Monthly Archives: November 2009

The late Bobby Frankel was always a straight shooter. He’d tell jockeys when he thought they’d messed up, and he also wasn’t shy about telling his longtime assistant Humberto Ascanio when he felt Ascanio had done something wrong. Nope, Bobby … Continue reading →

I like Take the Points in today’s $300,000 Hollywood Derby as Hollywood Park wraps up its three-day Turf Festival. Take the Points has won two consecutive Grade 1 races on the grass, showing he’s a different horse since being switched … Continue reading →

Hollywood Park is holding a retirement party for the sensational Zenyatta on Sunday, giving out DVDs that include all 14 of her victories and posters to fans in attendance. The question of the day is this — how many will … Continue reading →

Garrett Gomez, two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey, is sitting on a big afternoon today at Hollywood Park. He’ll be aboard horses in the two Turf Festival races that figure to go postward as the favorites — Bridgetown in the $100,000 Grade … Continue reading →

Hollywood Park’s three-day Turf Festival, which includes five graded grass races for purses totaling $1.1 million, kicks off today with the $300,000 Grade 1 Citation Handicap at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds and up. I like Cowboy Cal, who’s got … Continue reading →

Trainer Doug O’Neill says the comebacking Lava Man is getting closer to his first start, which he says could be the Grade 3 Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 12. The popular 8-year-old gelding worked six furlongs Saturday … Continue reading →

Humberto Ascanio, 62-year-old assistant to the late Bobby Frankel for 35 years, doesn’t know what he will be doing this time next year, but he’s not about to sit around and fret about it. “I’m just going to go to … Continue reading →

In my book, if ever a horseman was cut out to be commissioner of horse racing, it’s D. Wayne Lukas, who still holds most of the records out there but has not gotten the stock in recent years that he … Continue reading →

Robert Frankel, one of the three best trainers of my lifetime, died early this morning at his home in Pacific Palisades from complications of lymphoma. Frankel, a five-time Eclipse Award winner as top trainer in the nation, was 68. A … Continue reading →

Southern California race fans have been blessed to have the opportunity to listen to two of the greatest race callers in the history of the sport during the past 30-plus years — Harry Henson and Trevor Denman. The late Henson, … Continue reading →