Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
River Boyne on path to Pasadena
ARCADIA, Calif. – The Irish-bred colt River Boyne is winning in a style this winter that suggests he could have a big season in the United States.
After a convincing maiden win on the opening-day program of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting Dec. 26, River Boyne won an allowance race with a $75,000 claiming option for 3-year-olds in Thursday’s seventh race.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, River Boyne closed from fifth in a field of 10 to win by an impressive 2 3/4 lengths.
“He’s got a serious turn of foot,” trainer Jeff Mullins said.
There will be no optional claimers for River Boyne in the near future.
Mullins said in the winner’s circle that River Boyne will be pointed to the $200,000 Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-olds March 17. The race was worth $75,000 in past years, but received a purse increase by Santa Anita officials this year in an effort to give 3-yearolds a lucrative turf race at the winter-spring meeting.
Owned by Jed and Roberta Cohen and their family, River Boyne was bought for approximately $97,000 at auction in England last fall. He was winless in three starts in England and Ireland last year before finishing second after a slow start in his American debut at Del Mar on Nov. 24.
Gate issues are no longer an issue, although River Boyne did bobble slightly at the start Thursday.
“He stumbled, but he recovered quickly,” Mullins said.
Mullins was encouraged by the American debut of Buckstopper Kit, another European import owned by the Cohens who finished fourth behind River Boyne after encountering trouble on the turn.
“He galloped out like crazy,” he said.
Mullins and the Cohens are in the midst of a strong year. They have Itsinthepost, who won the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes in January and the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes on Feb. 3.
Gold Cup tops Grade 1 lineup
Santa Anita will run four Grade 1 races led by the $500,000 Gold Cup during its springsummer meeting, which runs from April 13 to June 24.
The meet will have 32 stakes, including 21 graded stakes. The other Grade 1 races are the $300,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf May 26; the $400,000 Shoemaker Mile on turf May 28; and the $400,000 Beholder Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on June 2.
The Shoemaker and Beholder were run on the same afternoon in recent seasons, but this year the Shoemaker will be on Memorial Day, May 28, and the Beholder on the following Saturday, June 2.
Joining the Gamely on May 26 are the Gold Cup at Santa Anita, run at 1 1/4 miles, and the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf. The May 26 program is one of nine days during the meet with more than one stakes.
Three stakes from last year’s spring-summer meeting have been omitted from the schedule, including two Grade 3, $100,000 races: the Los Angeles Handicap and the Precisionist Stakes. The $75,000 Southern Truce Stakes also won’t be run at the meet this year.
Van Dyke suspended 3 days
Jockey Drayden Van Dyke has received a three-day suspension, next Thursday through Saturday, for causing interference in the first race at Santa Anita on Feb. 4.
Van Dyke was cited for his ride on Casino Red, who finished third in an optional claimer. Casino Red was ruled to have altered course without clearance on the turn of a onemile turf race.
Ms Peintour, who finished fifth, was steadied on the turn. The stewards conducted an inquiry, but did not change the order of finish.
The suspension allows Van Dyke to ride in designated races, which means he can ride Saturday’s Grade 2 Buena Vista Mile. Through Thursday, Van Dyke was seventh in the standings at Santa Anita with 13 wins.
Track exec Gunderson dies
Robert Gunderson, a former executive at Bay Area racetracks, died recently, according to his daughter Gretchen Kramer.
Gunderson was 98. A World War II veteran who served in the Pacific, Gunderson graduated from Harvard with a master’s degree in business administration.
After military service, Gunderson spent more than 40 years involved in management at Bay Meadows in San Mateo, Calif., beginning his career as an operations manager at the track in the late 1940’s. He later worked as general manager at Golden Gate Fields before taking a similar position at Bay Meadows in 1969.
Gunderson was named president of Bay Meadows in 1973 and held that position until his retirement in 1989. In 1985, he was president of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations.