Big John B may train up to Breeders' Cup Turf

DEL MAR, Calif. - The absence of the $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at the Santa Anita autumn meeting this year has left several California trainers scrambling on ways to prepare their marathon turf horses for potential starts in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Earlier this summer, Santa Anita announced its stakes schedule for the autumn and omitted the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship for the 2015 season because of financial considerations. The race is scheduled to be part of the 2016 autumn meeting, which will include the Breeders’ Cup races. In its place this year, Santa Anita has scheduled the $75,000 King Pellinore Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Sept. 27, at the same distance as the John Henry Turf Championship.

The low purse of the King Pellinore could lead some trainers to select races away from California for BC Turf prospects.

Saturday, Big John B won the $250,750 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf for the second consecutive year, earning a fees-paid berth for the BC Turf. He closed from last of eight as the 2-1 second choice.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday that Big John B may not start again until the BC Turf. If a prep race is selected, a race such as the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park on Sept. 26 would be considered.

“I know we can get him to run big fresh,” D’Amato said. “We could find a race back East.”

Big John B was ninth in the 2014 BC Turf at Santa Anita.

The BC Turf at Keeneland is in the plans for Ashleyluvssugar, who was beaten 1 1/2 lengths as the 9-5 favorite in the Del Mar Handicap. Earlier this year, Ashleyluvssugar, who is trained by Peter Eurton, won two Grade 2 turf races at Santa Anita – the San Luis Rey Stakes and Charles Whittingham Stakes.

The BC Turf may be in the plans for Twentytwentyvision, who won an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on turf in Saturday’s sixth race. Twentytwentyvision was second in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf here on July 18.

Trainer Richard Mandella said he wants to give Twentytwentyvision a prep race to determine whether the BC Turf is feasible.

“I was hoping for the John Henry,” Mandella said. “We’ll figure out something, but I’m hopeful of getting something bigger.”

Finnegans Wake, the winner of four graded stakes on turf in the last nine months, was scratched from the Del Mar Handicap on Saturday morning. Trainer Peter Miller questioned on Sunday whether Finnegans Wake would be pointed for the BC Turf.

“We’ll take a wait-and-see approach,” he said. “I didn’t like his post and I didn’t like his energy level. He seemed dull. Sometimes punting is the right decision.

“If we don’t run, we’ll rest him for next year.”