John Flakes was talking about his friend John Shirreffs. It wasn’t easy, but it had to be done. “It brings tears to my eyes,” said Flakes, better known around the track as “Short Man.” ‘We have lost a good man. It’s not like I’m crying or anything. But you know when you get emotional tears […]
The dark cloud that hung over the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) continues to loom. Ted Noffey the winner and subsequent champion of the division, has now finished second Mr. AP on the sidelines. This unfortunate development ensures that the near-flawless record of consistency remains intact when it comes to juvenile winners going to victory […]
A year ago, on January 7, 2025, Mario and Rebecca Gutierrez gathered their 8-year-old son Sebastian, two dogs, two cats and whatever they could get their hands on, then fled their home in the densely populated Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, California, as the Eaton Fire raged around them. Before the nightmare was over, Gutierrez’s […]
It was strange waking up the morning after Christmas and going somewhere Santa Anita Park. If you still believe in thoroughbred racing in Southern California, that’s the day you show up and get counted. The last time the Santa Anita meeting opened on a day other than December 26, no one came. The turnout was […]