John Shirreffs
Shirreffs was born June 1, 1945 in Leavenworth, Kansas, and grew up in New Hampshire, where his family ran a small breeding operation. Later he worked as an assistant to trainers Brian Mayberry and Bill Spawr before he took out his trainer's license in 1978; winning his first stakes two years later. He trained privately for Marshall Naify's 505 Farm from 1994-2000. Afterwards, he opened a public stable in southern California. Top horses he has trained include Manistique, Radu Cool, Borodislew, Bertrando, Starrer, and Swept Overboard. He saddled Hollywood Story to a fifth place finish in last year's Kentucky Oaks.
Corey Nakatani
Nakatani, 34, is a native of Covina, California. 2004 saw his mounts earn over $12.4 million, good for seventh nationally. He was introduced to racing at age 16 by his father, who was a Japanese-American born in a WWII internment camp and spent time at Santa Anita when it was a relocation camp. Corey began galloping and breaking horses for the legendary Johnny Longden, and began riding in 1988 at Caliente Racetrack, moving to Southern California the next year. He has been a fixture on the southern California circuit since, winning riding titles at Santa Anita, Hollywood, Del Mar and Oak Tree. He has won the Kentucky Oaks twice: 1991 on Lite Light and 1996 on Pike Place Dancer, and teamed up with Dollase to win the 1998 Breeders' Cup Sprint with Reraise. He is married to Craig Dollase's sister Michelle.
Mr. & Mrs. Martin Wygod
The Wygods are both New York State natives; they currently reside in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Martin founded Medco Containment Services, built it into the largest mail order prescription drug company in the U.S.; then sold it to pharmaceutical giant Merck for $6.5 billion. He is currently chairman of the board for WebMD and a member of the Jockey Club since 1996. Pam is on the board at Children's Hospital of San Diego. They also own River Edge Farm in Buellton, Cal., where their stallion Bertrando stands. Bertrando, second in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Classic, is currently California's leading stallion. Thier filly Silent Sighs, who won the Santa Anita Oaks, was uplaced in the 2004 Kentucky Oaks. Other top horses among their 70+ stakes winners are Twice The Vice, Exotic Wood, and Tranquility Lake.
Mr. & Mrs. Martin Wygod (KY)
The Wygods are both New York State natives; they currently reside in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Martin founded Medco Containment Services, built it into the largest mail order prescription drug company in the U.S.; then sold it to pharmaceutical giant Merck for $6.5 billion. He is currently chairman of the board for WebMD and a member of the Jockey Club since 1996. Pam is on the board at Children's Hospital of San Diego. They also own River Edge Farm in Buellton, Cal., where their stallion Bertrando stands. Bertrando, second in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Classic, is currently California's leading stallion. In addition to Bertrando, they own more than 100 broodmares, split between California and Kentucky
04.09.05 - Buzzards Bay Wins Santa Anita Derby 04.07.05 - Sweet Catomine Faces The Boys In Santa Anita Derby 04.07.05 - Sweet Catomine Faces The Boys In Santa Anita Derby 03.28.05 - Sweet Catomine Could Face Six In Santa Anita Derby 03.25.05 - Sweet Catomine Breezes At Santa Anita 02.11.05 - Sweet Catomine Solid Favorite In Oaks Futures 02.05.05 - Champion Sweet Catomine Breezes At Santa Anita
SWEET CATOMINE is available in both Derby and Oaks Pool Three. Marty Wygod, owner of Sweet Catomine, said Tuesday on a national teleconference that if his filly does not run in the Kentucky Derby (GI), she most likely will not ship to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks. Trainer Julio Canani tempered the statement a bit afterwards, wanting to wait until after this Saturday's Santa Anita Derby. Not sure about value but if she runs in the Oaks then anything above 9-5 is a steal and won't be available on race day. Derby Pool players should ask for a price somewhat higher.
Sweet Catomine is a daughter of one of the world's all-time leading sires; Storm Cat. Storm Cat ranked fourth on the 2004 North American leading sires list in terms of earnings, with Grade One winner Storm Flag Flying his leading earner of his 19 stakes winners this past year. The 22-year-old Overbrook stallion, who will stand for $500,000 this year, has sired 129 stakes winners to date, which is tops in the United States for active stallions. Storm Cat has been the leading juvenile sire seven times in his career, including 2004, on the strength of Sweet Catomine's performances. He has several promising three-year-old colts, including the stakes winners Storm Surge and Consolidator. Storm Cat's influence on the breed in the latter part of the 20th century cannot be underestimated, as he has sire champions that are proficient at virtually every age, distance and on both turf and dirt. His daughter Sardula took one of the most thrilling renewals of the Kentucky Oaks ever staged, besting Lakeway by a head. Sweet Catomine is the first foal from her dam Sweet Life, who also raced for the Wygods and Canani. Primarily a turf horse, Sweet Life had a 4-1-1 record in 13 starts, earning over $223,000 while finishing second in the Beverly Hill Handicap (GIT). Dosage Index: 2.00.
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