Fresu Wins Santa Anita Jockey’s Title at Hollywood Meet; D’Amato Tops Trainers, Alexander Leads Owners

[Wandering Eyes]

The 29-day Santa Anita Hollywood Meet wrapped up Sunday with Antonio Fresu winning the jockey's title, Phil D'Amato as top trainer and Nick Alexander as leading owner.

For Fresu, this was his first jockey's title at Santa Anita. The 33-year-old native of Italy has been riding in the U.S., specifically the Southern California circuit, since April 2023. Fresu ended the Hollywood Meet with 34 wins from 152 mounts (22%) to finish four wins clear of runner-up Juan Hernandez. Fresu also had five stakes wins to lead all jockeys.

At last year's Hollywood Meet, Fresu came up just one win short of Hernandez in the race for leading jockey.

Fresu's stakes wins came with Seismic Beauty in the GII Santa Margarita for trainer Bob Baffert, Richi in the GII Santa Maria for Baffert, Motorious in the GIII Daytona for D'Amato, Public Assembly in the GIII Royal Heroine for D'Amato and Freedom's Not Free in the Cinema Stakes for trainer Mark Glatt.

Fresu also led all jockeys with $1,794,786 in purse earnings.

For D'Amato, this was his seventh trainer's title at Santa Anita. He won 27 races from 113 starters (24%) to finish seven wins clear of runner-up John Sadler. D'Amato also led all trainers with $1,573,678 in purse earnings and tied Baffert for most stakes wins with five.

D'Amato's top assistants are Rudy Cruz and Euriel Mejia. The barn's five stakes wins came with King of Gosford in the GI Shoemaker Mile, Motorious in the GIII Daytona, Public Assembly in the GIII Royal Heroine, Jungle Peace in the GIII Senorita and Super Shine in the Desert Stormer.

Alexander has been one of California's leading owners and breeders for decades. His runners at the Hollywood Meet won 11 races from 25 starts, a 44% success rate.

 

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