Jumping into Southern California horse racing stirrups-deep is like stepping into a monsoon in a bathrobe for those unaccustomed to that type of competition and spotlight.
It’s where the only two Triple Crown winners since Affirmed were trained and blazed historic trails: American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018, following a near Crown miss by California Chrome in 2014.
It’s the home of hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert and equally legendary jockey Mike Smith. It’s the legacy of Santa Anita Park and Del Mar.