Breeders' Cup Clocker: Contrasting styles on display Sunday

Santa Anita Park
Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast
Temp: 60

Arcadia, Calif. – A contrast in styles between a pair of Hall of Fame trainers highlighted Sunday’s Breeders’ Cup training action at sunny Santa Anita, where weather conditions remained ideal and the racetrack fast but still somewhat on the dullish side.

Trainer Bill Mott sent out a trio of Breeders’ Cup hopefuls for their final preps before the main event including a pair, Elate and Yoshida, for the Classic both of whom, along with stablemate Channel Maker (Turf), all turned in maintenance-like breezes here Sunday.

His colleague Bob Baffert, on the other hand, also had three Breeders’ Cup workers during the course of the morning – and they were in anything but maintenance mode. All three were asked along for their best beginning with Improbable (Dirt Mile) followed by 2-year-olds Bast (Juvenile Fillies) and Eight Rings (Juvenile).

Although her final time of 37.28 seconds for three furlongs wouldn’t raise any eyebrows, Elate continued to make a favorable impression just cruising through the wire before picking up the pace all on her own to complete a half into the clubhouse turn in 49.66. As usual, she continued with excellent energy around the turn, pulling up five-eighths in 1:03.29.

Like Elate, Yoshida also looked terrific despite an average half-mile clocking in 50.00, striding out strongly to and through the wire while going as easy as can be before showing similar enthusiasm galloping out into and around the turn in 1:03.22, up six furlongs in 1:17.80.

Channel Maker was the last of the Mott threesome to breeze, the turf specialist cruising four furlongs over the main track in 25.45, 50.27, high-headed as usual coming down the lane before also galloping out quite willingly in 1:03.10.

Improbable set the tone for team Baffert, sizzling five furlongs in 23.00, 34.14, 58.80 while catching some traffic along the way, having to come inside one worker entering the stretch and chase another team down the lane. In fact, Improbable lost ground to the unidentified pair despite being set down through the final furlong, tiring a bit during the latter stages before galloping out six panels in 1:12.03 with Rafael Bejarano aboard.

Eight Rings had the unraced 2-year-old Azul Coast for a workmate, breaking two lengths back at the 4 1/2-furlong pole, completing five furlongs on even terms a sixteenth past the wire in 36.02, 59.72. But he struggled to maintain that momentum going out into and around the turn under continued urging, dropping back from his less experienced mate after six panels in 1:13.97.

Bast also went in company from the 4 1/2-furlong pole, completing five-eighths in 1:01.25 responding well to late encouragement before galloping out three-quarters in an average 1:15.45.

Mongolian Groom was the third Classic contender to work this morning, jogging and open galloping a long ways before finally breaking off to go a very easy five furlongs in 37.09, 1:02.41. The Awesome Again winner then continued out into and around the turn very willingly, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.34 before easing up after seven-eighths in 1:30.08.

Paradise Woods (Distaff), like Improbable, left the pole full of run completing her opening three-eighths in 23.49, 34.55 before tiring some during the latter stages, getting five furlongs in 1:00.01.

Likewise Fair Maiden, who also showed some early foot, splits of 23.69 and 35.87 before weakening late to complete five-eighths in 1:01.30 for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Mirth (Filly and Mare Turf) worked on the training track, as many grass specialists do here, going five furlongs in 36.38, 1:01.98. She was given a couple of stablemates to run at, beginning about 7-8 lengths behind her targets, and had a hard time making up all the ground despite being asked to finish. She struggled to finally catch the pair even under continued urging going out a slow three-quarters in 1:19 into the turn.

Two horses who did not receive official works, but looked good nonetheless during the course of the morning, were Castle Lady (Filly and Mare Turf) and Blue Chipper (Dirt Mile). Castle Lady went three furlongs in 37.20, coming down the lane in a strong 24.20 going easily throughout and has now made a favorable impression each of the last two mornings. Blue Chipper was pretty much in open gallop mode but covered his last half-mile in 52.22, also picking up the pace late going easily out near the middle of the track.