John Cortez who wears many “different hats” at Santa Anita. (Benoit Photo)
> Promsing 2-Year-Old Prospects In Action This Week
> Comebacking Hejazi, Eagles Flight Meet In Friday Allowance
> Journalism, Baeza, Rodriguez Back Home At Santa Anita
12:30 P.M. First Post Saturday, Sunday For 12-Race Cards
Stable Notes By Victor Ryan
The versatile John Cortez—Santa Anita’s lead outrider, pari-mutuel clerk and small-stable trainer—got his first training win in more than 3 ½ years when Carver scored in Sunday’s fifth race, a $50,000 starter allowance at one mile on turf.
Carver is one of three horses currently trained by Cortez, a 72-year-old native of Chino, Calif. Carver was claimed for $32,000 last summer by trainer Keith Craigmyle for owner Mike Flory. After being sidelined for the remainder of 2024, Carver resurfaced this year in the Cortez barn.
“Keith is a friend of mine and he quit training for the time being,” Cortez said from horseback during a Friday morning track renovation break. “The horse got filtered down to me and here we are.”
Carver’s first two starts for Cortez earlier this year, both sprinting six furlongs on turf, resulted in only minor awards. But stretched out around two turns for his third start off the layoff on Sunday, Carver went right to the lead under Tyler Baze and was never headed on his way to a neck victory at 6-1.
“That was the plan,” Cortez said of wiring the field. “We got lucky, and it worked out.”
For Cortez, it was his first training victory since December 2021 at Los Alamitos and his first win at Santa Anita since June 2020.
“It had been a long dry spell. But we don’t run very many either,” Cortez said. Carver was Cortez’s eighth starter this year. The previous two years, he had just five starters combined.
Following Carver’s win, Cortez was greeted in the winner’s circle by several of his fellow pari-mutuel clerks.
Cortez has been training since the early 1970s. He currently has three horses in his stable and one employee, Reymundo Rodriguez, who has been with him for more than 40 years. According to Equibase statistics, which only go back to 1976, Cortez has won 80 races and placed in multiple graded stakes. His best year came in 1981 when he had career highs in both starters (94) and winners (8).
According to Cortez, his lengthy days as Santa Anita’s lead outrider, trainer and pari-mutuel clerk begin with a 3:30 a.m. wake-up call. In addition to his roles at Santa Anita, he also has about half-dozen horses at his private residence that are a combination of broodmares and retired lead ponies.
“First thing is I take care of the horses in the backyard,” Cortez said. “Then I come to the track and check on my horses here. After that, I get on my pony and open the racetrack at 5 o’clock. I watch my horses train, then at 10 o’clock, when the track is closed, I go check on them again and make sure everything is OK.
“Then I head home and take care of those horses there. After that, I get ready and come back for the mutuels.”
It’s more than a full day for anyone, much less someone well into their retirement years. Does Cortez plan on slowing down anytime soon?
“It’s coming,” he said.
Promising 2-Year-Old Prospects In Action This Week
Both Thursday’s and Friday’s nine-race programs have a race for open 2-year-olds, both at five furlongs on dirt. Trainer Bob Baffert has the morning-line favorite in both events.
In Thursday’s second race for juvenile fillies, first-time starter Himika, installed as the 7-5 program favorite, won handily besting stablemate Bottle of Rouge by 6-lengths under Juan Hernandez.
Himika is by Curlin out of the Into Mischief mare Motivated Seller, who was a stakes-placed winner for trainer Chad Brown. Himika was purchased by owner Baoma Corp. for $900,000 earlier this year at the OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Himika’s worked five times since May 9 for her unveiling which includes back-to-back gate drills most recently. On Saturday, Himika signaled her readiness with a swift four-furlong work from the gate in 46.80 seconds. She drew the rail and will have Juan Hernandez aboard.
Owned by Natalie J. Baffert, Baffert’s wife, Bottle of Rouge is by Vino Rosso out of the Bluegrass Cat mare Blues Corner. A $100,000 auction buy as a yearling. Bottle of Rouge will have Kazushi Kimura up.
The main competitor to the Baffert duo was 3-1 third-choice Stuffy Mist, who has been working fast for trainer Victor Garcia.
By Maximum Mischief, Stuffy Misty fired a bullet on May 25 when drilling four furlongs from the gate in 46.60 seconds. She came back a week later and worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds. Jockey Hector Berrios has the call on Stuffy Mist.
On this day she finished fifth.
In Friday’s second race, colt Desert Gate is the 6-5 program favorite for Baffert. By Omaha Beach out of graded stakes placed Theogony, by Curlin, Desert Gate was a $260,000 auction buy earlier this year at the OBS March Sale by owner Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. He’s worked seven times since April 18 and will also have Hernandez aboard for his debut.
Looming as Desert Gate’s main threat is Acknowledgemeplz, one of two runners in the field trained by Doug O’Neill. Installed as the 2-1 second choice on the morning line, Acknowledgemeplz is a Florida-bred by Bucchero out of the Yes It’s True mare Dixieland Band. He was purchased for $75,000 at the OBS March Sale by owners Purple Rein Racing and Mark. D. Davis. Acknowledgemeplz has worked eight time since April 20 for his debut. He’ll have Antonio Fresu aboard.
Post time for Friday’s second race is also at 1:33 p.m.
Journalism, Baeza, Rodriguez All Back Home After Belmont
Journalism, Baeza and Rodriguez are all back at Santa Anita and settled in after running Saturday’s Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. Journalism finished second behind winner Sovereignty in the Belmont and Baeza ran third, which matched the trio’s exact finishes in the Kentucky Derby on May 3. Rodriguez checked in fourth in the Belmont after setting the pace.
On Thursday morning, Journalism—who won the Preakness between the Derby and Belmont—was in his stall on trainer Michael McCarthy’s shedrow relaxing and being treated to carrots from well-wishers. McCarthy was not at Santa Anita Thursday, but stable staff reported Journalism returned to Santa Anita Wednesday night from Saratoga.
Baeza got back to Santa Anita Tuesday night, trainer John Shirreffs said. After skipping the Preakness, Baeza in the Belmont mounted a mild late bid to be beaten 6 ½ lengths by Sovereignty.
FINISH LINES … … …… ………
With expanded 12-race cards set for both Saturday and Sunday,first post each day is at 12:30 p.m. PT. Sunday is closing day of the Hollywood Meet and all pari-mutuel pools will have mandatory payouts…
Saturday’s features are the GIII Daytona Stakes and Possibly Perfect Stakes. The Possibly Perfect for fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on turf goes as the sixth race at approximately 3 p.m. and the Daytona, contested at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course, goes as the 10th race at approximately 5 p.m. PT…
Jockey Antonio Fresu is closing in on his first Santa Anita riding title.Entering Thursday, Fresu has won 31 races to give him a six-win lead over runner-up Juan Hernandez Saturday’s fourth race is named in honor “Professor” Gordon Jones, the revered Los Angels-area newspaper handicapper and turf writer who died April 18 at age 95…
Fueled by a $54,869 carryover, Sunday’s $2 Pick Six paid $72,094 for four winning tickets…
Horseplayer Gino Buccola will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:20 a.m. PT.
