Triumphant Flight won his 3-year-old debut in the $70,000 San Miguel Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday. The California-bred colt (Chullo x Jetinwith Kennedy) is a half-brother to stakes winner Jet West. Tyler Seltzer is the winning owner, Eric Kruljac the winning trainer, Victor Espinoza the winning jockey, and Applebite Farms the winning breeder.

Triumphant Flight was purchased for $36,000 at the October 2007 Barretts California Yearling sale  under the advice of bloodstock agent Larry Zap (see video below). The dark bay/brown colt won the 2008 $130,000 Barretts Juvenile right here at Fairplex Park and then ran second in the $125,000 California Cup Juvenile at the Oak Tree meet.

-Marcie Heacox

A new satellite wagering facility is now open Wednesdays through Sundays at Barretts on the Fairplex Park grounds. It replaces the wagering area in the grandstand clubhouse.

Tracks across North America are on the betting menu.

Seating is available on an outdoor patio and indoors in the restaurant area or in the sales arena. The latter includes free electrical hookups and internet access.

The renovated food service includes drinks, salads, appetizers, sandwiches and desserts.

Parking and admission is free. Enter at Gate 12 on White Ave., south of Arrow Hwy.

Special dates:

• April 4: Santa Anita Derby Day, open 9 a.m.
• May 2: Kentucky Derby Day, open 7:30 a.m.
• May 16: Preakness Stakes Day, open 7:30 a.m.
• June 6: Belmont Stakes Day, open 7:30 a.m.

CLICK HERE for photos of a majority of the horses from the 2009 Barretts March Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. (two pages)

The Barretts March Sale of Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training was completed Tuesday. It was the first sale done in the renovated facility, which includes artificial grass in the outdoor ring (pictured), darker wood around the sales ring, and state of the art seating with internet access (pictured).

As expected, the sale’s numbers were down from last year, a product of the severely weakened economy. The sale topper was hip 121 (pictured), a bay colt by Tiznow out of the mare Hurricane Judy. He was calm as could be in the ring as the highest bid settled at $650,000. The winning bidder was Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables, who bid by phone through Barretts Vice President of Sales, Kim Lloyd (pictured). Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, Inc. was the consignor. Stonestreet Stables was also the purchaser of last year’s sale topper, an $800,000 Silver Deputy filly.

Complete Sale Results

-Marcie Heacox

A new Thoroughbred Times story provides more details on the Hollywood Park situation. Contrary to previous reports, the casino will be demolished but a new one will be built on the property. The lakes will also be relocated.

Excerpt:
“The mixed-use development calls for the 238-acre site to be transformed into a compact, walkable, mixed-use community where residents can live, shop, and enjoy recreation. The two current infield lakes would be relocated as part of a 25-acre park. The plan also could include a school, library, or community center.”

Jerry McMahon, recently-resigned president of the Barretts Equine Ltd. auction company, said in a Blood-Horse interview, “I think we all wish there were more of those farms left than tract homes.” He also cited John Finney’s saying that “you can’t raise horses where people want to raise families.”

Though McMahon was talking about horse breeding, I think the same may apply to racing and many other recreational activities. There are just too many people that want to live in the same place - Southern California. Even the vital Central Valley area is getting paved over with tract homes.

I grew up behind a Thoroughbred breeding farm, but I didn’t perchance upon racing until the farm was already razed and covered with homes. All that remains horse-wise is race-themed street names, such as Seabiscuit Way.

Many people want to live in Southern California for the weather, attractions, and lifestyle, but it won’t be too fun if one day it is only cookiecutter homes, clogged freeways, and shopping malls.

We still need diversion, and I think there’s no better day than a day at the horse races.

-Marcie Heacox

 If you are looking to avoid the crowds of the Los Angeles County Fair but still want to wager on Fairplex Park and other tracks, come to the comfortable and convenient wagering area now open within the Barretts auction complex on the Fairplex grounds.

The Barretts wagering area opens at 10:30 a.m. and closes after the last southern California Thoroughbred race is run (usually around 6 p.m.). It will stay open now through Sunday, September 28 for all live racing days.

Enter through the guard shack at Gate 12 off of White Ave. For maps and directions see Google maps and Fairplex maps and directions.

Admission is $3 pre-fair, and $10 (includes program) during the fair, September 5 - 28. Anyone showing a valid account I.D. from any California licensed account wagering provider (Tracknet, TVG, TwinSpires.com, Xpressbet, Youbet) receives free admission.

Both air conditioned indoor seating and outdoor patio seating are available. You won’t miss any action with 25 flat panel televisions located throughout the area. Food and beverages are available for purchase, as well as drinks from a full service bar.

If you want the same great wagering menu at a different pace, come to the Barretts wagering area.

According to the Thoroughbred Times, Brother Derek has been retired and will begin his breeding career at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky in 2009. He was named Horse of the Meet for the 2006 Santa Anita Winter-Spring meet over Lava Man, who won the Sunshine Millions Classic and Santa Anita Handicap (Gr. I). During that highest point in his career, he defeated 2005 champion 2-year-old male Stevie Wonderboy in the San Rafael (Gr. II), clinched the Santa Catalina (Gr. II), and simply cruised in the Santa Anita Derby (Gr. I). Brother Derek was California’s top favorite for the 2006 Kentucky Derby (Gr. I), and one of the subjects of The First Saturday in May documentary. He ranks sixteenth all-time in career earnings amongst California-breds, with $1,611,138. Other highlights of his career include victories in the Norfolk (Gr. II) and Hollywood Futurity (Gr. I) at age 2, and a second-place finish to Lava Man in the Goodwood B.C. Handicap (Gr. I). He was also named champion California-bred 2-year-old male of 2005 and 3-year-old male of 2006.

The bay California-bred horse was purchased for $275,000 at the 2005 Barretts March selected two-year-olds in training sale. Brother Derek breezed 1/4 mile in 20 4/5 seconds down the Fairplex Park stretch. That fast stride was notably smooth, gaining the rare “breezing” designation in many of his morning workouts, suggesting that he was not moving at top speed. A distinctive large, white diamond on his forehead helped him stand out, and late in his career he carried a wrinkled dent in his neck, the result of an allergic reaction to an injection. In his final career start, he ran second in his first race since February of 2007. The winner of that race, Mast Track, won the Hollywood Gold cup (Gr. I) two races later.

Looking towards the future, Brother Derek’s half-sister, Imforeal, ran fourth in her racing bow at Del Mar on Sunday. She is raced by the same connections as Brother Derek - owner Cecil Peacock, trainer Dan Hendricks, and jockey Alex Solis.