Horse Racing News on February 4, 2012

Jockey Martin Pedroza tried to coax Ultimate Eagle into a patient trip in the first half of Saturday's $200,000 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita.

Flags of the United States as well as California fly atop the grandstand at Santa Anita, but on Saturday, after a shocking upset by 43-1 outsider I'll Have Another in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, the audible gasp in the stands was "Oh, Canada."

Battle Hardened, given a patient ride by Julien Leparoux, earned the first win of his career when he defeated a big field in the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

After a dip in early nominations to the Triple Crown last year, the numbers came roaring back this year, with 397 3-year-olds -- led by champion 2-year-old colt Hansen -- announced on Saturday as nominees to the 2012 Triple Crown.

Mr. Commons took another step on what his connections hope will be a special campaign when he rallied from off the pace to win the $150,000 Arcadia Stakes on turf Feb. 4 for his second graded win of the Santa Anita meet.

Just as he did when winning the Count Fleet Stakes a month earlier, Alpha easily defeated an overmatched field to take the $200,000 Withers by 3 1/4 lengths Feb. 4 at Aqueduct.

Repole Stable's Calibrachoa overcame a stumbling start to post a second consecutive victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan at Aqueduct, a six-furlong inner dirt dash for older horses.