BeaconMediaNews.com
12 | NOVEMBER 07, 2013 - NOVEMBER 13, 2013
Breeders' Cup Continued from page 1
Macho Man, who won the Awesome Again Stakes by 4 ¼ lengths on Sept. 28. Each time the 5-year-old bay horse was ridden by 50-year-old Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, from Sierra Madre, returned to the saddle in January after a seven-year retirement. Owned by Dean and Patty Reeves and trained by Kathy Ritvo, Mucho Macho Man earned $2,750,000 for his Classic victory, more than double his previous career bankroll of $2,590,410, and increasing it to $5,340,410. “I’m happier for my horse,” Ritvo said after the exciting triumph, in which Stevens raised his whip in celebration as he and Mucho Macho Man crossed the finish line. “. . . When Gary waved the stick, I figured he won . . . He is a good horse.” The positive trickledown effect from the Classic was evident in other aspects of the Media Poll. Mucho Macho Man was also named Outstanding Older Horse, while the Classic was named Race of the Meet. Reeves Thoroughbred Racing also was voted Outstanding Owner, having earned $2,900,000 thanks to Mucho Macho Man’s two rich victories. Other excitement, off the track, included Toni Braxton signing the National anthem and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora doing a rather short guitar solo/ call to post… which left everybody wanting more. For the first time ever, the “Call to Post” was performed not by the traditional bugle played by Santa Anita legend Jay Cohen, but on a custom Fender Stratocaster guitar played by American rock icon Richie Sambora. Additionally, Grammy Award winner Toni Braxton performed the National Anthem, while acclaimed actress and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth performed the Breeders’ Cup adopted anthem, “The Best is Yet to Come,” sung by Tony Bennett last year. Sambora has been a member of Bon Jovi since before their 1983 debut, playing lead guitar on every record, cowriting most of the band's songs, and helping them sell more than 135m albums. He has also released three solo LPs, most recently 2012's Aftermath of the Lowdown, which reached No 35 in the UK. Toni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-
-Photos by Terry Miller
songwriter, pianist, musician, record producer, actress, television personality, and philanthropist. Braxton has won 6 Grammy Awards, 7 American Music Awards,
and 9 Billboard Music Awards. She has sold over 66 million records worldwide. Fans dressed ready for Please see page 13