Horse Racing News by Jack Shinar

The Oak Tree Racing Association and MI Developments have reached an agreement that will allow Santa Anita Park to run the traditional fall stakes program in Southern California in 2011.

Two Grade 1 winners are in the lineup for the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes (Grade 2) March 12 at Santa Anita, but a ridgling son of Flatter making his first start against winners figures to draw plenty of attention as well.

There were some relieved smiles in Santa Anita's winning circle after favored Smiling Tiger overcame a bad stumble at the start to capture the Grade 2, $150,000 San Carlos Handicap by a desperate head in the rain Feb. 19.

Champ Pegasus will try to spoil Bourbon Bay's five-for-five mark on the Santa Anita turf course as the likely favorites among 13 entered in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Luis Obispo Stakes Feb. 19.

After losing the Robert B. Lewis Stakes an hour earlier with his 3-10 favorite Tapizar, trainer Steve Asmussen landed a nice consolation prize when Silver Medallion drove to victory in the El Camino Real Derby Feb. 12 at Golden Gate Fields in California.

Zazu knocked off prohibitive choice Turbulent Descent in the Grade 1, $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes Feb. 5 at Santa Anita.

Undefeated Turbulent Descent, one of the leading 2-year-old fillies in the nation last year, will race on dirt for the first time in the Grade 1, $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 5.

Trainer Nick Zito didn't really want to do it, but his decision to bypass an allowance event nine days earlier for the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes looks pretty good after the inexperienced Dialed In swept to an impressive win at Gulfstream Park Jan. 30.

As dominant as she was in winning the Grade 1 La Brea in stakes record-time one month ago, Switch looked like a world-beater as she trounced her rivals in the $250,000 Santa Monica Handicap (Grade 1) Jan. 30 at cloudy Santa Anita Park.

Caracortado, a Grade 2 winner on Santa Anita's synthetic track last winter, proved equally at home on the lawn when he outlasted The Usual Q. T. to capture the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf by a half-length Jan. 29.