Santa Anita Winter 2004

Dynever Impresses at Santa Anita
By Emily Hufford

Karches and Wills' four-year-old son of Dynaformer, Dynever, was victorious in his return to the races at Santa Anita, when he won the San Bernardino Handicap. Unraced since finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Classic here last year, Dynever proved he still was worth all of the hype centered around him in 2003.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, the almost black colt defeated a good field that included Ender's Shadow, Star Cross, and Calkins Road. Dynever is trained by Christophe Clemente.

Dynever paid $3.20, $2.80, and $2.40 as the favorite in a field of seven.

Silent Sighs Shocks the "Big Two"

They were on a collision course, the amazon filly Halfbridled, in all her undefeated glory, and the unbeaten and talented A.P. Adventure. The stage was the grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks. Surprisingly, it was won by a Cal-bred filly named Silent Sighs.

A three year old daughter of Benchmark out of a Bertrando mare, perhaps Silent Sighs shouldn't have been a surprise. After a gut-wrenching loss to House of Fortune in the California Cup Juvenile Fillies last year, Silent Sighs had come back to win the California Breeders' Champion Stakes and the Ocala Stud Dash Stakes in Florida before tackling the two titans of the filly division. Halfbridled was coming off a 4 1/2 month layoff, unraced since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in October. A.P. Adventure was lightly raced, with only three starts under her belt. To prepare for the clash, trainer Julio Canani changed the blinkers on Silent Sighs to include an extension blinker on the outside. It worked, as she rushed home to stop the clock in 1:42.84, winning by 1 1/2 lengths, with Halfbridled in second and A.P. Adventure in third. Hollywood Starlet winner Hollywood Story finished fourth. Silent Sighs was ridden by jockey David Flores.

Canani has stated that the filly, owned by Martin and Pam Wygod, will train up to the Kentucky Oaks, citing a lack of places to run her and amount of time to get her ready. Halfbridled will return in the April 3rd Ashland Stakes.

Adoration Wins Another Grade 1

Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Adoration has been humbled twice since her longshot victory in the big race, both times by the brilliant Argentinian mare Star Parade. Just hours after being thrown in the San Felipe Stakes, jockey Mike Smith guided the daughter of Honor Grades to a two length victory in the grade 1 Santa Margarita Handicap. The mare is owned by Amerman Racing Stable and trained by David Hoffmans.

Star Parade went to the lead and Smith let Adoration track her until the top of the stretch, when she collared Star Parade and exploded to win the 1 1/8 mile race, backing up her victory in the Distaff. Star Parade held on for second, with Bare Necessities a head back in third. The win was Adoration's 6th in 17 career starts.