Breeders' Cup Clocker: Busy day at Del Mar, with 19 possible starters working
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Del Mar
Sunday, Oct. 27
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast
Turf: Firm
Temperature: 56
DEL MAR, Calif. – Sunday was the busiest morning by far at Del Mar, host site for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup, since the track opened for training earlier this week, and fortunately the weather cooperated. The dense fog that covered the area when training opened at 5:30 a.m. disappeared almost as rapidly as it came in, with clear skies prevailing for the remainder of the morning.
Nineteen Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants turned in official works here Sunday. Four were on the turf, with several others, like Classic contender Ushba Tesoro, open-galloping into impromptu breezes that were not quite fast enough to qualify for the regular tab but were certainly significant.
Ushba Tesoro made his usual excellent visual impression, especially when picking up his pace entering the stretch, open-galloping a strong five-eighths down the lane and around the clubhouse turn while completing a final quarter-mile in 25.90 seconds on his own. Ushba Tesoro was definitely a training all-star prior to his fifth-place finish in the Classic a year ago at Santa Anita and has been making every bit as good an appearance thus far this year.
Whitney winner Arthur’s Ride was one of four Bill Mott-trained Breeders’ Cup contenders to work here Sunday, going four furlongs in 24.59 and 48.18 before galloping out five-eighths in 1:00.73 with good energy and pulling up three-quarters in 1:13.69. Arthur’s Ride, working in blinkers, had his head high and cocked out for much of the way, getting a good look at the new surroundings while put to some urging to help maintain his focus on several occasions.
Arthur’s Ride was joined on the tab by stablemates Scylla (Filly and Mare Sprint), four furlongs in a leisurely and maintenance-like 51.55; War Like Goddess (Filly and Mare Turf), four furlongs in 48.52; and Scythian (Juvenile Fillies Turf), an easy half-mile on the turf in 49.61. War Like Goddess was particularly impressive breezing over the main track, galloping out with plenty of energy in 1:01.53 before continuing a full seven panels in 1:29.03. Scythian also finished strong and galloped out willingly breezing over the very wide dogs on a firm turf course.
Mott’s fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen breezed three of his five Breeders’ Cup runners, all going three furlongs, Filly and Mare Sprint hopefuls Society and Zeitlos, along with Skelly, the early morning-line favorite for the Sprint. Skelly broke off at the quarter pole and continued into the clubhouse turn in a slow 39.88. He was hard-held but just average-looking while making a bit of noise coming past the finish line. Both Cogburn (Turf Sprint) and Gun Pilot (Sprint) just jogged today.
Doug O’Neill worked nearly 30 horses here Sunday. Five were Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants, led by Classic-bound Mixto, who went five-eighths from the half in 1:00.78, traveling easily while kept off the rail and finishing willingly into the turn. Sprint contender Raging Torrent was the first Breeders’ Cup runner to drill from the gate here this week, completing his final half in 49.96 while never asked for his best at any point.
Other notable workers over the main track included Didia (Filly and Mare Turf), hard-held to complete four furlongs in 50.96; Meta Max (Sprint), who open-galloped before picking up his pace to breeze a half-mile in 51.92, a final furlong around the turn in a crisp 12.50; and Rousham Park (Turf), whose action screams turf and may not be the prettiest to watch. Rousham Park has shown great energy since arriving locally, galloping/jogging a couple of miles this morning before breezing five furlongs in 1:04 and change, finishing full of run despite being kept well off the rail completing the move around the clubhouse turn.
The turf course opened twice during the morning. The 7:15 a.m. session was led by Geoglyph (Mile), who looked very good galloping over the main track Saturday and even better switching to his preferred surface 24 hours later. Geoglyph covered the final quarter of a very easy 53.05 half-mile around those wide dogs in 23.63 before galloping out forever, not pulling up until back around again to the top of the stretch. He gave the impression he could prove a bit of a sleeper in the Mile.
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