Arcangelo, Tamara each work five furlongs for Breeders' Cup races

ARCADIA, Calif. - The 3-year-old Arcangelo and 2-year-old filly Tamara, both rated as expected favorites for Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita next month, had five-furlong workouts slightly more than an hour apart on Sunday.

Arcangelo, unraced since a win in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga on Aug. 26, worked five furlongs in 1:00 and galloped out a mile in 1:41.

Working alone, Arcangelo was well into stride before the start of the workout, his second since being flown from New York to California last month. Arcangelo worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 at Santa Anita on Oct. 5.

Trainer Jena Antonucci described the work as “maintaining fitness.” She said Arcangelo will have one more workout before the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Nov. 4, his debut against older horses.

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In the next few weeks, Arcangelo will have more schooling at the gate and in the paddock, she said.

The winner of the Belmont Stakes in June, Arcangelo has won 4 of 6 starts and earned $1,754,900 for Blue Rose Farm.

Shortly after the workout, while being cooled out, Arcangelo was led to a round pen where he had a brief roll in the sand. Antonucci said she requested access to such a facility when she contacted Santa Anita racing officials regarding stabling before the Breeders’ Cup.

“It gives him a chance to be a horse,” she said.

Tamara, who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies in her last start, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 for the BC Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 3.

Trained by Richard Mandella for Spendthrift Farm, Tamara was held out of the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 7 to have an eight-week gap between starts.

“She continues to keep a good attitude,” Mandella said. “We slowed her down a little bit. She worked really fast last week.”

Tamara worked a half-mile in 46.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Oct. 7.

“She’ll have a longer work next week,” Mandella said.

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