Spanish label handling extensive Motown vinyl reissue campaign

• July 4, 2024

Motown was truly a sound that called out around the world.

So it’s perhaps appropriate that the most extensive vinyl reissue campaign of the legendary label’s catalog is coming from across the pond.

In May, Barcelona-based Elemental Music began rolling out new vinyl editions of Motown titles, with new albums coming each month for a total of 30 through March 2025. The series includes some of the label’s biggest names — the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and more — many in mono and some on colored vinyl.

And for many, it will be their first vinyl edition since the albums were originally released more than 50 years ago.

“As a rule of thumb, we always try to reissue the music that we love. That’s our priority,” explains Elemental’s Kevin Keeley. “With the Motown series, we wanted to take a deep dive into the label’s history and to reissue some more obscure titles. For a lot of the albums that we’ll be putting out, it will be their first reissue since their original release. It’s our way of showing some love to Motown’s legacy.”

Keeley adds that surging vinyl sales, especially among young music buyers, has also fueled Elemental’s sense of mission.

“When you’re reissuing vinyl, especially from a label as iconic as Motown, there’s a lot of considerations to make,” he says. “Ultimately, we want to respect Motown’s legacy. In doing so, it’s important that this series is accessible for all music/Motown fans and vinyl enthusiasts. We wanted to contextualize Motown for a contemporary audience.”

Elemental’s relationship with Motown began in May 2022, when the label reissued Rare Earth’s 1969 album “Get Ready,” which Keeley calls “an interesting nugget of Motown history that was deserving of a reissue.” Elemental primarily specializes in jazz titles, but the company felt Motown complemented that aspect of its catalog.

“It’s difficult to ignore the historical connection jazz and Motown have within popular music history,” Keeley notes. “Jazz and blues set the stage for Motown’s distinctive sound, and Motown, in turn, drew inspiration from jazz,” including members of the label’s famed session band, the Funk Brothers, who were recruited from the Detroit jazz clubs.

The “Get Ready” re-release went well, which led to a desire to more — and, as Keeley noted, get into some of the deeper catalog titles that had not been touched yet. Elemental negotiated with the Universal Music Group to select the titles it would re-release, making use of remasters commissioned during the late ’80s that are considered gold standard by Motown aficionados. Elemental also set a certain standard for the packaging of the new editions.

“We decided to leave each title as untouched/unmolested as possible,” Keeley says. “Each is presented in a reproduction of its original sleeve, including its original liner notes, on 140-gram vinyl — as close to how it would have been when you originally bought the album. All we’ve done is include a sticker outlining some more historical context and background to each album.”

Elemental’s next three Motown titles are due out July 12, including a mono edition of Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells’ “Together” (1964), the Temptations’ “Cloud Nine” (1969) and a green vinyl version of the Supremes’ “I Hear a Symphony” (1966). The latter is among Keeley’s personal favorites, an album he feels “embodies what the Motown sound was, and still is — never replicated.”

He’s also partial to Gaye’s 1968 set “In the Groove,” which featured his version of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” and to former Temptations member Eddie Kendricks’ “People … Hold On” (1972). “There’s some great tracks on that album that predicted the disco genre,” Keeley notes, “and the drama of Kendricks’ life and departure from the Temptations is all part of Motown’s history.”

Listening sessions at Elemental’s headquarters, meanwhile, have been nothing but pleasurable, he reports, and validated the label’s decision to create the series — as if that were even necessary.

“When we started researching for this series and listening to the Motown catalog in the office, everyone knew at least one song or artist, everyone was tapping their foot and in the end, I think we realized just how universally loved Motown is,” Keeley says. “I don’t think ourselves here at Elemental, or anyone, really needs a personal connection to Detroit, the U.S.A, funk, soul, R&B or anything to do with Motown in order to enjoy it.

“I think that’s why Motown has had such an enduring legacy. When you hear the tambourine, the reverb, James Jamerson’s bass and the infectious vibe that Motown brings, I don’t think it matters where you’re from or who you are. Motown is like the Beatles or Coca-Cola — iconic.”

​ Orange County Register 

Los Alamitos horse racing consensus picks for Thursday, July 4, 2024

• July 4, 2024

The consensus box of Los Alamitos horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Terry Turrell, Eddie Wilson and Kevin Modesti. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

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​ Orange County Register 

Angels GM Perry Minasian will face tough decisions at trade deadline

• June 14, 2024

PHOENIX — Angels general manager Perry Minasian said it’s to early to talk about the trade deadline, which means it’s definitely too early to talk about 2025.

In reality, though, those two things are related.

The Angels have several players who will be free agents at the end of the season – like relievers Carlos Estévez and Luis Garcia – and any of those could be traded. The more difficult decisions for Minasian will be what to do with players who are still under control for 2025 and beyond.

Left-hander Tyler Anderson, infielder Luis Rengifo and outfielder Taylor Ward are all having good enough seasons to be attractive to some contenders. They could also help the Angels next season.

Minasian, not surprisingly, wouldn’t tip his hand as to how willing he will be to part with players who are under control before the July 31 trade deadline.

“Yes, the guys with expiring contracts are easier to talk about,” Minasian said. “The guys that will have control and can be part of this team going forward, that’s more difficult. We’ll take it case by case.”

Minasian must not only weigh the talent he could get back, but also the timeline of that talent making an impact in the majors. If, for example, the Angels are going to compete in 2025, they might be better off having Rengifo than having a prospect who won’t be in the majors for a couple of years.

As for the general timeline of competing again, Minasian wouldn’t bite.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of season left,” Minasian said. “To talk about next season and the season after that, for me doesn’t necessarily make sense. I believe we’ve played better of late. Hopefully we continue to do that, stay consistent. Do the small things, learn from our mistakes, which I think we have over the course of the last month and a half. Done a better job of correcting things quicker. We’ll see where it goes.”

The Angels were 26-41 heading into Thursday night’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, having played an ugly game on Tuesday and an impressive one on Wednesday.

That type of inconsistency is to be expected with such a young team, Minasian said.

“Obviously we’re not happy with the record, but, for me at least, the ability to let young guys play is important,” Minasian said. “We have to develop our own players to go where we want to go. We’ve got to develop young players. There’s some young players here that we’re excited about.”

ROTATION UPDATE

The Angels still don’t know who is going to start on the mound on Sunday in San Francisco. They still haven’t filled the spot vacated when left-hander Reid Detmers was sent to Triple-A.

Left-hander José Suarez, who gave up four runs in 2⅔ innings on Tuesday, is a candidate to pitch again. Suarez threw a bullpen session on Thursday afternoon.

“We are still working him like he’s going to get the start,” Manager Ron Washington said. “Right now I don’t want to say that Suarez is going to get it till it happens, because I don’t know.”

The Angels don’t have many options other than Suarez. They could start right-hander Carson Fulmer in a bullpen game.

In Triple-A, right-hander Chase Silseth still needs more time after he gave up six runs in his rehab start on Tuesday. Left-hander Kenny Rosenberg is now injured. Right-hander Andrew Wantz just came off the injured list and is building up by pitching in relief.

Right-hander Zach Plesac could be an option soon, although not Sunday. Plesac has allowed two runs in 15⅓ innings in his last two Triple-A starts. He now has a 5.42 ERA at Salt Lake.

“He’s improved,” Minasian said. “I think there’s some things there. He’s been working on execution of certain pitches, really getting ahead of hitters. Philosophically, similar to what we’re doing here.”

NOTES

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe picked up a hit from Sunday’s game because of a scoring change. The play had initially been scored an error by Houston Astros third baseman Mauricio Dubon. As a result, O’Hoppe had a career-high five-hit game. He is the first Angels catcher to have five hits in a game since Carlos Perez on July 2, 2016. …

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Minasian, per his usual practice, gave no hint as to when he is expecting Mike Trout to return. The three-time American League MVP is now about six weeks removed from meniscus surgery. He’s still not running with his full weight yet or doing any baseball activity. “When he’s healthy he’ll play,” Minasian said. “We have to get him healthy to where he can go out and play and be Mike Trout. As far as timeframes, I don’t give timeframes. I don’t think anybody wants to get back as bad as Mike does. It’s just a matter of him getting healthy and being able to do that.” …

Minasian had essentially the same comment on third baseman Anthony Rendon, who has at least begun some baseball activity. Rendon is rehabbing from a torn hamstring.

UP NEXT

Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 5-6, 2.63 ERA) at Giants (RHP Spencer Howard, 0-0, 2.03), Friday, 7:15 p.m., Apple TV+, 830 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Samuel Woodward, on trial for murder of Blaze Bernstein, takes the stand

• June 14, 2024

Samuel Woodward, a onetime Orange County School of the Arts student on trial for the 2018 killing of former classmate Blaze Bernstein, took the stand for the first time on Thursday afternoon, June 13 as his attorney seeks to counter allegations that the slaying was a hate crime.

A bearded Woodward — his long dark hair covering most of his face — testified for about two hours in a Santa Ana courtroom before his trial ended for the day, during which time he answered questions about his family background and his difficulties communicating with others.

The early testimony did not touch on many of the major issues in the case, including Bernstein’s killing, Woodward’s ties to a racially motivated hate group, Woodward’s creation of what prosecutors have described as a “hate diary” or what Woodward’s attorney has described as Woodward’s struggles with his sexuality.

Woodward appeared calm on the stand, though he often paused mid-sentence or before beginning his answers and at-times spoke in a near-mumble or seemed to jumble words together, leading both the judge and the court reporter to ask him to repeat himself. Several times Woodward’s attorney also reminded him to pull his long hair back so the jurors could see his face.

There was no repeat of any courtroom outbursts like the one that resulted in delays in jury selection leading up to Woodward’s trial.

The defense has acknowledged that Woodward killed Bernstein, whose body was discovered buried — with more than 20 stab wounds — at the edge of a Lake Forest Park after a headline grabbing six-day search in January 2018. The defense has denied the prosecution’s contention that the killing was a hate crime, which if found true by the jury would lead to a much longer prison sentence.

Assistant Public Defender Ken Morrison began his questioning of Woodward by asking about his relationship with his parents and his older brother. Some witnesses have alleged that the father and brother used homophobic comments aimed at Woodward and that he may have been abused.

During the testimony, Woodward described his brother saying “some things to me” and recalled fights between the two siblings but said he didn’t see it as unusual. He described his brother as “antagonizing” him when they were younger.

“What level of conflict, if any, do you remember being in the household growing up?” the defense attorney asked.

“Sometimes it felt like a lot,” Woodward replied. “Sometimes it didn’t feel like much at all. My memory varies.”

Woodward, who is on the Autism spectrum, acknowledged having trouble communicating with other people.

“It was an issue with how I came across to other people, how I spoke,” Woodward said. “I guess I just sounded different. I guess I just had certain issues, issues communicating.”

Woodward is accused of killing Bernstein while Bernstein, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, was home visiting his parents during winter break. A variety of forensic evidence — including a knife found in Woodward’s room with blood matched on it through DNA to Bernstein — helped investigators tie Woodward — the last person known to see Bernstein alive — to the killing.

Both the prosecution and defense have described Woodward growing up in a conservative, religious family that was not accepting of homosexuality. Both sides acknowledge he later dropped out of college to join Atomwaffen Division, a Neo-Nazi group.

The prosecution alleges that Woodward, then 20, was driven by anti-gay and antisemitic beliefs to kill 19-year-old Bernstein, who was gay. The defense has countered that Woodward struggled with his own sexuality and argued the killing has nothing to do with any deep-seated hate.

Woodward’s testimony is eventually expected to outline, in his words, what happened the night he killed Bernstein. At the outset of the trial, Woodward’s attorney while promising his client would take the stand also warned jurors that Woodward’s mental state has deteriorated during the more than five years he has spent in local lockup awaiting trial.

On Thursday, Woodward’s testimony ended with questions about a brief time he spent living in Texas before he moved back in with his parents in Newport Beach.

Other witnesses — including former Atomwaffen members — previously testified that Woodward moved to Texas to train with the extremist group. But in his own testimony on Thursday, Woodward didn’t mention Atomwaffen, instead saying he moved to Texas after a friend told him there were plenty of jobs available.

“Was that consistent with the opportunity you found?” the defense attorney asked.

“No, there were some places that would hold interviews that were hiring, but they seldom actually hired,” Woodward said. “Some of them just weren’t hiring easily.”

Asked why he moved back to California — months before killing Bernstein — Woodward said he “thought it was time to basically head back home, spend some time at home, recuperate, (and) make back any money I lost in Texas.”

Woodward in often explicit entries in an online “diary” described matching up with gay men on dating websites and “ghosting” or scaring them. In one entry he wrote “They think they are going to be hate-crimed and it scares the (expletive) out of them.”

Jurors have also been shown at-times-apparently-flirtatius online messages between Woodward and Bernstein. Bernstein told Woodward he would keep those messages a secret, though he shared them with other friends, according to testimony during the trial.

Woodward’s testimony is scheduled to resume on Monday morning.

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​ Orange County Register 

Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks for Friday, June 14, 2024

• June 14, 2024

The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Terry Turrell, Eddie Wilson and Kevin Modesti. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Friday, June 14, 2024.

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​ Orange County Register 

No, the Charli XCX ‘Brats’ Erewhon smoothie isn’t real, but here’s the recipe for how to make it

• June 14, 2024

Erewhon Market, an upscale grocery store in Los Angeles, has become well known for its Smoothie collaborations with celebrities. Similar to the famed Millions of Milkshakes celebrity endorsed drinks of the early 2000s, Erewhon partners with various A-listers on beverages that typically coincide with promoting their work.

From Temecula’s own Olivia Rodrigo’s Good 4 Ur Guts smoothie, reality star Kendall Jenner’s Peaches & Cream smoothie and model Winnie Harlow’s Island Glow smoothie, these collaborations have fans lining up to spend around $20 on the drinks. Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glaze Skin smoothie became so popular that it inspired a new ice cream pint flavor with Cosmic Bliss. The grocery store’s latest collaboration isn’t even with a celebrity: the brand Vacation collaborated on a sunscreen drink inspired by its classic lotion.

ALSO SEE: Fans snap up Olivia Rodrigo cookies in Palm Desert before singer’s tour-opening show

@healthade

JUST DROPPED Olivia Rodrigo’s Good 4 ur Guts smoothie featuring our Pomegranate Kombucha….now available at @Erewhon Market for a limited time. Good 4 ur gut, good 4 u #livies #guthealth #healthade #guthappy #erewhonsmoothie

♬ original sound – Health-Ade

So it wasn’t surprising to many this week when news spread on social media that the latest celebrity endorsed smoothie was with singer Charli XCX to promote her latest album “Brat.” The only thing? The smoothie isn’t real.

Creator Daniel Preda, @misterpreda on TikTok, used his account to share the new smoothie. Preda has a series on his channel where he tests viral food and drinks to determine if they’re “number one hater approved.” Preda has reviewed a few Erewhon treats on his channel in the past, so it didn’t surprise viewers when he started off his video introducing the drink.

“Charli XCX has just collabed with Erewhon to create the exclusive BRAT smoothie,” said Preda. “It’s $31 dollars, let’s see if it’s number one hater approved. This is your world exclusive.”

@misterpreda

LET’S RIDE @Charli XCX just dropped the BRAT smoothie at @Erewhon Market — a brazilian matcha lemonade smoothie for $31…lol..let’s see if she’s Number One Hater approved #smoothie #review #brat #charlixcx #viral #fypシ゚viral #food #foodreview #foodietiktok #vondutch #brazil #lemonade #matcha #hater #organic #brazil #brazilian #brasil @Vital Proteins @Bee better @Vimergy @Moon Juice @Kin Euphorics @Cymbiotika @Guayakí Yerba Mate

♬ original sound – misterpreda

In the video, which has been viewed over 500,000 times, Preda goes into Erewhon and picks up the smoothie from the counter before trying it in his car. “I got to give them points for creativity, because this is probably their coolest looking smoothie yet.” After listing out the ingredients, he gives the smoothie a try. “The flavor profile is so interesting, you get the bitterness from the lime. Brazilian lemonade is water, limes and condensed milk and it’s so good, one of my favorite drinks ever.”

Preda continues to rave about the drink throughout the video, “Dare I say, this might be my favorite smoothie yet, I’m going to give Erewhon their points for creativity, ingenuity.”

He appears to close out the video by stating that the Brats smoothie in collaboration with Charli XCX is number one hater approved — only it isn’t actually the end of the video.

After cutting to black, Preda continues filming at the 2:48 mark. With just under a minute left in the video, Preda reveals to viewers that the smoothie is an “imaginary collaboration that I created on my own.” Preda says he dreamt up the smoothie to pay some respect to his love of Charli XCX and her sixth studio album. He put together his own drink filled with his favorite brands, ingredients and flavor profiles that he loves.

But despite Preda clarifying that the smoothie does not exist, fans and pop culture social media accounts ran with the news of a new beverage collaboration from the high-end grocery store.

In a now deleted post, PopCrave, a popular Twitter account known for sharing headlines focused on entertainment news, shared an announcement about the beverage. “Charli xcx just dropped her new ‘BRAT’ smoothie @ErewhonMarket. The brazilian matcha lemonade smoothie goes for $31.” The post was viewed over 160,000 times before it was deleted and no correction was posted.

Screenshot of a now deleted post shared on X, formerly Twitter, by PopCrave on June 11, 2024 at 9:16 p.m. about the Charli XCX ‘Brat’ smoothie with Erewhon Market. The smoothie is not a real collaboration but rather a fan made drink that gained popularity on TikTok.

Another creator on TikTok, Alyssa Yung, @_alyssayung_ on TikTok, vlogged her journey to get the new Erewhon smoothie, only to discover that it didn’t exist. When commenters informed her that the original creator had clarified in the end of his video that the smoothie wasn’t real she replied to other users comments sharing she hadn’t watched the whole video.

@_alyssayung_

CHARLI PLS MAKE THE SMOOTHIE REAL #charlixcx #brat #360brat #erewhon #erewhonmarket #erewhonsmoothie

♬ original sound – alyssa!!

The day after Preda’s original video about the smoothie was posted, he uploaded a follow up video sharing a recipe on how to make the drink at home.

@misterpreda

Here’s how you can make the viral @Charli XCX x @Erewhon Market BRAT smoothie at home for yourself (p*ppers not included) ‍ Tag Erewhon below if you want this to actually happen, its time. @Kin Euphorics @Moon Juice @Bee better @Vital Proteins @Vimergy @Guayakí Yerba Mate @Cymbiotika @Beast Health #charlixcx #brat #smoothie #recipe #food #viral #fypシ゚viral #smoothierecipe #brazil #lemonade #brasil #food #foodreview #foodie #foodietiktok

♬ original sound – misterpreda

​ Orange County Register 

To get America’s inflation and budget problems under control, follow Argentina’s lead

• June 14, 2024

Government overspending, an activity the Biden administration has taken to a new level, has sent the country into an inflationary spiral. Through trillions of dollars in COVID-19 relief programs, infrastructure spending, vote-buying student loan forgiveness programs and a political “Build Back Better Agenda,” the White House has flooded the economy and decimated consumers’ purchasing power. We’re paying more and getting less for everything from energy to food.

According to the House Budget Committee, the average family of four is paying around $1,143 more each month than it was in early 2021 for the same goods and services; this includes increased gasoline costs. Rather than reversing course, President Joe Biden is telling voters the private sector is to blame and that he has the answers. He’s doubling down by proposing more stifling, job-killing regulations to “fix” the problem — regulations which will inevitably send inflation to new heights.

Energy prices are a core component of inflation. If it costs more to ship goods, prices increase. Yet the president began executing an anti-energy agenda within hours of being sworn in. Although prices were at record lows before he took office, by 2022, consumers were paying 50% more for gas — no surprise after canceled energy leases, halted pipeline construction and new regulatory burdens on energy exploration.

Constrain supply, and prices will rise. But that hasn’t stopped Biden from blaming energy companies — the same companies that reduced prices to record lows in relatively freer markets during the Trump administration. He’s now threatening them with tax hikes, which would be passed on and increase consumers’ costs even more.

The government’s fiscal irresponsibility has now famously led to inflation and Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, which in turn jeopardize the American Dream of home ownership. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, which was under 3% in late 2020, has skyrocketed to nearly 8%. This means the average home purchaser now needs to earn an additional $47,000 per year just to afford a home compared to four years ago. Some economists correctly argue that the “higher cost of money,” which isn’t measured in inflation indexes, explains why people continue to be so upset about inflation despite its statistical decline.

Here again, the president shifts blame — this time to his predecessor, falsely claiming the inflation rate was near double digits when he took office.

Don’t forget about renters, who, like homebuyers, are no better off now than they were before Biden’s activist regulatory spree took hold. Between March 2020 and July 2023, the national median monthly rent rose from $1,614 to $2,038, marking a 26.26% increase. Over the last four years, rental prices have surged by approximately 29.4%, with an average annual increase of about 7%.

Once again, however, the Biden administration found a convenient and private-sector scapegoat. It has unleashed the power of the Department of Justice on RealPage, a U.S. software provider that helps landlords determine market pricing for their rental properties.

The existence of a company like this shouldn’t be controversial. Almost every industry today uses a similar tool, from grocery stores to airlines, to make better decisions about pricing their inventory based on supply and demand. But the administration needs someone to blame, and there are not many other viable targets for it to shoot at.

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It’s nothing new to see politicians blaming others for the error of their ways. Long gone are the days of President Harry S. Truman’s “The buck stops here” philosophy. Our current president would be more successful if he reversed course, ending the spending orgy that’s undermining the American family and restoring a sense of fiscal responsibility to the nation’s budget.

We are witnessing the success of doing just this in Argentina, a nation which has long struggled with inflation, excessive government spending, and eroding economic stability and prosperity for its people. Newly elected President Javier Milei has imposed fiscal restraint upon the government, shutting down agencies and programs that were once considered sacrosanct. As a result, inflation is down, income is up and the nation is quickly becoming a shining light of economic prosperity after decades of darkness and decadence. Its economy is growing for the first time in decades.

Some of Milei’s platform — focused on reducing the size of government, cutting unnecessary expenditures, and implementing free-market policies — offers a promising path toward economic revitalization. Perhaps now is the time for the United States to follow its lead.

Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

​ Orange County Register 

Horse racing: Santa Anita stars have more to give this year

• June 14, 2024

ARCADIA — It began as the gift you open the day after Christmas and ends Sunday as a gift that will keep on giving.

Though far from the finest Santa Anita meet ever, it unwrapped performances that whet the appetite for the second half of the Southern California thoroughbred racing year, featuring the Del Mar summer season that begins in July, the inaugural California Crown at Santa Anita in September and the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in November.

Here’s a look back at some of the impressive, appealing and promising horses of the past 5½ months, and a look ahead to when we can hope to see them next.

Anisette and jockey Umberto Rispoli were the Santa Anita meet’s first Grade I stakes winners in the American Oaks on Dec. 26 and returned to outclass a strong field in a highly rated running of the Grade I Gamely on May 27. Next for the 4-year-old, British-bred filly could be the Aug. 10 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar. Trainer Leonard Powell’s goal is the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 2.

Muth jumped from his Jan. 6 San Vicente Stakes victory with Juan Hernandez to an Arkansas Derby win that tied Bob Baffert stablemate Nysos’ Feb. 3 Robert Lewis Stakes romp with Flavien Prat for the highest Equibase speed figure by a North American 3-year-old in 2024. Baffert is pointing Muth for the July 20 Haskell at Monmouth Park, while Nysos remains out of training.

Stronghold and Antonio Fresu put trainer Phil D’Amato on the national stage with a gritty win in the Santa Anita Derby on April 6 and a solid seventh in the Kentucky Derby. The colt will cut back to 1⅛ miles for the Haskell.

Three-year-old prospects kept blooming through the spring, including Vlahos (a debut win, then a third in the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs to Preakness winner Seize the Grey), Tapalo (won a fast Laz Barrera Stakes), Parenting (2 for 2 after his Affirmed Stakes runaway) and Eagles Flight (Flightline’s full brother, impressive first time out).

Newgate’s photo-finish win in the March 3 Santa Anita Handicap, and jockey Frankie Dettori’s joyous reaction, was a reminder that the Big ’Cap still matters. Mr Fisk’s May 27 Hollywood Gold Cup win with Kazushi Kimura completed a Baffert sweep of the handicap division. Newgate is freshening after running ninth in the Dubai World Cup, and Mr Fisk is “healing well” after surgery on a condylar fracture in his right foreleg, Baffert said this week.

The Chosen Vron began defense of his 2023 California-bred Horse of the Year title by going 4 for 4 in stakes, his win in the April 27 Kona Gold with Hector Berrios earning the fourth-highest Equibase figure by a sprinter in 2024. Trainer Eric Kruljac is aiming the 6-year-old gelding for a repeat win in the Grade I Bing Crosby at Del Mar on July 27, and another crack at the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 2.

Happy Jack, close second to The Chosen Vron in the Kona Gold, came back to go gate to wire with Edwin Maldonado in the Triple Bend at 6-1 odds on June 1. Trainer Doug O’Neill is looking at the Bing Crosby and a future in sprints for the 2022 Kentucky Derby hopeful.

Musical Rhapsody, the mighty-mite 5-year-old mare from Ireland, gave Mike Smith and D’Amato a memorable Santa Barbara Stakes win on May 11. Now she’ll try to avenge a string of defeats against Linda’s Gift when they meet in Saturday’s Possibly Perfect.

Grand Slam Smile, the super-game 3-year-old filly, joined The Chosen Vron as a Cal-bred feel-good story by winning the Melair Stakes with Frank Alvarado on May 25 for Steve Specht, one of the veteran Bay Area trainers suffering from Golden Gate Fields’ closure. Now 4 for 4 on trips down to Santa Anita, Grand Slam Smile can try to conquer Del Mar in the July 26 Fleet Treet.

Adare Manor and Hernandez went to Arkansas for a high-rated win in the Apple Blossom, and then continued the 5-year-old mare’s dominance in the California distaff division by scoring a repeat in the Santa Margarita at 1-20 odds on May 26. Baffert is eyeing another repeat in the Clement Hirsch at Del Mar on Aug. 3.

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Sugar Fish and Tyler Baze won in eye-catching style in the June 8 Summertime Oaks. Recovering from a stumbling start, Sugar Fish won by 9¾ lengths. It was a career microcosm for the 3-year-old filly who was running for a $40,000 claiming tag when she started her three-race win streak for trainer Jeff Mullins. Next: another main-track stakes, preferably at Del Mar.

The claiming ranks produced some endearing horses. Recent $50,000 claimer Johnny Podres, the Cal-bred named for the Brooklyn Dodgers strikeout pitcher, caught bettors looking by winning at 5-2, 5-1 and then 16-1 and becoming a stakes winner for the first time at age 7. Irish Wahine, a 5-year-old Cal-bred mare, won five times in eight starts while being claimed for $12,500, $10,000 and then $20,000.

The stars keep coming out on closing week. Thursday, the 2-year-old filly Nooni, a daughter of Win Win Win auctioned for $1.8 million in March, debuted for Baffert and won by 9½ lengths under Hernandez.

It’s on to Los Alamitos for a three-week meet starting next Saturday, June 22, and then Del Mar beginning Saturday, July 20, presenting the next challenges for this Santa Anita season’s biggest winners.

Follow horse racing correspondent Kevin Modesti at Twitter.com/KevinModesti.

​ Orange County Register