Breeders’ Cup World Championships
Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1
Monday Notes
Monday, October 27, 2014
Contact Notes Team (626) 254-1352
· Bill Mott – “The plane (Tex Sutton charter) picking up my horses had to land in Lexington last night because of a cracked windshield,” Mott said Monday morning from New York. “From what I've been told they installed a new windshield and everything is OK.Sounds like these horses will be leaving (New York) at around 2:30 (ET) or so this afternoon.”
Mott’s horses on the flight are led by Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Cigar Street and Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff starter Close Hatches.
On running in the Breeders’ Cup Mott said, “You get excited but you try to get everyone there in one piece; get them on the truck, on the plane, get them unloaded without having them stick a foot through something.
“Of course, you realize that these races are so competitive, maybe more than any other time. We’re just gonna go out there and do the best we can. We could run our best race and be fourth or fifth. You almost don’t get as nervous as if you had a 3-5 shot (at Belmont) and you’re supposed to win.”
· Alan Sherman – Assistant Alan Sherman, son of trainer Art Sherman, said Monday that California Chrome is on his toes for the Classic.
“He jogged a mile this morning around 10 of 6 and was real happy out there,” Sherman said after his trip to the track with regular exercise rider Willie Delgado.
“He’s a good traveler,” Sherman said of the 3yo colt who shipped to Santa Anita Sunday from his base at Los Alamitos, where he worked Saturday in 59 3/5. “Nothing shakes him up too much.”
California Chrome is stabled in Barn 56. “The same stall as he was in here last winter (when he won all three of his starts, including the Santa Anita Derby): stall 21 – Black Jack!
“He trained like a monster today,” Sherman continued. “Not just today, but the last few weeks, he’s getting stronger and stronger. His last work was the best I’ve ever seen.
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Monday Notes/2-2-2-2
“His last was a rough-run race; I’m just writing that one off,” said Sherman of a sixth-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 20.
“It’s always nice to run in our own backyard,” added Sherman. “I think there was more anxiety getting ready for the Kentucky Derby than the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This is more relaxing.
“If (he) wins this race, I don’t see why he wouldn’t be Horse of the Year.” said Sherman. “It will be nice to not have a big target (as favorite) on our back. Shared Belief is the hot horse now. I think four or five could win it – It all comes down to who gets the best trip – but they all (entrants) scare me.
“It looks like there is going to be a lot of pace in the race,” said Sherman before the afternoon draw for post positions. “Any post from five and out would be great.
“He will gallop up to the race,” concluded Sherman. “I plan to stand him in the gate Wednesday.”
· Leah Gyarmati – “Both horses (Sweet Reason and Wonder Gal) left (New York) Saturday and are at Santa Anita.”
Sweet Reason worked 4f at Santa Anita Monday morning with exercise rider Jorge Sanchez. “She breezed great,” Gyarmati said. “We couldn’t be any happier with how she is doing. I got her in 46 and 4.”
Santa Anita clockers got her in 47 flat.
Wonder Gal tuned up for Saturday’s Juvenile Fillies with a 4f work in 47 4/5 at Santa Anita on Monday morning.
· Kiaran McLaughlin – The two Kiaran McLaughlin Breeders’ Cup horses Imperia and Sayaad flew from New York to California on Sunday.
· Tom Albertrani – Better Lucky and Twilight Eclipse are flying to California Tuesday morning.
· Todd Pletcher – All of Todd Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup starters – Angela Renee, Feathered, Isabella Sings, Carpe Diem, Daredevil – are flying to California early Tuesday morning.
· Mike Hushion – Artemis Agrotera arrived in California. Jose Ortiz will ride.
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Monday/3-3-3-3
· Bob Baffert – Secret Circle, Indianapolis and One Lucky Dane, the three members ofHall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's seven-horse Breeders' Cup contingent that were not put through final works for the event over the weekend, got theirs in Monday morning.
With regular rider Martin Garcia in the irons, defending Xpressbet Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Secret Circle worked 4f in 47 flat.
During the same work period Baffert's other Sprint candidate, Indianapolis,worked a 4f in company with a stablemate and Juvenile entrant One Lucky Dane went the same distance in 47 2/5 under Rafael Bejarano.
“I got (Indianapolis) in 46 flat,” Baffert said. “Mike (Smith) rides him and I wanted him to get a good feel on him.”
Garcia had ridden Indianapolis to three wins in as many career starts beginning in November of last year but will go for the Sprint repeat on Secret Circle.
“They're all ready,” Baffert said.
· D. Wayne Lukas – The Hall of Fame trainer worked two of his Breeders’ Cup 2yos Monday morning in preparation for the coming weekend at Santa Anita Park.
Mr. Z, heading to the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, went 4f in 48 4/5 under jockey Mike Smith, who will ride on Saturday. “It was a super work,” Lukas said, adding, “And Mike liked it, too,” following a phone conversation with the rider.
Later in the morning, jockey Victor Espinoza sent Take Charge Brandi 4f in 49 flat for Lukas. The trainer said, “It was an easy work. I didn’t want much more than that.” Espinoza has the call on Take Charge Brandi for the 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
· Kellyn Gorder – Bourbon Lane Stable’s Bourbon Courage worked 3f in 34 1/5 on the fast main track at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Monday morning.
Working after the morning renovation break and with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. up, Bourbon Courage galloped out 4f in 46.
“Ricardo drove over from Louisville to work him,” trainer Kellyn Gorder said. “I got him in 12 and 2, 34 and 1 and out in 46. It was pretty good. I was real happy with him. Ricardo didn’t even move on him.”
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Monday Notes/4-4-4-4
Cutting back to a sprint for the first time since the spring of 2012 when he was a 3yo, Bourbon Courage won a 6 1/2f sprint at Keeneland Oct. 3 with Santana aboard for the first time.
Following that race, Gorder had indicated the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29 as a possible next start, but a 5f work in 59 3/5 on Oct. 20 convinced the connections to pre-enter the Breeders’ Cup with the Sprint as his first preference.
Bourbon Courage is scheduled to fly out of Louisville early Wednesday morning.
· Eoin Harty– Godolphin Racing’s Breeders’ Cup Classic hopeful Footbridge put the final touches with a 5f breeze over the Santa Anita main course. The son of Street Cry was timed in 1:00 1/5 – eighth-fastest of 42 moves at the distance – with Iggy Puglisi up.
“The work went very well,” said trainer Eoin Harty. “It wasn’t anything too fancy. Just five-eighths in a minute.”
Footbridge exits a third-place finish in the Awesome Again Stakes over the local course. Jockey Rafael Bejarano gets the return call in the Classic.
· Steve Asmussen – Calling the work “spot on,” trainer Steve Asmussen was pleased with the 4f workout by Sprint hopeful Mico Margarita, who covered the distance in 49 1/5 Monday at Santa Anita.
· Peter Miller – Trainer Peter Miller worked two Breeders’ Cup hopefuls at San Luis Rey Downs Monday and also confirmed that Reneesgotzip would be entered in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
“Both went great,” said Miller by telephone after Classic hopeful Big Cazanova worked 4f in 47 2/5 under jockey Elvis Trujillo and Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf hopeful Finnegans Wake went 5f in 1:02 with exercise rider Jose Silva. “They were both breezing.”
Both horses are on the bubble for the two rich Saturday races as Miller awaited their fates in the afternoon draw. “Big Cazanova looks like he’s going to be the first also-eligible unless one of the others comes out, and Finnegans Wake should get in from everything I’ve heard,” said Miller. “If Big Cazanova does not get in, he will run in the Las Vegas Marathon Friday instead.”
Miller also confirmed that Reneesgotzip will opt for the Turf Sprint after also pre-entering the 5yo mare in the Sprint. “She had an excellent work in 48 2/5 Sunday on the Santa Anita turf,” said Miller of the decision. “I think she’s better on the grass. She finished in a dead-heat for second in the race last year.”
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Monday Notes/5-5-5-5
Reneesgotzip remained at Santa Anita in Barn 44 while the trainer’s other Breeders’ Cup candidates will be shipped north on Wednesday, according to Miller. He also conditions 2yos Calculator in the Juvenile and Hennythelovepenny in the Juvenile Fillies. They both recorded their last works Saturday: Calculator 6f in 1:14 and Hennythelovepenny 5f in 59.
· Linda Rice – Miuccio Antonino’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint hopeful Palace put in his first local work and final preparation for Saturday’s event. The 5yo City Zip horse zipped the 4f in 46 2/5 under Danny Rojas.
Based in New York with trainer Linda Rice, Palace exits a loss as the favorite in the Vosburgh Invitational at Belmont on Sept. 27 – an effort that followed two consecutive Grade I victories.
“I actually watched (the work) on HRTV,” Rice said from Belmont. “I instructed him to go a half in 47 or 48. It was a little quicker than we wanted, but I understand that the track is pretty fast there in comparison to the New York tracks.”
· Alfredo Velazquez – Good Friends Stable’s Private Zone worked an easy 4f Monday morning at Santa Anita in advance of his second consecutive attempt in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Under regular jockey Martin Pedroza, the son of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Macho Uno went in 49 2/5 under a tight hold.
The work followed a bullet gate move Oct. 18 in 1:09 2/5 for the two-time Grade I winner.
“It was what I wanted,” trainer Alfredo Velazquez said. “I would rather him be too slow than too fast. He worked very fast last week from the gate. I’m very happy and he is ready.”
European Report
Toast of New York is reported in good shape ahead of his challenge for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. The sole European representative in this year’s Classic is none the worse for his trans-Atlantic flight.
“He is very well and has eaten everything up,” said Lucy Berry, who has travelled over with the horse.
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Monday Notes/6-6-6-6
The son of Thewayyouare is expected to clear quarantine Monday afternoon and will be seen on the track for the first time Tuesday morning along with the rest of the overseas contingent except for Aidan O’Brien’s horses, who are due in Monday evening.
Brown Panther went out on to the main track for the second time Monday morning to stretch his legs once again and cantered a couple of circuits with his regular pilot Christopher Ely on board. Ely reported the 6yo to be in good form and was pleased with the way he has settled in at Santa Anita.
Freddy Head and Pia Brandt were the first French-based trainers to arrive at Santa Anita and were on hand Monday morning to supervise the exercise of their Breeders’ Cup contenders.
Anodin (Mile) jogged a circuit of the main track before returning to the barn.
Freddy Head was delighted with the son of Anabaa, “I am very pleased with him. He was a bit on his toes this morning but he will soon get used to his surroundings. He travelled over really well and has eaten up all his food and I am pleased with the way he looks. I think the flat track at Santa Anita will really suit him well, and if he gets a good run, I think he will take all the beating.”
The other French horses, Karakontie, Veda (Mile) and Flintshire (Turf) also went out on to the track with Anodin and did exactly the same piece of exercise.
L’Amour De Ma Vie (Distaff) was taken out on to the track by her trainer Pia Brandt and jogged a circuit and she was extremely happy with her mare.
“She is very relaxed and has settled in very well and I am very happy with her,” she said.
Caspar Netscher (Turf Sprint) was the only other European contender to see the main track. He walked around barn area to get used to his new surroundings before going out and jogging a circuit of the dirt.
Ian Russell, who is supervising until trainer David Simcock arrives, reported the horse to be in good form.
“We did our own thing this morning and tried to keep everything low key,” Russell said.
Tarfasha, who was due to represent trainer Dermot Weld in Saturday’s Filly & Mare Turf disappointed in her last piece of work in Ireland and after a discussion between the owner Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum and her trainer, it was decided that the plan to run in this year’s Breeders’ Cup should be shelved.
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