Shocking Grey, the 6-year-old mare entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at Santa Anita, was briefly at the center of attention in California racing in mid-January.

Shocking Grey won the first stakes of her career in the $126,500 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Jan. 18 in her 14th start. Three days later, she was purchased for $170,000 at the California winter mixed sale in Pomona, the most expensive hip of the one-day auction.

The four-time graded stakes winner Hong Kong Harry was retired earlier this year and is being retrained for a second career.

“He had a little arthritis set in,” trainer Phil D’Amato said on Thursday. “It was time to stop on his racing career.”

An Irish-bred gelding who is now 8, Hong Kong Harry won 10 of 18 starts and earned $815,097. Hong Kong Harry raced in England at the start of his career, winning four minor races in 2020 and 2021.

Margie’s Intention, winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 16, will most likely make her next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park on June 14, Elliott Walden, president and CEO of racing operations for WinStar Farm said. 

Walden said he favored the Delaware Oaks over a race like the Grade 1 Acorn in part because it gives Margie’s Intention one more week and the field won’t include undefeated Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer, who is pointing to the Acorn at Saratoga on June 6. 

Handle at all racetracks in California showed a 5 percent decline through April compared to the first four months of 2024, according to figures announced by the California Horse Racing Board last week. 

All-sources handle, including ontrack, satellite, and account wagering sources, was more than $816.3 million compared to more than $863.3 million in 2024. Compared to the first four months of 2023, when all-sources handle was $932.9 million, the amount wagered has declined 12.5 percent over the past two years. 

The $23,450 purse of a starter allowance at Santa Anita on March 8 has been ordered redistributed after race winner Cee’s the Image tested positive for the banned muscle relaxant methocarbamol. 

Cee’s the Image won the six-furlong race by 2 1/4 lengths at 15-1 and earned $14,040 of the purse. The prize was ordered forfeited by owners Laurie and Steven Hill, trainer Felix Rondan, and jockey Alfredo Bautista. 

Last month, Rondan was fined $1,000 and suspended seven days for the infraction. The suspension was served in April.