Horse racing notes: Santa Anita will keep ‘Ship and Win’ for winter-spring meet

SANTA ANITA LEADERS

(Through Thursday)

JOCKEYS / WINS

Flavien Prat / 7

John Velazquez / 4

Juan Hernandez / 3

Joel Rosario / 3

Umberto Rispoli / 2

TRAINERS / WINS

Bob Baffert / 5

Richard Mandella / 3

Peter Miller / 3

Four tied / 2

WEEKEND STAKES AT SANTA ANITA

Saturday

• $70,000 Swingtime Stakes, fillies and mares, 3-year-old and up, 1 mile (turf)

DOWN THE STRETCH

• Trainer Bob Baffert doesn’t worry much about sending 3-year-olds against older horses this time of year, believing they have caught up to their elders. But 3-year-old Private Mission (Zenyatta Stakes winner) against Letruska, a 5-year-old monster, in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff? “When you’re facing a mare like Letruska, that’s a serious mare right there,” Baffert said. “You just don’t know. Right now we’re just focused on what’s happening now. A lot can happen between now and then. We’re just focused on keeping ’em happy and sound.”

• Santa Anita will continue to offer its “Ship and Win” program during the winter-spring meet that opens Dec. 26. “All of us have been gratified at the success of the Ship and Win program this year, at both Del Mar and here at Santa Anita,” Chris Merz, Santa Anita’s director of racing and racing secretary, said in a statement. “We’re certainly hoping to continue to attract more out of state horses this winter and spring and, given the significant amount of money available, this has certainly incentivized our horsemen to go out and procure additional racing prospects.”

• Wagering on U.S. horse racing is up 13.8% through the first three quarters of 2021 compared to 2020, according to figures released by Equibase this week. A strong fourth quarter could boost the total bet on U.S. racing to more than $12 billion, which would be the most bet during a year since $11.4 billion was wagered in 2010. The record for highest amount wagered in a year was 2003 when $15.18 billion was wagered. Year-to-date handle figures comparing 2021 to pre-COVID 2019 show a 10.23% increase.

— Art Wilson