Horse Racing News by Jay Privman

When Twirling Candy goes to the post Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita, he once again will be a short price, a familiar spot for most of his career.

Santa Anita's return to a dirt surface this season prompted trainer Steve Asmussen to finally send a string of horses to the West Coast, and California fans are quickly realizing that wherever Asmussen runs, he wins.

May Day Rose didn't exactly win as a 1-20 shot should, but she managed to defeat two seemingly overmatched rivals as the heavy favorite in the Grade 3, $92,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita.

It took until the end of his 5-year-old year for Aggie Engineer to finally win a stakes race, but the way he ran on Saturday, in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita, there could be plenty more to come.

One day after being named a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly of 2010, Blind Luck moved a step closer to her 2011 debut by working a sharp seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Friday morning.

The three brightest lights in racing in North America in 2010 -- Blame, Goldikova, and Zenyatta -- on Thursday were announced as finalists for 2010 Horse of the Year by the three sponsoring organizations of the awards.

Storied Claiborne Farm, those associated with Zenyatta, and Marylou Whitney, for decades one of racing's shining beacons, were announced on Wednesday as Eclipse Award winners, according to the awards' three sponsoring organizations.

Garrett Gomez celebrated his 39th birthday in style on Saturday by guiding Spring Style to an upset victory over heavily favored Harmonious in the Grade 2, $147,000 Robert Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita.

Switch overpowered nine rival 3-year-old fillies when rolling to a four-length victory in the Grade 1, $250,000 La Brea Stakes, the first of two Grade 1 races on the opening-day card.

Comma to the Top won the $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Saturday at Hollywood Park to record his fifth straight victory and move to the top of the West Coast's 2-year-old division.