Tracy Gantz

Horse Nutrients in Tandem

February 01, 2010

Your horse needs certain nutrients in his diet, but they don't work unilaterally on his body. Instead, they help each other to help your horse. If you understand how these nutrients support each other, you can make better feeding choices. Read More

Zenyatta Still Retired, Owners, Trainer Say

January 10, 2010

When Zenyatta worked a half-mile in :48 Jan. 6 at Hollywood Park, speculation continued that she may race again. The more mundane explanation revolved around cold weather in Kentucky and an injured exercise rider.

"Steve Willard Read More

Join the Club

November 01, 2009

Barns can be cliquish--you've seen the hunter-jumper facility with nary a saddle horn in sigh Read More

Retired Racehorse Lava Man Back in Training after Stem Cell Treatment

September 23, 2009

Lava Man, the former claimer who earned more than $5 million, has returned to training at Doug O'Neill's Hollywood Park barn. The 8-year-old gelding worked three furlongs in :36 flat Sept. 23 at Hollywood, his first official work.

O'Neill, Read More

The Well-Equipped Vet

August 01, 2009

Technology has transformed our music, photography, movies ... our entire popular culture. Read More

Six Catastrophic Injuries Reported at Del Mar

July 30, 2009

Six horses have died from catastrophic injuries at Del Mar during a 10-day span that includes the first week of racing. Three occurred during morning training on Polytrack, two happened during races on Polytrack, and one was in a turf race. Read More

Diagnosing Lameness Early

May 01, 2009

Horse owners dread the day their horse "isn't traveling quite right." Your gelding might seem a bit off when you're working him on the longe line. Maybe your mare isn't striding out like she usually does under saddle. If your horse is lame, getting a Read More

New Scrutiny for Santa Anita Track Surface

January 05, 2009

With five catastrophic injuries, including three fatalities, in the first five days of racing, Santa Anita's synthetic surface has again come under the microscope.

Santa Anita officials and horsemen were concerned that the Pro-Ride surface Read More

Curlin Works at Santa Anita

October 06, 2008

With trainer Steve Asmussen looking on, Curlin worked over the Pro-Ride synthetic surface at Santa Anita early the morning of Oct. 6. Fresh off his victory in the Sept. 27 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in New York, Curlin went an easy Read More

Curlin Settles in at Santa Anita

September 30, 2008

Curlin, racing's $10 million horse, arrived at Santa Anita on Sunday, Sept. 28, and settled in at Barn 27. Sherwood Chillingworth, executive vice president of the Oak Tree Racing Association, was on hand to welcome Curlin and Scott Blasi, Read More

Curlin En Route to California; Big Brown Face-Off Possible

September 29, 2008

It didn't take majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen long to make plans for Curlin, winner of the Sept. 27 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational at Belmont Park. The colt departed Belmont Park Sunday morning and is on way to Santa Read More

Santa Anita Track Open after Surface Overhaul

September 02, 2008

Horses are back in training, with several galloping, on Santa Anita's newly reconstituted racing surface Aug. 31. Most of the Southern California horses have not yet returned from Del Mar, so few horses are currently housed at Santa Anita. Read More

Tropical Storm Fay Damages Equine Hospital

August 22, 2008

Although Tropical Storm Fay attacked the Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, Fla., with a vengeance on Aug. 19, no people or horses were injured. The veterinarians were quickly back at work, and the clinic was running fairly normally as of Read More

Safety Net for California's Ex-Racehorses in the Works

August 19, 2008

Look in the winner's circle after any offspring of Unusual Heat wins a race and you'll likely see a petite, brown-haired woman hugging the jockey, high-fiving the trainer, or congratulating the owner. Madeline Auerbach fiercely champions her former Read More

Santa Anita Surface Overhaul in Progress

August 03, 2008

Large piles of material dot Santa Anita's backside parking lot, as work continues on the overhaul of the track's synthetic surface. Repairs to the drainage system are expected to be finished soon, with the next step being the placement of the Read More

Former Claimer Lava Man Retired After Stellar Career

July 31, 2008

Lava Man, the only horse to sweep the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic in the same year, has been retired.

Lava Man won grade I races on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces and joined Native Diver as the only Read More

Horse Finds Help in California Fire

July 26, 2008

When a horse lost amid the 3,043-acre Mill, Calif., fire happened upon a band of tired firefighters July 15, it was the most fortuitous encounter of his life. The firefighters, local veterinarian Sheri Cronin, DVM, and John Madigan, DVM, MS, Read More

Racetrack Enacts Zero-Tolerance Slaughter Policy

July 03, 2008

Sending racehorses to slaughter will not be tolerated at Suffolk Downs racetrack in Boston. Track management will now deny trainers stalls if they sell a horse for slaughter. This latest move bolsters other efforts underway to protect Read More

Racehorse Rehabilitator Helps Transition to New Careers

July 02, 2008

Hundreds of former racehorses owe their second careers to Leigh Gray. Manager of Dr. Don Shields' lay-up facility, Winner's Circle Ranch in Bradbury, Calif., Gray not only rehabilitates racehorses for a living, she does it in her spare time. Read More

Millionaire Racehorse Nashoba's Key Euthanized

May 29, 2008

Millionaire and multiple grade I winner Nashoba's Key was involved in a freak accident in her stall at Hollywood Park and had to be euthanized May 28.

The 5-year-old daughter of Silver Hawk fractured her left hock when she kicked the Read More

Santa Anita to Conduct Flood Test on New Track Surface

May 25, 2008

A two-day flooding of Santa Anita Park's synthetic surface is one of the final tests management plans before making a decision on the future of the main-track surface. Track president Ron Charles said the surface will be flooded following Read More

Santa Anita to Replace Racing Surface

February 21, 2008

Experts from all avenues of the racing industry presented statistics and opinions on synthetic surfaces before a standing-room-only crowd during a six-hour special meeting called by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) Feb. 20. While some Read More

Q&A on Santa Anita Footing Fix

February 05, 2008

Ian Pearse of Melbourne, Australia, is receiving plenty of attention these days as the man expected to fix Santa Anita's troubled Cushion Track synthetic surface. Founder and president of Pro-Ride Racing Australia, Pearse this week begins what i Read More

Pro-Ride Touts Liquid Binder to Fix Track Surface Drainage Program

February 02, 2008

Ian Pearse of Pro-Ride Racing Australia stands ready to begin fixing Santa Anita's beleaguered Cushion Track surface as soon as the final race is completed Feb. 3.

"On Sunday afternoon after the races, we'll harrow the track and break up Read More

More Rain, More Cancellations at Santa Anita

January 28, 2008

After getting a break in the weather enabling the Sunshine Millions program to go forward Jan. 26, Santa Anita announced it has canceled its live racing programs for the next two days after more rain hit the track Read More