Horse racing notes: Javier Castellano wins George Woolf Memorial Award

SANTA ANITA LEADERS

(Through Thursday)

JOCKEYS / WINS

Juan Hernandez / 39

Frankie Dettori / 18

Edwin Maldonado / 14

Three tied / 13

TRAINERS / WINS

Bob Baffert / 19

Doug O’Neill / 18

Philip D’Amato / 15

Steve Knapp / 12

Mark Glatt / 11

WEEKEND STAKES AT SANTA ANITA

Saturday

• $500,000 Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/4 miles

• $500,000 Grade I Kilroe Mile, 4-year-olds and up, 1 mile (turf)

• $400,000 Grade II San Felipe Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles

• $400,000 Grade II Buena Vista Stakes, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, 1 mile (turf)

Sunday

• $100,000 Grade III San Simeon Stakes, 4-year-olds and up, 6 1/2 furlongs downhill turf course

• $100,000 Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles

• $100,000 Baffle Stakes, 3-year-olds, 6 1/2 furlongs downhill turf course

DOWN THE STRETCH

• Bill Spawr, 83, is retiring after 46 years as a trainer and will assume a role as equine consultant. Spawr, who recorded 1,709 victories, became a veterinarian before transitioning to training in 1977. His success came largely through the claim box and he won two winter-spring training titles at Santa Anita in 1991 and ’96, two titles at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting in 2000 and ’01, and a pair of Del Mar summer titles in 1990 and ’94. Spawr, who still had 11 horses in his barn, told Santa Anita publicity they were disbursed between four trainers – Philip D’Amato, Jeff Bonde, Dean Pederson and Brad Cox.

• Javier Castellano, 45, has been named the winner of this year’s George Woolf Memorial Award by a vote of his peers. Santa Anita has been presenting the award since 1950 and it is one of the most prestigious awards in racing. The Woolf Award recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character gain esteem for the individual and the sport of horse racing. Castellano will be honored in a winner’s circle ceremony sometime this spring at Santa Anita. A four-time Eclipse Award winner, Castellano has won 12 Breeders’ Cup races, two Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Oaks.

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• In addition to Saturday’s 86th edition of the $500,000 Grade I Big ‘Cap, Santa Anita will card three other graded stakes – the $500,000 Grade I Kilroe Mile; the $400,000 Grade II San Felipe Stakes, a key race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby; and the $200,000 Grade II Buena Vista Stakes. The San Felipe drew a field of 11, including the Tim Yakteen-trained Practical Move and National Treasure. The latter was recently transferred from Bob Baffert to Yakteen so he can earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

— Art Wilson