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DRF Clocker Report: Thursday, Oct., 28
By MIKE WELSCH
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Horsephotos
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Roman Ruler works three furlongs at Lone Star Park track this morning. DRF's Mike Welsch clocked his three-furlong move in 41.97.
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:: Breeders' Cup Contender Work Tab
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Thursday morning was far and away the busiest yet for Breeders' Cup hopefuls with the entire cast finally on the grounds for Breeders' Cup day.
While there were no serious workouts by Cup contenders, many blew out for their races. Some by design and others perhaps inadvertently including likely Juvenile favorite Roman Ruler. The morning also gave railbirds their first glance at Funny Cide, who made a great appearance, as well as defending Mile champion Six Perfections.
Once again, the main track was fast, the turf course soft and temperatures were in the low 70's during training hours.
The clockers gave official recorded works to both Whipper (:44) and Powerscourt (:42.40) who need published workouts to avoid being scratched from their respective races. Powerscourt got extremely hot and looked a little lackluster when completing what was little more than a fast gallop. Whipper also appeared to wash out for the second consecutive day.
Trainer Andre Fabre somewhat surprisingly sent both Nebraska Tornado and Diamond Green to break from and work a very slow three furlongs out of the starting gate. Nebraska Tornado went in :40.38 seconds with her stablemate trailing six or seven lengths behind.
One European on her toes for a second consecutive morning was Aubonne who open galloped a mile in 1:53.50 despite being kept out near the middle of the track. Antonius Plus also went a mile at better than a two minute clip, finishing his last three-eighths in :42.73 but never changed leads through the stretch which might be understandable for a horse who has run all his races clockwise in Europe.
Sense Of Style blew out an easy three-eighths accompanied by a stablemate in a slow :41.34 seconds.
Roman Ruler made an awesome appearance but did perhaps a little more than planned in his first visit to the track, breaking into an open gallop once entering the stretch. Daily Racing Form timed his three furlongs in 41.97 from the eighth to the six furlong pole.
Six horses trained over the turf including Shaconage who blew out a quarter mile in :27.11 over the soft course. She was joined on the grass by Ouija Board, Kittens Joy, Mr. O'Brien, Singletary and Better Talk Now.
Mr. O'Brien did not train well. He looked very uncomfortable and short strided in his first visit to the course.
Final Clockers Report
The 2004 Breeders' Cup proved to be a real challenge attempting to track the contenders during training hours. The majority of this year' 92 entrants did the bulk of their final preparations at various locations around the country and did not arrive on the grounds until earlier this week. As a result it was possible to see only a fraction of the final works and no more than a couple of last minute jogs and gallops from most Breeders' Cup runners prior to race day.
With that in mind we give what final observations and impressions were possible to discern in limited time spent both in New York and on site at Lone Star during the past week.
Distaff - STORM FLAG FLYING worked a solid half mile, finishing strong, prior to leaving New York and continued to make a favorable impression since her arrival in Texas. She is the pick in a wide open race. ASHADO, likewise, worked extremely well in company with her stakes winning stablemate Capeside Lady over the Belmont training track and continues to look great. SOCIETY SELECTION was a bit anxious to begin and got a little tired at the end of her final prep at Lone Star but it's hard no to root for "The Chief" to get his first Breeders' Cup win. ISLAND FASHION had a strong gallop over the track on Thursday. NEBRASKA TORNADO appeared to handle the main track well enough while working a slow three-eighths from the gate at Lone Star.
Juvenile Fillies - SWEET CATOMINE looks to be a worthy favorite after watching her have several good mornings since arriving at Lone Star. The one to beat. RUNWAY MODEL made a very good first impression on Wednesday and looked even better during Thursday morning's gallop. PLAY WITH FIRE showed surprising speed, perhaps a bit too much, in his final prep at Belmont but did do so without need of urging. DANCE AWAY CAPOTE has settled in comfortably since her arrival and could be a worthy longshot off her effort in the Alcibides.
Mile - SINGLETARY is our pick in another very tough race. He's had good gallops over both the main and turf course's although would have preferred not to have seen him get so hot on Thursday. SIX PERFECTIONS, the defending champion, made her first appearance Thursday and appeared a bit rank while having trouble with her lead changes in a slow gallop down the stretch. NOTHING TO LOSE went a bit slower than expected in his final work over the Belmont turf but probably doesn't need to do much to maintain his current top form. ARTIE SCHILLER's last work at Lone Star was fast but the gallop out very disappointing although must remember he's a grass horse training on the main track. ANTONIUS PLUS galloped a good mile on Thursday but failed to change leads through the stretch which might not be a good sign. WHIPPER has gotten quite hot in her first two local appearances while MR O'BRIEN appeared to be sore and very uncomfortable training over the turf course.
Sprint - SPEIGHTSTOWN, the morning line favorite, was less than impressive in his final prep. Appeared rank going to the pole and got tired at the end of the drill which might indicates he's tailing off a bit after running some huge races earlier in the year. Stablemates MIDAS EYES and CAJUN BEAT worked in company with Cajun Beat appearing to be the stronger of the pair coming to the wire and during the gallop out. BWANA CHARLIE turned in an eye catching work here earlier in the week, completing his final quarter in :22.40 seconds, and a longshot threat but is poorly drawn on the rail. Did not get to see much of the California invaders which is unfortunate since on paper OUR NEW RECRUIT and KELA may be the ones to beat.
Filly And Mare Turf - OUIJA BOARD not the strapping type of filly we expected to see coming in off several huge efforts in Europe but more an athletic type who has not turned a hair in her first two local appearances that included an easy jog over a soft turf course. Hard to look past. AUBONNE has had two terrific mornings and appears to be coming up to a big effort if she can show the same kind of energy and enthusiasm on race day. SUPER BRAND and RISKAVERSE both turned in very useful final preps over their home course at Belmont with Super Brand particularly impressive.
YESTERDAY had her head up and was looking around quite a bit during Thursday morning's gallop which might be the reason she'll race in blinkers for the first time on Saturday.
Juvenile - AFLEET ALEX turned in arguably the best work of the week and has a chance to pull off an upset. ROMAN RULER a monster of a 2-year-old who wins the good looks awards. Was extremely sharp right off the plane when full of himself during his first local appearance following her arrival from California. PROUD ACCOLADE held his own while working in company with Classic contender Newfoundland prior to leaving New York. SUN KING has had a good week in Texas. WILKO may be having trouble adjusting to the counter-clockwise style if his difficulty making lead changes during training is any indication.
Turf - KITTENS JOY couldn't look better. Handled the wet turf course flawlessly in a pair of eye catching gallops and may be the best bet on the card. POWERSCOURT, the second choice, got extremely hot and looked lackluster at the end of Thursday's gallop. MAGISTRETTI does not appear on top of his game at this time. Was life and death to keep pace with a stablemate in a recent work over the turf course.
Classic - Anybody looking to knock defending champion PLEASANTLY PERFECT here this week will be hard pressed to find a single fault. Couldn't be training any better and ready to repeat despite facing a very strong field that includes GHOSTZAPPER, ROSES OF MAY and FUNNY CIDE all of whom have made very favorable appearances during the past week. Ghostzapper's final work in New York was flawless while Roses Of May has had several days of strong gallops following his work here last Saturday. AZERI has never looked better, in sharp contrast to when we saw her balk repeatedly before her final work prior to being scratched from the 2003 Distaff. BIRDSTONE has shown a lot more interest in recent mornings after looking a bit lackluster earlier in the week. Japan's PERSONAL RUSH has been asked to do a lot in a short period of time since his arrival and was un-impressive in his final work.
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