2021 Breeders' Cup clocker report for Nov. 4: Teona among good-looking European breezers
Del Mar
Weather: CloudyTemp.: 56Track: FastTurf: Firm
DEL MAR, Calif. – Another cold, damp morning at Del Mar, with the fog holding off for the most part, although it showed bad timing by closing in over the track just as a dozen or so Europeans came out to put in some serious training on the turf course shortly before 7:30 a.m.
Although none of the Euros were officially credited with timed works, several turned in notable drills, beginning with Teona, a 3-year-old filly with plenty of promise, prepping for the formidable assignment of taking on the boys in the Turf. She breezed an easy four furlongs around the wide dogs in 52.92, finishing strongly and sustaining her momentum while galloping out inside the cones to avoid traffic into the clubhouse turn.
Teona was following onto the turf by trainer Charlie Appleby’s six Breeders’ Cup entrants, which included older horses Master of The Seas, Walton Street, and Yibir, whose open gallops turned into half-mile breezes of their own. Master of The Seas was the first and quickest of the trio, cruising four furlongs in 51.56 while not switching off his left lead down the stretch in preparation for the Mile. Walton and Yibir followed close behind, turning in 53.49 and 53.67 halves, respectively, while set to join Teona in the Turf.
Dubawi Legend and Hierarchy blew out a quarter-mile down the stretch over the turf course on Wednesday and came right back with another very aggressive session this morning, going a full six furlongs in company in 1:17.40. They were in turn followed by stablemate Ocean Road, who turned in a similarly aggressive three-quarters in 1:17.55.
The lone European contender who did not give off good vibes this morning was Mise En Scene, who was easing up coming to the wire after a lackluster session.
Thunder Love and Cachet both turned in solid works on the turf Wednesday and both came right back to blow out a strong quarter-mile down the stretch over a very fast main track today.
Perhaps the most impressive of all the European invaders entered in Breeders’ Cup 2021 was the German-based Sisfahan, a Group 1 winner considered an outsider in the Turf. He has made a favorable impression all week, capping off his preparations by open-galloping a full mile, quarter pole to quarter pole. He showed terrific energy, covering the distance in 1:52.75, with his middle half in a lively 53.60.
Of course nothing during the morning could top the sight of Aidan’s Army – Team Ballydoyle of trainer Aidan O’Brien – open-galloping, with seven across the track coming down the stretch and into the clubhouse turn at a lively 14-second-per-furlong clip much of the way. None turned a hair or missed a beat while in perfect precision throughout.
Life Is Good, as usual, kicked things off at 5:30 a.m. and continues to thrive while showing much better focus than earlier in the week, coming down the lane on the proper lead, head straight, while looking his usual powerhouse self.
Hadn’t seen Special Reserve until early this morning and nobody made a better first impression than he did, looking primed and ready for a big effort in the Sprint.
War Like Goddess continues to stand out in her morning training. She was full of run again today coming down the stretch and out around the turn, posting 14-second splits while a handful to pull up near the end of the backstretch.
Got Stormy had another good day, coming out earlier than usual, well before dawn. Others who caught the eye, through the haze, before dawn were Commandperformance, a hard-to-hold Bubble Rock, Following Sea, and a very relaxed-looking veteran Firenze Fire, who should be very used to this sort of thing by now making his fifth Breeders’ Cup appearance on Saturday in the Sprint.
Some of the highlights post-renovation break included an energized 1 1/2-mile gallop from Essential Quality; another very good morning for Royal Flag and the rest of the Chad Brown contingent; a grand-looking Max Player; Golden Pal on his toes and looking prepped to explode in the Turf Sprint; and another very good morning for Twilight Jet, on the muscle and perhaps a sleeper in Friday’s Juvenile Turf Sprint.