Arabian Knight leads Baffert workers ahead of Breeders' Cup
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Led by Arabian Knight, the winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sept. 2, trainer Bob Baffert gave several prominent horses workouts at Santa Anita on Monday, less than three weeks before the Breeders’ Cup.
“We started picking up the tempo a little bit,” Baffert said.
Arabian Knight, unraced since the Pacific Classic, worked seven furlongs in 1:24. A winner of 3 of 4 starts, Arabian Knight is rated as a leading contender for the $6 million BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Nov. 4. Arabian Knight won his first try at 1 1/4 miles in the Pacific Classic.
Prince of Monaco, unbeaten winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 10 in his last start, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 for the BC Juvenile on Nov. 3. The BC Juvenile will be Prince of Monaco’s first start at 1 1/16 miles.
Baffert was less certain regarding race plans for the 4-year-old filly Eda, who worked six furlongs in 1:12.40, and Defunded, the winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita in May, who worked six furlongs in 1:11.60.
Eda had a seven-race winning streak end with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Sept. 29. She is under consideration for the BC Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 4.
“I haven’t made that call yet,” Baffert said.
Defunded, who is rated as an outsider for the BC Classic, was sixth in the Pacific Classic and second in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 30. Defunded is under consideration for the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland on Oct. 28.
Dua, third in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita is “probably not” going to run in the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 3, Baffert said. Dua worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds on Monday.
The Baffert-trained Adare Manor, rated with an outstanding chance in the BC Distaff for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles, worked three furlongs in 36.60 seconds on Sunday in her first work since an easy win in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1.
White Abarrio and Senor Buscador, two other candidates for the BC Classic worked five furlongs on Monday.
White Abarrio, who was timed in 1:01.80, has not raced since a win in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga in August. White Abarrio, trained by Richard Dutrow, is a three-time stakes winner who has been based at Santa Anita for the last month.
Senor Buscador, trained by Todd Fincher, was timed in 1:02, his first work since a third in the Awesome Again Stakes.
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