Wed, 11/04/2009 - 00:00

Negligee rewards years of trust, loyalty

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer John Terranova (above) has trained for the Gatsas family since 2000. On Friday, they will start Alcibiades winner Negligee in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

In an era when impetuous owners change trainers like they change socks, the decade-long association between the Gatsas family and the husband-and-wife trainer team of John and Tonja Terranova has endured. Through triumph and tragedy, the Gatsas-Terranova relationship has strengthened personally and professionally.

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 00:00

Clocker: Little bit of misbehaving going on

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Aidan O'Brien (second from right) looks over Rip Van Winkle, who was hot and washed out during Wednesday training.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Just about everybody had joined the Breeders' Cup party at Santa Anita by training hours on Wednesday. Everybody, that is, except leading lady Zenyatta, who was due in from her Hollywood Park base later in the morning.

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 00:00

Hollendorfer still under the radar

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is fourth on the all-time wins list with 5,505 but is not in the Hall of Fame.

ARCADIA, Calif. - He is one of only four trainers who have won at least 5,000 races, and he ranks 10th all-time in purse money won. Those accomplishments have not been good enough to merit Jerry Hollendorfer a spot in Thoroughbred racing's Hall of Fame.

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 00:00

Rip Van Winkle fights latest foot issue

Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Rip Van Winkle, winning the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot in September, has "had issues throughout the year" with his feet, trainer Aidan O'Brien said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The battle cry all year for European standout Rip Van Winkle has been "feet don't fail me now." After his first tour of the Santa Anita main track Wednesday morning, trainer Aidan O'Brien said he was satisfied with the way Rip Van Winkle, who is scheduled to run in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, is dealing with the latest problem in his troublesome feet.

"He's had issues throughout the year," the soft-spoken O'Brien said outside the quarantine barn in Santa Anita's stable area.

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 00:00

Zenyatta will be facing crowd in Classic

Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Rip Van Winkle (left), beating Paco Boy in the Sussex Stakes, was made the Classic favorite on DRF handicapper Mike Watchmaker's line.

ARCADIA, Calif. - In her 13 previous victories, all against females, Zenyatta only once has faced more than seven rivals. That was in her debut, in which she beat 11 other maiden fillies. When she runs against males for the first time on Saturday in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting, Zenyatta will have to beat the biggest field she has ever faced.

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 00:00

Music Note, Careless Jewel look to emerge

Barbara D. Livingston
Beldame winner Music Note (above) will face Careless Jewel in the Ladies' Classic.

ARCADIA, Calif. Music Note, who last year raced in the shadow of Zenyatta, and Careless Jewel, who this year is racing in the shadow of Rachel Alexandra, are the top two choices on the morning line in the $2 million Breeders Cup Ladies Classic, to be run Friday during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita.

Jon White, the morning-line maker at Santa Anita, has Music Note (9-5) the slight favorite over Careless Jewel (2-1). Rainbow View is the third choice at 6-1.

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 00:00

Stoute's pair favored in BC Turf

Barbara D. Livingston
Counduit, the defending winner of the BC Turf, was made the 7-5 morning-line favorite.

ARCADIA, Calif. - With only eight horses going postward in the Breeders' Cup Turf, the draw should have no effect whatsoever in the 1 1/2-mile contest, which starts halfway down Santa Anita's hillside course.

Installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite, defending titleholder Conduit will start from post 2 with regular rider Ryan Moore aboard. It is significant to note that Moore has opted for Conduit over his Michael Stoute-trained stablemate Spanish Moon, who breaks from post 7.

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 00:00

Interactif an outsider in Juvenile Turf

Photos by Z/Keeneland
Interactif came from off the pace to win the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland.

ARCADIA, Calif. - For trainers John Gosden and Todd Pletcher, the post position draw for this year's $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf went exactly like last year. Only Gosden hopes the race goes the same way.

Gosden won last year's Juvenile Turf here at Santa Anita with Donativum, who broke from post 4 while the Pletcher-trained Bittel Road checked in eighth after being forced to break from post 11.

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 00:00

Informed Decision in clear in F&M Sprint

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Jonathan Sheppard (right) said he was pleased with the draw of post 7 for Informed Decision.

ARCADIA, Calf. - The only contender that might have been compromised by the post draw for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint has no worries regarding her starting position.

Informed Decision "does not really like dirt in her face," trainer Jonathan Sheppard said.

Good thing for Sheppard that Informed Decision landed an outside post and will not have any dirt in her face, or Pro-Ride synthetic material.

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 00:00

Top two side by side in Juvenile Fillies Turf

Barbara D. Livingston
House of Grace (above) will start next to the favored Lillie Langtry in the Luvenile Fillies Turf.

Lillie Langtry and House of Grace, installed as the first and second favorites for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, will break side by side in the one-mile turf event. The 3-1 Lillie Langtry will start from post 8 in the 12-runner field, while the 4-1 House of Grace will be stationed just inside of her in 7.