided to return to Uraguay, which he had left in 1969 following a successful career as a jockey.
“I’m happy and I’m home,” said Perdomo following his win Tuesday. “I’m more relaxed. I miss America a lot. I miss my friends. ‘Hello’ to my guys at Santa Anita, especially (trainer) Henry Moreno, the old-timer. I have many friends over there. Henry Moreno is a character I’ve known a long time, and I love that guy.”
Perdomo currently has 50 horses in training. “For and old man, it’s a lot,” he said.
CALIFORNIA CHROME HONORED SATURDAY
Santa Anita will proudly honor California Chrome as the fifth annual
recipient of the Secretariat “Vox Populi” Award (the People’s Choice
Award) this Saturday.
The California Chrome team will be available that day 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.
FINISH LINES: January birthday boys: Roger Stein, 61 on Jan. 4; Sean McCarthy, 52, Jan. 5; David Bernstein, 75, Jan. 6; Mark Glatt, 42 today; and Bob Baffert, 62 on Jan. 13 . . . Mike Machowsky hopes to get Caracortado
back to the races by the end of this meet. “I patched a quarter crack,”
the trainer said, referring to the right front foot that has plagued
Caracortado for years. “I have to let the foot grow out, but you could
see him here if we get lucky.” . . . Ken Ially, who cashed a $98,000 winning Early Pick 4 ticket Saturday on a $48 investment, will be Tom Quigley’s guest at Saturday’s seminar in the East Paddock Gardens. Sunday, HRTV host/analyst Scott Hazelton will do the honors, each day at 11:20 a.m.
Source: Santa Anita Park