Horse Racing: I. Ortiz/B. Cox/Godolphin/Into Mischief top 2023; J. Rodriguez/B. Russell win Laurel titles on final day; L. Rice sets NYRA record for wins in a year

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

NYRA announced its 2024 racing dates. Once again, Belmont is unavailable due to ongoing construction and the circuit will be reduced to Saratoga and Aqueduct. The schedule is as follows:

Days	Season	Dates	Track
47	Winter	January 1 - March 30	Aqueduct
16	Spring	April 4 - April 28	Aqueduct
31	Spring/Summer	May 2 - July 7	Belmont @ Aqueduct
4	Belmont Stakes Festival	June 6 - June 9	Belmont @ Saratoga
40	Summer	July 11 - September 2	Saratoga
31	Fall	September 13 - November 3	Belmont @ Aqueduct
26	Fall	November 7 - December 29	Aqueduct

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wonderful articles pertaining to Brittany Russell's attempt as the leading trainer in Maryland racing this year. Her quotes are symbolic of her appreciation from everyone to her staff and especially her husband who frequently rides the horses she is given by owners. This is the type of article that the mainstream media should but likely won't acknowledge. Someone who is dedicated to her craft, a working mother and wife who is perfectly suited as a representative of the overwhelmingly fine people that rarely get exposure.

By my count, Jamie Ness has an advantage off 11 horses entered to Russell's 8 for the balance of the year. There aren't many sports where a mother takes her children to the track and performs her profession with her husband alongside. Granted, the bad and the good oftentimes interact but the non-racing sports media should see what really happens at a racetrack and not limit reporting to the hyperbole of an agenda.

Although there are bigger circuits and much larger names, I have her as a final three for Eclipse Award Trainer of the Year. Sometimes, stats are overwhelming but every so often the intangibles need to rise to the surface. Go Brit go!

Trainer Russell Takes Aim at Maryland Racing History

With three racing days left in Laurel Park's fall meet, Brittany Russell leads Jamie Ness 115-113 for the most winners at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course in 2023.

www.bloodhorse.com

• With three racing days left in Laurel Park's fall meet, starting Dec. 29, the 34-year-old Russell leads Jamie Ness 115-113 for the most winners at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course in 2023.
• No woman has ever led Maryland's annual trainer standings.
• "The woman thing, honestly, I don't think about that, ever, until somebody points it out to me. I just show up and I try and do my best and win as many races as anybody regardless of male or female," she added. "Most of my best friends are male trainers. That's just who I interact with. Do I feel they look at me differently because I'm a woman? No, I feel like we just show up and do our job."
• "You can say, 'Well, it's Brittany, she's great on the Maryland circuit' and all that stuff, that she's just a Maryland trainer. You can put her up against any of these top trainers at tracks that have much larger purses and rank them equally," said Stuart Grant, founder of prominent owner The Elkstone Group. "If you look at the people that are behind her, it's a really impressive list. She's doing what she needs to do and she's paying her dues.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Aqueduct (New York):

• Trainer of the Meet: There is a battle for top trainer between Linda Rice (16 wins), Rudy Rodriguez (15) and Chad Brown (14) but comeback story of the year (though others may disagree with that terminology) Richie Dutrow, who won two of three today, is at 29% with 11 wins. Dutrow last trained in 2013 but re-entered the racing picture following the conclusion of a 10-year suspension.
• Race 1: To Be Loved By You (Ruben Silvera/Rudy Rodriguez) won the opener as the longest shot on the board at 23-to-1.
• Race 7: Fingal's Cave (Jose Lezcano/David Donk) was sent off the favorite and won the Bay Ridge Stakes, the feature of the day. The three-year-old filly is a perfect 5 5-0-0 at NYRA tracks and has won at all three. Her lone defeat came in October 2022 at Keeneland (KY),
• Race 8: Bornforgreatmess (Dylan Davis/Timmy Hills) won the finale at 19-to-1 and withstood a remarkable challenge by the place horse Song of Solomini (Trevor McCarthy/Chris Englehart) at 61-to-1 who paid $63 in the middle. The $1 exacta paid $925. The $1.0 super paid more than $5,400. This is one of those mystifying payouts of racing:

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

It is Friday in Maryland. Russell's team to win race 3. $6 winner. Right on cue.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Damn. She had a rare horse at NY and came in second at 17-to-1. Scraps help the piggybank, too.

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Aqueduct (New York):

• Trainer of the Meet: There is a battle for top trainer between Linda Rice (16 wins), Rudy Rodriguez (15) and Chad Brown (14) but comeback story of the year (though others may disagree with that terminology) Richie Dutrow, who won two of three today, is at 29% with 11 wins. Dutrow last trained in 2013 but re-entered the racing picture following the conclusion of a 10-year suspension.
• Race 1: To Be Loved By You (Ruben Silvera/Rudy Rodriguez) won the opener as the longest shot on the board at 23-to-1.
• Race 7: Fingal's Cave (Jose Lezcano/David Donk) was sent off the favorite and won the Bay Ridge Stakes, the feature of the day. The three-year-old filly is a perfect 5 5-0-0 at NYRA tracks and has won at all three. Her lone defeat came in October 2022 at Keeneland (KY),
• Race 8: Bornforgreatmess (Dylan Davis/Timmy Hills) won the finale at 19-to-1 and withstood a remarkable challenge by the place horse Song of Solomini (Trevor McCarthy/Chris Englehart) at 61-to-1 who paid $63 in the middle. The $1 exacta paid $925. The $1.0 super paid more than $5,400. This is one of those mystifying payouts of racing:

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aren't davis and mccarthy brother in-laws? no matter which way the exacta would have paid both ways were real light. things that make you go hmmm.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

aren't davis and mccarthy brother in-laws? no matter which way the exacta would have paid both ways were real light. things that make you go hmmm.

Yes, Dylan Davis's sister Katie is married to Trevor McCarthy. The Davis family is extensive, father Robbie trains periodically and three siblings ride including Jackie. Another son to Robbie trains as well.

There was noted hoopla (2020, 2021?) much of which arose from Katie pertaining to a rule that married couples couldn't compete in NYRA races. IIRC, the legal language was extended to people having the same mailing address (example a teenager riding couldn't compete against a parent if they lived together). The rule has been modified.

There are many examples elsewhere where family members compete in same races. The Ortiz brothers (Irad and Jose) among the most famous. Linda Rice's niece Taylor (former jockey) is also married to Irad.

Today was an oddity in which McCarthy and Dylan finished 1-2 in three straight races and then later the siblings finished 1-2. But this time of year, the bigger names head to Florida or elsewhere with bigger purses and/or better climate and the others remain -- perhaps that is due to family obligations or more likely expanding an identity during the off-season.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, December 29, 2023

• Brittany Russell finished 7 1-2-2 and though her lone win was at her home track in Maryland, she finished second at 17-to-1 at Aqueduct and her two horses at Gulf -- 7-to-1 and 10--1 -- finished in a 3-way photo finish that was....frustrating with inarguably two of the best riders in America -- Irad Ortiz, Jr and Tyler Gaffalione. Not too bad for a trainer from Maryland.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Davis Siblings: The trio combined to go 11 3-3-1 with Dylan winning twice and finishing second twice to brother-in-law Trevor McCarthy.
• Linda Rice has 162 wins which is two shy of the record for wins in a year by a trainer at NYRA tracks. David Jacobson's 164 in 2013 is the high mark.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Meet Leader for Trainer: Jamie Ness (36 wins) and Brittany Russell (35). The meet ends Sunday.
• Lacey Gaudet added two wins to her strong meet, now at 31%. She has a chance to conclude this year with an all-time high mark in 17 years of training, now at 20%.

Tanpa Bay (Florida):

• Marcos Meneses won three consecutive races for the second straight Friday.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Pick 6: Mandatory payout tomorrow (Dec. 30).
• Irad Ortiz, Jose Ortiz and Paco Lopez all won twice as did trainer Mark Casse.
• Race 1: Baha Princess (Paco Lopez/Ronald Spatz) was the lone first-time starter and won at 6-to-1.
• Race 2: Seat At the Table (Jose Ortiz/Mark Casse) won at 16-to-1. Tough to get a current and future hall-of famers at that price.
• Race 7: Outlaw Country (Paco Lopez/Kelly Breen) won a three-way mail-biter in which Brittany Russell shipped two horses south and nearly pulled off an exacta miracle. When you have the 3 and 12 at 10-to-1 and 7-to-1 in wins and exactas...

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Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: $6.7 million.
• Jockey-Trainer Sizzling: Emmanual Esquivel-Cipriano Contreras finished today 4 2-2-0 as a duo and are nephew-uncle as well. They have formed a formidable pairing at the meet. Both have Indiana and Illinois racing backgrounds. Esquivel was the first apprentice to win an Arlington (IL) riding title since 1940 when he did so in 2013. Contreras trained for Mike Reavis in Chicago for many years and has been on his own for less than ten years.
• Race 4: The $1 double paid $444.60. The $.50 tri over $3,800.
• Race 5: Izeonpoint (Luis Quinonez/Renay Borel) gave the rider his 4,000th lifetime win. The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $3,300. The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $120,000.
• Race 6: The $.50 Pick 3 returned more than $5,100.
• Race 10: The $1 double paid $415. The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $198,000.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 8: Kinza (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert) at 5-to-1 and Splendora (Frankie Dettori/Bob Baffert) at 3-to-1 finished 1-2 in debut runs in a $65,000 MSW. Baffert exacta paid $21.70.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, December 30, 2023

• Chicago the Win City: Horses named We Miss Arlington (9-to-1 at Oaklawn) and Fly the W (14-to-1 at Gulfstream) won today, Chicago hunch bettors should have cashed big-time, the former named for the legendary demolished track and the latter for the Cubs.
• Brittany Russell finished the past two days 13 4-5-2 combined at Aqueduct, Gulfstream and Laurel; however, she ventured out of her home turf and complied a solid 4 1-2-1 mark in New York and Florida, winning with chalk and hitting the board with prices each other occasion.
• Brad Cox, who is likely to be a finalist for Eclipse Award Trainer of the Year, has lost his past 15 starts since winning six times in Louisiana (three each at Fair Grounds and Delta). Since that merry day on December 23, he is 15 0-4-1.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Manny Franco-Chad Brown-Klaravich Stables entered two races and won both. Brown had a disappointing day at Gulfstream (FL).
• Race 9: Bayou Spirit (Jose Lezcano/Linda Rice) won the finale. The Pick-6 was hit for $43,365.

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Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 7: Carmelina (Sheldon Russell/Butch Reid), who has raced six times at five tracks, is now 6 4-0-0 after winning the $100,000 Gin Talking as she wired the field. Cap Classique (Jevian Toledo/Brittany Russell) placed. A rare time the Russells competed against one another but the exacta was a dandy $15.60 despite the chalky 1-2 finish. Mere moments later Brittany won a $100,000 race at Gulfstream.

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• Race 6 Super Bourbon (Sheldon Russell/Brittany Russell) won but the important stat of the day was the trainer had a gaudy 75% mark (6-for-8) with maidens third-time-out on dirt. Almost nothing in racing is 7-or-9 but this is one helluva exception.

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Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $15.3 million.
• Race 1: Born Noble (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd Pletcher) debuted to an outstanding victory of more than five lengths to win the $70,000 MSW. Born Noble is a Constitution colt purchased for $725,000 by St. Elias Stable (Vinny Viola).

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• Race 8: Full Count Felicia (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Brittany Russell) won the $150,000 74th running of the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes. The winner is being pointed to the $500,000 Pegasus Fillies and Mare turf.

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• Race 10: O'Connor (Tyler Gaffalione/Saffie Joseph) won the $150,000 Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday Stakes.

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• Race 11: Main Event (Javier Castellano/George Weaver) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes at 11-to-1 by a head over 17-to-1 shot Kingmax (David Egan/Jorge Delgado).

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• Michael Iavarone, part owner of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown and who left the game for a few years, won consecutive races. His stock of associates is quite interesting at times.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. won twice today and was DQ'd from a third win after nemesis and heated rival Paco Lopez was elevated following an objection. Javier Castellano and Luis Saez also won twice.
• Visiting Riders: Europeans Oisin Murphy and David Egan,

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Virginia is for Winners: Both $100,000 races were won by Virginia breds. Gigante (Edgar Morales/Steve Asmussen) won the Woodchopper and Tufani (Ben Curtis/Mike Stidham) won the Pago Hop. The former featured horses bred in three countries and five states. The latter race featured horses bred in five states and two countries. The lone two horses foaled in VA won.

Delta Downs (Louisiana):

• Race 1: Bridge jumpers alert -- To use the vernacular when an overwhelming favorite bites the dust and payouts in the show column are astronomical. Second place horses paid $66 and $84, respectively, in a striking visual.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Race 2: We Miss Arlington (Joe Bealmear/Jimmy DeVito) gave the 19-year-old jockey his first lifetime win. He is represented by longtime rider turned agent Robby Albarado. The 2-year-old gelding is owned by DeVito, the 70-something Chicago icon whose father began his craft in the 1930s in Illinois. Losing Arlington is euphemistically criminal in the minds of many of us and that will gnaw forever.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 1: Forbidden Kingdom (Flavien Prat/Richard Mandella) was cold on the board yet won the $200,000 Grade 2 Joe Hernandez at 4-to-1. Not many cards open with a graded stakes but this was a rare exception. The winner tried turf for just the second time in 11 starts and that likely prevented bettors from the pick. Sometimes the unknown is a motivating commodity.

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• Race 3: Angel Nadeshiko (Antonio Fresu/Patrick Gallagher) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

How is this for intrigue?

Both the jockey and trainer titles are tied entering the final day of the meet. I do not think that has happened at any major circuit the past few years.

Rank	Jockey Name	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	Total $	Win %	Top 3	Top 3 %
1	Jevian Toledo	303	49	40	38	$2,137,972	16%	127	42%
2	Jaime Rodriguez	281	49	43	31	$1,871,865	17%	123	44%
3	Angel Cruz	258	39	25	22	$1,536,282	15%	86	33%
4	Jeiron Barbosa	238	35	25	34	$1,484,662	15%	94	39%
5	Sheldon Russell	135	24	30	18	$1,359,605	18%	72	53%
6	Horacio Karamanos	182	21	30	20	$1,001,208	12%	71	39%
8	Forest Boyce	121	20	15	15	$821,860	17%	50	41%
9	Martina Rojas	167	20	20	20	$752,972	12%	60	36%

Rank	Trainer Name	Starts	Starters	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings	Win %	Top 3	Starts Per Starter	WPS / Starter
1	Brittany T. Russell	144	--	36	29	16	$1,651,700	25%	81	--	--
2	Jamie Ness	139	--	36	22	16	$1,241,240	26%	74	--	--
3	Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon	122	--	19	18	9	$692,222	16%	46	--	--
5	Kieron Magee	81	--	17	16	11	$664,180	21%	44	--	--
6	Carlos A. Mancilla	57	--	17	4	8	$509,260	30%	29	--	--
7	Lacey Gaudet	52	--	16	5	6	$497,490	31%	27	--	--

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Good news from and for Maryland. While the future of either Laurel or Pimlico seems murky, the former based on certain language of months ago, this is a temporary good feel.

https://paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/maryland-horsemen-strike-one-year-deal-with-1-st-racing/

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, and 1/ST Racing on Friday announced a one-year deal to continue live horse racing in Maryland until December 31, 2024. The deal ensures that the Preakness Stakes will be run at Pimlico in May and provides for ongoing racing operations throughout 2024.​

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“We are pleased to come to terms on a one-year extension to the 2012 agreement with The Stronach Group, 1/ST Racing and Maryland Jockey Club and appreciate the work by all that went into finalizing this deal,” said David Richardson, executive director of MTHA. “This agreement provides our horsemen, the state's breeders, and backstretch workers stability while the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority continues their important work on a long-term plan for our industry. We look forward to the final Authority report and a bright and sustainable future for Thoroughbred horse racing in Maryland.”​

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During the 2023 legislative session, Gov. Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, and members of the Maryland General Assembly created the Maryland Thoroughbred Racing Operating Authority by law to outline a plan for the future of Maryland racing. Over the past decade, Maryland leaders have dedicated funding to stabilize this historic industry but needed more legal authority to implement a plan.​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Turf conditions are listed as firm for Tampa Bay and Gulfstream today.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Aqueduct (New York):

• Meet Closed: The final day of the meet that started November 2. Aqueduct will begin racing in 2024 tomorrow.
• Leading Jockey: Manny Franco led all riders with 36 wins.

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• Leading Trainer: Linda Rice led all trainers with 20 victories. Rice also established a one-year NYRA record with 165 victories. Rice, born in Wisconsin, has been training since 1987 and is the daughter to Clyde Rice and who comes from an extensive racing background. Rice needed one win to top the prior mark and she accomplished that in the opener with Eric Cancel on board.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Closing Day: Today marked the end of the meet that began September 29. Laurel's 38-day winter Heritage Meet opens Friday, Jan. 5 and runs through Saturday, March 30.
• Leading Jockey: Jamie Rodiguez picked a mount in the finale of the card and that victory led him to the meet title. His 50 wins were one more than Jevian Toledo who was winless on six rides today. Rodriguez failed to hit the board with his first six rides before the final race. He won the title 50-49.

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• Leading Trainer: Brittany Russell won the trainer's title despite what appeared to be overwhelming odds this morning. She sent out two horses to Jamie Ness's seven. Ness inexplicably had one of the worst days of the year going 7 0-0-1 while Russell achieved Maryland racing history as the first woman to lead the circuit in a year. She is a terrific story as she appears in the winner's circle with one or both children oftentimes to greet her husband, rider Sheldon. Separately, she finished the past three days 13 4-5-2 at multiple tracks. She won the title 37-36.

• Race 3: Point Dume (Sheldon Russell Brittany Russell) broke his maiden and won fourth time out after three races under Bob Baffert. The victory was a sensational 11 lengths with a kick that was one to behold. A $450,000 horse. That had to be the most devasting wins I have seen in weeks.

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• Lacey Gaudet's barn is hot. She finished today with a perfect 3 3-0-0 mark and won five of seven the past three racing days. Ahe finished a remarkable meet 55 19-5-6 (35%). She also earned a million for the fourth time since taking out her license in 2007.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 7: Some of the highest payouts of the year. A 51-to-1 shot topped a 122-1 shot for a $1 exacta that returned $1000.60. The winner paid $105.20. The place horse returned $92.80 in the middle. The $.50 tri neared $3,000.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Paco Lopez rode four winners and is now tied with Irad Ortiz, Jr. for most wins at the meet with 28. The meet continues into April.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Card: Five MSW races with $115,000 purses in addition to two stakes.
• Handle $6.6 million.
• Joel Rosario rode three of Steve Asmussen's 4-winners.
• Race 7: Carbone (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) stretched out and looked strong in wiring the field in this AOC race. The son to Mitole is 2-for-2 lifetime and looks to be destined for stakes racing.

Santa Anita (California):

Juan Hernandez rode three winners.​

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Race 9 is a Kentucky Derby prep. Oaklawn's Monday card.

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$142,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 M	Dirt	7	12:30 PM CT
2	$48,000	Starter Allowance	6 F	Dirt	12	12:58 PM CT
3	$33,000	Maiden Claiming	6 F	Dirt	14	1:26 PM CT
4	$38,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	12	1:54 PM CT
5	$31,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	Dirt	11	2:22 PM CT
6	$44,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	12	2:50 PM CT
7	$60,000	Maiden Claiming	1 M	Dirt	12	3:18 PM CT
8	$140,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	14	3:46 PM CT
9	$300,000	Smarty Jones S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	9	4:14 PM CT
10	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	14	4:40 PM CT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Top ten sires of 2023, Into Mischief tops the list for the fifth straight year. Gun Runner is up there with the big boys, an awesome colt on and off the track.

Rank	Sire	Graded Stakes Won	Earnings	Year of Birth
1	Into Mischief	14	$26,126,182	2005
2	Curlin	10	$18,770,794	2004
3	Gun Runner	12	$17.5	2013
4	Uncle Mo	5	$16.2	2008
5	Quality Road	6	$15.2	2006
6	American Pharoah	6	$13.4	2012
7	Munnings	2	$13.2	2006
8	Not This Time	6	$13.0	2014
9	Practical Joke	5	$12.3	2014
10	Hard Spun	5	$11.8	2004

Earnings Leaders:

Top Jockey -- Irad Ortiz, Jr.​

Top Trainer -- Brad Cox​

Top Owners -- Godolphin​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

2024 racing board is now open -- Horse Racing: - Catching Freedom wins the Smarty Jones (Ky. Derby prep) at Oaklawn (AR); Bob Baffert scores two maiden wins at Santa Anita (CA)