Abel Tasman has eventful work for Breeders' Cup Distaff

ARCADIA, Calif. – Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman worked seven furlongs from the gate in 1:25.60 on Sunday morning at Santa Anita and had to avoid a horse who went wrong just in front of her shortly after she broke from the gate.

She was one of more than a dozen horses who worked on the main track Sunday in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 3-4 at Del Mar. Abel Tasman is heading to the Distaff on Nov. 3, when she will face older runners.

Abel Tasman, working in company, broke well from the gate and then was taken back off her company by jockey Mike Smith. About an eighth of a mile into the work, they had to avoid Vegas Vic, who was injured while pulling up after a half-mile work. His exercise rider, Jose Dominguez, fell to the track.

Vegas Vic and Dominguez had moved to the middle of the track after the work, so Abel Tasman and her workmate, Leading Score, flew by inside of them without incident.

Abel Tasman caught Leading Score nearing the wire – six furlongs into the drill – then went out an extra furlong. Leading Score was done after six furlongs in 1:13.40.

"That went really well," trainer Bob Baffert said. "She sat back. She had been getting into a bad habit."

Baffert was referring to the way Abel Tasman got rank in the Cotillion and made a sudden, midrace move, eventually finishing second. She had no inclination to behave like that in this work, in which she broke sharply and then settled.

"She left the gate!" Smith said, happy with how Abel Tasman came away from the gate.

"That horse broke down right in front of us," said Martin Garcia, who was on Leading Score.

Dominguez was taken in an ambulance to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. He was complaining of soreness in his neck and back, but a paramedic attending to him said he had movement in his fingers and toes.

Baffert also worked West Coast, the rapidly improving 3-year-old who will take on elders in the Classic on Nov. 4. He continued his progress toward that date with a solid six-furlong workout in which he got the best of the venerable Hoppertunity in deep stretch.

West Coast, under Drayden Van Dyke, was timed in 1:12.40. Hoppertunity was timed in 1:12.80.

"He walks off the track like he's not even blowing," Van Dyke said to Baffert.

Javier Castellano has the mount in the Classic. Van Dyke is on Mubtaahij.

West Coast won the Travers and Pennsylvania Derby in his last two starts.

"He's a big, strong horse who's just getting good," Baffert said.

Baffert said he expected to pre-enter at least four horses – Arrogate, Collected, Mubtaahij, and West Coast – in the Classic. Cupid also was likely to be pre-entered in the Classic as well as the Dirt Mile. Pre-entries are due on Monday and are to be officially announced Wednesday.

Baffert said all of his Breeders' Cup runners will have their final works at Santa Anita.

Hoppertunity is scheduled to return to action next weekend at Santa Anita in the one-mile Comma to the Top, a prep for his main fall goal, the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs next month.

Bolt d’Oro, the expected favorite in the Juvenile on Nov. 4, worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 with regular jockey Corey Nakatani up. He worked shortly after the second of two morning renovation breaks at a time reserved for Breeders' Cup workers.

"After the work, he had his ears up like he had a good time out there," said owner and trainer Mick Ruis.

Ruis said Bolt d'Oro would have his final Breeders' Cup work next Sunday at Santa Anita. "He'll walk Monday and then ship Tuesday" of Breeders' Cup week, Ruis said.

Moonshine Memories, the unbeaten 2-year-old filly and likely favorite in the Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4, worked five furlongs in 1:00 while pulling clear of a workmate in deep stretch.

"Really happy. She galloped out well," said trainer Simon Callaghan, who said Moonshine Memories would have her final Breeders' Cup work next Sunday at Del Mar.

Callaghan will have Encumbered in the Juvenile Turf. He said a decision was pending on whether to go with Run Away in the Juvenile or keep him around one turn.

Trainer Phil D’Amato worked Midnight Storm and Ransom the Moon for their potential Breeders’ Cup starts. Both went five furlongs without company.

Midnight Storm was timed in 1:00.20. He will be pre-entered in the Dirt Mile on Nov. 3 and the Mile on turf on Nov. 4, but his connections are slightly leaning toward the Dirt Mile, desirous as they are of getting him a Grade 1 win on dirt before he goes to stud. This year’s Dirt Mile has a maximum field of 14. In prior years, when the Dirt Mile was held on a track where the mile is a two-turn race, the field was capped at 12.

Ransom the Moon, prepping for the Sprint on Nov. 4, also was timed in 1:00.20.

If Midnight Storm goes in the Dirt Mile, his rivals are expected to include Iron Fist, who worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 early Sunday morning for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Asmussen also sent Tap Daddy out for a five-furlong work in 1:01.80 in preparation for the Juvenile Turf on Nov. 3.

Goodyearforroses worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds. She is pointing to the Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 4.

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