Dale Baird, the winningest thoroughbred trainer with more than 9,400 victories, died in a crash along an icy highway when he lost control of his pickup truck while hauling a livestock trailer. He was 72. He was killed Sunday in the accident on Interstate 70 along with two teenagers whose car broadsided the truck about 20 miles east of Indianapolis.
Jerry Hollendorfer became just the fourth trainer to win 5,000 races after his only two starters won Saturday at Hollywood Park. Hollendorfer, who was in Northern California at Golden Gate Fields where his lone starter failed to win, matched the milestone with a win by Political High in the final race of the Hollywood Park season.
Long-shot Into Mischief beat favorite Colonel John and Bob Baffert’s highly touted Massive Drama at Hollywood Park in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Saturday. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Into Mischief stalked just behind early leader Eaton’s Gift, took the lead in mid-stretch and held off the favorite handily.
A harness driver was convicted of trying to fix a race at Cal Expo last year and faces up to three years in prison and a lifetime ban from horse racing. Daniel Maier is to be sentenced next month. A second driver was acquitted by a Sacramento County jury. A third driver was cleared and a fourth previously pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe.
MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP)– The daughter of star jockey Jose Santos has become one of the first people charged under a new state law that aims to heighten penalties for some drunken drivers involved in deadly wrecks. Sophia Santos pleaded not guilty Thursday to aggravated vehicular homicide in a Nov. 11 crash that killed a grandmother out celebrating her birthday.
The ownership of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Curlin has changed again: Jess Jackson bought out another partner and now has an 80 percent interest in the 3-year-old colt. Jackson, the founder of the Kendall-Jackson Winery who owns Stonestreet Stables, bought out investment banker George Bolton in a private sale, it was announced Thursday.
Ken Lennox, a former racing director at Monmouth Park who worked at the track for more than 40 years, died Tuesday at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch. He was 88. Lennox began at the track as a stall man, then worked as a paddock judge, placing judge, steward and racing secretary before becoming director of racing.
Hambletonian winner Donato Hanover was voted trotting’s top 3-year-old colt Tuesday, with 11 other trotters and pacers earning Dan Patch awards as divisional champions. Donato Hanover, a leading contender for harness racing’s Horse of the Year honor, received 189 of 191 votes from the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
Kieren Fallon’s positive cocaine test was confirmed Tuesday, and now the jockey faces a French investigation that could lead to a 1 1/2 -year ban. The Irish rider’s lawyer said he was informed by France Galop, the governing body of flat and steeplechase horse racing in France, that Fallon’s “B” sample matched the positive “A” test.
Danny Green has made coming off the bench something of a show for top-ranked North Carolina this season. First comes his gyrating dance moves from the Smith Center sideline just before tipoff. Then comes a solid all-around game that has made the Tar Heels deep and dangerous. The junior matched his career-high with 20 points and sparked the decisive second-half spurt Sunday night to help North…
